14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 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.”
There are a lot of similarities between the synagogues of Jesus’ day and our churches. There are of course a lot of differences.
The synagogue was a place for community gathering. A place to come together for prayer. And a place for learning. These qualities are much the same today for us in our churches. In fact, synagogue originally referred to the assembly. It wasn’t until later the word meant the building. Much like the word church.
Any male over the age of 13 was expected to become part of the religious community and take his part in its activities. Men were assigned a reading and would speak a short commentary on it. It might be interesting if we still did that on occasion. I wonder what our teenagers would say to us. It might be a good time to listen.
Anyway, Jesus often participated. He read, spoke and taught at the synagogues regularly and people seemed to be in awe of his wisdom.
The day of which our gospel reading tells us is a bit different, however. Jesus has been baptized and spent time in the wilderness fasting and praying. The Holy Spirit is active in Jesus. These things change us. And they ignite Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus is given the scroll of Isaiah to read, specifically this passage.
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,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Processing all that has occurred in his life over the past month or so, perhaps Jesus knew that he knew his time had come. And in the midst of his own community he testifies to what God is doing.
God is proclaiming good news. Good news for all people. Not just the rich, not just the revered, not just the priests, not just the leaders…but all people. What is that good news?
The prisoner will be set free. These are not just words for those held in a physical jail. These are words for those who are imprisoned by fear, condemnation, addictions, depression, hopelessness. All kinds of prisons were about to be shaken to the core.
Fear is a terrible prison. One dare not move, or speak when fearful. Or just the opposite, one might not be able to sit quietly and pray when afraid. What is the most repeated commandment in the Bible? It is ‘do not be afraid!’ We are freed to pray and move in the power of God without fear!
Condemnation imprisons us. Others assumptions of us as well as our own assumptions of ourselves. It is hard to stand up straight and speak your truth when you believe you have no value. When you believe you have sinned so greatly you will never have worth. Freed from judgement!
Addictions also come in many forms. My first thought is of course drugs. But we are addicted to many things. Money, Affluence, Reputation, Power, Comfort and so on. Having a new phone every year at the cost of the environment is a form of addiction. Freed from addictions!
The good news is freedom!
The blind will be given sight! Blindness in scripture does not only refer to physical blindness. In fact Jesus often uses those healings to point out the spiritual blindness of the religious leaders and others.
The good news is that sight will be offered to you. (Big question is do we want to see?) We will see God in action, see love in action, see truth in action, see resurrection. We will see God in each other.
And those that are oppressed will be able to rise up and proclaim what they have seen. They will have the courage to testify of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and grace. Testify not only in words but in deeds.
And of course, the poor will be blessed. Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom! They are not disdained, ignored, or hidden away. They are blessed!
Luke records these words in chapter 6:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
This is the good news for all except the oppressors, the rich, the hard-hearted that prefer to stay blind. Luke also includes a set woes for these people in chapter 6.
And Jesus declares that he has been anointed to not only declare the good news but to bring the Lord’s favor to all. God’s blessings to all. God’s Spirit to all.
And people thought that Jesus should just be a good boy and attend to his carpentry. As we know, that is not what happened.
Now here is the thing that really strikes me in this. The same Spirit that anoints Jesus, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is also in me. And also in you. Paul tells us that we must choose to follow that precious Spirit of God instead of our own flesh. And if we make that choice, then our mission is the same as Jesus’. To care for the poor, to bless them. To care for the oppressed, physically oppressed, emotionally oppressed, politically oppressed. (Let’s not forget these were the reality in Jesus’ day.) To set free those who labor under condemnation and judgement through forgiveness and acceptance. To show God’s favor to all people. No matter the cost.
I end by quoting Paul’s prayer from the 1st chapter of Ephesians.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Amen
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