The four Gospels give us the detail about the Physical life of Jesus who came in flesh and blood and dwelt with us. When we read the Gospels we also come across soul stirring sermons given by Jesus himself. I Believe that everyone who is reading this article would be aware of
1) the Most Famous Sermon in the Mount (Matthew 5,6,7) and
2) the Longest Sermon of Jesus (John 13-17).
Jesus preached many other sermons too. I was recently Meditating on the First Sermon of Jesus in Nazareth (Luke 4 :18-30) and I was thrilled to see the authority with which he spoke. The main thing to notice from this sermon was the reaction of those who heard his sermon.
Before I go into the article, I would like to narrate a personal experience of mine. Recently, I was welcomed to minister to a small congregation of Believers. The Pastor Praised me so much ( Exaggerated LIES). Those words of Praise appealed to my flesh and just when it was about to activate my pride cells, Holy spirit Convicted me. Isn't it true that we Love Praises even when we know that those are empty words. Our human flesh is like that. Only when we are led by the Holy Spirit, we could be free from the desire to be Praised and Honoured by Men. But at the same time, When someone points at our will-ful sinning, it doesn't appeal to our flesh. Unless the Old Man (First Adam attitude) in us is dead, we would be slaves to sin.
Now coming back to the First sermon of Jesus in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30), we see three things taking place
1) Jesus starts the Sermon by Reading a Scripture Passage (verses16-20)
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down.And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
This Scriptural Reading Act of Jesus caught the attention of the congregation.
2) Explaining the Scripture Passage with authority (verses 21-24)
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.When Jesus started explaining the passage, the people were amazed and they wondered at the Gracious words that proceeded from his mouth. They couldn't believe their eyes because of the "wisdom-filled- Grace-coated-words" that were spoken by the jewish carpenter who had lived among them for the past 30 years. They under-estimated the King of Kings and tried to judge the book by the cover. They would have even thought "Where was this wisdom Hiding all these 30 years?". Till now we see, though they wondered about the Gracious words of Jesus, no one opposed his teaching because they were Grace-coated words. They liked it.
Most of the present day Preachers adopt the first step in their preaching style. They even adopt the second step in their preaching style. The Seeker-Sensitive movements have sprung up in Christianity because of preachers who give importance to the second point alone. But Jesus did not just end his sermon with the first two points. He went ahead and sealed the pitch. Check the third point to see the anti-climax of the first sermon of Jesus.
3) The Hard Pill to Swallow (Surgery without Anesthesia ) (verses 25-30)
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.But he passing through the midst of them went his way
Now two things that Jesus spoke created sparks among the jews and they even tried to kill him. The two things were
1) The widow of SAREPTA (gentile) was greater than all the widows of Israel
2) Naaman-the leper (gentile) was greater than all the lepers in Israel
The Israelites could not digest this hard pill. They always considered themselves to be greater than all the gentiles. But when Jesus gave importance to the gentiles through his message, they even tried to Kill him. If Jesus had preached a message that satisfied their itchy years by encouraging them with words of Blessing/ earthly prosperity/ false hopes/exaggerated LIES, they would have been happy with Jesus. But Jesus did not stop with the second point alone in his sermons. If we carefully meditate on all his sermons, Jesus always packed his sermons with the hard pill which was very hard to swallow.
We still have millions of church goers (Religious Christians) who are content with any preacher as long as they don't give them the hard pill to chew. Any one who gives a hard pill is often labelled as a maniac and a heretic.
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Dear Beloved,
- Are you in an Institutional Church that doesn't preach the Gospel in totality?
- Does your pastor present both sides (1. Grace of God , 2 . Wrath of God) of the Gospel ?
- Are you fellowshipping with the Saints in Christ or Are you having your fellowship with Sinners who are bound by the fruit of the flesh ( Gal 5:19-21) ?
- Are you a compromising Christian?
- Does your Pastor say, " Its ok to Sin, cos I am a sinner too"?
Check your position in Christ today. If you are in a fellowship that doesn't build you in Christ " COME OUT OF THAT BABYLON"
May Jesus-The Christ Bless you.
Shielded in God's Love
Prason
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