Follow Me

August 11, 2024 - Rev. Dr. Jan Remer-Osborn

In Luke chapter 4, Jesus repeats Isaiah’s words, Bishop deForest stated them during my installation. I am saying this to you.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to set free those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

There is something deeply moving and profound about saying “Yes” to Jesus. The Holy Spirit also transports and fills those who help make this possible. The Holy Spirit was truly present with us as the Blessings were given last Sunday It’s energy was palpable. Later, I felt as if it had whirled through me, leaving me, frankly, spent. So I rested.

God exalts Jesus and anoints Jesus with the Holy Spirit. God also sent Jesus to us as a human being. It is not only the exalted Jesus, but the Jesus who became like us, who had parents, ate food, needed rest, wept, suffered, hoped, and prayed who has made a difference in our lives. Jesus could identify with us because he was us. He was a Jewish man showing other men and women, how to live. That people CAN live this way, not just divinity. Yet it is certainly true, that by following him, our human existence will be transformed.

Who is this Jesus? Remember from two weeks ago,

He celebrated the Sabbath, spent time in solitude in the quiet, engaged in prayer, knew scripture, put himself in community, served others, gave of himself, and shared the Good News.

We as humans, can do these things, just like Jesus! Both Luke Johnson and I would agree about this - that it was as a first century 30 year old male Jew in Galilee that Jesus said this.

“I will make you fishers of men.”

Those fishermen were listening. They paid attention. Not to a voice descending from above. Not from a spirit they could not see. They heard and saw the man Jesus. Standing in front of him. They responded to his call and started their apprenticeship. Jesus became their Mentor.

Being an apprentice is the best way to learn. In my training as a neuropsychologist, I first observed Dr. Pliskin doing his job, then I assisted him, then he assisted me. Finally, I did it all and during my post-doctoral residency his colleague Dr. Preston Harley watched.

We observe this same process with Jesus’ teaching method for the twelve. It is how Rabbi’s instruct. First the disciples followed him around and watched, then helped him, then did Jesus’ work, sometimes failing as we just heard. . And finally as we heard in the first sermon of this series, he sent them out – two by two.

We need to DO as Jesus DID. The first thing we might say is “I can’t do miracles like he did.?

Remember what I said about looking at the “common” for miracles. I think parenting toddlers is miraculous. Jesus was a human being, living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Are we not the same? And if we argue that Jesus was always God, so of course he could do miracles, what about the apostles?

The same power that was granted to Jesus, Peter, Paul, the other early apostles is also available to us, is given us if we have faith. They and we are merely human beings.

Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, Jesus says. Even more unbelievable is Jesus saying, “ They will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Jesus is looking for us, new disciples, he can trust with his power.

In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer offers 5 best practices for sharing the gospel.

Offer hospitality
Find where God is already working and join God
Bear Witness
Do the Stuff
Live a beautiful life

I’m fairly sure that a lot of us will pray, read the word, and strive to be more spiritual. But preach the gospel. Sorry. That’s the way of Jesus we run away from. Our faith cannot be an individualized coping therapy, private, that we use just to help us.

Is there anyone in your mind you can reach out too? Are you feeling a nudge. Has God put you in a place where you can love and serve. How about with paper towels and toilet paper? These are blessings we learned during the pandemic.

Jesus preached and embodied the gospel of the kingdom of God. Word and Deed. In other words, wherever Jesus went, so did the kingdom. Jesus died for us. Remember.

The thing is, we are all different, so we are all going to find different ways to do this, Ways that fit us, ways that we can grow into, ways that trip us up and pull us up. Jesus did not say it would be easy. He said we would have to take up his cross. Find a way that fits you to share your faith? “God and Jesus reach out through us so that we may reach out to the whole world.” (NT Wright) Amen.