When a woman in first century Galilee gave birth to a child, she was considered “unclean”…40 days if she delivered a son and 80 days if she delivered a daughter

Epiphany 4 Should the Church Be Quiet? 1/25 & 28/07

In first century Galilee, a new mother was considered unclean, 40 days if she delivered a son and 80 days if she delivered a daughter. This is spelled out in great detail in Leviticus 12. The new mother could go about her household and her daily business, but could not enter the Temple or share in any religious ceremonies. At the end of that time she had to bring to the Temple a lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon for a sin offering…a rather expensive sacrifice. The law provided (Lev. 12:8) that, if need be, she could substitute another pigeon for the lamb, technically called “The Offering of the Poor.” As Mary and Joseph brought 40-day old Jesus to the Temple 40 days after His birth, this was the offering they could afford (Lk. 2:22-24). When He was an infant, Jesus’ parents could not pay the prescribed burnt and sin offering…yet, as an adult, Jesus paid for the sins of us all! Only God could create and implement such a plan!

As Mary and Joseph brought their firstborn to the Jerusalem Temple, Simeon, described by Luke as “an upright man, devoted to the service of God, constantly expecting the Messiah ” (Lk. 2:25), “took [Jesus] in his arms and praised God.” (2:28) Blessing Mary and Joseph, Simeon said: “This child is destined to make many fall and many rise in Israel and to set up a standard which many will attack.” (2:34) The fulfillment of this prophecy begins some 30 years in Jesus’ home town of Nazareth. Simeon’s prophetic words accurately described Christ’s entire earthly ministry..He would be welcomed and rejected, time and again. It happened in Nazareth, in Jerusalem following Palm Sunday, and with Peter the night before Christ’s crucifixion. People seem quite willing to follow Jesus, until He leads them where they prefer not to go! The hometown folks “spoke well” (Lk.4:22) of Jesus as a teacher. It is His preaching, or the application of His teaching to their lives, that made them furious enough to kill Him. When Bible reading turns to Bible-preaching, popularity often wanes. By nature we don’t like being told what to do, not even by God’s Only Begotten Son. Every generation has pleaded for Jesus and His Church to keep quiet, or keep to themselves! That day Jesus passed through the infuriated hometown mob and we have no record that He ever stepped foot in His hometown again…Jesus would not be silenced!

How do you view Jesus? Timid or tenacious? Meek and mild, gentle and kind, encouraging and uplifting or no-nonsense, to the point, sharp as a knife, and committed to nothing less than total obedience to the will of God? Billy Sunday, one-time baseball star turned evangelist, once preached: “Lord, save us from the off-handed, flabby-cheeked, brittle-boned, weak-kneed, thin-skinned, pliable, plastic, spineless, effeminate, sissified Jesus!” We will follow Jesus where we want Him to go J! We are comfortable with Jesus so long as He doesn’t make us uncomfortable? Are there parts of Holy Scripture we don’t like because they are “false,” or because we are discomforted by their “truth”? Many steer clear of Scripture, not because God’s Word is untrue, but because God’s Word is untried!

Theologian Soren Kierkegaard noted that many great minds in his time had given themselves to making people’s lives easier…inventing labor saving machines and devices. Kierkegaard said that he would dedicate himself to making people’s lives more difficult…he would become a preacher! Frank Honeycutt wrote in 2004: “The preacher must move to the pulse of God’s word and not to the breezes of fashion; he must give up the hope of mere popularity. In short, he must give up anything that threatens his integrity as a preacher. By guarding his integrity, the preacher becomes available to God as a lamp.” Popularity and proclamation seldom go hand in hand! If we cease to proclaim the Gospel, we will see the Church’s popularity increase.

A Pastor lamented to his gathered colleagues: “The people don’t listen to sermons anymore! They ignore our words and reject our instructions!” Unknown to the clergy, an elderly woman of the congregation sat quietly in a corner of the room and overheard the conversation. She gave an audibly loud “Uh-hem!” gaining the embarrassed attention of the clergy. “Speaking for all worshipers everywhere, just let me say that there is one thing worse in worship than being bumped, attacked, and challenged…and that’s being bored! We live demanding lives and find following Jesus difficult. For God’s sake, and ours, would you just tell us what God tells you to tell us?”---and she walked from the room. The truth often silences her critics!

Martin Luther wrote: “Heaven and earth, all the emperors, kings, and princes of the world, could not raise a fit dwelling-place for God; yet, in a weak human soul, that keeps His Word, God willingly resides. When we seek after God, we shall find Him with them that keep His Word.” May we, at Grace, ever keep His Word and may all that come to Grace, seeking after God, experience Him here! Amen.