The Best of the Portals of Prayer

Read: Luke 4:16-32

“All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from His mouth.”
Luke 4:22

Gracious Words

Shortly after His Baptism and temptations, Jesus returned to His hometown, Nazareth. The Rabbi gave Him the privilege of addressing the people in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus took Isaiah 61:1-2 as His text and explained it as referring to Himself and then applied it to the people. They were deeply impressed. First, they marveled at His gracious words. No one had ever spoken so kindly, so winsomely to them. He brought new life into the Scriptures and new meaning into their humble lives. They were uplifted and comforted.
But as Jesus spoke on, their sentiment changed. He told them of the bad record of their family, and revealed to them the wickedness of their own hearts. Then they turned against Him. In their wrath they drove Him our of town. A sad story.
But this account continues to repeat itself in our day and in our congregations. When a pastor tells people of God’s love in Jesus, they are overjoyed. When they hear of their sin and the Law, they get angry at the pastor and seek to silence him in many different ways. When this happens, Christ is rejected. The gracious words of Christ’s Gospel can only lodge in hearts that have been humbled and made conscious of their need of a Savior from sin.

Lord God, we pray that the Holy Spirit may open our hearts to receive the truth of Your Holy Word. Amen.

June 10, 1951