Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21
Soon after Jesus completed his time alone in the wilderness, he began his ministry by teaching in the local synagogues. On this occasion he selected a passage from Isaiah as the basis for his instruction, a passage that summarized the love and compassion that would be the hallmark of his ministry.
The people expected a Messiah that would expel foreign oppressors from their holy land, and restore the power, peace, and dignity of their people. Their focus was on the physical, external world around them. The way to solve problems in the world, so they thought, was to have the strongest army, the best weapons, and always obey every commandment of God to retain His favor.
But Jesus knew better. Focusing only on externals would never bring a lasting peace or prosperity. It may come and last for awhile, but this type of "peace" is not sustainable. Some people would prosper, but it was always at the expense of others, causing suffering. Jesus knew that to change the world for the better, each person would need to change on the inside first. Once their hearts and minds were transformed, the physical world would change, too.
Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor." This was not the economically poor, but anyone who lacked the love and compassion of God.
"He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives...to let the oppressed go free..." People would no longer have to accept the authority of social norms, marketing lies, or the enticement of their own egos. They would be free to follow the teaching, wisdom, and love of God. The standard of truth now came from the mouth of God, and not the mouths of men.
"He has sent me to proclaim...recovery of sight to the blind..." Yes, of course, he had the power to cure blindness of the eyes, but here he was talking about begin able to see the truth of life. The richness of God's love extends far beyond the physical things we see; the structures that mankind builds, the books that are written, or the pictures that are painted – His love penetrates deep into each person's soul, as well as from the farthest sun to the smallest atom. His love is what fuels the universe in all its parts.
It was part of Jesus' mission to help people "see" the truth – that God is love, that He loves us very much, that He sent His Son to us to teach us how to live in this world, together as one family.
Paul writes about this in his letter to the Corinthians, "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body...and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."
He goes on to show how all these members of the body (us) are to live together as one body: "The members of the body that seem to be weaker are actually indispensable, and those that we think are less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect." There should be no dissension within the body... "If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it."
This is the law of the Lord, and as the psalmist says, "It is perfect, reviving the soul...rejoicing the heart...enlightening the eyes...more to be desired than gold...sweeter than honey."
This new ministry would turn the world upside down. The messenger would be loved by some for it, and hated by others.
Reflection Questions
1. What should your Messiah do for you? What should you do for your Messiah?
2. Why did some people feel threatened by the message of the Messiah?
3. How can you feel more like a member of the body of Christ?
4. Can you accept God's unconditional love for you?
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