The Spirit of the Lord – HolyWord.com

I woke up and was not in the mood for prayer. It was only out of a sense of obligation to a friend that I was visiting through this small town, that I managed to get myself going and out the door. He was telling me about a popular guest speaker that was in for the weekend and I had a reserved seat, so I figured I had better go and not upset him.It was a dusty down, as many in these parts. I passed by a couple of barking dogs, a blind beggar at the city well, which I managed to avoid by looking occupied, and a small marketplace, which was closed for the Sabbath. As I got closer, I noticed others going in the same direction and a rather large crowd gathering ahead at the place of worship. There was my friend, waving to me amidst the crowd. As I approached he said, "I have an extra seat for you, come with me." We went through a side door and found a seat near the front. On a normal day, inside things would have been austere and quiet, but today there was a lot of chatting despite the shushes from the regulars. A few minutes later, the place was packed, not even standing room, with a crowd peaking in through the back door and windows. The service started.I honestly don't recall all the details of the service. I am easily distracted and if I can remember one thing after I leave, that would be better than most days. Ask me a day later and I have usually forgotten everything. But that day was different.The guest speaker was invited to read the main Scripture passage and give a talk about it. The passage was from Isaiah. I enjoyed listening to the seriousness and respect in his voice... “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” I remember hearing that passage from Isaiah a few years back and many time before but never paid much attention to it. Today, something about this preacher caught my attention. After finishing the passage, he respectfully gave the scrolls back the attendant and sat down. Everyone looked at him in silence.Many came expecting a long talk as they had heard about his preaching abilities. Others wouldn't mind a short talk as they had other things to rush home to do. It was a noticeable but refreshing silence and then he spoke these short words... “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And that was his entire talk, short and gracious words. The initial reaction from the people was very respectful and all were speaking well of him. A large crowd stayed after to ask him questions. My friend and I were near the back. I asked who he was. My friend answered"He is from this area. I know who his father and mother are. When we heard he was becoming popular, we invited him to give a talk. it was a rather short talk don't you think?" He seemed a bit disappointed as he had invited many to come."I suppose so". I didn't know what else to say. There was something different about this speaker. I wanted to hear more. His words were mysterious and perplexing. I needed some time to reflect on them. ' Today this Scripture has been fulfilled'. What did he mean by 'has been fulfilled?' How could this Scripture already be fulfilled? Was he speaking symbolically about an event that was occurring in our time? What did he mean by 'fulfilled in our presence?' Was he talking about some event near to us?I was just beginning to reflect upon this when the trouble started. Someone in the crowd belittled the speaker... “Is not this Joseph’s son?” I could detect the sarcasm in the voice as if to say 'Is that all? We came to hear a great preacher and all you could do is give us a one-line speech. We should have known better. No one from this town amounts to anything famous. He is just the boy we knew growing up. There is nothing special about him. The reports we heard about him were greatly exaggerated.' Many others in the crowd were nodding in agreement, changing their opinion about the speaker. 'Yes, quite right. He should have given us more than that. We heard him performing miracles elsewhere, let's ask him for a miracle.'but the guest speaker spoke first... “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Caper'na-um, do here also in your own country.’ ” The crowd was astonished that he knew what they were thinking, but also getting more agitated that he would not follow their request. It was then that he looked down for a moment and then looked directly at me. It was a mere second or two, but the gaze was piercing. It was as if he could see directly into my soul. I was speechless. I was not expecting a miracle. I was still thinking about his initial words. Then his gaze turned back to the crowd. They were rejecting him. I don't think they were expecting a rebuke back, but he did not back away. “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Eli'jah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and Eli'jah was sent to none of them but only to Zar'ephath, in the land of Si'don, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Eli'sha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Na'aman the Syrian.” In all my years I don't think I ever heard a speaker rebuke his audience like this. Usually, they come to speak, are nice answering a few random questions while trying not to offend anyone. They need to keep up good appearances as their reputation is always on the line. Not this man, he spoke like a sword, addressing both doubters and listeners head-on at the same time. The doubters, most of the crowd by this time, were enraged. it was one thing if they doubted and questioned him, but how dare he doubt and question them in return.'How dare he compare us to the Old Testament sinners! How dare he compare us to the widows that Elijah skipped over for lack of faith! How dare he compare us to lepers!! It is an outrage to be compared to faithless lepers!! No one but God has the authority to say such a thing!!! Who is this boy from our town to think he can compare himself to God and judge us?! It is Blasphemy. The punishment for Blasphemy is death!!!' As soon as he got outside, there was an even larger crowd with additional townsfolk gathering to see the disturbance. I do not wish to repeat all the shouts and curses from the crowd, but they were leading him to the peak of the hill.I looked around to see where my friend was. He was running off, caught up in the frenzy, shouting curses of his own. I was a bit confused, still thinking about the man's first words and how he looked at me. I followed the crowd in silence. The frenzy continued until they had reached the precipice of the hill. I could see the other side was a steep drop off, likely to kill a man. The crowd was still shouting, beginning to pick up stones, and closing in on him.I was paralyzed with fear not knowing what to do. I looked at the person next to me and said "We can't kill him. It was only a talk." The reply back was short and blunt. "Shut up and keep quiet!" I didn't know what else to do. This storm that had risen out of nothing only a few minutes earlier, was at full fury. He reached the brow of the hill first. It appeared to me as if he took a moment to look out upon the view, close his eyes, and say a prayer. He looked calm. When he turned back toward the crowd there was no fear in his eyes. I think it was this calmness that impressed upon me the most of the event.Then he walked right through them, directly through the fury of the storm, untouched, and headed in the direction of Capernaum. I ran to the city well to get a drink of water. I was alone. Now I would have welcomed the company of the innocent, even a blind beggar, but he was gone. I left before the others came down from the hill. I never returned to see my friend again, but I was curious to hear more from this man they called Jesus. His words would not leave me... “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Based upon Luke 4:14-31 Mount Precipice In Nazareth, Israel Note: This article is based upon real Biblical Events events but from the perspective of a fictional character from one possible viewpoint. It helps me to relate to Scripture when I can imagine myself there. I hope it helps you! Read More in This CategoryGift Ideas for Kids - Visit Our Online StoreTo Read a Quiet Passage - Click Here [Scripture quotations are from the] Revised Standard Version of the Bible—Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition), copyright © 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. 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