Epiphany III

The Episcopal Church of Wichita Falls – Wichita Falls, Texas

Year C – Epiphany III Readings:

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21

I speak to you in the name of the Living God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

And we pray that our unity may one day be restored

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

In today’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul is admonishing the Corinthians to remember that even when they don’t agree with one another, they really do need each other. Each part of the body, each member of the Church, has a unique and important role to play. There are no “added extras,” no one whom the church can do without.

Paul is calling the Corinthians to recognize their roles and to do what they’re created to do. But you’ll note that a the end of this passage in which he so carefully describes the relationships between the parts of the body and the unique gifts that each part contributes, he says, “But strive for the greater gifts.” In other words, knowing all this stuff about how the body operates and about the unique role each part has to play is not enough. The next chapter outlines the crucial “greater gifts,” without which all these efforts to “do the right thing” are not only unsustainable, but also pointless.

What are the greater gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the chapter read so often at weddings and sometimes baptisms and funerals? Faith, hope and love are the greater gifts. “And the greatest of these is love.” Indeed, without love, we can do nothing. And, without being grounded in love, what little we think we can do quickly fades. The way of Christ is the way of love. This Way is not easy, but it is good. They will know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other, we will work side by side

We will work with each other, we will work side by side

And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

I’m going to break one of the cardinal rules of preaching today and comment on each of the readings. As a group, they fit hand in glove with themes of this song, “They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love,” which was written in the early 1960s by Father Peter Scholtes, a Roman Catholic parish priest working on the South Side of Chicago. Committed to ecumenical, cross-cultural, inter-racial partnerships, Father Scholtes wrote this hymn for a youth choir he gathered together to sing at community events. Father Scholtes didn’t have the Revised Common Lectionary, created in the ‘80s, so we know that he didn’t write this song to fit with the Scripture lessons for today, but it’s a pretty amazing fit.

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Old Testament were likely at one point a single book. They are the story of the restoration of the Jewish people to their homeland after yet another period of exile. The Persian king Artaxerxes helps the Jewish people re-settle in Jerusalem and re-establish their identity as a people. One of the signs of this re-gathering and re-establishing is a city wall, which Nehemiah is charged with the responsibility to build. As these externals signal a time of renewal for the Jewish people, there are some “internals” they are supposed to tend, as well. They are called to hear again the law of Moses. As the law is read aloud, the people fall under conviction. God had warned them that if their hearts weren’t pure, if they weren’t following the law of God, then they would be driven from their homeland and suffer enslavement, – and that is exactly what happened. Now, as they hear the word of God, they mourn and weep for their sins, for their separation from God.

Nehemiah, however, quickly points out to them, that focus on the things they have done wrong and on their grief is not what God wants for them. What God wants for them is to live in joy in relationship with one another and with God. Nehemiah says, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” This joy is what is to empower us to do the things God has called us to do.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand

And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our Land

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Last but certainly not least, we come to reflection on the Gospel lesson appointed for today. This is a text that many of us have heard over and over, a story about Jesus just at the beginning of his ministry. He’s in the synagogue teaching. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah is given to him and he unrolls it to a familiar passage: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he as anointed me to bring good news to the poor . . . to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” After Jesus reads these words – which we very much associate with Jesus’ own call to be the Messiah – Jesus rolls up the scroll and then he says something very interesting: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

I have come to understand this statement as having a double meaning. This prophecy that the suffering of the poor will be relieved and the captives will be released and the blind will see and the oppressed will be freed is fulfilled because Jesus is the Messiah through whom these things will come to pass. But this statement ALSO means that this prophecy that the suffering of the poor will be relieved and the captives will be released and the blind will see and the oppressed will be freed is fulfilled “in your hearing” – meaning not only through Jesus but also through you, and you, and you, and me – as “those who hear!” Several times the Gospels record Jesus saying, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear.” As we know, when Jesus talks about hearing, he’s not only talking about listening, he’s talking about doing something based on what we hear, about fulfilling our calling as people of love and peace and power and joy . . . and transformation . . . and even resurrection! As people who hear, we have the Spirit of the Lord upon us, to revive and renew us as we seek to come together in unity, love, faith and power – for the good of this community and for the glory of God.

All praise to the Father from whom all things come

And all praise to Christ Jesus his only son

And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

AMEN.