SPEAKER: Colin smith
SCRIPTURE: Luke 4:14-30
BACKGROUND
Jesus is roughly a year into his ministry. His reputation for being a miracle worker is spreading, and he is quickly growing in popularity.
He is about to return to Nazareth. Except now he has a celebrity status. This is a big deal because He comes from a small town which it's believed nothing desirable will ever come from. It's not a place people would want to raise a family.
But now it appears Jesus may have the potential to put Nazareth on the map in a positive way.
But now it appears Jesus may have the potential to put Nazareth on the map in a positive way.
JESUS SPEAKS
Luke 4
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
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.
Jesus steps up and reads from Isaiah 61
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.”
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.”
#1 - Jesus Preached the Scriptures
So much preaching can just be speaking on ancient writings which normal people have no idea what it has to do with them today. Preaching should be a gift of hope. Taking what was then and there into the he and now.
Preaching is more than bringing information but producing transformation.
The purpose of preaching is to mediate encounters with god
- J.I. Packer
Jesus took the bible and preached.
#2 - Jesus Speaks Directly to the Human Condition
#3 - Jesus Preached Himself
CHALLENGE TO ALL PREACHERS:Does your preaching cause people to fix their eyes on Jesus or you?
"And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him."
“What good do you think your sermon will do if Jesus Christ is not in it?” - Charles Spurge
#4 - Jesus Proclaimed Grace
The year of the Lords Favor was a rule established in Deuteronomy.
- Every 7 years all debt was erased and all slaves were freed
- Every 50th year...land that was sold would be returned to the original owner
These laws were marvelously compassionate laws. They were great for debtors but costly for creditors.
In all the generations between when Deuteronomy and the life of Christ, they never actually obeyed this law. God's laws for the protection of the poor we're systematically ignored. These were laws which could only be followed by those who love God and love their neighbor.
Jesus says I came to proclaim the year of the Lords Favor . He writes off all debts towards Himself, but therefore He has to pay the debt to Himself.
22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth.They were drawn to Jesus for his gracious words.
The Turn
Then Jesus turns his gracious words to speak against their lack of concern for others, and suddenly they reject him for his grace towards others.
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.
His grace drew them in.
His grace pushed them away.
Grace means God has no obligations and no restraints
No Obligations
Since Jesus was local they felt that Jesus had an obligation to them They expected him to do for them what he did elsewhere, but grace is given freely. They thought it was owed to them.
- Rights and laws go together, but in the world of grace there are no rights
- Mankind constantly gets the idea that it is about us.
- Grace means god has no obligations and no restrictions
No Restrictions
God gives his grace to the enemies of god
God gives his grace to those who are far from
Grace means that god has free will
Grace will make you angry or lead you to worship
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