Unwanted

2022-01-30 North Pole COTN

Theme – Unwanted

Text – Luke 4:14-30

Doctrine- # 21.1. FIRST. By doing that which is enjoined in the Word of God, which is our rule of both faith and practice, including:

(1) Loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and one’s neighbor as oneself (Exodus 20:3–6; Leviticus 19:17–18; Deuteronomy 5:7–10; 6:4–5; Mark 12:28–31; Romans 13:8–10).

(2) Pressing upon the attention of the unsaved the claims of the gospel, inviting them to the house of the Lord, and trying to compass their salvation (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:14–16; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20).1

1 Blevins, D. G., Rodes, S. J., Seaman, J. E., Sowden, T. S., & Wilson, D. P., eds. (2013). Church of the Nazarene: Manual, 2013–2017 (p. 38). Nazarene Publishing House.

IMPRESSIONS

The “year of the Lord’s favor” is both mention of the Jewish concept of Jubilee but wrapped in the personage and presence of the now-come Messiah, Jesus.

Jesus went from being an important figure that was remembered and allowed to read a scroll in their “hometown” synagogue, to one accused of heresy, outcast and the mob that attempted to kill him was of his own people.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

Isaiah 61:1–2 ESV

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

SCRIPTURE ANNOTATIONS (verse by verse exploratory personal exposition and attached commentary)

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.

In Luke 4:1-13 Jesus had just been from the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil during 40 days of isolation and hunger, a desolate experience after being pronounced “my beloved Son” in a voice from heaven. (Matt 3:16-17 )

15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

A common practice synagogues would hold for visiting teachers and important visitors, allowing them to read from the scrolls ( presumably the learned ones that could read)

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.”

This is a claim to the year of Jubilee. A practice of redemption and forgiveness where all debts unsettled were counted as paid, and those enslaved were set free to return to their land and people. The curious reading Jesus gave and stopping to not read the judgement part “ and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; (Is 61:2) shows that he is proclaiming what is currently to pass....and perhaps that the judgement may be for another time.

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.”

This is his proclamation of identity, our redeemer and Messiah. This would have astounded even the best of learned people in the entire region, much less those of his own upbringing. Imagine how that could affect a homecoming...

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?”

A not too far fetched knee-jerk response that anyone may have.

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.”

A parallel of Romans 9 that “I will have mercy on those I will have mercy”

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.

A miraculous escape, but a sad departing from his upbringing, and a clear break from those he was raised with. From this point on he has little connection with his nurturing family.

WORDS OF NOTE (Aka definitions, original language & English words for emphasis and highlights)

rejection

unbelief

“year of the Lord’s favor”