The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached? (Luke 4:21)

[Mulongo]

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached? (Luke 4:21)

The God-Man Jesus had been battling the blistering attacks of Satan in the desert. While he had the excruciating pain of hunger, Satan tempted Him with food to satisfy a hungering flesh. While he was base and humanly low, Satan tempted him with the kingdoms of the world. When Jesus could prove that God had not forsaken Him with a call to His Father, Jesus forewent the temptation. Filled with the Holy Spirit, He made His way to Nazareth.

There, Jesus entered the Synagogue on the Sabbath, unrolled a large scroll, and read from Isaiah 61:1-2:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then Jesus sat down. The people must have stared back as Luke records that all of their eyes were fixated on him (Luke 4:20). Those dark sparkling eyes of Jesus’ always seemed to penetrate those whom He looked upon in a mysterious way that made people believe that He was looking past their eyes, knowing them in a way that none of their closest friends and family ever would.

Silence. Was this all? What did His words mean?

And then in perhaps the greatest single revelatory statement of all time, Jesus said: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21).

Three points follow:

1) All of God’s promises from the past come to fruition in this singular moment. Though only some hard-scrabble fishermen and ne’er do well tax collectors will soon be added to the wildly transfixing wilderness, locust-eating preacher who initially believe Jesus is anything but human, the Messianic secret is publicly told here. There is a Savior, a rescuer of prisoners, a great blessing.

2) The people would initially be amazed at His teaching, but just as palm leaves turned to a crown of twisted thorns, so soon would someone bring up the point, “Yes, this is all good and well, but does anyone forget this is a fellow Nazarene and Joseph’s son at that? Joseph the carpenter!” When Jesus rightfully points out that often the righteous are outside of Israel (using the widow who fed Elijah and Naaman the Syrian as examples), there is indignant self-righteousness. That rage leads to Jesus almost being thrown off a cliff if not for the sovereign hand of God. It was not yet time for Him to die.

3) People would greatly misinterpret Jesus’ words. Would He heal the blind? Yes. Would prisoners like Barabbas go free? Surely. But this Kingdom was nothing like the restoration of Israel and the hoped-for expulsion of the Roman foreigners who had conquered and controlled the Israelites. The poor were poor not from oppression alone but because of their spiritual condition. The captives were the brokenhearted, bound and shackled by the guilt of sin which could never be atoned for with the old sacrifice of the scapegoat. How material they were –we are!

It is highly illustrative that when just a chapter or so later in Luke, a paralytic is brought to Jesus, Jesus’ great concern is the man’s soul–”Friend, your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20). Only later when the Pharisees challenge Jesus does He say, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” Well, we know the rest of the story. The man walked, receiving the oh-so-secondary healing of the day.

With all of the pain of today, the economic turmoils, political strife, pressing wars, losses of family and friends, have you considered our greatest need? Have you considered your greatest need? It is Jesus Christ. He for whom one could honestly say in the midst of the world’s greatest pain, in His presence, it is the year of the Lord’s favor–every day. May He set you free from your shackles, make your blind eyes to see, and your lame feet to walk, and your unbelieving heart to know His glory and joy. Amen.

[Ndibassa]

Bwosoma ebintu ebiri mu Bible biringa oli eyamala okujja mu Buganda nagiwandiika
Mukama Katonda sasira abenda ya Nakalaama abatanategeera nti esuubi riri mu mikono gyo gyokka kasita banakuyingiza mumitima gyaabwe atenga sikumala kusasula sente bafune omuntu owokusatu okutusaayo okukowoola ne miranga gyaabwe, tebajja kukutula njegere buli muntu ssekinoomu alina kwegayirira kululwe nga bweyatondebwa nokusaba okusonyiyibwa noluvannyuma eddoboozi eryobwetowaze neliryooka lyegatta wamu kubanga amalala amangi agayingiddewo nokuvulubanira ebyensi kungi ddala. Buli kubonabona okuli mu Bible kulinga okulabula Buganda bweeri.

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