Glad Tidings

~~~ 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Luke 4:16-30 ~~~

 

Thus we shall always be with the Lord.

 

Paul is assuring the people of their continuing relationship with God...

This relationship continues even past life on this earth.

The Lord will always be with us, but we too shall always be with the Lord.

This is a mutual eternal connection.

Nothing but our own sinfulness can appear to severe it.

I say appear to severe it because even in sin God is holding out his hand to us.

 

 

Jesus reads from the scroll according to the custom in the synagogue.

The passage from Isaiah he professes to be speaking of himself.

 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.

All who heard Jesus that day spoke highly of him.

They noted how gracious were the words that came from his mouth.

They also could not ignore his humble beginnings as the son of Joseph.

 

The officials were undoubtedly familiar with this passage from Isaiah,

 but they were only words.

Jesus was telling them these mere words were referring to him.

He was the one who would bring the glad tidings.

He was the one sent by God to carry this joyful message to all peoples.

 

Upon hearing Jesus speak further they turned on him like a leaf blown by the wind.

They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Their ears, minds, and hearts were closed to the possibility

that the one standing before them was the one sent

to proclaim the good news to everyone.

 

Jesus was protected by God the Father because his time had not yet come.

This was not the day of his death.

His death would be much more public and horrific

than being hurled from a high cliff by a crazy mob.

 

Jesus gives us joy and hope that he will never abandon us.

Blessings come in accepting that

Jesus came to bring the glad tidings to us.

 

As you go about your day remember to smile

at those around you in acknowledgement of your joy in the Lord's

message of love and salvation.