RELATE TO MESSIAH
Luke 4:16-21
Luke 4:18-19: “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, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Jesus read this one Sabbath at the synagogue in Nazareth, where He had grown up. After Jesus rolled up the scroll and returned it to the attendant, Luke says that everyone’s eyes were on Him. How uncomfortable!
Then Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Was Jesus teasing?
Jesus knew the people’s minds. What do we guess they were thinking? Were they wondering IF Jesus could be The One?
Nah! “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they reminded one another.
Even before Jesus came to earth as a baby, He knew that this day was coming when His homies would turn against Him. “No prophet is accepted in His hometown.” He commented in Luke 4:24.
Would you have tried to console Jesus after He escaped their murderous rage in Luke 4:28-30? They wanted to throw Him off a cliff!
Those who accept Jesus as Lord, and believe that He’s God’s Son AND anointed One, (Messiah, Christ), are adopted as children into God’s family. (This is what it means in John 3:5-7 to be born again from above by God’s Spirit). Now the very nature of our relationship with God is Him as a loving Father and we as loving obedient children.
Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus intercedes for us to the Father—making us look good to Dad.
When our siblings are under attack, we want to help. Jesus does not need our help, though, like an earthly brother might. What Jesus wants from His brothers and sisters is obedience (John 14:15). Jesus didn’t go around bragging that He is Messiah, flaunting His power.
That’s our job.
His purpose was the opening Scripture’s job description. But when necessary, He’d own up to being the Messiah. See the lesson linked below for Jesus’ relating to a Samaritan woman, and she to Him.
The opening Scripture ends with, “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” This is not a calendar year—but the period of time when salvation will be proclaimed—the Messianic Age.
Take Home Nugget
After people are (re)born into God’s family, nothing can destroy our relationship with God; although sin can disrupt fellowship. The Bible is how God relates to people. Prayer is how people relate to God.
Holy Jesus, my King and Messiah, thank You for making it possible for me, a sinful person, to build a relationship with God!
Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.
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