Homily for the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany, Jan. 24, 2010

My sisters and brothers, as we heard Luke tell of the beginning of Jesus ministry, let us make a new beginning of our Christian lives.

In our lesson form Nehemiah, we see the people receiving the work of the Lord and rededicating themselves to God, after their return from exile. This story actually starts in the book of Ezra with Cyrus of Persia’s decree, in 538 BC, permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple. The book Nehemiah is reading from is probably an early version of Leviticus. The important piece here is that the people agree to obey the law of God.

In our reading from First Corinthians we have Paul’s classic description of the church as the body of Christ. Paul has told the Christians at Corinth that spiritual gifts come through the Holy Spirit and are given by him, as he chooses, for the benefit of the whole community. The key is that every member is important. Paul makes the point that all members contribute in various ways to the welfare of the whole church. Diversity is rooted in, and contributes to, unity.

In today’s Gospel story we follow Jesus as he returns from his time alone in the desert (from his temptation, etc.). Now he steps out front and begins his prophetic teaching ministry. Luke draws on three sources to compile his gospel: Matthew (who used Mark), a collection of sayings and the remembrances of his own community. It is a gospel that emphasizes God's love for the poor, the disadvantaged, minorities, outcasts, sinners and lepers. Women play a more prominent part than in the other gospels. Also, Luke never uses Semitic words. This supports the theory that he wrote primarily for Gentiles.

Our lessons today present a strong theme of rebirth: the exiles have returned and rededicate themselves to God and the moral code of the Covenant, Jesus finishes his “exile” in the desert and reinvents himself as a prophet, finally Paul describes the new creation that we are part of as members of Christ.

We have probably all experienced new beginnings, transitions and transformations in our lives. We grow up and begin life in elementary school, then middle school and hi school. We enter collage, the work force, military, etc. We begin married life, professional life, etc. We experience serious sickness, disability. Any and all of which and leave us that “begin again” reality. It’s also true of Congregations. We form, grow, settle in, look around and refund or begin again.

Christ often calls us through these experiences to a new beginning in faith.

Today we can take the opportunity to make a new beginning and walk with Christ as we make our way through this new liturgical year.