Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
(Luke 4:14-21, NIV)
In these verses, Jesus quotes a prophecy that Isaiah had made hundreds of years before Jesus was born. This prophecy described the mission of the Messiah on earth. On this day, Jesus stood in the synagogue in his home town and declared that He was here to fulfill a role that only the long awaited Messiah could fulfill. Everyone understood exactly what He was saying, and exactly who He was claiming to be.
At first, people spoke well of him, and thought his words were pleasant and gracious. But it didn’t take long for people to realize that if these words were true, then some kind of response would be required of them. If Jesus really was the Messiah, then they would need to begin to treat him like he was the Messiah. That would mean trusting him, following his words, submitting their lives to his leadership. As this revelation came, the crowd turned from saying nice things about Jesus to running him out of town. But this negative response from the people of Nazareth did nothing to change who Jesus was and is, or what his mission was and is. Jesus went right on teaching, and healing, and setting people free.
Not much has changed. Jesus is still going about the earth teaching, and healing, and setting people free. Some people accept him, and in doing so receive the freedom and life that he comes to bring, and others reject him. But either way, Jesus continues to be who he is and do what he does. But now he lives and moves through his church–through his people on earth. His mission has become our mission. We are his hands, his feet, and his heart to our world today. He has sent the Holy Spirit to live in his people and bring his life, love, and power to a hopeless and hurting world.
Never underestimate what Jesus wants to do in you and through you today. We don’t have to figure out how to fix all the world’s problems, we just need to connect with Jesus in a vital, living way each day, then make ourselves available to be used by him. He will bring you to people and places that need him, and he will use you to release his life in a very tangible way. Our part is just to plunge into our relationship with him, and then to share the fruit of that relationship with others. As we do, the good news will be preached, prisoners will go free, and the favor of God will be seen. What an amazing life this is! Live it with all your heart.
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