Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (At Nazareth synagogue)
A home town hero is home. Great things were told of his teaching and miracles. Now he read in his hometown synagogue—A big moment.
A messianic verse, vs 18 is from Isaiah 61:1-2. Good news to the poor. The humble who seek God–the impoverished by the heavy burdens of the day. “freedom for the prisoners”. Justice for the captives and oppressed.
So Jesus is calling himself the Messiah with a wholistic mission of the Gospel: salvation, healing, justice, and compassion. Then he rolls up the scroll of Isaiah and sits down at the teacher’s seat to interpret. They wanted to hear how God would bless them. They were disappointed when Jesus told two stories instead from the Old Testament that told of God’s blessing on foreigners- the widow at Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian.
The audience is stunned. It is the outsiders who have received God’s blessing! They wanted to hear about judgement on the despised Gentiles. Instead the Gentiles were blessed by their faith in God. So the residents of Nazareth decided to try to kill Jesus by throwing him off a cliff. But Jesus just walks away from them. Jesus demonstrates that his Kingdom is not a political one. The good news is for all—the poor, the oppressed, and outsiders.
We stand. Foundation. Firm and strong. God is powerful. Pray for another great awakening in our nation.
Are you facing a battle? Stand strong. God’s kingdom will not be shaken. You will triumph. God will not be defeated. Never give up!
Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
The author of Hebrews ends his entreaty of this unshakeable kingdom with the declaration that our God is a consuming fire.
God is cleaning house. Some of the stuff in my life needed to burn. This is why we choose to do the right things; be thankful, grateful for grace, full of worship, deeply reverent. We do not trifle with God.
I surrender all.