Luke 4:16-30

The Lord’s Favor

            I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to win the lottery. Now, I’m not talking those little scratch-off cards, nor the mini prizes. I mean the big one. The multi-million-dollar jackpot. If you were holding your ticket as the winning numbers were called out, only to see that you had the exact match, how would you feel? I’d imagine most of us would be excited. There’d also be a sense of disbelief, imagining that it’s all a dream instead of real life. But beyond that, I’ve wondered if I would freeze up in the moment at the sheer enormity of the situation or would I be able to stay calm and level-headed about it all? Would I fall down on my knees because of it, or would I continue on as if nothing had changed? Or most of all, you know how they say that money changes people. I’ve wondered if I had the winning ticket, would I give it away or even ignore it so as not to lose present relationships? While I may never know what it’s like to win the lottery, being a Christian might be the closest I come. No, you may not have millions of dollars dropped in your lap as a Christian. But you will have a life-changing moment... a moment when you realize that life will never be the same. You’ll have a moment when the enormity of the situation will overwhelm you... maybe even make you drop to your knees. For one of my favorite songs is called, “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe and it asks the same question... about when we finally meet God face to face, being given the gift of eternity. How will you react?

            All of this, our Lord teaches us in our Gospel lesson today. Jesus comes to preach in his hometown about the Lord’s favor for his people. He tells people how much God desires to give them. For we need not wait until eternity to experience the wealth of God’s mercy; rather, this “prize” is being given to you here and now. As we learn:

THIS IS OUR LORD’S JUBILEE: TO GIVE YOU HIS FAVOR!

I.

            If you had big and exciting news, it’s often family that you wish to share it with first. Indeed, Jesus returns home early in his ministry to preach among his own family, friends, and those whom he has grown up with. And Jesus doesn’t have just any news, he has the BEST news to share. Jesus goes to the synagogue “as was his custom”, yet he does so among those whom he knows best. And Jesus is handed the scroll to read from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,” Luke 4:18-19. This was an annunciation of the year of Jubilee. Jubilee was every fiftieth year where all debts were forgiven, all who were enslaved were set free, and everything was restored to its proper owner. Jesus is telling them that this is the Lord’s Jubilee. Everything taken from them will be restored in full! For so Jesus teaches them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” Luke 4:21. By Jesus’ speaking, teaching in his hometown, he’s telling them that he’s the one anointed to speak, to proclaim, to set free!

            But there’s a problem, of course. The reaction of his hometown, his own family to this news is less than... enthusiastic. For so they start to realize what Jesus’ words mean as they say, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:22. No, they’re not saying what a good job Joseph did raising Jesus. Rather, they’re realizing what Jesus is saying about them... preaching to the poor, liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, and liberty to the oppressed. Instead of being overjoyed at Jesus’ words, they’re angered and insulted that someone they “know” would say something like this to them! As Jesus explains, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown,” Luke 4:24. Yes, Jesus is rejected among his family and possibly closest friends. They spurn his words because they had this false image of who Jesus was and they’re not willing to give it up yet.     

II.

            For let us not be blind or arrogant to Jesus’ words either. Yes, we know that we’re the ones who are oppressed. We’re the ones who are captives. We’re the ones who yearn for the gracious words of our Lord to set us free! For Jesus here reminds us of the great grace God has by extending his favor to the Gentiles also… to you and me. “But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah,… And Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow,” Luke 4:25-26. For let me ask you, parents, do you accept proper criticism from your children when you’ve done something wrong, or do you tell them off because you’re the parent? Children, do you listen to the wise advice of your siblings or do you ignore them because they’re your sibling? Church, will you be willing to take correction from your brother or sister in Christ sitting here, who speaks Christ’s words to you, or do you know them too well to listen? Yes, we’re not so immune from the response of Jesus’ family either. For Christ speaks regularly to us through those we know best… and we should humble ourselves enough to listen to them lest we reject our Lord’s grace.

            There are many sinners in the land of Israel, in the city of Bedford, and all across the world. And this is the news that Jesus has for all of them… he came for you. He came to preach God’s favor, bestow God’s forgiveness, grant God’s grace, and to set us free from sin and even death! This is the Lord’s Jubilee. He has come to restore to you righteousness, holiness, and blessedness in Christ. For Christ was anointed to proclaim God’s favor… by going to the cross. Even as Jesus foretells here, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself,” Luke 4:23. This is what they’ll yell at Jesus on the cross. Heal yourself, Jesus! If you are God, then come down and be healed! And Jesus simply says, “No, I can’t because I came to heal you!” Our Lord’s favor was the death of Jesus, to crush Jesus for your sins and my sins. Our Lord’s favor is forgiveness and grace that we may even win the “lottery” of eternal life!

            So, I may never know what it’s like to win the lottery… and mostly, I don’t care because I have won something so much greater than any amount of money. We have our Lord’s favor in Christ, his forgiveness, his love, his mercy, and even the precious gift of life eternal. This is the year of our Lord’s favor… the time when God has blessed us in Christ, restoring to us his righteousness, holiness, and life everlasting! In Jesus’ name! Amen!