January 27, 2019
Epiphany 3, 2019
Luke 4:16-30
“Today the Scripture has been Fulfilled”
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
We live in a world that is full of bad news. We hear about bad news from the television, radio, and newspapers. The media constantly bombards us with the foulness of human life: hatred, theft, rape, domestic violence, corruption, abortion, murder and disasters. We also experience bad news day by day in our lives: broken friendships, broken marriages, and broken homes. Death and disease. Tragedy and heartache. Life is full of bad news. Wearied by the world and worn by our own sinful nature we come to God’s house to hear Good News.
Jesus was found in worship as was His habit. On the day of our text Jesus had volunteered to read from Scripture. The people knew who Jesus was for he had grown up in Nazareth. They had heard of the wondrous things he had done in Capernum. Even so they didn’t think of Jesus as the Messiah…but he could do some pretty cool magic tricks if he put his mind to it.
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Jesus.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion”
(Isaiah 61:1-3a).
These words were written by the prophet Isaiah to the Israelites facing captivity. They were words of good news; speaking of God’s pardon that lifted them up. This news is worthy of being Headline News for the spiritually poor, the captives of sin, the spiritually blind, and those oppressed by guilt and shame. It is written for our generation as well: a generation that blindly pursues materialistic goals, a generation captive to self-satisfying sins of the flesh, a generation blind to the light of God’s love for us.
Isaiah was telling about the coming Messiah…he was sharing the wonderful news of Jesus who would come and deliver God’s people from their sins. After Jesus had finished reading this text the people were hushed in wonder of what Jesus would say next. Jesus shocked them all with news that continues to shock the world today; that He is the promised Messiah…the Savior of the world.
Jesus’ words were indeed shocking!
“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your own hearing.”
Jesus had returned home…as a supposed miracle worker…and claimed to be the promised Messiah in the flesh. What the people didn’t realize is that the words of Isaiah had now come true in their own hearing and sight.
Jesus not only brought good news to the people but Jesus was and is the Good News of God for every sinner. This simple man would go on to serve us by dying for us on the cross. Jesus would reunite us with the Father by earning our forgiveness by dying on the cross.
We might expect the people to joyously thank God for the gift of a Savior; praising the Lord for His love for them, sharing the good news with others that they are indeed free from sin, death and the devil. Such wonderful news!
Instead, the initial reaction was split among them. Many marveled at the way Jesus spoke with authority and how lovingly proclaimed God’s Word to them. Yet the devil quickly planted doubt in their hearts. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son…the one that ran off from his parents to the temple in Jerusalem…the goody tushus we had to put up with? Messiah?…Him?…not likely.
Doubt turned to outright rejection. Human nature took over the people. They wanted Jesus to “prove” he was the Messiah. They had heard of his miracle workings…if he could do that for the people of Capernaum…then as the Messiah he could certainly do even greater things for his own people. Even if Jesus did things beyond their wildest imagination they still wouldn’t have believed.
This group of worshipping people turned into a mob that wanted to kill Jesus by throwing him off a cliff. One might say this seemed to be a bit of an overreaction. But it wasn’t for them…Jesus claimed to be the Messiah…an equal to God…and insulted them.
The rejection of God’s gracious love for us; the rejection of Jesus as Savior is a reaction many have today. Far too many people reject Jesus to their own destruction. Many people in the world reject Jesus as Savior. People are inundated with scoffers who point to science and other facts and proclaim that there could never have been a virgin birth; a dead man could not have risen; creation must be a myth…because there is no God. Instead they believe solely in themselves for all that they need or want. And so often when we rely solely on ourselves…we fail and become hopeless.
But you my dear brothers and sisters in Christ know the Good News. You know that your sins are forgiven. You know how valued you are for you know that Christ died for you. You know that Jesus loves you and the world so much that He died to save all people. You know the wonderful news of the Gospel. It is this wonderful news that caused the prophet Isaiah to proclaim:
“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch.”
(Isaiah 62:1)
If not now…when? The time is now for us as believers, as a congregation, as a Church to boldly proclaim the love of Christ. For we have friends and neighbors and loved ones that are suffering without the knowledge that God loves them. We have loved ones dying without faith. If we aren’t going to share God’s love now…when will we? The time is now. The message is simple and powerful. Jesus Christ died for you. Because He loves you. Your sins are forgiven. Salvation is yours. The Scriptures have been fulfilled. We cannot remain silent. And by God’s grace we won’t be. The Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak. And we will get to share God’s love. Amen.
Now may the peace of God that passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
