The Divine Crash

Another Sunday another time to worship Jesus (although isn’t that everyday?).  As usual you can download the sermon in iTunes or listen to the sermon after my notes.

Today’s scripture was Luke 4:16-21.  Jesus stands up, reads Isaiah 61:1-2, sits down, and states “This has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

After reading the scripture and prayer we looked at what Jesus means when He says that Isaiah 61 is now fulfilled.

- Jesus is the one who has the spirit of God

- Jesus is the one who will tell the good news to the oppressed.  The oppressed are the ones who are hurting because of injustice and the lack of freedom to worship.  Yet, Jesus is saying the Israelites in the synagogue are oppressing others.

- Jesus will bind up the broken hearted.  The brokenhearted are the ones who see the destruction and sin in the world and their heart breaks.  They feel pain because of how out of whack this world is with the way God wants it.  Jesus is saying he will put this world back.

- Jesus will release the captives.  These are those who owe a debt they can’t pay and are in jail because of it.

- Jesus will release the prisoners. Those who have committed a crime, any crime, they are free.

- This idea of release is not just set free but it is this idea of opening blind eyes for the first time.  Seeing light instead of darkness for the first time is what Jesus will do for those who have done things they should not have done.

- Jesus will proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.  A time when slaves are set free, people get their land back, everyone parties.  For a whole year no work is done because they have found favor with God.

- Jesus will proclaim the day of vengeance of our God.  There are somethings that God sees and proclaims they just are not right.  Injustice, poverty, heartache, evil.  And Jesus will stop that.

- Jesus will comfort all who mourn.  All those who are hurting, grieving, not good enough, heretics, sinners.  They are all children of God that Jesus will comfort.

Because of all this the people can’t handle it.  They try to placate Jesus.  We have done this.  We hear Jesus and just respond by saying “What a nice guy, or oh, how quaint.”  That way we can ignore Jesus.  Why do we do this? Is it because we do not believe comfort is possible? Psalm 70 and Isaiah 51 declare that comfort is possible.

Verse 23 the people try to manipulate Jesus they tell him all the wonderful things he did in capernaum they aren’t worthy for.  We get this and we understand that those people are more spiritual or are prettier or have more money or whatever so they deserve those miracles but we don’t.  Psalm 107:14 God broke all chains for all people whether they were good enough or not.

Verse 29. The people try to kill Jesus.  If they believe him they would have to change their way of life.

Isaiah 61 is how Jesus lives out his ministry.  Luke 7 Jesus tells John the Baptists messengers that all the oppressed are hearing good news. Matthew 5 Jesus tells his sermon on the mount that those who mourn are comforted.

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