Sermon from the the third Sunday after Epiphany – January 26, 2025, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church – Buffalo, NY .
Sermon Video | 8:30am and 10:30am Worship Services
Sermon Text | Luke 4:14-21
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Words are very important.
The words we speak to and hear from each other in any worship service at Holy Trinity Lutheran of Buffalo, NY – words of reconciliation and peace; the words you speak to each other before and after worship in the hallways, parking lot, at a congregational meeting, and wherever else you interact with this faith community … those words are important.
But are the only important words the words that we want to hear? Are the only important words those that make us feel good?
What do we do with words of challenge?
In Luke’s gospel (Luke 4:18-19) we hear Jesus read the scriptures and say they apply to him! Jesus read these words to the people: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has 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, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
For context, Jesus was with people in a synagogue in Nazareth, his hometown. After Jesus spoke, the people quickly became enraged. So enraged, in fact, that they drove him out of the city …. and to the top of a cliff … so they could throw him off.
This was Jesus! Someone they knew! How could these words drive his own neighbors to turn against him even to the point of being willing to kill him?
This blog post is being written the week of the 2025 Presidential and federal Congressional inaugurations. At this time, our country’s political environment is beyond tense … it is unhealthy. Rather than becoming more unified and more peaceful, it is increasingly fractured and volatile.
So many words are being used that stir up anger and fear. These words urge us toward one political perspective or another. Even though we may not be thrilled with the words coming from our own political “side”, at least we know we’re not with the other side, who we often refer to simply as “them.”
What is the role of faith during this time? Many politicians have shared various words concerning faith. Some faith leaders have been speaking words of praise in support of the new administration, others have decried new leaders, and many are silent. At the same time, we have heard increasing words of condemnation from leaders in various faiths about some new policies.
What happens within us when we hear and receive all of these words?
You may wonder if a pastor should be talking about this. Some people of faith wonder why there is any talk about politics in the church. Some believe there is no place in the church for politics and cite separation of church and state.
Please remember that the concept of “separation of church and state” does not exist to keep church and state totally separate. The founders sought instead to protect people from government-sponsored religion (the anti-establishment clause of the first amendment) and to allow people to worship (or not) according to their faith (the free exercise clause).
So, what are people of faith … what is the church … what are we to do when politicians speak about religion, use religious metaphors, and, in some cases, put words or intentions into God’s mouth?
What is the church to do when we hear concepts and policies that do not align with the gospel to bring good news to the poor, release to captives, freedom to the oppressed?
What is our community to do when the message of Jesus becomes a tool of partisan politics? Are politicians of any party to remain unchallenged when their words or actions are at odds with the fundamentals of our faith?
This week words of challenge from Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde and Pope Francis were received with anger and dismissal … even though they reflected the Bible and Christian principles. Bishop Budde spoke about the very real fears of people in the LGBTQ+ community, and the fear among immigrants around deportations and birthright citizenship. These cannot be viewed merely as partisan “issues” … because they involve people.
Pope Francis sent greetings to President Trump for his inauguration saying, among other things, “it is my hope that under your leadership the American people will prosper and always strive to build a more just society, where there is no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion.” He called the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations a “disgrace” and said, “That’s not right. That’s not how you solve problems.”
For Bishop Budde’s words, she has received death threats. Congressman Brecheen introduced a resolution condemning Bishop Budde’s sermon as “promoting political bias instead of advocating the full counsel of biblical teaching.” She received verbal rebukes from politicians, including President Trump. The Pope received a version of “stay in your lane.”
Sermons and pastor’s blogs are not the place for partisan politics – and I hope that’s not what you feel you are experiencing in this reading. In my role as a pastor, I am called to bring good news by lifting up – in some way – things that are said or done that support or are in contradiction to our faith.
Our church community must address what matters to our people and people around the world … even if it is uncomfortable. If not here, where? Where else should we have conversations of depth and meaning than at Holy Trinity … a place of love, community, humility, faith, and wide welcome?
I have heard some people suggest the church should stick to topics that are not controversial. But if we don’t address things that matter, doesn’t the message we proclaim come across as out of touch, tone deaf, and irrelevant to our lives? If we were to avoid controversial words and difficult conversations, doesn’t it leave our words of peace, truth, and radical love rather empty?
If we live our faith well, the message of Jesus will both comfort and challenge all of us regardless of political affiliation.
1 Corinthians 12 reminds us that the body of Christ is made up of different parts each with different functions. Let us apply this framework not only to how we understand ourselves as part of the church, but also part of society. Let us find ways we can boldly live our faith in which we can see each other not as political “sides” or “issues”, but as people … neighbors … worthy of dignity, respect, love, and a wide welcome?
Especially in difficult times and with challenging words, as people of faith we can be those who help to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to all people.
In the name of Jesus. Amen!
Epicurious Lutheran 