Dearest e-votees-
My goodness the week got away from me. My apologies.
Our appointed gospel text for this weekend are the bookends of the gospel of Luke. The opening bookend addressed to Theophilus—literally god lover—tells what Luke is intending to do throughout the gospel (and Acts too which is also addressed to Theophilus). The closing bookend has Jesus revisiting what has happened during his time with the disciples and sets the stage for Pentecost and the post-resurrection church. This, of course, is the story that continues in Acts.
May our day begin and end and throughout the middle be full of that power that comes from on high. May we diligently and faithfully serve and see that God’s good purposes are bearing fruit in our lives.
Peace,
Karl
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Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
Then [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
This quote from Jesus about everything written about him in the law and the prophets and the psalms is unique. I can find 11 verses in the New Testament (all but one in the gospels and Acts) that mention both the law and the prophets. Only the verse above in Luke adds the psalms to that formula.
Jesus came to fulfill the law. God has holy and righteous expectations for God’s people. There is a way that we are to live. There is a way that we are to carry ourselves in the world. There is a covenant that puts expectations and obligations on us. From the first accounts in Genesis on God’s people have not been able to live up to the things laid out before us in the law. Sometimes we try very hard, other times we lean hard on cheap grace and barely lift a finger. Jesus came to fulfill what we could not and would not. Moses appearing on the Mount of Transfiguration was a sign that Jesus was intimately connected with God’s purposes through the law. The law has been accomplished through Jesus.
Jesus came to fulfill the prophets. God has holy and hopeful visions and dreams for God’s people. There is a way that we are to live into. There is a way that God’s dreams and God’s plans are to carry us into the future. From the first revelations of God’s hope and deliverance in Genesis on God’s people have not done so well living into the hopeful and life-giving future laid out before us in the prophets. Jesus came to fulfill what we could not see and dared not step into. Elijah appearing on the Mount of Transfiguration was a sign that Jesus was intimately connected with God’s plans for God’s people. Our future has been secured through Jesus.
Jesus came to fulfill the human experience. Deitrich Bonhoeffer called the book of psalms (the psalter) the prayer book of the Bible. When Jesus prayed he often drew his words and images from the psalms. Jesus became fully one of us to show us how to live. The psalms bear the whole range of human experience—joy, sorrow, anger, despair, isolation, hope, etc., etc. Jesus entered fully into our mortal existence. When we so often live life on the fringes not daring to step on the dance floor or jump in the pool Jesus comes and tears into life. When the psalms appear on Jesus’ lips even during his dying moments on the cross it is a sign for us how intimately Jesus is connected with us. Our adoption into God’s family is complete as God becomes fully one of us through Jesus.
All that is left to do now is to live into the things Jesus has already fulfilled. And we don’t do this alone. There is a power that comes from on high and brings the words of Jesus to our minds. There is a power that reminds us of God’s laws and prophecies. There is a power that reminds us that God knows our every finest detail and loves us relentlessly. Things are coming to fulfillment including the good work that God began in us. Amen.
God, draw us into Jesus more fully. Blow your Holy Spirit through our live that brings life to dead and dusty bones and hope to withered dreams. Amen.
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