Luke 4 [continued]

Jesus went to the wilderness "by the Spirit" , then  He returned to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit".
He traveled to His home town of Nazareth and went to the synagogue there.  We are told that it was His custom to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath.  He stood up to read and was handed the scroll with the book of Isaiah.  He found the place that He wanted to read - Chapter 61, verses 1-2.   Picture this... unrolling the scroll to almost the end.. to read this:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel

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 downtrodden,

To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord."

Jesus then closed the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down.  Luke writes, " .. and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him."   There must have been a holy silence in that place, I think.  Matthew 13:54 tells us that "they became astonished" at His teaching.   

Jesus' next words are explosive, " Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." 

Some say "Praise the Lord!" But, this crowd is divided.  Some begin to murmur , " Is this not Jospeh's son?"  They knew His mother and brothers and sisters.. and they were offended.. outraged.. and ready to throw Him off a cliff...

The word offended in the Greek is skandalizo-  where we get our word -scandalize;  it means to trip up, stumble, occasion to fall or sin; a stumbling block;  The people in Nazareth could not believe that the man they had known all His life could be anything more than themselves.  It was a stumbling block to their faith.  Jesus understood their problem. " Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his home town."  Matthew tells us that Jesus would "not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."

Here is what I hear the Shepherd speaking to me today:

Jesus made it His custom to be in  the synagogue [church] on the Sabbath.  So must we.

Jesus knew the Scriptures thoroughly.  So must we. 

Jesus understood those who would stumble or be offended by Him.  So must we. 

We are His followers and we, like Him,  must choose to be faithful to the Word and to love in spite of those who will be outraged at our beliefs. 

Father in heaven,  You sent Your Son to "preach the gospel", to tell us the good news, to "proclaim release.. recovery of sight.. to set free those who are downtrodden..".  He came to seek and save the lost.. to redeem the sinner and to bring us back to You.  Oh, how we praise You and thank You for this amazing gospel!  We are poor.. but You have given us the riches of glory!  We were captive, but You have set us free!  We were blind, but You have opened our eyes to see You.  Thank You Father. 

May we be faithful to follow our Savior in every way, every day.  Fill us Spirit Divine!  For we pray in the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  Amen.