September 21, 2018: SOAP #3214:  Daniel 7-8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 4:17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 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 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Observation:  Jesus enters His home-town synagogue and rises to read from the prophets.  To find a specific portion of scripture on a scroll that did not contain any chapter and verse breaks speaks of the readers intimate knowledge of the scriptures.  Jesus’ knowledge of the scriptures, His understanding of what He has just been through, leads Him to read this passage as His own announcement.  “Isaiah was writing about today!  Isaiah was writing about me! You are witnesses of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.”  The Sprit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me.  You will now become witnesses of how the Spirit of God leads those whom He anoints.

And from that time on they were witnesses of the Power of the Holy Spirit working through Jesus.  The remainder of the book of Luke can be understood in these terms.  Luke has now set the stage for understanding the ministry of Jesus.

Application:  Here is what is needed today:  disciples of Jesus living and walking in the world today filled with the same Holy Spirit as was Jesus!

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, I want to be like Jesus.  So, fill me as you filled Jesus.  Live in me as you lived in Jesus.  Work through me as you worked through Jesus.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!