Monday, January 26

Luke 4:16-19

Talk about the “buzz! Jesus goes to Nazareth, his home town and on a Sabbath day he went to the synagogue, as was his custom. You already know from yesterday that the news about Jesus was making ripples. Now the “local boy makes good story” comes striding into town in person. He went to his church each Sabbath to honor the Father by being in worship with his community. It was part of his rhythm of life.

The text that Jesus reads is a text the Jews regarded as a messianic text, that is to say they believed it described one who would be the promised messiah and would be recognized for doing what the text said. The text is from Isaiah 61:1-2. Notice the “spirit of the Lord” phrase. Sound familiar?

What Jesus is really doing here is turning his listeners’ ears to an ancient word to prepare them for a startling revelation. As they listen they remember God’s promise. They dream of the time when the messiah will come. Some would say “when the messiah comes, the hungry will have bread to spare; when the Messiah comes, the matt of the sick, the crutches of the lame will be put away; when the messiah comes, the tears that flow from sorrows woe shall change to joyful streams and realized dreams.” To read such a text in the gathering of the community is to stir their deepest longings and their highest hopes.

We all have them, those deep longings and high hopes. They go beyond a certain job, the dream house and even the trophy spouse. In our best and most honest selves those longings and hopes have to do with having a life that is meaningful, significant in impact, valued by others, deeply connected to other human beings and to God.

When the messiah comes…what does life look like for you?