Jesus Rejected at Nazareth – Luke 4:14-30

How does the gospel deliver those in captivity?

Bible Reading

Luke 4:14-30

14  Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

15  And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

16  So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

17  And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19  To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20  Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

21  And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

22  So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

23  He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.'”

24  Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

25  “But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;

26  “but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

27  “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28  So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29  and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.

30  Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

(NKJ)

 

Food for Thought

1.   What are some of the best things that happen when a person goes back home after a long absence?

2.   What do you like best about the hometown where you grew up?

3.   What is the symbol or sign of having “made it” in your hometown?

 

Bible Study

4.   What was Jesus’ reputation at this point in his life? (4:14-15)

5.   What did Jesus do customarily on the Sabbath? (4:16)

6.   What five activities show that the Spirit of the Lord is upon a person? (4:18-19)

7.   How did Jesus apply the passage he read from Isaiah? (4:21)

8.   Why did the people find it difficult to accept Isaiah’s words? (4:22)

9.   What were the main points of Jesus’ words to the people in his hometown? (4:23-27)

10. Why were the people so angry with Jesus? (4:28-29)

11. How did the people express their anger at Jesus’ message? (4:28-30)

 

Kingdom Dynamics

12. How does Jesus demonstrate the importance of worship?

13. What is the gospel to the poor?

14. How does Jesus console the broken-hearted?

15. How does the gospel deliver those in captivity?

16. How does Jesus enable the blind to see?

17. When is the acceptable year of the Lord and what happens then?

18. What kind of reception should we expect when we speak the truth?

19. What does this passage tell us about the value of popular approval?

20. Why were the prophets of old not sent to the Jews in Jesus’ examples?

21. What is the significance of the fact that Jesus experienced rejection firsthand?

22. Why do we sometimes try to avoid facing the truth about ourselves?

23. Why is a prophet not likely to be accepted in his hometown?

 

Practical Christianity

24. In what way could you renew your commitment to worship?

25. How could you improve your present habit of bible study?