Jesus's First Teaching

Sunday: Jesus’s First Teaching

Passage: Luke 4:14-30, Isaiah 61

Key Verses: Luke 14: 18, 21, 28

Big Idea: From the beginning of His ministry on earth, Jesus taught that He was here for the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed - to tell them about the Lord. In order for them to accept the gracious gift of God, a change in their thinking was in order, they must know they are in NEED of His grace.

Teachable Moments :

- basketball/soccer practices/scrimmages

- Carol Kiefer, “The less you say, the less you have to take back later.”

Background/setting

Jesus had been in other parts of Israel, doing some miracles.

Luke 4:14-15

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.

Jesus had become a popular teacher in Galilee - the region where his hometown is in Israel

Luke 4:16-19

Luke 4:16–19 NASB95

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.”

Nazareth was Jesus’ hometown.

As He had been doing, Jesus went to the place of worship on the day of worship. He took the scroll as was the custom and he read out of Isaiah 61.

Isaiah 61 is what is called Messianic - it is prophecy about the coming Messiah - anointed one - that would preach the good news to the poor, release the captives, give sight to the blind, set free the oppressed, proclaim the Year of Jubilee!!!

Jews had been waiting for this for a LONG TIME!!! Over 600 years since this prophecy

Luke 4:20-22

Luke 4:20–22 NASB95

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.” And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

Jesus was saying that He is the fulfillment of this Scripture - what does that mean?

But there was a problem - Jesus was too familiar, too common to be their Messiah...

Luke 4:23-27

Luke 4:23–27 NASB95

And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. “But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. “And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

He starts to teach His main lesson - it is all about faith

Elijah was rejected by Jewish leaders, and was sent to a Gentile woman

Elisha likewise healed a Gentile enemy soldier of leprosy

Both times, God’s grace and salvation was given to Gentiles who had faith and NOT given to faithless Jews

Luke 4:28-30

Luke 4:28–30 NASB95

And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, He went His way.

Jesus is telling the people that they are poor, captive, blind, oppressed, BUT that He has come to free them from all that - Jubilee!!

Their reaction: It can’t be Him, He does not fit our view of the Messiah - too familiar and common. We deserve our Messiah our way

Are we ready to hear the gospel? What is our heart chasing after - what are we pursuing - what is the goal and end game for our life?

What do you want out of life? Are you set on living life your way? Are you willing to listen to Jesus, who has done great things, and wants to show you what is best for your life now?