Third Sunday After Epiphany
Sunday Morning Worship, January 26, 2025
Sermon: Proclaimed Fulfillment
Accompanying Scripture: Luke 4:14-21

Proclaimed Fulfillment

Mary’s Boy is doing good. She must be so proud. Everybody loves him in Galilee. When he preaches, he tells them what they need to hear. He is bringing healing and wholeness to them. It must have been wonderful to see him talk with Mary and Joseph if he’s still alive. His reputation has grown. He is home and now it’s time for him to talk about his ministry. What he speaks to is actually out of the prophet Isaiah. He is bringing them healing, liberation, and grace. Healing, liberation, and grace. No judgment. No finger pointing. Healing, liberation, and grace.

Our book club this month is reading “The Hiding Place” by Corey Ten Boom. It’s a book that grabs your heart and your mind. It makes you wonder how this can ever happen in our world. She and her family ended up saving about 800 Jews and other people who would have gone to prison camps. She was finally captured and went to a prison camp herself. Most of her family died. She survived to tell the story.

One day, early in the war, she recognized that she had to do something. Her family was behind her. She realized she needed ration cards. Saving people was fine, but they had to eat and you didn’t eat without a ration card. It came to her that the former meter reader was now in charge of ration cards. She wondered if he would help him out.

She took her courage in her hand, knowing that she could be turned in. But she knew it was the right thing to do. She told him she needed ration cards. He supposed that he could get her a few; perhaps two or three. “No,” she said. “I need a hundred a month. Her friend thought about it for a minute. “There’s one way to do it,” he said. He enlisted the help of another friend who stole the ration cards from him and beat him up to make it look real. With two black eyes, he delivered 100 ration cards to Corrie. And he continued to deliver 100 ration cards every month for the next several years.

Whenever I’m reading scripture, I consider words and phrases that speak to me. Sometimes it’s not what I would expect. I was surprised this week when one word jumped off the page today: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your presence.”

Today. Not yesterday or tomorrow. Today. I thought about Jesus hanging on the cross between two thieves and saying to one of them, “Today you will be in Paradise with me.” Not someday. Today.

Corrie Ten Boom was walking back home and realized today she had to go see her
friend in the ration office and was able to save 800 lives. What have you done
“today”? When has God grabbed your heart “today” not just this morning. When has it
been a “today” for you?

When we listen to God’s voice, we are living in “today.” We are taking action “today.” It’s what we do when we know it’s time to figure out where to get those ration cards, or speak someone who’s lonely. It’s “today” when we take the time to talk with that person who needs to hear a word of good news and the words come to you easily.

How did you make a difference on the job today? Did you make a difference supporting a Ministry that means a lot to you? It’s “today” when you write that Check. Today means a great deal.

Later in her life, Corrie, would look back and speak all over the world about the “today’s” when she made a difference.

So wherever you are, know that sometimes you’re having a today. Say yes to it. The time is right. The time is fulfilled. It’s time to do this. Today.

All glory and honor be to God Amen