February 2nd, Sermon & Ministry Resources

"When Familiarity Breeds Contempt" Text: Luke 4:21-30

Lectionary Readings — Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany — February 2, 2025

Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30

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Call to Worship (based on Luke 4:21-30)

Leader: Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in our hearing.

People: We gather to hear the gracious words of Jesus.

Leader: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Jesus, God's chosen one.

People: He brings good news to the poor and release to the captives.

Leader: Like the widow at Zarephath in Sidon,

People: We come seeking God's abundant provision.

Leader: Like Naaman the Syrian who was cleansed,

People: We come seeking God's healing grace.

Leader: God's favor extends beyond our expectations,

People: To all who hunger for truth and mercy.

Leader: Though some may question and doubt,

People: We open our hearts to receive God's word.

Leader: Let us worship the God who speaks through Jesus Christ,

All: And calls us to embrace the wideness of divine love.

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Opening Prayer (Jeremiah 1:4-10)

Let us pray:

Loving and eternal God,

We come before you today mindful that, just as you knew Jeremiah before he was formed, you have known each one of us from the very beginning. We are humbled by this truth, Lord. Like Jeremiah, we often feel inadequate and unsure, questioning whether we are truly ready or capable of answering your call.

Father, we thank you that you don't wait for us to be perfectly prepared. When Jeremiah protested that he was too young and didn't know how to speak, you reached out and touched his lips, filling him with your words and your purpose. Do the same for us today, Lord. Touch our hearts and give us the words we need to speak.

We confess that there are times when we let our fears and doubts hold us back. We've stayed silent when we should have spoken, hesitated when we should have acted. Forgive us, Lord, and remind us that you are the one who appointed us, who set us apart for your purposes even before we were born.

Give us strength, O God, to do the work you've called us to do - to speak truth where it needs to be heard, to break down what needs to be destroyed, and to build up what needs to be constructed. Help us to trust, as you promised Jeremiah, that you are with us and will give us everything we need to fulfill your calling.

We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who calls us and equips us for your service.

Amen.

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Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].

[Note: All Scripture is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.]

Sermon Outline: "When Familiarity Breeds Contempt" (Luke 4:21-30)

Introduction:

• Setting: Jesus in his hometown synagogue

• Context: Just finished reading Isaiah's prophecy

• Tension: Initial reception vs. final reaction

I. DECLARATION of Fulfillment (v. 21)

A. Immediacy of the moment ("Today")

B. Personal nature of fulfillment ("in your hearing")

C. Connection to prophetic tradition

Application: God's promises find their "yes" in Jesus

II. DOUBT Surfaces in DISBELIEF (vv. 22-24)

A. Initial amazement at gracious words

B. Familiarity breeds contempt ("Is not this Joseph's son?")

C. Prophet without honor principle

Application: Examining our own resistance to familiar messengers

III. DEMONSTRATION through Divine Examples (vv. 25-27)

A. Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

• 1. Time of crisis (three years and six months)

• 2. Beyond Israel's borders

• 3. God's provision for an outsider

B. Elisha and Naaman the Syrian

• 1. Many lepers in Israel

• 2. Healing granted to a foreign military leader

• 3. God's grace extending to unexpected recipients

Application: God's grace knows no national or cultural boundaries

IV. DEFIANCE of the People (vv. 28-30)

A. Rage replaces wonder

B. Rejection leads to violence

C. Divine protection prevails

Application: Examining our own reactions when grace extends beyond our comfort zone

Conclusion:

Our Call to Response

1. Recognize our own prejudices

2. Embrace the wideness of God's mercy

3. Participate in God's boundary-crossing mission

Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers