Anticipation -- The Year of the Lord's Favor

Luke 4:14-30 (The Message)

^14-15Jesus returned to Galilee powerful in the Spirit. News that he was back spread through the countryside. He taught in their meeting places to everyone's acclaim and pleasure.

^16-21He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

God's Spirit is on me;
he's 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 the burdened and battered free,
to announce, "This is God's year to act!"
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, "You've just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place."

²²All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a youngster?"

^23-27He answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown. Isn't it a fact that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine devastated the land, but the only widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian."

^28-30That set everyone in the meeting place seething with anger. They threw him out, banishing him from the village, then took him to a mountain cliff at the edge of the village to throw him to his doom, but he gave them the slip and was on his way.

Have you ever waited a long time for something? If you have, then the closer you get to that event, the greater the anticipation increases. Do you remember the turning points as you moved from dating, to engagement and then marriage? Maybe you are a high school or college student in your senior year and you are anticipating graduation and your future. Perhaps you are awaiting the arrival of a child. The moment when it comes is full of joy and the emotion that often accompanies that which has been anticipated.

God had promised the decisive demonstration of his salvation for his people for a long time. Now Jesus turns to declare the day as come; opportunity is present. After two-thousand years of promise stretching all the way back to Abraham, Jesus claims that the promises of the prophet Isaiah are now being decisively realized.

But as in many great moments, questions arise. Is this really it? Have we moved from the days of promise to the time of the beginning of realization? Is God at work to fulfill his promise?

Jesus’ synagogue declaration brings a moment of decision for those who hear his claims. A snapshot of his entire ministry flashes in this brief exchange. Jesus offers much, but the crowd questions what is offered. In the tension of the contrast, Luke’s readers are left to choose sides.

God has called us to do these very same things:

• Preach the Message of Good News to the poor
• Announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind
• Set the burdened and battered free.
• Announce, “This is the year of the Lord’s favor.”

It’s time to choose sides. Whose side are you on?

¹¹ For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:11(NIV)

Who is Your BFF?

Romans 5: 9-11 (The Message)
 ^9-11Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah! 


     BFF.  I remember when this phrase first came out.  I thought it sounded a little strange and was such a "girl thing."  I read something recently that reminded me of the phrase and I began to think. God want's to be your BFF --Best Friend Forever.

     You see there are many different aspects of your relationship to God:  God is your Creator and Maker, Lord and Master, Judge, Redeemer, Father, Savior, and much more.  But above all of these  God yearns to be your best friend.

     Think about the creation of man.  Adam and Eve had a personal relationship with God that was so unique they didn't share it with anyone else.  Think about it:  no rituals, ceremonies, religion --just relationship unhindered by guilt or fear.  They delighted in Him and He delighted in them.

     We were made to live in God's continual presence but after the Fall, that ideal relationship was lost.  Since that time, only a few people have enjoyed that closeness of relations with God:  Moses and Abraham were called "Friends of God", David was known as a Man after God's own heart." and Job, Enoch and Noah had "an intimate relationship with God"  But in the Old testament it seemed that fear, not friendship, was more common.
     But Jesus changed all that when he split history and tore the veil that separated the people from the Holy of Holies.  Now access is available to all of his children.

I don't know about you but I find it amazing that god would want me for a close friend.  But the Bible says, "He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you."  


How do we become BFFs with God?


1.  Through Constant Conversation:  You will never grow close to God by simply attending church once a week.  We need to establish constant communication with him.  Instead of "getting away" to spend time with God, learn how to spend time with God along the way. No place is any closer to God than where you are right now, whatever that happens to be.
     The Bible says we should pray with ceasing.  How do we do that? One way is to use "breath prayers".  Choose a brief sentence or phrase that can be repeated in one breath.  For example, "You are with me"; "I receive your grace"; "I'm depending on You" "I want to know You".  Practice makes perfect.  By doing this sort of thing, you will become more aware of God's continual presence in your life.

2.  Through Continual Meditation:  Thinking about God's word throughout the day is another way to establish a close friendship with God.  You see, it is impossible to be God's friend without knowing what He says.
     We do this sort of thing all the time with other things.  When we think about a problem over and over in our minds that is called "worry".  When we think about God's word over and over in our minds that is called "meditation".  When you hear a sermon or read your Bible, don't just walk away from it.  Mull it over in your mind.  Go over the points relating it to your own life and situation.

Start today by practicing constant conversations and continual meditation on His Word.  Prayer lets you speak to God.  Meditation lets God God speak to you.  Both are essential to becoming a friend of God.