Note from Jesus

Dear Friend of Grace,

Some reactions are predictable, but still hurt. At first, the people of Nazareth — the town where I spent most of My years growing from a boy into a man — were amazed at My teaching. Then their perception of Me changed. They thought they knew Me. They had seen Me grow up. They thought of Me as just a carpenter (Mark 6:3). They had not seen anything that suggested that I was extraordinary or impressive. To them, I was just another ordinary, God-loving, God-fearing, Torah-obeying, Jewish carpenter Who was their neighbor.

When I read from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue as recorded in today’s Scripture, the people thought nothing of it. When I applied Isaiah’s passage of mission, liberation, celebration, and grace, they were impressed… at first. Then My words began to sink in and they couldn’t get around their own conceptions of Who they thought I was. I was saying this passage, which was often associated with the blessings brought by the Messiah, was coming true right before their eyes. They went from being amazed and impressed to being furious and murderous.

They actually became angrier when I told them the truth, a truth simply too close to them for them to see: the truth that I AM the Messiah. This boy Whom they had seen grow into a man was claiming to be God’s Anointed, the long awaited Messiah. I reminded them and warned them that Elijah and Elisha had similar problems with the folks in their hometowns, so these great prophets ended up blessing foreigners and outsiders who were desperate and hopeless — which is actually the point of the passage I read from Isaiah. My words made My neighbors, fellow townspeople, and relatives angrier.

But no matter how angry they were and how outnumbered I was, they couldn’t get rid of Me! That’s the amazing reality of truth: you may not see it or believe it, but you cannot escape it or hide it. Sooner or later the truth comes out. I came as the Father’s Messiah — the Liberator and Deliverer of those in bondage of any and all kinds. The anger of the people who heard Me, their confusion, and their denial of these realities would not change the truth of My identity or stop the impact of My work!

Verses to Live

Church people can be a lot like the people of My hometown. They think they know Me because they’ve talked about Me for many years and they have an idea about what they think they should expect from Me. However, I AM the Father’s Anointed, the liberating Savior Who brings grace to those who realize they desperately need it. My disciples should be about bringing grace to the same kind of people in their world. Even if you think you have Me figured out, you shouldn’t discount what I can do through you. I have far bigger plans for you than you can ask or imagine, plans that can be realized through the Spirit Who lives in you (John 14:12-14; Ephesians 3:20-21). I want you, where you are, in the time you live, to bring My salvation to people who need it most… right now!

He [Jesus] eventually came to His hometown, Nazareth, and did there what He had done elsewhere in Galilee — entered the synagogue and stood up to read from the Hebrew Scriptures.

The synagogue attendant gave Him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and Jesus unrolled it to the place where Isaiah had written these words:

Jesus:

The Spirit of the Lord the Eternal One is on Me.

Why? Because the Eternal designated Me

to be His representative to the poor, to preach good news to them.

He sent Me to tell those who are held captive that they can now be set free,

and to tell the blind that they can now see.

He sent Me to liberate those held down by oppression.

In short, the Spirit is upon Me to proclaim that now is the time; this is the jubilee season of the Eternal One’s grace.

Jesus rolled up the scroll and returned it to the synagogue attendant. Then He sat down, as a teacher would do, and all in the synagogue focused their attention on Jesus, waiting for Him to speak. He told them that these words from the Hebrew Scriptures were being fulfilled then and there, in their hearing.

At first everyone was deeply impressed with the gracious words that poured from Jesus’ lips. Everyone spoke well of Him and was amazed that He could say these things.

Everyone:

Wait. This is only the son of Joseph, right?

Jesus:

You’re about to quote the old proverb to Me, “Doctor, heal yourself!” Then you’re going to ask Me to prove Myself to you by doing the same miracles I did in Capernaum. But face the truth: hometowns always reject their homegrown prophets.

Think back to the prophet Elijah. There were many needy Jewish widows in his homeland, Israel, when a terrible famine persisted there for three and a half years. Yet the only widow God sent Elijah to help was an outsider from Zarephath in Sidon.

It was the same with the prophet Elisha. There were many Jewish lepers in his homeland, but the only one he healed — Naaman — was an outsider from Syria.

The people in the synagogue became furious when He said these things. They seized Jesus, took Him to the edge of town, and pushed Him right to the edge of the cliff on which the city was built. They would have pushed Him off and killed Him, but He passed through the crowd and went on His way.

(Luke 4:16-30)

Response in Prayer

Almighty and Sovereign God, I sometimes forget just how big you are. I confess that I sometimes don’t expect Jesus to do much through me and those around me. I believe, dear Father, but please help my unbelief. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware.

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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.