麻豆约拍

The promise of Jesus听

Presenter: Pastor Alex Robertson

听

Luke 4:14-22

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.听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:听鈥楾he Spirit of the Lord is upon me,听because he has anointed me bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives听and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,听to proclaim the year of the Lord鈥檚 favour.鈥�

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, 鈥楾oday this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.鈥� All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, 鈥業s not this Joseph鈥檚 son?鈥�

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Not long ago, I was invited to a Bar-Mitzvah service and sat next to a friend who explained to me what was going on.听 As in any synagogue service, there was plenty of chatter as well as moments of silence.听 There were readings from the Torah and the prophets.听 My friend explained to me that the reading from the prophets was by invitation:听 to someone special within the congregation.听 This time it was an uncle of the Bar-Mitzvah boy.听 When we hear about Jesus reading in the synagogue, I wonder why he was invited.听 He had returned from some time away, clearly and there seemed to have been a buzz of excitement about his homecoming.听 The portion he read was the blueprint for the Messiah.听 The message was outrageous, daring and for those who heard it, revolutionary.听 Was it the portion for that day, or did he deliberately choose it?听 Whatever we believe, Jesus forces us to make a decision about the truth of his promise 鈥渢o proclaim the year of the Lord鈥檚 favour.鈥