Christian Reflection and Prayer

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)

 

Read Luke 4:14-30

 

Having defeated Satan's temptations Jesus then 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 that most clearly talks about His work as the
Messiah. He tells His neighbors of the forgiveness,
peace and freedom He has come to bring.

 

At first they are amazed by His gracious words; then
they remember all the years He lived among them, and
how they had never seen anything remarkable about
Joseph's Son before. Having heard about 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 how in the past God
withheld healing miracles from Israel, when His people
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 the
cliff, but 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.

 

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries