Luke 4:14-21
from Franco Zefirelli’s film, “Jesus of Nazareth” (1977)
Tickled by the Word
I think that they were thrilled to find
The hometown boy, who made them proud;
Their oohs and aahs, like him, not shy,
Were happily to all avowed.
He pulled no punches, thus they fixed
Their startled eyes in pleased delight.
When from the heart, a reader reads,
The reader, list'ners' faith invites.
Don’t jump ahead yet to next week,
When too much boldness flipped their switch;
For now, remember to proclaim!
For that’s the scratch that cures our itch.
Scott L. Barton
Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to
Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He
began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to
Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath
day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet
Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it
was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to
bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim
the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the
attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your
hearing.”
+ + +
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Can "Religion" = Re-ligament Again?
A Jewish friend has written me
About the news from Canterb'ry,*
He thinks that Justin Welby seems
Reactionary, since the seams
Of Anglicans now start to fray
From sanctions over matters gay.
I tell him Welby's job is tough,
Consid'ring some have had enough,
Preferring the Americans
Would go their separate way, again,
And leave a great and worldwide fold,
A purer church to then behold.
It's painful that some matters rank
So high to some, they'd draw a blank,
Forgetful of this chapter, where,
Paul says we must with others bear
When they are diff'rent! - since in Christ,
All parts that are in him, suffice.
My friend, no synagogue attends,
And frequently with me contends
Religion is no tie that binds,
But rather splits both hearts and minds;
Sometimes I fear that he is right,
And wish this text be heeded. Quite.
Scott L. Barton
(2016)
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all
the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in
the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or
free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not
consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a
hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of
the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong
to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole
body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing,
where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in
the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where
would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye
cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the
feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that
seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we
think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable
members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members
do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to
the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the
members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all
suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with
it.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of
it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance,
forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all
prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of
healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater
gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
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