Luke 4:14-21
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
By now you would have known where this scripture came from. This is our church's mission. Right? The same mission that Jesus had. The same mission that Isaiah had.
I want to start by telling you a story.
There was once a monk was asked to see to the needs of mother Teresa during her visit. He was so excited because he knew that he was going to learn something. The day came and sad to say he was so busy that he had no time to speak to mother Teresa. So he thought this was what he will do. He knew that mother Teresa was flying to Papua New Guinea. So he bought a ticket to be on the same flight so that he could speak to her.
So he told mother Teresa that he will be on the same flight and he hoped to talk to her. Mother Teresa looked at him and said, you have enough money for the flight? He said yes. And mother Teresa said to him, give that money to the poor and you will learn much more than talking to me. Mother Teresa knew what Jesus had done and by doing that itself will teach us much more.
The reason the church is here is to continue what Jesus has done here on earth. But we are not just meeting their physical needs, the good works, we are not just another NGO. There is the gospel call which was shared by Bro Koay last week which is to meet the people's spiritual needs.
Here in this passage, Jesus unrolled a scroll from Isaiah. He began reading from the book of Isaiah. They sat at the place called Moses seat and Jesus began to teach the people. He just read from a great book from a great prophet. And they were waiting to hear what Jesus was going to talk about. Jesus never talked about the prophet or anything else but he said, today this scripture is fulfilled in your midst. What did he talked about? He was talking about himself.
Jesus was trying to tell the people that the best Isaiah could say was to prophesy about him but that today he is here to fulfill that prophesy. This is God's word to our church. In the new year, I talked about hope that God has never left us or forsake us. There is potential and that is what Jesus is saying here. I am here to fulfill all these things and to give them hope. In Jesus there is hope.
What was Isaiah's main job? Was he a carpenter? No. He was a prophet. Was it a glamorous job? Back in those days a prophet was there to pronounce judgement. They were not loved and when the judgement was pronounced the people actually deserved it. How would you like that? But Isaiah did not stop there. He said in what we have just read, there would be a day of God's redemption and favour.
And Jesus said today in your hearing, the scripture is fulfilled. The year of the Lord's favour. It is a good thing. I am going to do all those things.
Back home TOP is here to continue what Jesus did till he comes. Yes, we want to help the poor but it must go hand in hand with the gospel, with the sharing of God's word because it is the answer to all their needs. They need hope and can only be found in Jesus.
We want to continue our community work this year but we want to do it better. Do our big party better. Do our Christmas with the community better. This is what TOP is called to do. The good news must include that Jesus died for their sin, went to the cross, buried and rose from the dead.
I went to Thailand to see my father's work. My physical father. At Na Si Thong. It is amongst
rubber plantations. My father worked in a lot of drug rehab centers, three I think. And the government realized that the Christian drug rehab centers has a high success rate. And God has used many of these who were transformed through these centers to become pastors etc. but my father was sad that it was only open to the non Muslims.
Drug addiction is not just physical but also a spiritual issue. But the government cannot allow Muslims to come by law. And my father wanted to start a drug rehab centre opened for all. My father believed the deliverance of God is for ALL. Regardless of race or religion.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
By now you would have known where this scripture came from. This is our church's mission. Right? The same mission that Jesus had. The same mission that Isaiah had.
I want to start by telling you a story.
There was once a monk was asked to see to the needs of mother Teresa during her visit. He was so excited because he knew that he was going to learn something. The day came and sad to say he was so busy that he had no time to speak to mother Teresa. So he thought this was what he will do. He knew that mother Teresa was flying to Papua New Guinea. So he bought a ticket to be on the same flight so that he could speak to her.
So he told mother Teresa that he will be on the same flight and he hoped to talk to her. Mother Teresa looked at him and said, you have enough money for the flight? He said yes. And mother Teresa said to him, give that money to the poor and you will learn much more than talking to me. Mother Teresa knew what Jesus had done and by doing that itself will teach us much more.
The reason the church is here is to continue what Jesus has done here on earth. But we are not just meeting their physical needs, the good works, we are not just another NGO. There is the gospel call which was shared by Bro Koay last week which is to meet the people's spiritual needs.
Here in this passage, Jesus unrolled a scroll from Isaiah. He began reading from the book of Isaiah. They sat at the place called Moses seat and Jesus began to teach the people. He just read from a great book from a great prophet. And they were waiting to hear what Jesus was going to talk about. Jesus never talked about the prophet or anything else but he said, today this scripture is fulfilled in your midst. What did he talked about? He was talking about himself.
Jesus was trying to tell the people that the best Isaiah could say was to prophesy about him but that today he is here to fulfill that prophesy. This is God's word to our church. In the new year, I talked about hope that God has never left us or forsake us. There is potential and that is what Jesus is saying here. I am here to fulfill all these things and to give them hope. In Jesus there is hope.
