The 11th Commandment
Blessed are the Poor
What About Status and Possession?

Sunday October 8th, 2017 - Pastor Wungreiso Valui

Luke 4:16-30

Jesus gave up His reputation, form of God, humbled and emptied Himself for me.

To Embrace The Vision of The Kingdom of God:

• 1. We Must Listen To God's Instructions Regarding The Poor
• 2. We Must Live Like Jesus With The Poor
• 3. We Must Learn From The Early Church In Serving The Poor

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 (Luke 4:16).

• Jesus came back to His hometown after a year of public ministry (wide reputation)
• Jesus as a grown man was consistent with His habit of going to the worship place as a kid.
• Jesus knew how to read and it was the custom for a reader to stand (You may be seated the while reading book of Esther)

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 (Luke 4:17)

• The first reading is on the portion of the law
• The second reading is from the prophet
• Jesus read from the prophet not the ceremonial law (More congenial)

Stand on the word of God and serve the people.

"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 (Luke 4:18)

• Isaiah pictured release from captivity and return from exile
• Jesus painted the picture to Himself
• Jesus pointed out His message and ministry to the poor, brokenhearted, captives, blind and oppressed.

The Good News is a non-violent kingdom over a violent world.
The non-violent kingdom is the answer for a violent world.

"To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." (Luke 4:19)

• The acceptable year is not just for a year
• The Messianic age has come
• The Jubilee has come

The kingdom way is making the message resonate and the ministry relevant

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. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." 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?" (Luke 4:20-22)

• All eyes were on Jesus
• All began to bear witness
• All marveled at the words of Jesus

The gospel is a winning word and Jesus is the winning way.

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.' "Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country (Luke 4:23-24).

• Jesus was expected to heal himself
• Jesus was expected to establish His claim as the Messiah
• Jesus interpreted the attitude of the people to Himself

"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; "but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. "And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."(Luke 4:25-27)

• Jesus illustrated two stories on blessings
• Jesus illustrated why God choose outsider instead of the Jewish people
• Jesus illustrated Nazareth was no better than Capernaum

To overcome the violent world in a nonviolent way

He went His way
Did the church send Him away again?