14 Yeshua returned to the Galil in the power of the Spirit, and reports about him spread throughout the countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone respected him.
16 Now when he went to Natzeret, where he had been brought up, on Shabbat he went to the synagogue as usual. He stood up to read, 17 and he was given the scroll of the prophet Yesha‘yahu. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of Adonai is upon me;
therefore he has anointed me
to announce Good News to the poor;
he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned
and renewed sight for the blind,
to release those who have been crushed,
19 to proclaim a year of the favor of Adonai.”[
Luke 4:19 Isaiah 61:1–2; 58:6
]
20 After closing the scroll and returning it to the shammash, he sat down; and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 He started to speak to them: “Today, as you heard it read, this passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled!”[Complete Jewish Bible]
---------------------Yesterday we heard Jesus portraying himself as the servant of God foretold by Isaiah. If that claim were not shocking enough, he ended with one more surprise: "This day it is being fulfilled even in your hearing!" All they could think about was that he was only a local boy just like their own.
There's a "heads-up" in scripture whenever we see the words "this day" or "today." "This day in the city of David, a child is born--a Savior." To the thief on the cross, "Today you shall be with me in paradise." To Zacchaeus, "I'm coming to your house today." "Today harden not your hearts." There's warning, excitement, history-making salvation ready to happen in each today.
And for you, too, today is like no other--past or future. Unique opportunities await you this day--for receiving grace, for being light and salt, for blessing someone, for being filled with joy in God's presence. Don't miss what awaits you today!
Lord, fill me with joy in your presence and let it flow through me to others—today. Amen.
E. Corinne Chilstrom
Retired
Master of Divinity , 1984
Luke 4:14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."[New Revised Standard Version]
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