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G’day and welcome to Partakers Christian Podcasts! Join us for uplifting Bible teaching, inspiring readings, heartfelt worship, powerful prayers, and fascinating church history. Whether you’re new to faith or growing deeper in your journey, we’re here to encourage and equip you. 🎧 Tune in, interact, and be inspired—wherever you are in the world.
Episodes

6 hours ago
Lament 11 - Psalm 51, 32 & 86
6 hours ago
6 hours ago
Readings and Prayers of Lament
11. Psalm 51, Psalm 32 & Psalm 86
Today we are reading and praying Psalm 51, Psalm 32 & Psalm 86
Psalm 51
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
Psalm 32
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
Psalm 86
1 Bend down, O LORD, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need your help.
2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
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We are reading Scripture together, particularly Psalms of lament and repentance as well as the book of Lamentations. As each Scripture is read, listen in an attitude of prayer, and perhaps repeat the words to yourself. Feel the very raw emotions of the words and agony of the original writer and at the heart of God Himself. Yet also listen out for those little words of joy and hope that are hidden within. Then after listening, pray to God using that piece of Scripture.
Lamenting can be part of our worship & prayer life – as individuals and corporately - just as it was for the ancient people of Israel and the early Church. There is much to lament in the world at the moment, particularly regarding the Corona Virus pandemic. But as we lament, we also know that God is in control and that He has not left us alone in our lament but is by our side, embracing us and wiping our tears.
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18 hours ago
Investigating Jesus - Part 13
18 hours ago
18 hours ago

Investigating Jesus Part 13
Jesus’ Identity
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
Mark 8:27-29.
This section of the Bible contains the verse, which divulges Jesus’ identity, when Peter calls Him the Christ or Messiah or Saviour (Mark 8:29). In the preceding few verses Jesus and the disciples were in Bethsaida and there is the incident where Jesus healed the blind man. Why did Jesus touch the blind man twice to heal Him? We don’t know for sure, but we do know that Jesus kept on until the man could see clearly. There are two things to remember.
Firstly, that Jesus was unable to do miracles because of people’s lack of faith.
Secondly, we also need to remember that God does things in his own time and for his own purposes always acting in order to tell and show us of his great love for us – ultimately demonstrated by Jesus, as we will discover in this little book.
Another question now arises. Why does Jesus tell the man not to tell anybody? The most likely answer is that Jesus didn’t want to be seen as merely a healer and miracle worker.
Confession of who Jesus is
Now we reach a climactic part of the Gospel accounts of Jesus Christ and we see who people were saying that he was with certainty.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ (Matthew 16:13-19).
The first person that people said Jesus Christ was, is the man John the Baptist. Several notable things should be noted about this theory:
- Jesus and John had been seen together in public and they were different in personality and ministry. Indeed, as we saw earlier, as Jesus commenced His public ministry, John the Baptist had baptised Jesus.
- John came ‘in the spirit and power of Elijah’ (Luke 1:17), in a ministry of judgement, whereas Jesus came in a spirit of meekness and service.
- John performed no miracles (John 10:41), but Jesus was a miracle worker.
- John even dressed like the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8; Mark 1:6).
Or perhaps Jesus was one of the great figures of the Old Testament come back to life. Perhaps he was even Jeremiah. Who was this person, Jeremiah?
- Jeremiah was the ‘weeping prophet’, and Jesus was the ‘man of sorrows’.
- Jeremiah called the people to true repentance from the heart, and so did Jesus.
- Both men condemned the false religious leaders and the hypocritical worship in the temple.
Those in authority persecuted both men
Patently, Jesus was neither John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah nor any other person. Jesus was entirely and uniquely, Himself. In both his works and words, Jesus gave evidence to the people that he was the Son of God, the Messiah, and yet they still did not get the message. The disciples still had much to learn about Him and what it meant to follow Him.
Why did Jesus tell the disciples to keep quiet about Him?
The Jews were expecting a victorious all conquering Messiah (Isaiah 11:1-5). The idea of this Messiah would kick out the pagan Gentile Romans from the land of Israel. But they had misunderstood the role of this Messiah. Additionally, they had forgotten that the Messiah must also suffer and die (Isaiah 53:1-12; Luke 24:26). The Jewish people thought that the Messiah would set up an earthly political kingdom, but we know now, that Jesus came to set up a spiritual kingdom that would last forever (Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 7:13-14; Luke 1:33; Revelation 11:15).
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2 days ago
Lament 10 - Psalm 6, 38 & 130
2 days ago
2 days ago
Readings and Prayers of Lament
Today we are reading and praying Psalm 6, Psalm 38 & Psalm 130
Psalm 6
4 Return, O LORD, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love.
5 For the dead do not remember you.
Who can praise you from the grave?
Psalm 38
1 O LORD, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage!
2 Your arrows have struck deep,
and your blows are crushing me.
Psalm 130
1 From the depths of despair, O LORD,
I call for your help.
2 Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.
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We are reading Scripture together, particularly Psalms of lament and repentance as well as the book of Lamentations. As each Scripture is read, listen in an attitude of prayer, and perhaps repeat the words to yourself. Feel the very raw emotions of the words and agony of the original writer and at the heart of God Himself. Yet also listen out for those little words of joy and hope that are hidden within. Then after listening, pray to God using that piece of Scripture.
Lamenting can be part of our worship & prayer life – as individuals and corporately - just as it was for the ancient people of Israel and the early Church. There is much to lament in the world at the moment, particularly regarding the Corona Virus pandemic. But as we lament, we also know that God is in control and that He has not left us alone in our lament but is by our side, embracing us and wiping our tears.
Today we are reading and praying 10 - Psalm 6, Psalm 38 & Psalm 130. Come on in!
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2 days ago
Investigating Jesus - Part 12
2 days ago
2 days ago

