#22 The Spirit of The Lord is On Me
On June 6, 2021 by Amy Burgin
Joy:
Episode#22 Luke 4:17b-21
Welcome
Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you’re here. I’m Amy Burgin.
Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin
Amy:
Christgazing is the act of looking steadily and intently at Christ. This podcast is just one small tool to help us do that. Each week we focus on one passage from the Bible as Joy reads it several times and creates stillness after each reading to consider who God is and what he wants us to know. We are in a series that brings us the words of Jesus as found in the book of Luke. We are in Luke chapter 4, directly after Jesus’s baptism in the Jordan River and temptation in the wilderness. It’s after these two events that Jesus officially began his public ministry. Wouldn’t you like to know what he said in what may have been his very first public speaking engagement? That is what we will learn today!
Pour Out Your Heart to God
Amy:
Before Joy shares it, take 45 seconds to pour out your heart to God. Maybe it’s gratitude, anger, forgiveness, bitterness, or maybe it’s a deep curiosity as to what Jesus said in his first recorded public speaking engagement. Whatever is on your mind, name it and bring it to the Lord in these next 45 seconds.
What Does This Passage Say About God?
Joy:
I’m going to read today’s passage two times. As I read, consider the question, What does this passage say about God? Why did he send Jesus?
Luke 4:17b-21 Unrolling the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Again?
Luke 4:17b-21 Unrolling the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Take a few moments to answer the question, “What does this passage tell you about God? Why did he send Jesus?”
What Does This Passage Say About People?
Joy:
As I read the scripture again, consider the question: What does this passage tell you about people?
Luke 4:17b-21 Unrolling the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Take a few moments to answer the question: What does this passage tell you about people?
Lord, What Would You Have Me Know or Do Today?
Joy:
As I read for the last time, ask God the question, “Lord, what would you have me do today in response to this passage?”
Luke 4:17b-21 Unrolling the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Take a few moments to listen for his voice as you ask him, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today?”
[Pause and listen]Blessing
Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. May you turn your face toward his, fasten your eyes on him, and deeply understand his proclamation of freedom and favor to the point of being totally free.
One Response
Amy:
Wow. In his first public announcement Jesus chose to declare he came to set us free. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” If you are looking for freedom, it is found in Jesus Christ. Freedom from darkness. Freedom from lies and wrong-thinking. Freedom from doing the things we don’t want to do. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.
Jesus spoke from the book of Isaiah, which was originally written somewhere around 700 B.C. The oldest copy we have was found only 75 years ago in 1946 as part of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery. This copy dates back to a time range around 350 to 100 BC.
Jesus spoke out of Isaiah Chapter 61 and the words recorded in Luke 4 only include the first half of a very long sentence. Shall we pick up in Isaiah where Jesus left off and finish it?
The sentence goes on to say God sent Jesus, to “comfort all who mourn in Zion” (as a side note, did you know Zion means a parched place?). Reading on, it says, God sent Jesus to “provide for those who grieve, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”
Oh my God. Our God is a God of exchange. As we mourn in this parched place, God desires to exchange our grief and ashes for a crown of beauty, our mourning for joy, our spirit of despair for a garment of praise.
Oh my God and in this parched place, he makes us oaks, oaks of righteousness for the display of his splendor.
I can’t get over it and I want it to the fullest. What other god is like this?
Closing
Amy:
Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. We leave you with our familiar closing. When you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails and so do you.
It blesses me to hear from you! Please leave a reply here.