Sermon Tone Analysis

Jesus was starting to make a name for Himself and the news of what He had been doing had gotten back to His home town.

It was Nathanael who posed the question can anything good come out of Nazareth.

He must have had in mind the people of this story we are related to here by Luke but even the people of Jerusalem asked a similar question to Nathanael:

And this despite the signs and healings He was doing.

So he went to the synagogue as was His practice showing by example we should all be meeting with fellow believers.

He happened to be going to his home one.

He stood up to read which was the practice.

He did not ask for any particular scroll but one was handed to Him.

This was the Lord’s leading.

He was given the scroll of Isaiah and he found the place that He was to read from.

Remember that there were no chapters and verses in those days.

The scroll could have been 23ft long, written on both sides, and contain not only Isaiah but some of the other letters too.

We know because we have a Dead Sea Scroll with the majority of Isaiah on it, called the Isaiah Scroll.

Well, we know that He read from the first two verses of chapter 61 in Isaiah.

So he went to the synagogue as was His practice, He went where the people were for almost everyone went in those days.

He stood up to read.

He did not ask for any particular scroll but one was handed to Him.

This was the Lord’s leading.

He was given the scroll of Isaiah and he found the place that He was to read from.

Remember that there were no chapters and verses in those days.

The scroll could have been 12ft long, written on both sides, and contain not only Isaiah but some of the other letters too.

All of it, though, would have been called, the Scroll of Isaiah.

Well, we know that He read from chapter 61 of Isaiah.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me...This is fulfilled in your hearing.

I would have loved to have been there to hear these words!

All those who were there would have understood this immediately - He is saying that He is the Messiah, there is no escape from this connotation.

I am declaring to you, in your presence that I am the One you have all been waiting for.

The response should have been one of reception for they had heard the things that He had done but, instead, what He says immediately got the backs up of the attendees - who do you think you are!

We know who you are…you’re just a carpenter, we know your mother, your brothers, your father.

At the beginning they spoke well of Him but they soon turned against Him.

So much so to the point where they were willing to kill Him to silence Him and throw Him off the cliff.

These are really the people that make you ask whether anything good can come from Nazareth.

but Jesus did.

What was the problem with the Nazarenes?

They would not accept Jesus as anything other than one they knew already.

They would not receive the good news.

But, Jesus said, this is nothing new.

With both Elijah and Elisha they were sent to those outside of the community.

The point?

The Nazarenes thought only they were the chosen ones of God but God had a different idea.

The Nazarenes were their own community, there on a hilltop, above everyone else, in need of no one else.

They were isolated and insular but the message that Jesus brings means that we are not called to be inward looking but to be outward.

The community that they were was not meant to be a private one but an open one.

They did not exist solely for their benefit but for the benefit of others.

And above all they did not have faith, unlike the non-Jews that Elijah and Elisha were sent to, whilst the rest of the Jews suffered from God’s judgement, and not just any non-Jews but their mortal enemies, the Syrians.

They really hated Jesus for this.

So, they rejected Him and the message.

So, what was the message that they rejected?

This immediately got the backs up of the attendees - who do you think you are!

We know who you are…you’re just a carpenter, we know your mother, your brothers.

Jesus had come and was anointed by the Spirit to do what?

Six things are mentioned:

I personally love these verses because these verses which Jesus said of Himself are those which also refer to us for the Spirit of the Lord is upon us to do all the above.

His Spirit lives in us, the Spirit of Jesus – and greater things will you do – this is amazing – we miss out on so much because we do not realise the power of God working in and through us – the people on this estate are waiting like creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.

And who has time for temptation when we get on with the works of God?

So, let us look at the grand verses to see what our mission is, which is to follow in the footsteps of our Saviour.

He came:

What are the the things that Jesus was anointed for?

We find that there are six things.

To proclaim good news to the poor

This word ‘poor’ denotes those who are destitute or as an idiom says; their ribs are always showing.

Poor is a relative term here in the UK.

I have not yet seen poor like those in Macedonia or elsewhere in the world but how is poor defined in Scripture?

It is someone who is dependent upon others to live.

This would include those who are dependent upon the state and upon charities such as Foodbanks.

Luke is very much a gospel for the poor.

To heal the brokenhearted

Life has dealt many blow after blow.

Relationships have broken down.

Spouses, children, relatives, friends have left or died but there is One who sticks closer than a brother, One who will not let you down, One who will never leave you nor forsake you, who loves you.

You are your beloved’s and your Beloved is yours.

To proclaim liberty to the captives

For those who are in an actual prison, a jail in a physical sense, or one where one is bound spiritually, emotionally or mentally.

Christ has come to bring freedom, to set at liberty.

There are prisoners who will never leave jail but are free because they have found forgiveness.

To give sight to the blind

Physical blindness or spiritual: He has come to let us see especially our spiritual condition and need of a saviour as well as heal the sick.

To free those who are oppressed

For those who are beaten down, slaves to their situation and set them free.

Are you weary and heavy laden, asks Jesus: I will give you rest.

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord

This time is the favourable time of the Lord.

The time we are yet alive.

The year of the Lord’s favour mentioned here refers to the Year of Jubilee which happened every 50th year:

The main purpose of this special year was the balancing of the economic system: slaves were set free and returned to their families, property that was sold reverted to the original owners, and all debts were canceled.

The land lay fallow as man and beast rested and rejoiced in the Lord.

Jesus is saying this is what should be happening right now in Israel and He is here to proclaim that every year is the year of jubilee as far as He is concerned.

Jesus came to bring the message of the Kingdom of God where there are no physical, spiritual, emotional or mental limitations, where God will rule with justice and equity.

Notice that Jesus said that these words were fulfilled in their hearing.

This is no waiting till you die promises but a reality that can start now.

This is the year of our Lord 2017 - the year of Jubilee - your year of Jubilee where God’s favour is upon you.

Jesus came to meet every need.

And this was the message that was rejected.

Can it be that they were so into naval gazing that they could not see past their noses?

It would seem so.

And this was the message that was rejected.

Can it be that they were so much naval gazers that they could not see past their noses?

It would seem so.

But could this now be us?

Are we so much a part of a clique that we have forgotten what we exist for?