By Derl G. Keefer
Luke 4:14-21
Galilee is geographically north of Palestine and
surrounded by non-Jewish nations. Those nations influenced the
outlook, philosophy, progression and theology of the Jews. William
Barclay tells us that Josephus — the Jewish historian and former
governor of the area — said that he governed 204 villages or towns,
none of them with less than 15,000 people. The three million people
of the area were the least religiously conservative of the Israeli
nation.
Josephus writes of the Galileans that, “They were
ever fond of innovations and by nature disposed to changes, and
delighted in seditions. They were ever ready to follow a leader who
would begin an insurrection. They were quick in temper and given to
quarrelling . . . they were never destitute of courage.”1
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Their search for something innovative gave Jesus a
forum to begin His ministry in the synagogues. However, it also led
to an insurrection when He boldly proclaimed Himself Messiah after
reading from the Isaiah scroll. His liberating proclamation included
several themes that are applicable today.
I. Jesus came to proclaim help for the poor (Luke 4:18a)
The financially hurting poor groveled for
subsistence. Their meager earnings kept them in an economical prison
that they felt could never be overcome. Governmental and religious
leadership seemed to overlook their plight and exploited their
poverty by keeping a strangle hold on them. The poor seemed to be
invisible and little was done to help them. Jesus boldly proclaims
that good news had come to the poor . . . He came to help them to see
the richness of a better life.
I was a freshman at a Christian college that
believed in evangelizing the poor. One day our group went out to
share with the poor of the city. Traveling a few miles from the
college, we made our way to a section of the poorest neighborhood.
Some lived in cardboard homes, others in burned out buses, while some
lived in small, but neat little places that were well kept. I
discovered that those neat little houses and yards were the families
who had come to know Christ. What impressed me that day and has stuck
with me for decades is that these people had a self esteem that
developed from their relationship with Jesus. I understood that
Christ took the “poor me” out of them and replaced it with a “rich me”
in the heart. Though the financial problems did not change, a new
outlook did change their perspective.
We still have the poor with us. As Christians we
have a responsibility to help those who are less fortunate,
struggling for financial help, needing a hand up and not a hand out.
How is that accomplished?
1. Quit giving lame excuses not to help. Ask what can be done to help the poor.