Luke 4 part II: The Word Became Flesh

This week has been a very difficult week for me. I have been stressed with work and school, I feel like I’m drowning. I feel depressed. I feel guilt and shame. I feel worthless. I’ve struggled to write this sermon. I’ve spent hours just looking at my computer screen feeling deaf to what it is the Lord is calling me to teach. Emotionally I’m exhausted, physically I’m exhausted and Spiritually I feel worn out. I know I am not the only person who feels this way but this last week it has felt like I am the only person in the world. This week I didn’t want to sing, or prepare a sermon. As I sat down all I could think was that I just want Jesus. As I looked through the passage for today I thought about this question.

If Jesus were in the room with me right now, how would I respond to His teaching?

Tonight I want us to take some time and really think about that question. I think sometimes it is easy to see Jesus as this far off distant figure and completely miss how He is working in our hearts and lives. We like the idea of Jesus but we fail to connect with the reality of who He is. Jesus is more than a concept. He wants to completely and intimately transform who we are.

Luke 4:14–15 NASB95

And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

After spending forty days in the wilderness being tempted by satan, Jesus is led once again by the Spirit back to Galilee. At this time His ministry was only just beginning but was gaining in popularity. From such an early stage, people could tell there was something different about Jesus. Jesus was an incredible teacher. Several times throughout the Gospel accounts the people who heard Him speak were in awe, saying He spoke as someone with authority. At this point in His ministry, Jesus was going from synagogue to synagogue teaching about the Kingdom of God. Eventually His ministry would grow to a size so large it would have been impossible to fit his listeners under one roof, but for now they gathered together to hear this rabbi speak. A synagogue was a local place of worship where people would sit and listen to the reading of the Torah. They would gather together every Sabbath. Jesus used the synagogues as a forum to preach. Paul would use this same strategy throughout the book of Acts.

Luke 4:15–21 NASB95

And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “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 oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

The Spirit brought Jesus to His hometown of Nazareth. Here He took the scroll of Isaiah and read a passage out of Isaiah 61

The book of Isaiah was written before and during the Babylonian captivity. The nation of Judah was being exiled, taken from their native land, and were forced to live in Babylon. They didn’t speak the language, there was pressure to conform to the pagan worship that existed in Babylon, and they were there because of their own sin. This passage in Isaiah is written to the people after they had gone into captivity.

“To preach the Gospel to the poor”

“To proclaim release to the captives”

“and recovery of sight to the blind”

“To set free those who are oppressed”

“To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord”

Reasons for rejecting Jesus’ message

Brian grew up in the church but after going to college felt like the church was old fashioned and out of touch. Leaving behind his old life, Brian became an atheist. He didn’t feel like the Bible had any answers to the questions he had about life. With no obligations Brian was free to do whatever he wanted. With each day Brian’s heart grew harder and harder against the Bible and its teachings.

Unbelief

I don’t believe it

Emily lived a comfortable lifestyle. She was never challenged or stretched in any aspect of her life. Emily loved two things, Starbucks and reading. She liked the idea of church but her Sundays were spent recovering from the weekend. Her friend tried to invite her to church but Emily preferred to sleep in. She was religious enough and felt like she was generally a good person.

Fear of change

I don’t want it

Eddie was an alcoholic and he hated himself. He thought about sobering up, maybe going to a Celebrate Recovery thing the church around the corner had on Tuesday nights. Any thought of going was quickly replaced with feelings of shame and guilt. Eddie doesn’t believe that a guy like him would be let through the doors. He’s made terrible decisions and hurt lots of people.

Shame

I don’t deserve it

Tori had everything together. She was top of her class and had been accepted to an ivy league school. She went to church every Sunday and Wednesday. She knew every book of the Bible and every Bible story. In her mind she was flawless. Compared to the other people at her school and even other people at her church she was a saint.

Pride

I don’t need it