Jesus’ Mission Statement: Evangelism is difficult in our secularized societies, and even illegal in some countries where Anglican churches are located. Yet the increasing social awareness of the urgency of caring for God’s creation and the link to thinking about God and God’s peoples. How might the church lead society’s renewed interest in caring for humanity and all God’s created order. How might we open the doors of our hearts to share our love of God and encounter these shared concerns or conversations with people in your own life, churches and society? 

Luke writes of Jesus’ return to Galilee. He is now filled with the power of the Spirit and about to begin his ministry. Jesus begins to teach in the synagogues and word begins to spread about him through the surrounding country. 

Jesus’ usual practice on the sabbath day in Nazareth when he lived there, he stands up and reads from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…” along with subsequent verses that seem to describe the ministry he is beginning. This might have appeared to the listeners in the synagogue to be simply a regular reading of the scriptures… until Jesus goes on to say, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Imagine yourself in the synagogue the day that Jesus read these scriptures aloud. What would have been your reaction to his declaring, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”? What would have convinced you that his seemingly outlandish statement should be taken seriously?

Prayer: Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.