Freedom

GospelLK 4:14-22

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region. 
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day. 
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

It sounds like Jesus is on a real roll here.  He was teaching in synagogues, was praised by all, they spoke highly of him and were amazed.  Are we seeing Jesus at the height of his ministry?  Perhaps.  And what a remarkable ministry it has been.  Scholars think that his ministry lasted about 3 yrs.  Imagine that!  The actions of one man (who at the same time was the Son of God) over a period of 3 yrs about 2000 yrs ago has literally changed the hearts and minds and souls of billions of people - and continues to do so.  He has fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah bringing glad tidings, healing the sick, and freeing the oppressed.  The gospel is a message of freedom.  Freedom from what?  Ourselves.  Just as the sun overwhelms the darkness of night, Jesus is the light of our true nature that drives away the darkest part of ourselves.