Luke 4:14-21

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” [NRSA]

Mattie did a great job last week sharing a call to remember we are gifted with gifts to share. But if she had shared, and my gift is to be the Messiah, we too would have at least mumbled and grumbled, she is so full of herself to say such

But this is the context of our passage today. Jesus is the hometown favorite getting up to read, preach, and teach and he goes off with a Messiah complex. Who is he to say what the completion of scripture and the law is to be.

The idea that Jesus completes us affirms that we are incomplete

Dating card with strengths and weaknesses.

• Anointed to bring good news to the poor,

• release to the captive

• sights to the blind

• freedom to those oppressed

• and proclaim the year of the lord

Jesus fulfills these and call us to share the same…

Begging the question what are the

poor, the captive, the blind, the oppressed, and those waiting for the lord to show finding out through us today?

Straight from the news reports,

• poverty continues,

• banks hold mortgages,

• governments and society hold hearts and minds captive,

• people continue to blindly follow rather than question, and there seems to be no justice for those who are oppressed and this day seems like just another day in ordinary-villa.

Christian Rapper ‘Phanatik’ of The Cross Movement Publicly Renounces Christianity

“I began to have doubts…” I could not trust what I have been telling others, so I’m renouncing my Christian faith.

written songs, book, taught classes, and didn’t believe what he was dishing out…

Many would say, I don’t care about rap in the first place, but when we hear of someone giving up hope, we need to pay attention. It might not be just those in the spot light.

Jesus begins his ministry affirming this IS. His use of the words of the prophet Isaiah become declaration of faith:

• what I trust,

• this IS what I believe,

• this IS what I will be doing, and

• THIS IS what God longs for you to do as well.

What is good news to the poor?

There is something more valuable that wealth. One less that is taught over and again when sharing ministry with those who are rich in Christ, but poor in the things of the world, is the ability to prioritize what matters most.

We speak of someone who is blinded by conditioning, majority, coercion, and assumption:

There are something we see by faith when our eyes tell us otherwise. We are called to be people who believe not because they have seen the signs and placed our hand in the side as Thomas but those who live by trust, faith alone.

We are prisoners of our own allegiance, (Quote the Eagles, our own device) to the what the world tells us right/wrong.

There is what world says its good and true and there is the one who created the world and it’s purpose says are good and true.

What do those who are oppressed by wealthy, the majority, the systems of control, institution of power, what do they want to know?

There is a power greater than the powers of this world.

Jesus declares that in him, we find this power, this wealth, this life

In the Lord’s Day,

• is not earth day,

• it is not independence Day,

• it’s not president’s day,

• Its not Santa’s Day,

• It’s not Election Day,

it is the Day of the Lord

• The Lord’s Choice

• The Lord’s Power

• The Lord’s Purpose

• The Lord’s Revealing

Jesus has made a very strong political statement in his first sermon: God’s Day, God’s Way, depends on no other variable.

What that way of life looks and sounds like is this…

There are no more tear, no more fear

no more death, no more misuse of trust and power.

So what can you and I find in this story, sermon, verse?

Where you have placed your trust in yourself, your government, your fears, your power and power of human construction, are just as they were in the tower of Babel

Just as God confused the language,

Jesus’ reading from Isaiah sounds noble and we would expect him to highlight nothing else, but what he is saying is this

Don’t trust those who hold power, wealth, influence, etc to know right from wrong.

He is not saying to ignore the world’s power, rather see it’s limitation and flaws.

Those in the world could operate from righteousness if each day were devoted to the glory of God, but where they do not, they are not God’s instruments…

For example $$$

Money is a necessary means of transacting commerce in a society, it is neither good nor evil. Misuse of the power that controlling money is evil and despite it’s power and influence, God is greater and Jesus has come to make that right

Again it is not inappropriate for us to talk about money in relationship to the church but to tell God what we cannot do because we do not have the money in hand requires no faith in God. Listening to those who hold the money is what we have come to believe is the only way. Jesus is saying money is not love, is not peace, is not justice, is not hope, is not salvation. Money is money, who’s power do we place our trust.

What are we doing with the power, wealth, opportunities, freedom that we enjoy?

What better place to invest than to invest in reversing poverty, providing freedom, release, seeing through the lies of evil power to see the truth of God’s strength.

The final part of the Lord’s Day being declaired in their hearing, points to the urgency not to wait for another day.

What are you and I doing with the gifts we currently have?

What are we waiting to happen to be bold in witness?

When will we have enough to do what the Lord needs done?

Jesus gives us these answers:

Trust the Lord and you will see the kingdom of God in every part of your life.

WWill our response be to grumble, dismiss, or ignore or take up the Cross of Christ and make this day another Day for the Lord…