Sunday, January 26, 2025

Message - Third Sunday after Epiphany

 


The Power of the Word

Scripture Readings:

  • Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
  • Luke 4:14-21
  • 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Nehemiah, Luke, and Paul offer us a powerful reminder of how the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the Body of Christ come together to fulfill God’s purpose for His people.

The people of Israel had returned from exile and were rebuilding their community. In this moment, Ezra the priest reads the Book of the Law to them. They listen attentively, standing in reverence, as God’s Word is read and explained. (Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10). The reading of Scripture brought understanding and conviction, leading the people to weep. But Ezra reminds them that God’s Word also brings joy: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” In our lives, God’s Word is both a mirror and a lamp. It reveals our shortcomings but also brings us hope and strength. Are we giving God’s Word the central place it deserves in our lives, as the Israelites did?

In Luke 4, we see Jesus, filled with the Spirit, returns to Galilee and reads from Isaiah in the synagogue. He declares that the prophecy is fulfilled in Him: He is the one anointed to bring good news to the poor, freedom to the oppressed, and healing to the brokenhearted. Jesus’ mission is one of restoration and liberation, empowered by the Spirit. His message wasn’t just for the privileged but for all—especially those on the margins of society. Jesus’ mission is our mission as His followers. How can we, empowered by the Spirit, bring good news and healing to the “poor” and “oppressed” in our world—whether spiritually, emotionally, or physically?

Paul describes the Church as one body with many parts. Each member has a unique role, and all are indispensable. No part of the body can function in isolation, and no one is greater or lesser in importance (1 Corinthians 12). The unity of the Church comes from diversity working together under Christ as the head. Just as the human body is weakened when one part is injured, so the Body of Christ suffers when we neglect or undervalue one another. Are we using our gifts to serve and build up the Body of Christ? Are we honoring the gifts of others, even if they differ from our own? Unity in diversity is God’s design for His Church.

Like the Israelites in Nehemiah’s time, we need to return to the Word of God as the foundation for renewal. God’s Word gives clarity, direction, and joy, even in the face of challenges.

Jesus’ mission, empowered by the Spirit, calls us to be agents of liberation and healing. The Church must be a place where the poor are uplifted, the broken are healed, and all people experience the good news of the Gospel.

Each of us has a role to play in God’s Kingdom. Whether our gifts are teaching, serving, encouraging, or leading, all are needed to build up the Body of Christ. Unity is our witness to the world.

Today’s message remind us that renewal comes through God’s Word, liberation through the Spirit of Christ, and unity through the Body of Christ. As we live out our faith, let us:

  1. Recommit to God’s Word as the source of joy and strength.
  2. Embrace Jesus’ mission of bringing good news and healing.
  3. Celebrate and honor the diversity of gifts within the Body of Christ.

Let us work together, empowered by the Spirit, to shine the light of Christ in the world.

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