Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown. “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. And many in Israel had leprosy in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.” When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way. [Luke 4.23-30]
Here we see the first time (I believe) that Jesus' life is on the line. The crowd wanted to kill Him and proceeded to do just that.
But what was it that got them so stirred to this murderous anger?
Jesus basically pointed out that God loved other people as well as Israelites! How about that?
The lesson for us is clear: God loves the world and wants to redeem every single person.
Our job then is simple and it is found in verses 18-19 just preceding the passage above:
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” [Luke 4.18-19]
Our job is no different than Jesus' job!
WE are anointed to bring Good News to the poor! What poor people? The poor people of the world!
WE are sent to proclaim that captives will be released. What captives? The captives of the world!
WE are sent to proclaim that the blind will see. What blind people? The blind people of the world!
WE are sent to proclaim that the oppressed will be set free. What oppressed people? The oppressed people of the world!
WE are sent to proclaim that the time of the LORD's favor has come. The LORD's favor has come to whom? The people of the world!
Fortunately, modern Christians are more adapted to the idea that God loves the world. We are not as likely to draw such ire for our world-view of Christianity. But the implications remain pointed even for us... there IS something to do! And, when we do those things with Jesus' same attitude of 'reaching all' we can be sure we will draw ire from religious people - yes, there still remains an attitude of exclusion among God's followers. Probably the reason we don't see it so much is that we are not doing the work of Jesus!
Father, I want to be found doing Your will in the earth.
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