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The Spirit Brings Life
St. Luke 4:14-21
In the year of our Lord, 2007, the wonderful epiphany revealed to us through God’s inspired Word (scripture) is the constant reminder of the gracious God that has promised “that He will never leave us, or forsake us.”
This promised is vividly clear in our Gospel lesson today. This is in fact the reason why Jesus is vividly seen in this text as undaunted, undisturbed, unemotional, and impassive to the very real activities of the tempter. The tempter does everything he can to hinder and to preclude our Lord from conquering him. It is clear that God offers each of us new life each day as He pours out His Spirit to all who will receive Him.
This Spirit not only gives us victory, but leads us and empowers us for service. Following the on-slant of tests by the tempter over the 40 days and nights, the tempter did not let up but became more surreal in his haste to defeat Jesus.
This is why in the Epistle of Paul to Apostle to the Hebrews wrote to them stating:
“Wherefore in all things it behoved him (Jesus) to be made like the brethren (us) the he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in all things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (comfort) them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:17-18
Reverend Billy Graham tells of the early day in his ministry. He once told that he and his wife Ruth were visiting a church where he was preaching. During the offering, an usher came up to him expecting him to place his offering into the plate. Billy tells that he reached for his wallet and pulled out what he thought was a dollar bill. As it dropped into the plate, he saw it was his one and only ten-dollar bill. Billy saw all of his financial resources disappear into the church coffers. To further complicate matters, he was not given an honorarium for his services that evening!
On the way home, Billy told Ruth what happened. Instead of sympathizing, she said, “And just think, the Lord will only give credit only for the one. That’s all you meant to give!”
Jesus did not mean to give the tempter anything to feel good about. For God (The Holy Spirit) had given Him new life for His journey. Thus, Jesus seeks to give us this new spirit.
Following this encounter, Jesus goes to church (the Synogod) where he went every Sabbath. There in His home church, Jesus is still filled with the authority and power given to Him by God. There He took the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written:
God’s Spirit is on me, He has chosen me to preach the message of good news to the poor. Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners, and recovery of sight to the blind. To set free the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is the year to act.”
The Spirit brings new life!
To Jesus!
To the poor!
To the prisoners!
To those physically impaired!
To those who are burdened and battered!
To acknowledge, “this is the year to act.”
To make more disciples for Jesus, I am reminded of the renowned Nicolo Paganini. Nicolo was giving a performance when a string on his violin broke, the people laughed at Nicolo, but he continued playing beautiful music. Shortly a second string broke and the people laughed, but Nicolo continued making beautiful music. Finally, the third string broken, but Nicolo continued making beautiful music from one string left. Some how he had learned to use and to make the most of what he had.
In the wilderness, Jesus didn’t appear to have had very much. The one thing He had was the Spirit (God) and that was all He needed. Wherever Jesus went, He went in the power and might of the Spirit.
Someone asked Jesus; I believe it was the angels and the heavenly host concerning His sojourn on earth. “Jesus! Did you have a large following? Did you have lots of disciples? Jesus responded: “Yes, I had a crowd all ways following me, and I only had 12 disciples.
“Well,” the angels asked, “were these 12 men exceptional?”
“No,” Jesus said, “they were tax collectors, and fishermen. Just ordinary men.”
“Well,” said the angels, “don’t you have another plan just in case those 12 men fail?
“No,” said Jesus, “They want fail.”
The Spirit brings new life.
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