What was Isaiah's main job? Was he a carpenter? No. He was a prophet. Was it a glamorous job? Back in those days a prophet was there to pronounce judgement. They were not loved and when the judgement was pronounced the people actually deserved it. How would you like that? But Isaiah did not stop there. He said in what we have just read, there would be a day of God's redemption and favour.
And Jesus said today in your hearing, the scripture is fulfilled. The year of the Lord's favour. It is a good thing. I am going to do all those things.
Back home TOP is here to continue what Jesus did till he comes. Yes, we want to help the poor but it must go hand in hand with the gospel, with the sharing of God's word because it is the answer to all their needs. They need hope and can only be found in Jesus.
We want to continue our community work this year but we want to do it better. Do our big party better. Do our Christmas with the community better. This is what TOP is called to do. The good news must include that Jesus died for their sin, went to the cross, buried and rose from the dead.
I went to Thailand to see my father's work. My physical father. At Na Si Thong. It is amongst
rubber plantations. My father worked in a lot of drug rehab centers, three I think. And the government realized that the Christian drug rehab centers has a high success rate. And God has used many of these who were transformed through these centers to become pastors etc. but my father was sad that it was only open to the non Muslims.
Drug addiction is not just physical but also a spiritual issue. But the government cannot allow Muslims to come by law. And my father wanted to start a drug rehab centre opened for all. My father believed the deliverance of God is for ALL. Regardless of race or religion.
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| WIN "World In Need" at Na Si Thong, Thailand |
So he found this ministry call WIN "World In Need". He raised enough money to buy a 4 acre piece of land, close to the border so that anyone from Malaysia who needs it can go there. My father is good with his hands, and he started to build and supervise with he himself doing the work. My father saved every penny to go to the ministry. He didn't have much support except from some friends.
My father used to drive a very old car and never travel the highway to save money. So he use the coastal roads. And my father hand painted his car. And it often broke down. We told him to change his car but he would not. He built a two storey building.
He raised the money to build a hall for 100-200 people. I went there and I saw my father on the roof banging away. My father was darker than a Thai as he was always in the sun doing all this.
But sad to say, he had a stroke halfway through and I flew there to bring him back with my mother. There was a pastor who helped him with the land and this pastor peeked through the parsonage room and saw my father on the ground having a stoke. He came back and after two years went to Korea but could not continue that work. My father passed away in Korea without seeing his dream fulfilled. The work was passed to another person who had a different vision and worked on children's ministry and it didn't do well so the place was wasted.
But I believe in God's time and that He makes all things beautiful in His time. This lady who ran the ministry wanted to give it up to go back. And God is so good that there was this couple from the US who speaks perfect Thai, came back last November and they felt God called them back to do the work. He arranged three things that will sustain them there. First to teach English and there were two school that offered him that. And he also needed to go to Na Si Thong to do the work.
But when he came, both schools turned him down but Na Si Thong became the work that was right for him. And we want to see the work to
be revived. My father wanted to see this work done and I believe that is one reason why God brought me here to Penang.
The Lord is wanting us to do the work that He started. As we do our mission pledge, let's remember we are all called to do this work that Jesus did when He walked this earth.
My father used to drive a very old car and never travel the highway to save money. So he use the coastal roads. And my father hand painted his car. And it often broke down. We told him to change his car but he would not. He built a two storey building.
He raised the money to build a hall for 100-200 people. I went there and I saw my father on the roof banging away. My father was darker than a Thai as he was always in the sun doing all this.
But sad to say, he had a stroke halfway through and I flew there to bring him back with my mother. There was a pastor who helped him with the land and this pastor peeked through the parsonage room and saw my father on the ground having a stoke. He came back and after two years went to Korea but could not continue that work. My father passed away in Korea without seeing his dream fulfilled. The work was passed to another person who had a different vision and worked on children's ministry and it didn't do well so the place was wasted.
But I believe in God's time and that He makes all things beautiful in His time. This lady who ran the ministry wanted to give it up to go back. And God is so good that there was this couple from the US who speaks perfect Thai, came back last November and they felt God called them back to do the work. He arranged three things that will sustain them there. First to teach English and there were two school that offered him that. And he also needed to go to Na Si Thong to do the work.
But when he came, both schools turned him down but Na Si Thong became the work that was right for him. And we want to see the work to
be revived. My father wanted to see this work done and I believe that is one reason why God brought me here to Penang.
The Lord is wanting us to do the work that He started. As we do our mission pledge, let's remember we are all called to do this work that Jesus did when He walked this earth.
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| YWAMers Melissa, Patricia and Sarah sharing their testimonies and how blessed they were at the Youth overnight camp at TOP. |
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