Jesus’ Inaugural Address.
-
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and 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 proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”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 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your home-town what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”
24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. -
Who is Jesus
On January 20th 2025 President Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States and then delivered his inaugural speech to the nation. Every Inaugural Address from George Washington to Donald Trump have been kept. In their speeches, presidents have spoken their dreams, goals, and aspirations. Trump, in 3000 words said: ‘Golden age of America begins now,’ ‘I will make America great again,’ ‘I am with you, I will fight for you, and I will win for you.’ These become famous lines…inspiring and worthy of preserving.
The Inaugural Address in Luke Chapter 4, in a Synagogue in Nazareth was spoken by Jesus, endued with the power of the Spirit.
In looking at this passage, which is so current after more than 70 Countries worldwide elected PM’s and Presidents in 2024, we see Jesus stepping forward in the synagogue in Nazareth and stepping out to say who he was and is and what he can and will do.
Let us 1. Set the scene and then 2. hear sermon then 3. Face the challenge
1 Set the Scene
2 Hear the Sermon
3 Face the Challenge
Set the Scene
Luke 4:14 Jesus emerges from the desert and his victory over Satan & the temptations which we celebrate in Lent. He returns to Galilee and begins his Galilean ministry. Recorded from Luke 4 to Luke Chapter 9.
Jesus moved from village to village bringing the message of the Kingdom and the reign and era of God's favour. News spread by word of mouth- “have you heard what he did heard, what he said.” In Mark 1:40ff a leper was healed and Jesus said go I tell no one – he went and told everyone! You can imagine everyone in the Galilee region wanted to be there on this Sabbath in Nazareth.
He had attended that synagogue for 30 years with this family. It was his custom to attend (v16), Luke 4:22 ‘Isn't this Joseph son’ they said.
They probably heard he had gone off for 40 days in a desert somewhere but they didn't know what or where or why.
The scene is set and Luke dramatically slows the narrative down to a snail’s pace so that we, the reader are right there to emphasise the drama unfolding. Notice the verbs Luke uses - he stood up to read’ the scroll was given to him’ he unrolled the scroll and he found the place’ v16-17.
Luke is creating tension something significant is happening.
Hear the Sermon
RLuke cleverly keeps Jesus into our focus. NB all these references to Jesus he he he he he he.
Luke 4:16 he went to Nazareth Synagogue & unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written he stood up to read v20 he rolled up the scroll v21 he began by saying to them today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. This is the sovereign Jesus in charge proclaiming the era of God's favour.
Let’s have a look-“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free (Isa 58:6) 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” 50 words.
Luke keeps our focus on Jesus with his slow pace ..v20 ‘When Jesus finished reading he handed the scroll to the attendant and sat down.’
In that day you sat in the ‘Moses Seat’ to teach the people (much like a pulpit today). So all eyes were on Jesus, waiting for him to begin – What’s he going to say about the prophet Isaiah? On that Saturday morning in Nazareth.
Jesus catches them off guard. He doesn’t lift up Isaiah as the great prophet or explain his 750BC teaching. Jesus dared to say that these words of Isaiah were about himself. So Jesus’ inaugural speech was 8 words in addition to 50 of the prophet Isaiah when v20 the eyes of everyone were upon him.
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Trump’s Inaugural Address was 2885 words and delivered in 30 mins, Jesus said 8 words.“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Notice that, Jesus stops mid-sentence at the end of the Isaiah reading– he doesn’t read Isa 61v2b! Why so?
The second part of that sentence in Isa 61 talks of a “day of vengeance of our God.”
It’s as if Jesus was saying, this is the time of God’s grace and mercy - judgement and vengeance are not yet. This is the time of rescue and only Jesus is the rescuer, the time to turn to Him to follow Him, to receive his forgiveness & mercy and healing; this the age of knowing God and making him known. Our challenge is to respond.
Jesus was no longer a teacher he is the Messiah talking about the year of the Lord's favour and good news for the poor and freedom for prisoners, healing and sight for the blind and for the oppressed to be set free. That is some Inaugural speech.
After his speech, President Trump handed out 1600 pardons to prisoners. He must have seemed like a saviour to them.
Jesus is the God of the poor, the captive. What sort of God is this? He is a Rescuer.
People matter to him not just kings and priests but widows and orphans and children the poor and ordinary folk like you and me.
He's our rescuer. We are free from sin forever more,
Oh how sweet the sound Oh how grace abounds
We will praise the lord, our rescuer.So come and be chainless, Come and be fearless. Come to the foot of Calvary,
For there is redemption, For every affliction, Here at the foot of Calvary.
Face the Challenge
After this inaugural speech, they responded positively Luke 4v22 they said is not this Joseph's son? The Jewish community in Nazareth that knew him since his early years were quite impressed, if not challenged by what he was saying.
But Jesus didn't allow them to misunderstand him: 24 “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
This was too much for them and in Luke 4v28-29:
‘All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town.’
Wow, what a turn around – Initially they loved him and his comforting words, then the penny dropped that he was claiming to be the Messiah and means by which the new era of grace for all was to be accomplished – God’s anointed one – and that his good news was for the poor; not the comfortable, respectable, good people, religious, moral, hard-working types as that penny dropped they wanted to kill him.
Jesus’ 3 yr ministry embodied his Inaugural Address. His Good News was for the poor – spiritually and physically. He would set captives free from the bondage to sin and self. His miracles like giving sight became a metaphor for the transformation from spiritual blindness that we need so badly today.
And oppression of guilt and debt and fear are lifted through his cleansing, forgiveness, hope, and promise of resurrection.
What a challenge, how do we respond to Jesus today? Was it awkward when we looked at Jesus talking about good news for the poor?
Let this challenge not be aput-downn.
Open Doors Ambassador on Wednesday evening’s Webinar said ‘Many of you are ministering to the people in need. Bloom where you are placed.’
Your giving to the Lord's service, in tithing here and Christmas giving eg shoebox, eg Great Lakes Outreach in Burundi (Simon Guilbeau) – it is a joy to partake in giving this way.
We must acknowledge that we are spiritually poor without our Lord and we can give to support those who are caught up in poverty, here in UK & globally.’
We can be active in bringing Good News for Jesus to our family, friends and neighbours by testimony, by inviting to services & events & small groups.
We are to ‘Bloom where we are placed,’ and our Lord Jesus will give us the right words to say - let us pray.
