The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners. (NIV)
Isaiah 61:1
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 61:1-3 and Luke 4:14-30
Jesus went to his hometown of Nazareth as his ministry was gaining momentum. He went to his synagogue on the Sabbath day like he probably had done hundreds of times before. But this time would be different. He would stand up and read from the scroll as was the custom. He would choose Isaiah 61. As he began reading the scroll, beginning with verse 1, he stopped short of completing the reading. He began to read verse 2 and then stopped in the middle, rolled up the scroll and sat down.
Everyone wondered why he stopped and they were all looking at him. Instead of offering an explanation, Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). They were all stunned. They all knew what he was saying. He was claiming to be the Messiah. They were shocked and stunned. Stammering for words and an explanation, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” was all they could ask. Because the Messiah was going to come from God, Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah. He was just Joseph’s son – the kid from Nazareth that they all knew.
Jesus saw their hearts and their immediate rejection of his claim. His pronouncement had driven a wedge between him and the people who were closest to him. He decided to drive the wedge even deeper. God doesn’t play favorites. Just because he was from Nazareth, they didn’t get a free pass to receive his miracle healings. He wouldn’t be doing those in Nazareth because they didn’t believe in him.
A riot quickly ensued. They ran him out of the synagogue and even ran him out of town. Some chased him all the way to the edge of town to the cliffs. On the edge, Jesus held his ground and calmed the crowd. Whether with his words or with the power of the Holy Spirit, it’s hard to say. But the crowd came to their senses and Jesus walked away.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord was indeed on Jesus:
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matt 3:16-17).
“The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit” (John 3:34).
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63).
Jesus had unlimited access to the Spirit. His words were full of the Spirit. And since the Spirit gives life, his words were full of life. Every word Jesus spoke, he exhaled life. Every word of Jesus’ that we read, we read life. He is full of the Spirit and life. And if we believe in him, unlike his hometown, we also receive unlimited access to the Spirit:
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17).
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom 8:6).
Jesus sent the Spirit to us. He asked the Father to send the Spirit and He did. The Spirit will be with us forever, living with us and in us. The Spirit is the power of God living in us to help us in every way be obedient to His will. Thanks be to Jesus for sending us this gift!
Christ in the Old Testament 
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