Point of Decision: What if I don’t Like what I Hear? Today’s Speaker: Kim Henderson Luke 4: 22-30

I’m mad and pouty

Blowing my top

I Can’t Hear You

I can’t believe it….

Today’s Speaker: Kim Henderson Luke 4: 22-30 Meh: whatever Today’s Speaker: Kim Henderson Luke 4: 22-30

Year of the Lord’s favour It’s all good: literal Luke 4: 14-21 Jesus first sermon Year of the Lord’s favour It’s all good: literal

What caused the crowd’s mood swing: 22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked. Impressed, surprised, not persuaded Disbelief Familiarity

What caused the crowd’s mood swing: 23Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' A challenge rooted in disbelief Prove it to us: it’s all about us

What caused the crowd’s mood swing:  24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.’ OT history demonstrates this truth Jesus predicts He and His message will be rejected

What caused the crowd’s mood swing: 25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian."

What caused the crowd’s mood swing: God sent the prophets outside Israel Israelites ignored God and the prophets God’s blessings went to the Gentiles

Why such an extreme reaction? Insulting Gentile, woman, leper: bottom of the social scale Unclean Other Not one of us

Why such an extreme reaction? Two primary types of relationships: Generalized reciprocity: give without receiving equal value in return Balanced reciprocity: fair value and fair trade

Why such an extreme reaction? OUTER CIRCLE: EVERYONE ELSE INNER CIRCLE: FAMILY

Why such an extreme reaction? Jesus was proclaiming His Mission: SHALOM Jesus’ challenge: treat EVERYONE like they were part of the INNER CIRCLE DIAKONIA: service

Why such an extreme reaction? INNER CIRCLE

Why such an extreme reaction? Jesus is local, one of them One of the INNER CIRCLE They expected INNER CIRCLE TREATMENT Jesus: ‘it’s not all about you’ Point of decision/choice

The crowd’s reaction Decision was made 28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. Decision was made Unwilling to expand their inner circle

The crowd’s reaction 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. Angered to the point of murder Rejected God once again

The crowd’s reaction How? Never returned to Nazareth 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way How? Never returned to Nazareth

So what? God is sovereign. We don’t have God all figured out A lion, yes – but not a tame one

So what? The Mission of Jesus has not changed SHALOM Trinity -->Mission --> Church We are PLAN A Treat everyone like they are in the INNER CIRCLE

So What? Our response: one of faith Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 Faith is spelled R I S K

Faith One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.    I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.. Psalm 84:10, The MESSAGE