Christ Lutheran Church

There would have been linguistic differences, for example, Galileans spoke a unique form of Aramaic, which was unlike the Judean dialect. Racially, the population of the area formerly known as the northern kingdom had been mixed since the Assyrian conquest in the 8th century BC. And culturally, Judeans thought of their northern cousins as country bumpkins due to their lack of Jewish sophistication and their proximity to Hellenistic settlements. The Judeans thought they were the only ones practicing pure Judaism and properly following the ritual observances. The only ones doing it “right.”

Indeed, it was a mixed crowd that Jesus stood amongst on that level plain. In fact, the word LEVEL, in the Greek language, was understood as the lowest – A place of disgrace, suffering, idolatry, mourning, misery, and death. Yet Jesus went down to them to stand with them.

We might wonder how that looked. A massive crowd, varying by race, culture, dialects, geopolitical histories, and religious practices all reaching toward Jesus to experience the power of his healing presence, in a place no one would want to be. But people clambered to be near Jesus, no matter where or who was there.

And all in the crowd faced Jesus, all tried to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Despite their status in the community, or wealth (or lack of it), or religion, or gender, or nationality, or political identity, or status,……….talk about inclusion!

Now, let’s consider how we might feel in that place. Standing side by side and seeking the same thing as all the people around us. People we’ve surmised to be “less than” or even “more than” ourselves, based on implicit biases making some people acceptable to be looked down on, and others to be gazed up at.

Yet, Jesus is there. Savior of all. Jesus comes down to our level – into the deepest valleys of our lives – to comfort, to heal, to walk with us and to bless us. To encourage us to turn around from old ways that do not support the common good.

Incidentally, since I’m not focusing on the blessings and woes particularly, I want you to know that Makarios, the Greek for blessed, means satisfied, unburdened, at peace. And “woe” does not mean condemned. In the Greek it means a call to repentance, to change one’s behavior, to lament. It’s a warning to turn around.

Luke’s Jesus is turning human expectations, traditions, and ideologies upside down, as he stands in radical solidarity with all people. In solidarity rather than judgement. We’re included in that solidarity! Jesus sees each of us as beloved, regardless of how others might see us. In Christ, we are free to be unapologetically who God created us to be! Each of us wonderfully made and gifted by the Holy Spirit, so we can let go of all the burdens of how others might view us. And ALSO, We are called to use our voice to imitate Christ, to seek out those places where people are hurting, lonely, ostracized, marginalized or criticized for being “other.” And as we’ve learned, Jesus had no problem with “otherness.”

To quote Richard Rohr,

In our nation and in the world, we’re faced with so much division! Where do we experience the solidarity and inclusion of Jesus? And how are we supposed to change the polarized world we live in?

Ephesians 4:31-32 says for us to “put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
Listen deeply, speak respectfully, disagree with humility, be mindful of our words, mindful of how we treat each other, commit to prayer for one another, stand in solidarity with those on the margins and seek solidarity for the sake of the common good.
Where have you experienced or witnessed the extensive solidarity of Jesus? Wherever we stand with others to improve lives is how Jesus stands in solidarity with us.

Amen.