Jesus in Low Places (Rob Gieselmann, Jan 21, 2007)
 

1. It was his custom, Luke tells us. Jesus attended synagogue every Sabbath. He read Scripture, every Sabbath. He stood, week after week, took the Scroll, week after week, and read the law, read the prophets, week after week. The same law and the prophets that Ezra read in such a way that the people were moved to tears, to change, to amendment of life. Jesus read that law and prophets week after week, and this week seemed like last week, looked like last week, only it was different. This week wasn’t last week, it was this week, and this week it was time. Time for Jesus’ family and friends to be moved, as in ages past, as in times past, as with Ezra.

And so Jesus stood this week, took the Scroll this week, and read the Prophet Isaiah, this week,

The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me,
to bring good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives,
and to open the eyes of the blind,
to free the oppressed, and
to proclaim the year of liberty.

And this week, Jesus sat down as the teacher always sat, but rather than teach. Rather than expound on Isaiah. Rather than explain Isaiah, Jesus became Isaiah.

Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your midst.

This week is different.

And with that, Jesus and not words, Jesus became the Good News of God.

2. To be sure, Jesus taught. Jesus used words, he was the Teacher. He taught people to pray, but first he prayed. He lived prayer.

He taught people to go two miles with someone who asks only for one, but first Jesus walked across Galilee and Nazareth and Judea. He lived service.

He taught people to give to the poor, but first he welcomed the poor at his own doorstep. He lived giving.

And finally, Jesus taught people to turn the other cheek, but first he turned his own cheek, at the crucifixion. He lived sacrifice.

Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your midst.

Jesus is the embodiment of the Law and the Prophets, Scripture, its fulfillment, its offer of peace on earth in human form. The person Jesus is good news to the poor, sight to the blind, and liberty to the captive.

3. Corinth was a Greek city, the capital of Achia. Because of its location on a narrow strip of land, Corinth enjoyed two ports and a major land trade route passed through it. This made Corinth a business center. Because trade flowed through Corinth like technology through Silicon Valley, Corinth was wealthy.

Hence, members of the Corinthian church were wealthy. Not all, but enough.

Paul and Barnabas formed the Corinthian church during Paul’s Second Missionary Journey. The Church was diverse, with Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, men and women, working class and the leisurely. Paul was proud of them, always proud of them, at least until he receives a letter from them, revealing their deep divisions.

The rich and leisurely – who because they didn’t work, had more time to contemplate spirituality – tended towards Gnosticism, meaning they thought they had special knowledge, above the spirituality and knowledge of your average Corinthian Joe. They knew more than the rest, at least in their estimation.

What they knew is this: Christ means freedom!

And for them, freedom meant they could do what they wanted, regardless of Law or the sensitivities of their fellow churchmen. They expressed their freedom in religious practice, practice that offended the “lesser” members or excluded the lesser members: for example, they ate meat sacrificed to idols, despite Scriptural prohibitions to that effect – also, they engaged the more spiritual gifts of tounges and prophecy were thought to be “better.”

Some of their freedom bordered on the absurd. One was “so free” that he lived (euphemism for slept with) his father’s wife.

Now, when Paul receives this letter, he gets mad. Hopping Mad. He can’t believe what he is reading! Is this the same cohesive and happy group I left behind?

Paul shoots off one of those emails most of us would have deleted before sending – and he lets them know exactly how mad he is at them. We call that letter, First Corinthians.

Paul does not mince words. In short, he takes these Gnostics to task – indeed, the freedom of Christ means just what you say: I can do all things, Paul tells them – but he flips the coin, and asks: Why would you?

Why would you eat meat sacrificed to idols when you know it demeans the person in the pew next to you.

Why would you do anything that damages the spirituality of your neighbor – even if they are too sensitive – pay attention to the sensitivities of the sensitive, he tells them.

This is the irony, the rub: these supposed spiritual Christians – are actually the unspiritual, for they have turned their Christian freedom into a stumbling block to others.

In short, Paul treats these Christians like petulant, bickering children, and tells them – in short – to stop it. I wish, by the way, that someone would tell the petulant, Episcopal children so fond of bickering to – in the name of Christ – stop it.

The Thirteenth Chapter of First Corinthians was not written for weddings; it wasn’t even written with romantic love in mind. The Thirteenth Chapter of First Corinthians was written to a bickering church – Stop bickering, you are the body of Christ, each with different gifts, gifts that fit together, hand in glove, so now – let me show you a more excellent way. Love is patient, love is kind…

4. Jesus became freedom for the prisoner, became sight for the blind, became Good News for the poor. Jesus became in human form whatever it is that is your deepest need. Your need to be accepted, your need for love, your need for human contact. Jesus is the human embodiment of the more excellent way.

Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your midst. But today, this day – not 2000 years ago, where is Jesus?

5. Where is Jesus? Where’s Wallace? My childhood book – love to read to the kids, still to this day.

Paul is nothing, if not egalitarian. You are the Body of Christ, Paul tells them. In all its multifaceted and multidimensional workings, you are all equal. Maybe some are richer, some poorer, maybe some have flashier gifts, others steady-eddy gifts, but you are all the same in Christ. Egalitarian. You’re all the same, none better, none worse. The Body of Christ. The physical expression of Jesus as the Christ in the world today.

Where’s that Jesus? Look at one another – look at the person next to you –

But that’s not all – Jesus is found not just in the person in the pew next to you – the real Jesus, the Where’s Wallace Jesus, is hidden out there – Let me give you an example.

Mother Theresa tells a beautiful story about a young novitiate who joined her work after completing her studies. Her first day on the job, she was to help an older Sister with the dying in the village of Kalighat.

Before the two of them left, Mother Theresa reminded them, you know where you have to go. During the Mass notice how tenderly and lovingly the priest touches the Body of Christ. Do not forget, that Christ is the same Christ you touch in the poor.

The two left for Kalighat, and three hours later they returned. The novitiate knocked on Mother Theresa’s door, full of joy. Mother, I touched the body of Christ for the last three hours.

What did you do?

Right after we arrived, she answered, they brought us a man covered with wounds. He had been picked up from the rubble. I had to help take care of his wounds. It took three hours. Therefore I touched the Body of Christ for three hours. I am sure it was him.

I am sure it was him.

Didn’t Jesus say something about that? Inasmuch as you do it for the least of these, you do it for me?

So I must ask, Where’s Wallace? Where’s Jesus?

You are Jesus, the Body of Christ, and today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your midst.

You are Jesus, full of love, full of acceptance, full of gifts for others – gifts that are exactly the gifts you need the most yourself. You are your own promise, but for the person next to you.

You are Jesus, you are Good News to the poor, you are sight to the blind, you are freedom to the captive. Today.

Where’s Jesus? In that strange twist, you are Jesus, but perhaps you aren’t fully Jesus until you find Jesus in your neighbor, until you care for the least among you as the novitiate cared for Jesus.

There is an Gaelic Rune that goes like this:

I saw a stranger yestreen:
I put food in the eating place,
Drink in the Drinking place,
Music in the Listening place;

And in the blessed name of the Triune
He blessed myself and my house
My cattle and my dear ones.

And the lark said in her song
Often Often Often
Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise,
Often Often Often
Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise.

Conclusion. Let us pray. Lord, help us to see in our neighbor you, in all your beauty, and all your glory and all your love. Help us to learn that the peace we seek is situated there, in that person next to us, and for your sake, teach us to serve that person. In Christ’s love,

Amen.

Copyright 2007