PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR
In the New Testament, Luke 4:18 – 30, Jesus is rejected by his life-long fellow citizens of Nazareth. They knew he was just a local man, a carpenter and it angered them that he would claim to be the Massiah sent by God without any proof, so they cast him out of the city and tried to kill him. Wow, they were mad.
I can see why the people were so angry. This local guy, who apparently had not impressed people much growing up in their town, marches into the synagogue and makes the biggest claim a man could make in those days. And, he wouldn’t even perform a single miracle, which, along with his beautiful words were supposed to prove what he proclaimed. These were just regular, everyday people he was talking to, people with common sense, and they were insulted; being a human, I can understand that.
I definitely understand the people’s point of view when I reflect on the incredible journey God arranged for me to help me begin to awaken; to help me see, understand, and know more and more about Him and His creation; know more about this fantastic world that He has manifested for me and anyone who will stop the headlong dive into the self-involved, bubble of insanity that modern man has gotten lost in; stop and examine the lack of soundness we are treading on in our world every day. They seem to be hell-bent on dragging us over a cliff into oblivion. They are so confused that they either purposely or subconsciously are bent on supplanting God with their own pathetic substitutes for real quality and perfection; they don’t really believe there is a power or an intellect greater than themselves.
It is absolutely laughable that just a regular person like me who is paying attention sees how absurd our national and international leadership looks clinging desperately to their money, their material stuff, and the power they hope it represents; however, of those who see, most of them are too afraid to stand up and point out that the emperor is waring no clothes.
People were very skeptical and frightened when Jesus walked the earth in the flesh and they are no less skeptical and frightened today……..it is a human vexation. It seems only the grace of God can intervene. When I walk out in the morning and see the incomparable aliveness that purely shimmers and sparkles all around my home and neighborhood and I have the brain and body realization that I’m standing in a living being that we know as the universe, as God, and know and feel that our body is an intricate function within this fantastic miracle, I am humbled and lifted up at the same time, I feel incredibly important and special and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me and us next.
Probably nothing Jesus could have said that day could have made those people in Nazareth believe Him. It is amazing, actually astounding that it is the memory of Jesus, the story of His life that has had as much if not more power to lead countless people to God, perhaps much more than a flesh and bone presence; with His story, we have to do the work of salvation ourselves. His story helps us believe in salvation but we have to do the work ourselves to get ready to receive God’s salvation. I feel sure if Jesus was always with us in the flesh we would keep waiting for Him to do the work.
Jack