The Heart of the Ministry of the Gospel

Introduction

I heard a story of a ship that was sinking in the middle of a storm, and the captain called out to the crew and said, "Does anyone here know how to pray?"

One man stepped forward and said, "Yes sir, I know how to pray."

The captain said, "Wonderful, you pray while the rest of us put on life jackets--we're one short."

The view of religion is often mocked by people who have no realization of their spiritual, and thus also eternal, condition. Karl Marx called it the opiate for the masses. It numbs people to the reality of the world. For those who have put their faith in Jesus, and are fully devoted followers of him, we are aware of the depth of the stain of our sin and the need for a savior.

This morning, we’re going to hear the first recorded message our Lord Jesus preached. As we talked about last week, Jesus was driven to the dessert by the Holy Spirit after his baptism to be tempted and tested. After 40 days in the dessert he is ruthlessly tormented by Satan who is trying everything he can to overturn the mission of Christ. Jesus, as the perfect and sinless Son of God, prevails over Satan. He is able to overcome our sin and our temptation because he overcame all temptation.

Now Jesus retunes to Nazareth as Luke records in verse 14:

Luke 4:14–16 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. 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.

The gospels tell us that the heart of Jesus’ ministry was a preaching ministry. He went around to the towns and preached in the Synagogues. (Mark 1:38; Luke 4:31; Luke 5:3). So we will see throughout the remainder of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus referred to as “Teacher” or in the Hebrew, “Rabooni” which is where we get our word Rabbi. There were numerous synagogues spread out all over Galilee and so this provided Jesus with the perfect itinerate ministry to share the Gospel.

Now Luke tells us that Jesus returned to Galilee full of the power of the Spirit (v.14) and the news of the ministry of Jesus was spreading about the region. The point is, whenever God is doing something, word gets around. People begin to take notice. It isn’t fancy buildings, programs, or flashy preachers that attract people to God, it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

So now we find ourselves back in Nazareth with Jesus. It’s the Sabbath day and the traditional gathering of Jews were assembling in the Synagogue. At some point in the service, the Scripture would be read and expounded with a sermon from a Rabbi. And so, the keeper of the scrolls, the chazzan or cantor, would have given Jesus the scroll and he opens to the scroll from Isaiah 61:1-2, and Isaiah 58:6. This is where we are going focus our time today.

Luke 4:17–21 ESV

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.”

In verse 18, we have a series of phrases that describe the work of Messiah, the work of salvation. Within these phrases, there are four metaphors: the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed. These four metaphors describe those who are apart from God; the lost, the unconverted, the unforgiven. Each of these provides a picture of the sinner and his desperate condition. Let's take them one at a time.

Good News to the Poor

Do you remember the Fauquier County couple who managed to get through security and crash a White House state dinner in 2009? Tareq and Michaele Salahi were seen in pictures with dignitaries and heads of state. Only it turns out they were never invited by then President Obama. Those events are reserved for high dollar donors, prime ministers, celebrities, and world leaders.

Gospel means “Good News.” The good news for the poor is that the riches of God are being poured out upon all people. The blessing and salvation of God is available for all people, no matter your social class, your political affiliation, or the balance in your bank account. Country Clubs and socialite events are reserved for the rich and famous. But what Jesus was teaching in Nazareth has a much deeper meaning.

The poor Jesus talking about are the spiritually poor and the good news is that the spiritually impoverished can find salvation. It is not reserved just for the religious elite. “Ptōchos (poor) derives from a verb that means, “to cringe,” “to shrink back,” or “to cower.” It conveys the idea of a beggar cringing in the shadows, cowering in shame. In contrast to another Greek word, penēs, which describes the working poor, ptōchos describes those in extreme deprivation who are reduced to begging” (MacArthur). It is the same word Jesus used in the first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3) (Hughes)

In fact, worldly wealth will rob you of the blessings of God and even your salvation. If you are rich, you are less likely to be aware of your spiritual poverty. That’s why Jesus said,

Mark 8:36 ESV

36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

Matthew 19:24 ESV

24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Revelation 3:17 ESV

17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

I want to challenge you today to get with God about your finances and your wealth. Who is the Lord of your possessions? Many Christians spend more on their Skinny-double-shot-caramel-soy-Latte than they ever offer to the church. Even more importantly, the condition of every sinner is morally bankrupt.  Apart from Jesus every man is destitute of anything to commend himself to God. As long as you think you're a good person, that your religion counts as righteousness, along with your good works, you are destined for a sinners hell.

