Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Luke 4:14-30.
TEXT: And they rose up and drove Him out of
town and brought Him to the brow of the hill on
which their town was built, so that they could
throw Him down the cliff (Luke 4:29).


Having defeated Satan's temptations, Jesus
travels from village to village in Galilee sharing
God's plan of salvation and working many wondrous
miracles. Months later He returns to His hometown
Nazareth. Entering the synagogue Jesus reads from
Isaiah, the Old Testament book which most clearly
talks about His work as Messiah. He tells His
neighbors of the forgiveness, peace and freedom He
has come to bring.

At first they are amazed at His gracious words, but
then they remember all the years He lived among
them, and they had never seen anything remarkable
about Joseph's Son before. Having heard about all His
miracles in the neighboring towns, they want Him to
heal them too.

Jesus wants to help them, but He will not reward
their unbelief. He reminds them in the past that God
withheld healing miracles from the people of Israel,
when they refused to believe.

Filled with fury they rise as an angry mob to drive
Him to the cliff to throw Him to His death. In one
blind moment they foreshadow the rejection and
violent death He will suffer at His own people's hands.
But God has chosen a different time, and a different
place.

Jesus gives them one last miracle to consider. They
have Him firmly in their grasp ready to fling Him off
their cliff, then Jesus suddenly turns and calmly goes
His way through their midst-never to return. He leaves
this final warning to His neighbors: if they stubbornly
refuse to repent, they will have to stand before Him
on Judgment Day.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, today Jesus comes to me offering to
forgive, restore and save me. Give me faith to trust
Him, so I may escape Your wrath and live in Your
loving, glorious presence forever. I pray in Jesus'
Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)