Podcasters, influencers, brand creators. These are professions, careers that one can make money doing that didn’t exist 20 years ago. I imagine each of you reading this have certain podcasters who are your favorites. Honestly, I’m slow to the podcast frenzy, but my daughters rarely go a day without listening to The Toast. “Take a bite out of the morning toast, weekdays with Jackie & Claudia Oshry.”The Toast, formerly known as The Morning Toast, is a podcast led by the two Oshry sisters. Their podcast lets you know the top 5 stories going on in the headlines and why you need to know them. They have a segment where they recap episodes of TV shows they are currently watching and even have segments where they give advice to listeners who write in with questions or need to “unburden” themselves. Many young women find the podcast extremely entertaining and informative, keeping them updated on pop culture without having to read or watch it. The show and the sisters have built an intensely dedicated fanbase who not only tune in religiously, but purchase merchandise and attend shows where they can see The Toast live and in person!
Today’s reading from Luke’s gospel takes us to Jesus’ Galilean hometown of Nazareth where his family and neighbors are excited to see Him live and in person. They couldn’t tune in to a podcast to hear the latest news of Jesus’ growing influence in the country but word was coming in from everywhere concerning His new brand - once carpenter now captivating rabbi. This was the most exciting thing to happen in years! They could hardly wait!
Read Luke 4:14-30
After Jesus recovered physically from his time in the wilderness, He returned to Galilee “in the power of the Spirit” (v 14) and began the work He’d been sent to do, that He’d spent the last 30 years preparing to do. As He taught in the local synagogues of the towns He visited, the people were amazed at His command of scripture and His name and fame began spreading throughout the Galilee region. And then Jesus came to His hometown of Nazareth. I imagine his family was excited to see Him. They had probably gotten wind of how Jesus was being received by other Galileans and were proud of Him. His wins were their wins, as they were enjoying more attention, and positive attention at that, than ever before, fame by association.
As usual on the Sabbath, Jesus entered the same synagogue He had grown up in to do what He had done for many years now - stand up, read the Scriptures, sit down and teach about what He just read. But today was very different. Jesus turns to the prophet Isaiah (in our Bibles, Is 6:1-2) and reads, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (vv 18-19) As He rolls up the scroll and gives it back to the synagogue official to store, Jesus reflects on what He just read. This prophetic passage means more to Him today than in previous years and readings. Since Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit of the Lord had been leading Jesus, empowering Him, giving Him unique insights and the ability to overcome all temptation. The Spirit sent by God had anointed Jesus, had blessed and called Him specifically to preach the good news of the kingdom of God to all, to set free all who were captive to sin and recovering sight, both physically and spiritually to the blind.
Grinning with pride from ear to ear, the congregants were waiting with bated breath as they listened to their hometown hero read from the scriptures. Hands over their mouths, they whispered to their neighbors, “He’s such a great reader!” “He’s going to put Nazareth on the map!” “He’s more handsome than I remember.” He’s Joseph’s son, right? Who would have ever thought a carpenter’s son would grow up to be such a dynamic Rabbi?” Silence fell across the synagogue as Jesus began His sermon on the passage from Isaiah. No one wanted to miss a single word.
I Am the One
“He began by saying to them, ‘Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.’” (v 21) In that short statement, Jesus was revealing the truth about Himself. He was the One who was sent to rescue, redeem, recover and save. He was sent by God for all people, not just the Jews. Jesus continued, “You have no claim on me; in fact, you won’t believe in me because of your preconceived ideas about my qualifications…might I remind you of those God sent Elijah and Elisha to rescue and heal – Gentiles who believed.”
“That’s it! Get out! You will not sit in judgement over us, you punk kid, son of a carpenter, of all things. Who do you think you are?” They would cancel Jesus before His popularity took Him any further. Enraged, the crowd drove Jesus out and to the edge of the hill Nazareth was built on, intending to throw Him over the cliff, but Jesus passed right through the crowd and disappeared. How could the people go from pleasurable pride in Jesus to fury in a matter of seconds? He began pushing on their idols of control and security. They came to synagogue each Sabbath to hear some scripture and a nice little sermon that made them feel hopeful, not condemned. They certainly didn’t come to be compared to righteous Gentiles. This was too much! They were unsubscribing immediately!
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.” James 3:17-18
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* How do you respond when God’s Word pushes up against your comfort or beliefs? Do you humbly consider how you might need to grow or double down on your position and reject the truth?
* Are you peaceable and open to reason? Are your responses to others, especially others who challenge you, full of wisdom from above?
Pray to receive the truth of God’s Word, the gospel, with joy and not resistance. Ask God to do whatever it takes to cultivate a humble response to His truth and will.
