Hometown Hero . . . or Not!

In the Power of the Spirit & Glorified- by all

Luke 4:14–15 ESV

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Luke 4:22 ESV

22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

Now look at Luke 4:16, as the story progresses, we begin to see some interesting things happening, and we see what the people there are told the vital role Jesus is empowered to play.

Luke 4:16–21 ESV

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus is sent by the Holy Spirit to Proclaim the GOOD NEWS!

To the Poor- Good News

To the Captive- Liberty

To the Blind- Sight

To the Opressed- Liberty/Freedom

To-Day! The Year of the Lord’s Favor! (Acceptance, Concern, Care, Healing)

The Hometown Hero-

Luke 4:22 ESV

22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

They were so proud of this young man, who grew up in their village. They were so excited to see how wonderful the Rabbi had done in teaching Him about God, and what a good teacher he had become. He must have been part of a Bible Quizzing Team, and Youth Group and Calvary Kids.

They are just so excited but then Jesus continues to speak. Here comes the sermon. He’s read the Scriptures but now, He is about to expound on the meaning of the passage, and you guessed it, they aren’t going to like what he has to say.

Luke 4:23–30 ESV

23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘ “Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.

Hometown Hero. . . NOT!!!

Something Jesus said, got under their skin. Something offended them. They thought He wasn’t being kind. They thought He was being rude, He was judgmental, He was being offensive and it made them very angry. Angry enough that they rose up and drove him out of town to a point where they could throw Him down a cliff. (One commentator stated, this must have been figurative, because the topography of Nazareth is not near a cliff. )

They have rejected His message, just as He predicted. Who does Jesus say will receive the healing, the blessings, the goodness of God.

Look back at verse 25-27.

We have greater detail about these events in First Kings 17 and Second Kings 5 & 7.

The point Jesus is making is that God sent His messenger, to the poor/desperate, the blind, the oppressed, the captives. Though there were many of these throughout the land, only certain ones were able to receive a miracle from the Lord, by the word of the Prophets.

Not a Hometown Hero, but a Heavenly Hero!

PRAISE BE TO GOD FOR REVEALING HIS MESSAGE OF LIFE, IN OUR HEARTS and for Him bringing us to life- Those who were not just poor, hungry, blind, and oppressed, but DEAD!!!

Paul’s wonderful prayer of praise in Eph 1 and 3 come to mind.