Freedom to the Imprisoned

The second image is that of imprisonment. verse 18, "He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives." God sent Jesus to set you free. The word aphesis, translated “release,” really has the idea of “forgiveness.” Most of out spiritual imprisonments are the result of unresolved forgiveness, guilt, and hatred. Look, there are things and people who have wounded you deeply. There are wounds that go deep in the heart. You have the choice to let go of the hurt and chose forgiveness or you have the choice to allow the bitterness to rule you.

Jesus came to proclaim your liberty. The word, “proclaim” - euangelizo is where we get our word “evangelism.” It means to publically declare good news. And we are also imprisoned through the guilt of our sin. Jesus was declaring the most liberating, emancipating release of all: freedom from guilt through the forgiveness of sins. There is no greater captivity than bondage to sin. It imprisons the mind, enslaves the heart, and incarcerates the soul. If that is what sin does, then what Jesus did on the cross is the world’s greatest deliverance. (Ryken).

John 8:36 ESV

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Galatians 5:1 ESV

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Romans 6:22 ESV

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Sight to the Blind

You may be wondering if Jesus was referring to physical or spiritual blindness. The Answer is “both.” We certainly see plenty of times in the gospel when Jesus did heal the blind. We’ll see in Luke 18:35-43, for instance when Jesus heals a blind beggar. Mark 10:46-52 names one such man named Bartimaeus. But what good would it be for anyone blind to receive physical sight and remain spiritually blind? If Jesus came only to give physical sight, it would be a limited blessing. Even a worse condition are those, including many who come to church that remain spiritually blind.

Jeremiah 5:21 ESV

21 “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.

Many people are blinded by the systems of this world and principalities of Satan. Some are blinded by their own greeds, lusts, and pride. Romans 1 says many are blind because even though we know God, we don't honor Him as God and our foolish hearts are darkened.  Just as a physically blind man cannot restore his sight, the natural man cannot solve the spiritual blindness on his own.  John said unbelievers hate the light, John 3:19-20 because the light of God reveals the truth of our depravity. It is not God’s will for you to walk in spiritual darkness, but many chose to because they put their hope and trust in worldly systems. When you are truly living for Christ, there is no spiritual darkness.

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Colossians 1:13 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Liberty to the Oppressed

The last image used by Jesus is freedom to the oppressed. Here again, Jesus uses the same word as freedom -athesis- to describe the imprisoned, but in a different sense. The oppression here is not the idea of a prisoner. “Oppression here is someone overwhelmed by the pain of life, overwhelmed by relationships that are abusive, overwhelmed by illness, overwhelmed by whatever kind of troubles life can bring to bear and there's a certainly an almost endless list of those things that I don't need to go over.  This is the person who is so overwhelmed by life.” (MacArthur). This is the afflicted person is someone who has been broken to pieces, shattered, crushed.

Jesus makes some amazing promises to such people:

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Does this describe you? Has the pain of life left you feeling crushed like there is no way out? If you can hear the sound of my voice, I want you to know that Jesus has come to bring complete deliverance. These things will no long have any dominion over you. Believer, Satan can do anything he want, but he cannot steal your joy. He cannot touch your birthright as a child of God and therefore you are a victor and overcomer in the name of Jesus. Hear the words of Jesus, “You have been set free!”

2 Corinthians 4:8–11 ESV

8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

And with that, Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the Cantor and sat down. Now everyone was looking to Jesus because he is supposed to deliver a message regarding the passage. So Jesus said,

Luke 4:21 ESV

21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Salvation had come and the messianic era had come from that very day forward and it is here for you today too. Church, today there is good news for the poor, there is freedom to those imprisoned, there is sight for those of you blinded and oppressed by the pains of today.

Conclusion

You may be rich, believe you have unlimited freedom, (which is the way most sinners in our society live, free to express themselves they think in any way they want).  You may be in great physical health and think your on top of the world in terms of life style.  But the fact is, you are spiritually poor, you are a prisoners, and you are blind and oppressed.  You must realize you have a blindness and a darkness and a shadow of death that you have no ability or resource to reconcile. You must realize that there is no amount of worldly wealth that can purchase you out of your spiritual poverty. You must realize that you are imprisoned in a cell that only Christ has the authority to unlock and set you free. You must come to a realization that you are in need of a Savior. Otherwise you will breathe your last under the curse of your sin.he fact of the matter is, you can be all these things by worldly standards and be spiritually bankrupt and destitute without the intervention of Christ.

Take it to the Cross