We finally come to Jesus’ first recorded sermon. We are in Luke 4:14. (NIV)
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
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, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
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 proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
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. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (NIV, Lk. 4:14-21)
So, Jesus has come back to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. When you read this chapter in Luke it looks like Jesus returned to Galilee right after he was tested in the desert. It looks like he came out of the desert in the power of the Spirit and went to Galilee and started preaching.
But in our previous episodes we have seen that in the Gospel of John that Jesus has been in Jerusalem for the Passover. Driving animals out of the temple. Teaching Nicodemus. Baptizing disciples in the Judea—well—really his disciples baptizing new disciples. (John 4:1, 2). And he passed through Samaria, talked with Samaritan woman, taught in the Samaritan village; and now, he comes back to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. So there is this gap in Luke’s narrative.
He is teaching in the synagogues. News is spreading. People are praising him. (4:15) And now he is in the synagogue where he grew up. The synagogue in Nazareth. He is handed the Isaiah scroll. He unrolls it to chapter sixty-one. We just flip to the page. But with scrolls you had to unroll, unroll, unroll with one hand. And roll up, roll up, and roll up with the other hand. And Isaiah was a very long scroll.
For 700 years the Jews have been reading Isaiah. And this passage was understood to be Messianic. The rabbis and Jews thought this passage was about the Messiah. And they were right. This is about the Messiah. This is about Jesus.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me. The Spirit of the Lord—one of the great themes in Luke and Acts. The Spirit has been involved in every aspect of Jesus’ life. Overshadowed the virgin Mary and Jesus was born. (1:35). Came down on Jesus him at his baptism in the form of a dove. (3:22). Drove him into the desert to fast for forty days and be tested. (4:1) And he has returned to Galilee from Judea in the power of the Spirit. (4:14)
In the power of the Spirit he will preach good news to the poor. Set spiritual captives free. Release prisoners from darkness. It is the day of the Lord’s favor.
They Jews had been reading this prophecy for 700 years. Looking forward to the day. One day the Messiah will fulfill this prophecy. One day he will come with the Spirit of God. One day he will heal the brokenhearted and set the prisoners free. One day.
In Jesus’ day they knew that the Messiah would appear at any time. They knew the time was near. This prophecy will be fulfilled soon. Any time now. Soon.
Jesus reads the prophecy and sits down to give his comments. Everyone is focused on him. They are listening! But Jesus does not say “Soon.” Jesus said: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
No more anticipation. The day has come. I am here. I am anointed for ministry. My ministry begins in the power of the Spirit.
At another time Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” (NIV, John 8:56) This is the day that Abraham saw. It is fulfilled.
It is a good day for Abraham’s children. A good day for Israel. A good day for mankind.
So this is more than just Jesus announcing that he has arrived. This is my program. This is my ministry. This is what I do.
The Gospel of Luke is written around this agenda for Jesus’ ministry. In the Gospel of Luke Jesus bringing goods new to the poor in the power of the Spirit. In the Gospel of Luke he sets prisoners free in the power of the Spirit. He heals the blind. He casts out demons. Heals the paralyzed. Sets people free from the religious oppression of the scribes and Pharisees. He forgives sins.
Abraham was glad to see it. And the people in the synagogue were amazed at Jesus’ gracious words. (4:22)
The Breaker [8:00]
Jesus has come to break the bonds. I have been thinking a lot lately about the names of God. He has a lot of names, as I am sure you know. And you have heard a lot of these names. El Elion. God Most High. Yahweh Yireh, God the Provider. El Shaddai. God Almighty. God of power. On and on we could go.
God’s names have meaning. Our names don’t really have meaning. They really do not say anything about us. The name Philip means “lover of horses.” But that doesn’t mean that your friend named Philip loves horses. It is just a name. Richard means ruler, king, leader. But I am not a ruler, king, or a leader. Well, you understand.
But it is different with God. If God has a name it is because that is what God is. God is Yahweh Yireh because God is a provider. God is El Shaddai, God Almighty, because God is powerful.
So you see the difference between a man’s name and God’s name. What a rich set of lessons could be written around the names of God and how he shows himself as Most High, Almighty, Provider, and a host of other things.
So what does that have to do with Jesus’ sermon? Well, I will tell you. Some names of God are not as well known as others. We find this prophecy in Micah chapter two. (2:12, 13). The prophet looks forward to the Messiah.
I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like a sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people.
The One who breaks open the way will go up before them. (NIV, Micah 2:12, 13)
There is God’s name. Happoretz. The One who breaks. Some translations simply say The Breaker.” The Breaker will go up before them.
Like God’s people trapped inside a city. A walled city with strong gates. With no way out. But then the King steps forward. The Lord goes before them. The Breaker breaks open the gates. A way of escape. This is Messianic. This is Jesus: The glory of Israel. The Desire of Nations. The Breaker.
The Breaker has come to the synagogue in Nazareth. His mission in the power of the Spirit is to break open a way of escape. Freedom for the prisoners. Freedom for the oppressed.
Freedom in Jesus’ day from the scribes and Pharisees. Freedom in our day from the wolf who is dressed up in sheep’s clothing. Fleecing the flock. The oppressor. The Breaker does his work. He leads his people out.
And he breaks down the barrier between man and God. When Jesus died the earth was broken open. The graves of righteous men were broken open and they came to life.
In my class last week we talked about the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in Herod’s temple. And the veil that stood between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place The symbolic dwelling place of God. And when Jesus died the veil was split from top to bottom. The way into heaven itself had been opened up.
Jesus ascended to heaven, he lead captives in his train. (Ps. 68:18; Eph. 4:8) The Breaker has broken through. He leads his people out of bondage and into the presence of God.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has anointed me.
Jesus—The Breaker. Happoretz
Vinekeeper Bible Podcast
Rick Walker
Sophia church of Christ
Georgetown, Guyana
