Many years had passed since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It had been a long time since a king sat on the throne in the City of David. Prophetic voices had quieted. Life was settled into a mundane routine. Most of the Israelites had long ago accepted their bondage to the Romans. People began to hear, “Blah… Blah… Blah…” in the synagogue on the Sabbath. But this day is different.
“Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.” Luke 4:31-32 Compared to what they had been hearing, Jesus’ message stood out as having authority. I wonder what this ‘authority’ sounded like. Was it a booming, confident voice? Or was it a quiet assurance that God was here, active among his people even now, in a time when they felt forgotten. Did the people feel loved even as they sat there listening to him speak?
“In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!’” Luke 4:33-34 Why are demons so quick to confess that Jesus is the Christ? Is it because they recognize his authority over them? Is it because they know their time is short because he has come?
“’Be quiet!’ Jesus said sternly. ‘Come out of him!’ Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. All the people were amazed and said to each other, ‘What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives order to evil spirits and they come out!’ And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.’” Luke 44:35-38
At Jesus’ command, the demon left the man without a fight. The man, who had been yelling and out of control, was now peaceful. A wind is beginning to blow across the land and people are taking notice.
“Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.” Luke 4:38-39 Jesus didn’t say, “God, I know that if you want to, you can heal this woman. So if it is your will, would you please heal her?” It says that he “rebuked” the fever. With his authority, the woman was healed. The fever left her immediately.
In the eyes of the people, Jesus has become a healer. They begin to gather the sick and bring them to Jesus to be healed. “Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.’” Luke 4:41 The demons knew he was the Christ. Did the people know? I wonder why Jesus wanted the demons to remain silent. Why didn’t he use the power and authority he had to enter the scene with a big, ‘Shazam! The Mighty Marvel!’ He could have healed everyone with a blink of his eye. But instead, he went quietly from town to town, teaching in the synagogues and healing those who came to him.
It seems to me that while healing the physical ailments was an important part of Jesus’ ministry, he was really about restoring the relationship between God and his people. Jesus could have been overwhelmed with those coming for physical healing. Maybe that is why he was constantly telling those he healed to not tell anyone and telling demons to be quite. Physical healings could have become his entire ministry. But he continued to preach and teach in the synagogues and anywhere people would listen. That was his real ministry – to let the people know that God was still alive and well and that he loved them with a deep and everlasting love. It was a time for the people to wake up, shake themselves out of their stupor, and get back in touch with their God.
The Year of Jubilee has come! Restoration is here. The poor are hearing the good news… the prisoners are being set free… the blind are receiving their sight… the oppressed are released… Jesus is here! Yes, God does love us. It’s time to shake ourselves out of the stupor we are in and wake up to this awesome love, power and authority.
Oh God, please don’t let me sleep through this life. Open my eyes to see you and all the things you are doing in my life and in the lives of those around me. Set me free from the things that bind me to this world and give me a passion to love others as you do. In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen.
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