Brief notes from Pastor John's Sermon on Luke 4:14-20

¹⁴And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.

 ¹⁵And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

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

 ¹⁷And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
    ¹⁸"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
         BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
         HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
         AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
         TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
    ¹⁹TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

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

I was so blessed by being able to fellowship with the body again.  As PJ would say, I was starving for fellowship with my fellow brothers and sisters.  I am thankful to have such loving brethren who care for us.

I loved how PJ closed the sermon today about how we should be most thankful if we can see ourselves as being the spiritually poor, those held captive by sin, blind to the truth, without hope because of the weight of our sin.  In my notes I wrote:

1. Poor = having nothing spiritually --> In Christ, treasuring the riches of the gospel

2. Captive = prisoner of sin/Satan --> In Christ, thankful for the freedom from sin

3. Blind = unable to see God's truth --> In Christ, rejoicing because we now have the truth

4. Oppressed = crushed by sin --> In Christ, having the hope of eternal life

What PJ said was so crucial because we need to see ourselves as these things so that the preciousness of the gospel will be more apparent to us.  It's not that the gospel ever loses any of it's actual value.  It's that we often forget it's worth because we see ourselves as rich, in need of nothing.  Or we don't see the trappings of sin.  Or we think we know it all.  Or that sin can't harm us.  We forget where God saved us from.  And that is to our shame.  It is my prayer for myself first, but for others as well, that we would recall from where God saved us.  He who has been forgiven much, loves much.