So…
What would you need to see, to believe
that Jesus is the Messiah?
In Jesus third encounter in Luke’s 7th
chapter, we see Jesus in conversation with some of John the Baptist's disciples who have come to ask Jesus an important question. Are you the
Messiah?
It’s a fascinating one, because many of
us believe that John always knew that Jesus was the Messiah. But that is not
what Luke seems to believe.
We have also many of us come to believe
that this message from John is from John in prison (which Luke does not say)
and that John, facing execution is perhaps confused and depressed. Maybe not.
What Luke does seem to suggest is that
John is curious. He has heard about the healing, the casting out of demons,
the feeding of the hungry, and the challenges to the Pharisees and scribes, and
what John wants to know is…
Are you the Messiah?
John is according to the scripture the
forerunner of the Messiah. John himself says he is too. He knows Messiah is
coming and that he should be looking for him, but while Jesus is sure doing
wonderful things, does that make him the one who will baptize with fire.
And Jesus response is revealing. He is
not mad at John. He doesn’t accused John of forgetting. He doesn’t wonder about
whether John is about to fold his tent and go home!
Rather he praises John, for being
faithful, for staying the course, for being bold in very trying circumstances.
Because the question, see is an
excellent one.
You Jesus are doing Messiah work, are
you he?
John understood that the mark of the
Messiah would not be kingdom building in any traditional sense. The Messiah
would not be co-opted by the politicians or the religious authorities.
Rather, the Messiah would head out into the
communities of the faithful and unfaithful and lead them all towards God, not
with a sword, or with a fancy Temple, but by making the kingdom of God real
right where they stood.
What does Jesus tell John?
“Go and tell John what you have seen and
heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have
leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised
to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. God
will bless everyone who doesn’t reject me because of what I do.”
That’s it: God will bless everyone who
doesn’t reject me, because of what I do: heal the sick, raise from the dead, cast
out demons, and bring hope to the folks on the bottom of the social and
religious order. Amazing!
So…
What would you need to see, to believe
that Jesus is the Messiah?
And going a step further, what would you
need to see to believe that Jesus is building his kingdom in a particular
place, like, let’s just say, the Otisville – Mt. Hope Presbyterian Church?
The key to a healthy kingdom church, is
not how big or small it is, not how fancy or simple its building is, not how
many or few staff it has, not how many or few programs, whether it’s worshiping numbers are large or small, or even if the pastor drives a Nissan Sentra or a
Lamborghini.
What determines whether a church is a
kingdom church is whether it is in the business of raising the dead, casting
out demons, healing the sick, and bringing good news to folks who desperately
need to hear good news.
The measure of a church that is
following the Messiah, is that it is doing what Jesus did.
So, what are we doing?
And how well are we doing it?
Last Sunday we had a baked potato
luncheon and cake auction. It was all really good fun, and $2100 was raised to
send folks to Texas the end of the month to rehab houses there,,and to then to get
ready to send folks to the Carolinas and/or Florida to do more Rehab.
Today we dedicate flood buckets!
Next Sunday we raise money through the
CROP Walk to feed the hungry!
On October 31 we entertain hundreds of
children and families in a really safe way at our Trunk or Treat!
Then we gather all kinds of seniors for
a fun luncheon at our Legacy lunch!
Next we send out Operation Christmas Child boxes around the
world!
After that we hand out as many as 60
Thanksgiving Baskets to families who need food!
And that doesn’t even count the
backpacks with food going home to children in food scare homes each weekend, or
the medical supplies we keep on hand for people who need them, or the ministry
the Elizabeth and Sue and Penny take to the Park Manor nursing home the first
Sunday of the month!
It doesn’t count the music that the
Otisville Brass Quintet takes to Southeast Towers and Elant and Braemar, and Castle
Point throughout the year, or the music that (Joe and Bob and Phil and Mike and
Becky) take to Valley View Nursing Home and all kinds of other places.
In some ways it just scratches the
surface of all the amazing things that we as a church and as follows of Jesus
do to make the kingdom real in the hearts and lives of the least of these.
So John’s question, one filled with
joyous possibilities, was are you the one?
And Jesus said, “take a look around, the
kingdom is here!”
And that is who we are! Kingdom people
doing kingdom things…
Raising the dead…
Healing the sick…
Casting out demons…
And bringing hope to those who need it
most.
Making a difference every day, in Jesus
name!
Amen.
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