Identity

How awesome it would of been to be there eagerly waiting to hear Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah! (Isaiah 61) He had been in the desert forty days and forty nights and news about Jesus spread like seeds from a dandelion blowing in the wind! I can feel the anticipation and wonder as everyone fixed their eyes on Jesus who is the Author of everyone’s life even if at that particular moment, they didn’t know it yet! (Hebrews 12:2) They could of handed Jesus any scroll, but we know God has everyone exactly where they are for a specific reasons! They were sitting at Jesus feet who is the bread of life, speaking words of life! As they waited to drink in these living words, anticipation filled the air! They needed to hear the good news from Jesus Himself! There are no random events that takes place in our life or by chance! We have an orderly God who has perfect plans set up before the foundations of the world was set in motion! The author of life was standing right in front of them as they eagerly waited for Him to read like he always did! Jesus who is the word and the word was with God from the beginning! (John 1:1-5 niv)

Isaiah was specifically planned ahead of time to reveal a prophecy fulfilled! How marvelous it must of been to be there and hear what He would say next after reading Isaiah 61. Luke 4:20-21 NIV, “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. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” I wonder what they could of been feeling in that moment? However, their reaction caught my attention. Yes, they were amazed with everything Jesus said! However, Jesus identity is what they questioned first! Even in the desert the enemy attacked Jesus identity! This really struck me too because as we sit there eagerly waiting to hear from God while reading the Bible, wonder, do we do the same thing to each other? Do we look at at the outward worldly perspective of who someone is or do we look inward the way Jesus does! Do we chose to look at each other’s identity in Christ first or worldly identity? The flesh tries to get in the way of the Spirit as we can see the crowd moved with amazement but struggled to look passed Jesus earthly Identity! Jesus took scripture and showed them how no prophet was accepted in their home town! I wondered why that is? It hit my heart! We need to remember the enemy attacks our identity and causes us to question ourselves and others too! We need to focus on what is true by abiding in truth, Jesus! We need to hold on to hope that God keeps all His promises! We need to remember who we are in Christ and look at our sisters and brothers in the same way! 2 Corinthians 5:16-18 niv “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

Jesus was tested in the desert! (Luke 4) His identity was under attack in a form of, If you are the Son of God and question, who He is (Identity)! Through trials and struggles in our life, the enemy will attack in the same way! We need to follow Jesus example by reading the Bible! He used scripture like a sword to answer with confidence when He was in the desert! We need to put on our full armor of God daily as we stay awake, alert, and sober minded! (Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV) We can have the same confidence as we are lead by the Spirit! We just need to trust God completely with all our hearts!

It seems the crowd was offended after hearing truth caused by Pride. The crowd reacted in the flesh after hearing the heart piercing truth! It’s sad because how often does our flesh get in the way of conviction? Convictions lead to repentance which sets you free so you can soak in Jesus living water! How do we react when we hear truth? How do we react when we have a conviction ? Do we run, hid, or fight or choose to be humble and repent? They could of chose to humble themselves and Rejoice in truth about how the prophecy had been fulfilled! Instead they chose to kill Jesus! Luke 4:28-30 NIV, “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They 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 off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”

I’m sure the crowd read about David when Samuel came to annoite him as a young boy! (1 Sammuel 16) Jesse had all his older sons in line first but God chose David who was still working in the fields taking care of the sheep! Acts 13:22 NIV, “After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ Jesus brother even said in James 1:22-24 NIV, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” We actually have to put into practice everything we have learned! Philippines 4:9 NIV, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” We need to choose to see our sisters and brothers in Christ with a spiritual lense who sees their identity in Christ! Where we focus on Loving God and each other through serving in a relational way! Getting to know each other because God uses our testimony! Our different stories, different abilities and talents are used to bring God glory in the body of Christ as we abide in Jesus!