This Sunday in worship, we continue the season of Epiphany. Epiphany walks through the “firsts” of Christ such as his baptism, his first miracle, and in this week's Gospel text, his first sermon. Pastor Eric will preach the message “His Inauguration Address” based on Luke 4:14-30.
In Luke 4, we encounter Jesus in his hometown temple beginning his earthly ministry by reading the prophet Isaiah's words and instructing those gathered. Many biblical scholars and theologians describe this moment as the inauguration of Jesus' ministry, because he lays out his earthly mission in explicit terms for the first time. It is not received well by those who hear it, and they try to run him out of town. Yet for Jesus, this moment proceeds from a foundational "yes" to God, which is ultimately a "no" to all injustices and forms of hatred - none of which are of God.
Accompanying scriptures are Psalm 19:7-14 and 1 Corinthians 12:18-31a.