Transcript
This weekend, hundreds of Australians will be honoured with Order of Australia awards for their unique and exceptional contributions that they have made, voluntarily, to help those in need, and to help make Australia and our world, a better place. And our key scripture reading today from Luke chapter four, recalls how Jesus proposed to make the world of his time, a better place. And I witnessed this scriptural scene being role played in Nazareth village educational centre, in current day Nazareth, some sixteen years ago, at a time of violent conflict and poverty for the local people. A man acting in the role as Jesus, came into a replica synagogue, and picked up the scroll of Isaiah 61, and proclaimed, the spirit of the Lord is upon me, he has anointed me, to bring good news to the afflicted, to proclaim liberty to captives, to bring new sight to the blind, to set the downtrodden free, and proclaim the Lord’s favour. Despite all my theological study, it was only then, that I fully understood that this was Jesus fundamental purpose and mission, His manifesto, and one that He was certainly passing onto me, and indeed to anyone who wished to seriously follow Him. Re-reading all of the gospels, I saw that Jesus didn’t come with a political agenda or an economic agenda, or even to build new churches. There was already plenty of religiosity around, some of which He regarded as hypocrisy due to their adversarial behaviour. He came to implore people to love God, by loving their neighbour. And He demonstrated that through many practical acts of service, care and assistance to everyone. He didn’t lead church services, as we know it, but he sought out those in need, and met their needs for healing, acceptance and love. This weekend, hundreds of Australians will be honoured for behaving similarly. They, like Jesus, inspire us all to be making our world a better place. Friends, the Christian life is not just about beliefs, Jesus showed it must also involve action. May we be aware, that we too have been anointed, to bring good news to the afflicted, and be good news, in all that we say and do. May you all have a happy Australia Day.