“But he passing through the midst of them went on his way” (Luke 4:30, ASV).
After his temptation, Jesus came back to Nazareth, where he had grown up. Perhaps the first sermon Jesus preached is in Luke chapter four. He reads from Isaiah 61. This prophecy is all about himself. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon ME, because he anointed ME…He hath sent ME.” The crowd at first wondered at His words of grace, but then they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
Then Jesus reminded them how Elijah fed the widow of Zarephath and how Elisha healed Naaman the Syrian leper. Jesus said, “There were many widows in Jerusalem when Elijah fed the widow and many lepers in Jerusalem when Elisha healed Naaman.” In other words, the people of Jerusalem didn’t accept God’s prophets. Jesus would go preach in some other place since his own neighbors did not accept Him.
Jesus’s own neighbors, the Nazarenes, pushed Him out of the city and wanted to throw Him head first off the hill where the city stood. But Jesus passed through them and went to the city of Capernaum. They didn’t even see Him go. They couldn’t find Him. They were spiritually blind.
Like the Nazarenes, we can fail to see Jesus. We can read the Gospels, those old, familiar words, and not see the Good News. The death of Christ on the cross may not impart the knowledge of what the Man from Heaven did to save us. The story of His resurrection might not fill us with joy at the thought of our own resurrection.
So even though God has told us of His plan for us, do we pass over His story without it meaning much? Do we think of other things during the sermon? Do we read God’s word and let it sink into our hearts? We have no other hope, for Christ is our guide and leader. Let us worship and adore Him.
Hymn: “Have You Seen Jesus My Lord?”
Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we always look to Christ and fix our eyes on things above. Let us be filled with joy and hope because we see Jesus. In His name. Amen.
Author - Donna Wittlif is the author of Christian fiction for young adults and adults. Her new book Finding Her Heart is about a young woman who is heartbreakingly lonely. Is it because she has been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome? See how God helps her find true love.
www.donnarwittlif.com