August 13 The True Messiah

Luke 4:16-21 Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
 
JESUS is preaching and teaching. Returning to his hometown, he faithfully went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, demonstrated to us the right behavior for the Sabbath day. Go to an assembly of God’s people to hear the Word of God.
    We also see in this passage a demonstration of the Jewish synagogue worship. The scrolls of the law – what we refer to as the Old Testament – were brought out and a particular scroll was given to someone to read. Likely, the synagogue leader chose Jesus to read that day because the news of Jesus’ new ministry had reached town ahead of him. Certainly the Holy Spirit empowered the leader to hand the Word of God to the Son of God.
    The Spirit did so in order to begin revealing the true Messiah to Israel and to us. To begin, Jesus read what we know today as Isaiah 61:1-2a. It is important, as you will see, to note Luke did not record he read the second clause of Isaiah 61:2. Eight hundred years prior to this moment, the Spirit had inspired Isaiah to speak and to write God’s promise to send a Messiah to Israel. Knowing the entire Bible, we know the Spirit described the Messiah as one who would reveal God’s favor in the form of the gospel. This is the good news of God’s grace, love, forgiveness and eternal life to free his chosen people from sin’s imprisonment, blindness and oppression. Jesus, the Messiah, came in God’s favor to live, die, rise and ascend that our sins would be forgiven.
    We can know that today, but the Jews viewed the Isaiah promise with an Old Testament view. In these words, the Jews expected God to send a David-like Messiah. He would be a warrior king in the way David’s rule had established Israel as a mighty world power. The Jews’ believed the Messiah would be one who would free them from physical oppression and bondage to reign on Israel’s throne forever.
    Anticipation, then, was high in the synagogue that day. When Jesus said, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” chills would have run down the spine of each faithful Jew. “Is it now time for the promised Messiah? Is he this man Jesus from our own hometown?”
    “Yes,” we can faithfully answer, “this man Jesus is the Lord’s promise fulfilled!” But our “Yes.” Is different than the Jews expected. We know Jesus was the kind of Messiah the Jews did not expect. Sadly and soon, they would find the reality of God’s favor upon them to be unfavorable to their point-of-view. God’s favor would require them to confront their sin, their man-made laws and their faith-stifling religious traditions. As a result, the chills on their collective spine would become a deadly rage.
    How about you? Do you see the favor of God’s justice, mercy, grace and salvation as favorable for your life? I pray so. I pray you see Jesus as the true Messiah, who has come to open your eyes to your sin and set you free from sin’s oppression.
    Now, see the second clause of Isaiah 61:2. This promises the Messiah will proclaim “the day of vengeance of our God.” Be thankful Jesus did not proclaim his judgment that day in Nazareth. Rejoice the Messiah first came “not to judge the world, but to save it.” (John 12:47b) Then keep reading. Be prepared. Understand all of Jesus. For the Savior has given you another promise in John 12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.  
    Know all of God’s Word. Reading and listening to only the parts that please you will cause us to miss the true Messiah.
 
Prayer: O Lord, grant to me each day the wisdom to see your Scripture fulfilled in my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.