Art by Jon Kamrath Display February, 2022 at MN Landscape Arboretum 2022

Then (Jesus) began to say to them, *“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?  

. . .    When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led (Jesus)  to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.” Luke 4:22-23,28

It’s startling, really, how quickly the crowd turned on Jesus. From a favorite son, renown throughout the countryside’s, praised for his words, and pride of his community . . . to anger and rage, intending to throw Jesus over a cliff.

Jesus had gone to the synagogue in Nazareth and read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah,  about care for the poor, sick and oppressed. People expressed amazement at his teaching, excited to have this hometown boy back with them. All was well, until Jesus brought up a different subject. His intent to care for  strangers, outsiders, and people unlike themselves.

We’ll never know all that was in the heart of Jesus on that day. We know he had gone through a period of testing in the wilderness, sorting out the direction and work of his ministry, followed by teaching and healing in the area. Word had spread that Jesus was healing people no one else could. Hopes were high, Jesus would do some great miracle in Nazareth’s synagogue.

There are times to show power and times to refrain from showing power. Jesus’ call was deeper than their expectations, wider than their hearts. Jesus could not be limited by wishes of Nazareth’s residents, no matter how much he would have liked to do great things in this town.

The text from Luke forces us to ask ourselves, “Who are we as Christians?” Are we followers of the one who came for the poor and the oppressed, those broken by life, or have we become wealth driven Christians? Do we cling to a prosperity gospel that builds wealth for ourselves, or are we broken by the world’s brokenness?

Jesus’ pointed message to the people of Nazareth was that he had come for the oppressed, suffering, and people living on the edges of society. He came to speak God’s word of truth. He could not be Nazareth’s own personal messiah, but only to show them the way.

Which is our way, the way of compassion, mercy, kindness, and loving care.

At this time in history, in our era, there are choices to be made in following Jesus. The question is, “What will we do and how will we respond to Jesus’ call?”

*Full Text Luke 4:16-30  Click Here