The Messiah’s Message
Luke 4:14-21
Introduction
We have been studying the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. He was about his Father’s business at the age of 12. At the age of 30 he is baptized by John the Baptist. From this point on, we have an up-close view of Jesus.
Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted.
Luke 4:1-13
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you?to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
The Holy Spirit both filled Jesus and led Jesus. This was an intense time of temptation. It demonstrated to the Enemy Jesus was determined. It demonstrates to us the power and perfection of Jesus. It demonstrated the power of the Word in resisting. It demonstrates that the Enemy is not through.
Luke 4:14-15 says, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues and everyone praised him.”
This is a different Jesus than we’ve seen so far. Out loud, influential, teaching everywhere, being praised. His mission as the Messiah is firmly in mind as he begins in earnest his public ministry.
Then Luke tells us that Jesus returns to his hometown. It was his custom to go to synagogue on the Sabbath day. Swindoll quotes Alfred Edersheim, “Every Sabbath at least seven persons were called up to read, each a portion, which was to consist of not less than three verses. The first reader began, and the last closed, with a benediction … The reading of the law was followed by a lesson from the prophets.”
The Spirit has given the Messiah a message and it is one that the Synagogue attendees are familiar with - from Isaiah 61 and a few phrases from Isaiah 58.
Luke 4:17-22
17 and 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 proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,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 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
The Messiah has a message - and we still need to hear it.
1. Proclaim Good News to the Poor
Jesus was born into an impoverished family and he often paid attention to those whom everyone else overlooked.
-Luke 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
-Luke 14:21 “The servant came back and reported this to his Master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
-Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
-Luke 21:2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
-John 12:8 “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
The good news to the poor is that God sees and knows and there is a rich reward for all who follow Jesus. Kent Hughes: “Often the poor are especially open to receiving Jesus’ teaching as good news because they realize their desperate spiritual straits.” Those whom the world rejects and overlooks have the full attention of Jesus who loves them and instructs us to love and serve them.
2. Proclaim Freedom for the Prisoners/ To the Captive
Who are the prisoners?
The Hebrew people knew about being captive. In Isaiah’s day - those taken captive to Babylon. In Jesus’ day - the Romans were occupying force. In all times, sin holds men captive.
“Deliverance” is more than releasing a prisoner from jail. It is a powerful promise of release from something far worse.
Jesus’ ministry was the new exodus. He did not come to free us from the Egyptians or the Romans; he came to set us free from our slavery to sin. We needed something we could not provide for ourselves – freedom (Rom 6).
We can be captive to many forms of spiritual bondage - bondage to money, Satan, guilt, sensuality, hatred, … To all in the prison house of sin, the truth about Jesus’ ministry is:
"He breaks the power of canceled sin
He sets the prisoner free
His blood can make the foulest clean
His blood availed for me." - Charles Wesley, 1739
3. Proclaim Recovery of Sight for the Blind.
Jesus restored the physical sight of many during his ministry, but he also recognized a spiritual blindness that could be cured only through the enlightenment regeneration brings.
Paul recounted his conversion experience and what Jesus said to him:
-Acts 26:17-18 “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”
-2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
4. Proclaim the year of the Lord’s Favor
Jubilee? Every 50th year was to be set aside as a time for liberation and restoration when all Israelites would return to their ancestral land (Leviticus 25:10). Debts forgiven, land returned, Begin again! The message of the Gospel is no less a message of the Lord’s Favor- a Jubilee celebration! Healing and Grace and love for those who receive Christ.
Conclusion
When our text ended in verse 22, everyone was speaking well of him. That was short-lived. Jesus uttered the well-known statement, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
The people are amazed but they are also angered when he pointed out that when God wanted to work, he often had to turn to the Gentiles (such as Naaman).
The people sought to throw him off the cliff, but he walked away. Then Jesus went and did what he said: taught, expelled a demon from a man, healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and healed many people. They didn’t want to throw him off a cliff, they begged him to stay!
Today’s text introduces the ministry of Jesus by saying:
-Jesus: empowered by the Spirit and able to resist the enemy!
-Jesus: came to help and heal the poor, imprisoned, and blind.
-Jesus: not welcome in his hometown, welcomed by the people of the countryside.
As we follow Jesus Christ, these become our challenges for today:
-Are we resisting the Enemy or giving in to his temptations?
-Are we helping and healing the poor?
-Are we helping those who are trapped and imprisoned to find freedom?
-Are we enabling the blind to see the truth of the gospel in our community?
-These are the paths that we walk as we follow Jesus.
As in the reactions in today’s text - some reject Jesus, some seek him out. Some try to have him eliminated, others beg him to become exalted. What is your perspective of Jesus today?
The Messiah message gives us insight into Jesus, and direction into the Jesus life. Is Jesus welcomed in your life? In your heart? In your mind? In your home?
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Merry Christmas to a Broken Heart
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Bible Class Discussion Questions
1. What were the three temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness? What is important about the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness? Does it bear any relation to the events of this chapter?
2. What does Jesus' visit to the synagogue tell us about his family, values, and strengths?
3. When Jesus read from Isaiah 61 and said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” what do you think He wanted His audience to understand? What is their initial response?
4. In verse 23 Jesus seems to provoke an unhappy response from the people. Why do you think he says this?
5. What is the church’s responsibility for the poor, imprisoned, impaired, and oppressed? How does the mission of Jesus shape the mission of the church?
6. What response do we hope to have from the community when we act in alignment with the mission statement of Jesus?
7. Following Jesus often means facing rejection. In what ways do people today face rejection because they follow Christ?
8. Why do the Elijah and Elisha stories Jesus mentions enrage the Nazarene community?
9. Why was there a difference in how Jesus was treated in the synagogue and how he was treated by those he healed (4:42-44)?
