Today, with no pressing tasks beckoning, I settled down into my comfy chair. My mind immediately went to my trusty companion, my worn and duct taped Bible, Eugene Peterson’s, The Message. I flipped through its thin pages and fine print. I chose to stop at the book of Luke. And why not? Luke begins with our Christmas story.
Peterson’s introduces the book of Luke with some food for thought. “Luke is a most vigorous champion of the outsider.” Outsiders are those deemed not fit for our club or group. Most of us want to be in the group, whether it’s the have’s of society, the people with power, a religious group, or even just a family group.
Peterson tells us:
“As an outsider, a Gentile, in an all-Jewish cast of New Testament writers, Luke shows how Jesus includes those who typically were treated as outsiders by the religious establishment of the day: women, common laborers, (sheepherders), the racially different (Samaritans), the poor. Jesus does not countenance religion as a club. As Luke tells the story, all of us, who have found ourselves on the outside looking in on life with no hope of gaining entrance (and who of us hasn’t felt it) now find the doors wide open, found and welcomed by God in Jesus.”
In the Gospel of Luke, chapter one begins with stories of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth’s, both of whom were outsiders. Peterson’s headings for chapter two are: “The Birth of Jesus” and “An Event for Everyone.”
These days are so many displaced people on this planet because of because of wars, hunger, violence of all kinds. There is no inside place or group for them. Here in Canada, we struggle to find homes for the hundreds of refugees we have accepted. Also there are those who wander our streets, with no home, no work, no food. Tom and I are so totally completely blessed. We are insiders. We live in this wonderful country and we have more than enough to share.
My mind returned to our Christmas story – to Mary, a teenager, pregnant, unmarried. In her culture and ours, an outsider. Mary and Joseph take shelter in a stable. They’ve become outsiders. Shepherds, considered the lowest in their society – outsiders – come to visit. Luke doesn’t talk about the Wise Ones who came. They were insiders – educated, moneyed, able to travel with comfort. When we think carefully about it, the beginning story of our Christian faith in Luke, has no outsiders. It is an event for Everyone.
I believe, today God has led me to begin 2024 with the book of Luke. I invite you to join me. I’m going to be reading “The Message” and the “New International Version” of the Bible. You can read both online at www.biblegateway.com Just type in Luke and pick the translation you want.
Over the next few weeks I think it will be fun to walk through the book of Luke with all of you. I wonder what God will have to say to us as a group and as individuals. Please join me in reading Luke 2:21-40. Peterson calls this section “the blessings”. Please post your thoughts on my blog. I will post mine as well. We might even have a discussion. Thanks so much, blessings, Janet
Betty Lou
January 8, 2024 - 2:45 pm ·In reading today’s “Journeying Together” I wonder what Simeon meant when he said to Jesus’ parents (Luke 2:33-35) “hearts will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too”.
Janet Stobie
January 11, 2024 - 12:11 am ·Betty Lou, First of all, thanks so much for joining me. I hope that others will too.
I went to the New International Version to see that translation of this passage. “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” In both translations there are two parts to Simeon’s prophecy. If we look at the first part: Jesus is destined…to be a sign that will be contradicted (spoken agains) so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. When I look at this first part I hear Simeon say that “many will not believe that Jesus is the Messiah, even people of faith. Because they don’t believe in Jesus, their lack of faith will be revealed. As a parent this would say to me that Jesus was going to have a hard time.He and his message will be rejected. When people contradict him, particularly those in authority especially religious leaders, they reveal just exactly where their hearts, their faith is.
In the second part Simeon says, a sword will pierce your heart, (Mary). For me, I’m thinking that for sure to have my son contradicted, to have my faith leaders say that it isn’t true that Jesus is the Messiah, just that much would be like having someone run a sword through my heart. Living today on the other side of the crucifixion and resurrection we know that Jesus will be crucified and for sure Mary’s heart will be broken. I hope that helps a little Betty Lou. I gave all my commentaries away, and wasn’t having much luck with finding a commentary on line for those verses. So you’ve got my ideas. My thoughts are pretty commonplace. If you get out my story book, “Can I Hold Him” and turn to the story “A Gift for all People, you will get my thoughts on what Mary’s reaction might be to hear Simeon’s prophecy.
Janet Stobie
January 22, 2024 - 9:46 pm ·Hi everyone, I looked at this scripture again and thought about the title “Blessings.” Were Simeon’s words a blessing? Were Anna’s words a blessing? They both spoke about Jesus as the liberator. That’s a pretty large role for a child/baby.2000 years later we know that Jesus did bring liberation but not the kind of liberation his people were expecting. They were wanting freedom from the Romans. Jesus issued an invitation to those who wished to follow him. His invitation can bring liberation to people today. How does following Jesus’ WAY of living bring liberation? I’d love to hear your answers to this question. Remember there are no right or wrong answers. Please send me a note.