Return of the Rabbi
(Lenten Sermon; Luke 4.16-30)
March 30, 2014 Chester’s FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction
A As we engage our message we have seen Jesus tempted by Satan, called Matthew as a disciple, & today we see Rabbi Jesus returning to His hometown of Nazareth.
1 Since He had left the small village He had gained regional fame (teacher, miracle-worker, performer of great wonders).
a His family, childhood buddies, neighbors were anxious to see Him.
b Jesus was the local boy who made it big. (Probably a little sign just outside of town that read “Home of Jesus the Miracle Worker”. (However, by the end of the day I’m pretty sure there was committee formed to have the sign removed.)
2 We find Jesus going to Synagogue on the Sabbath (v.16).
Luke 4:16 (NASB) 16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.
a Jesus could have argued that the religious system was corrupt or that He didn’t need their instruction . . . but instead, on the Sabbath He made His way to the place of prayer.
b Heb. 10.24-25, attending worship (going to church) was a practice His disciples should imitate today. (Congratulations by being here today you are demonstrating your obedience to His calling on your life as a Christian.)
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NASB) 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
3 A typical Synagogue service consists of about six parts.
a A blessing spoken over the congregants (Shema).
b A prayer w/ a response of “Amen” by the congregation. (Invocation)
c A reading from the Pentateuch (Torah)
d A reading from one of the Prophets (A Chazzan would give the reader, speaker of the day, a scroll to read from.)
e The sermon would be shared by the one who read the passage from the Prophets.
f A Closing prayer (Benediction)
B As the sun went down on Friday evening, Jesus would have heard a double blast of a shofar from the roof of the house top of the Synagogue Rabbi (A Warning that Shabot/Sabbath was almost here.)
1 Moments later another double blast was heard (Telling all that work must be laid aside.)
a Moments later, another double blast was heard (The Shabot had began & the Menorah in the Synagogue was lit.)
b On Saturday morning, Jesus went to the Synagogue were He attended countless times as a boy, teenager, and as a man.
aa For the first time in a long time, He’s back at His home “church.”
bb He sees the old familiar furnishings, fixtures, & faces of the old house of prayer.
2 Luke’s account of Jesus’ visit to the Synagogue began with Him reading from the prophets . . . in this case He was handed the scroll of Isaiah, opens the scroll & begins to read.
a Luke 4:17-22 (NASB) 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." 20 And He closed the book, 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." 22 And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, "Is this not Joseph's son?"
C Jesus’ ministry as prophet & Messiah are depicted in His text in four metaphors.
1 Preach the Gospel to the poor . . .
a The word “poor” is from the word that means “to cringe, to shrink back or to cover.” (It’s a picture of a beggar cowering in the shadows.)
b In spiritual terms, it’s those who recognize they have nothing by which to offer God to have Him receive them.
aa They know they are morally bankrupts, that their righteous deeds are nothing but filthy rags to Him.
bb Messiah only brings salvation to those who know they are spiritually destitute & that only God can supply their needs.
cc Not fake humility, fake piety . . . genuine realization that we have nothing to offer God but our sin.
2 Release to the captives . . .
a Captives are slaves, bondage, and/or debt.
aa We all owe God an unpayable debt for violating His law (Jms. 2.10) and are in debt to Him “who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell” (Matt. 10.28).
James 2:10 (NASB) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
Matthew 10:28 (NASB) 28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
bb Until repentance, we are in bondage to the devil too.
Ephesians 2:1-2 (NASB) 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
2 Timothy 2:26 (NASB) 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
cc Not only do we owe a debt to God, in bondage to the devil, but we’re also slaves to sin!
Romans 6:6 (NASB) 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
John 8:34 (NASB) 34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
b Jesus came to pay our sin debt to God, unshackle us from the devil, and free us from the fetters of sin.
c Charles Wesley, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”, wrote, “He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free.”
3 Recovery of sight to the blind . . .
a Spiritual blindness is the natural condition of fallen humankind.
aa Psalm 82:5 (NASB) 5 They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Jeremiah 5:21 (NASB) 21 'Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear.
John 3:19-20 (NASB) 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
bb Satan blinds people to the truth.
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NASB) 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
b Jesus came to open the blind spiritual eyes.
aa Isaiah 1.78,79
bb He is the light of the world (John 8.12) Menorah!!!!
John 8:12 (NASB) 12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
cc Paul was sent to open the eyes of the gentiles.
Acts 26:18 (NASB) 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'
4 Set free those who are downtrodden (spiritually oppressed)
a Those who are overwhelmed by the temptations, testing, & trials of life. (Weary from living)
aa Also means those who are weary from trying to work/earn their way into God’s love.
bb Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB) 28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
b He came to take the pressure off of folks!
