Key Thought

In many church cultures, after a message is given, an invitation is offered for people to respond to that message. Well, Jesus got a response to his message in the synagogue, that's for sure. They were furious. This is a reminder to us that not all truth will be well received. Sometimes the truth of God provokes deep anger, especially among those whose faith is couched in prejudice and a false sense of ethnic or religious superiority. When prejudice is displayed by those claiming to be God's people, the presence of Jesus leaves those people and moves to people who will share his grace. We must eradicate from our midst all racial and cultural hatred and any sense of ethnic or religious superiority. God's people must realize that it is by grace that we are saved. That grace should move us to share God's love with others with gentleness and respect, regardless of how alike or different from us they may appear to be.

Today's Prayer

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Open our eyes, dear God, so that we may see that the fields are white to harvest, even in this time of rancor and hatred in our world. Use me, use us your people, to be your tools of grace to break down barriers that divide races, cultures, people, and nations so that when we worship you together in heaven, it will not be the first time we have worshiped in joyous diversity and multi-cultural praise. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus went back to Galilee with the power of the Holy Spirit. Stories about Jesus spread all over the area around Galilee. Jesus began to teach in the synagogues. All the people praised him. Jesus traveled to Nazareth, the town where he grew up. On the Sabbath day he went to the synagogue like he always did. Jesus stood up to read. The book of Isaiah the prophet was given to him. Jesus opened the book and found the place where this is written: "The Spirit of the Lord (God) has come to me. God chose me to tell good news to people that are poor. God sent me to tell people who are prisoners that they are free, and to tell the blind people that they can see again. God sent me to free the weak people from their suffering and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness." Jesus closed the book. He gave the book back to the helper and sat down. Every person in the synagogue watched Jesus closely. Jesus began to speak to them. He said, "While you heard me reading these words just now, the words were coming true!" All the people said good things about Jesus. They were amazed at the beautiful words Jesus spoke. The people said, "{How can he speak like this?} He is only Joseph's son, isn't he?" Jesus said to them, "I know that you will tell me the old saying: 'Doctor, heal yourself.' You want to say, 'We heard about some things that you did in Capernaum. Do those same things here in your own home town!'" Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. A prophet is not accepted in his own home town. What I say is true. During the time of Elijah it did not rain in Israel for three and a half years. There was no food anywhere in the whole country. There were many widows in Israel during that time. But Elijah was sent to none of those widows {in Israel}. Elijah was sent only to a widow in Zarephath, a town in Sidon. And there were many people with leprosy living in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha. But none of those people were healed; the only one wasNaaman. And Naaman was from the country of Syria, {not from Israel}." All the people in the synagogue heard these things. They became very, very angry. The people got up and forced Jesus to go out of town. Their town was built on a hill. They brought Jesus to the edge of the hill. The people wanted to throw him off. But Jesus walked through the middle of them and went away.

— Luke 4:14-30 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.