D Jesus concludes His text mid verse with, “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
1 This is describing the “year of Jubilee” described in Lev. 25.
a Every seven (7) years there was a “Sabbatical Year” but every fiftieth year was a “Jubilee year.”
aa The Sabbatical Year was for the land.
bb During that year the land rested, no one put in crops/planted their fields, fallow ground for a year.
b The Year of Jubilee was for the people & economy.
aa Slaves were set free & returned to their families.
bb Property that been sold was returned to its original owner.
cc All debts were cancelled.
dd Beasts of burden that were used to till the land were given a year off.
2 Jesus told His listeners in Nazareth that He has arrived to bring them rest, cancel their debts, cure their blindness, lighten their load.
E His audience’s initial reaction was admiration but it soon turned into antagonism.
1 The Rabbi’s considered Is. 61.1-2, a passage about the long awaited Messiah, the One (who is not Obama, Paul, or anyone else) who would come to give Israel beauty for ashes, oil of gladness instead of mourning (Is. 61.3).
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NASB) 1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
a When He said this passage was about HIM & He was there to usher in the favorable year of the Lord some in the room had a high speed come apart.
b Who are you? (This is Mary & Joseph’s boy, He use to play on by my boys ball team, He restored my grandma’s old table)
c Furthermore, they wanted Him to do His “Jesus Amazing Tricks” act. (Make us some food, heal my cousin, make it rain, etc.,)
aa Luke 4:23 (NASB) And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'"
bb The congregation was so angry, they took a vote at a business meeting & decided to kill Him!
cc St. Augustine said, “They love truth when it enlightens them, but hate truth when it accuses them.”
dd That applies well in many congregations today, people who want syrupy sweet sermons (Don’t preach about God’s view of marriage, abortion, end times, responsibility) don’t want to face the truth.
2 But what really got their goat is Jesus’ assertion that salvation is available only to those who acknowledge themselves as poor, prisoners, blind, and oppressed.
a They weren’t about to accept such labels, since they saw themselves as righteous already (at least outwardly).
b They honored the Sabbath, paid their tithes, observed the appointed times & customs. They were the descendants of Abraham!!
c It’s not by accident that Jesus stopped reading midway through Is. 61.2; “To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD . . . And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,”
aa He came to bring freedom, sight, cancel debt, lift people out of oppression.
bb If you reject Him now . . . you will know the day of vengeance of our God.
Conclusion:
A The proud people of Nazareth never did humble themselves despite Jesus disappearing act on the Mount of Precipice.
1 When He did return He was shocked at their unbelief.
Mark 6:6 (NASB) 6 And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching.
Matthew 13:58 (NASB) 58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
a Their refusal to admit their spiritual destitution, bondage, blindness, and oppression stands in stark contrast to the repentant Gentile widow and the leper.
b James 4:6 (NASB) 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
aa If you think you’re good enough to go to heaven, you’re not going.
bb You and I are not good enough! We’re broke, in debt to God, blind, oppressed, in bondage . . . we’re not going through the gate on anything we’ve ever done!
2 Jesus, thank God, recognized our bankruptcy, disease and came to set us free!!!
a Until you recognize that you are 100% unworthy to go to heaven you’ll never get there & you’ll face the day of God’s vengeance.
b The Messiah is ready to save you by His grace:
aa Grace is God not giving us what we deserve;
bb Mercy is God giving us what we do not deserve.
B IL. Boy waiting for a bus that wasn’t scheduled to stop where he was waiting.
1 A man tried to get him to go three blocks over. The bus does stop there.
a For 15 minutes the man tried to convince the boy to go get on the bus three blocks over. The boy refused and assured the man that the bus would stop right where he was standing.
aa About the time the words were leaving his mouth, he & the man could hear the bus coming down the street, pulled right up to the curb where they were standing and stopped.
bb The doors opened and the little boy climbed aboard to the shock & surprise of the man.
b Mister, I knew the bus would stop here because my mom is driving the bus.
2 Christian, Your Heavenly Father is “driving the bus.”
a If He said He’d set you free . . . He’ll do it!!
b Don’t reject the ride, good news.
aa We may reject Him because we want to be in control, we want to submit to our plans & desires.
bb Remember, by rejecting the ride Jesus offers, we reject God.
3 IL. NY, a big night club called Hell’s Gates. A man was visiting the city & wanted to go this club so he asked a policeman for direction.
a You see that big church down there? It’s called Calvary Church. If you go past Calvary you’ll run right into Hell’s Gates.
b Don’t go past Calvary or you’ll run right into Hell’s Gates.
4 Alter Call
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