Investigating Jesus Part 12
Disciples Discipleship
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22
What were these people chosen for?
As we read these Gospel accounts, we can clearly see and know that the disciples often got things wrong. Jesus often rebuked them, such as when the storm hit when they were in the boat. He rebuked them for panicking (Mark 4:38) and for fearing and lacking faith (Mark 4:40). This, despite having seen Jesus do the things he had done. In Matthew’s Gospel, the disciples mistake Him for a ‘ghost’ as he walked to them on the water (Matthew 14:22-36) and Jesus rebukes Peter for lacking faith, as Peter looked at the storm (Matthew 14:30) rather than to Jesus Himself.
Another instance is when Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends tried to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross, Jesus’ subsequent rebuke was meant for all the disciples and not just Peter (Mark 8:33). They did not yet understand the relationship between suffering and glory. Later in his life, by the time Peter had written the letter we know in our Bible as 1 Peter, he most assuredly did know (1Peter 1:6-8, 1 Peter 4:13-5:10). In calling them to Himself, Jesus called them into a common discipleship of which they are to “love one another” (John 15:17).
The reason for this is so that people would know that they were his disciples, by and through their love for one another, (John 13:34, John 15:16) and this would then produce the desired fruit for God’s kingdom and an effective prayer life (John 15:16).
Chosen but demands are made
What demands does Jesus make on those who choose to follow Him? Just as he did for his original disciples, the people we know as the apostles, he makes upon all who choose to follow Him. Including those of us in the twenty first century.
- Called regardless of background: The disciples were from a broad cross-section of society. Some as we have seen were fishermen, another a tax collector (who were thought of as traitors to Israel.), others were zealots or sons of zealots.
- Called to a life of repentance: Symbolic of this is Peter who, when first encountered by Jesus in Luke 5:1-11, declared of Jesus "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man."
- Called to a life of service: When they were sent out in Matthew 10, the disciples were to: tell the Good News’; heal the sick; raise the dead; drive out demons and freely give.
- Called to a life of obedience: Jesus called for obedience of God (Matthew 7:21, Luke 6:46). This obedience means to follow Him in all areas of life.
- Take up your cross: In Matthew 16:24, Jesus called his disciples to take up their own cross, just as he was going to be taking up his cross at Calvary. By this he meant that his disciples must be prepared to sacrifice, to suffer and die.
If the demands are made like this, how can a Christian Disciple, a follower of this Jesus, actually do them? We will see the answer to that shortly.
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3 days ago
Lament 09 - Psalm 90, 94, 123, 126 & 129
3 days ago
3 days ago
Readings and Prayers of Lament
Day 9. Psalms of Lament: Psalm 90, Psalm 94, Psalm 123, Psalm 126 & Psalm 129
Psalm 90
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling-place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Psalm 94
1 The LORD is a God who avenges.
O God who avenges, shine forth.
2 Rise up, Judge of the earth;
pay back to the proud what they deserve.
Psalm 123
1 I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he shows us his mercy.
Psalm 126
1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
‘The LORD has done great things for them.’
Psalm 129
1 ‘They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,’
let Israel say;
2 ‘they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.
Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file
We are reading Scripture together, particularly Psalms of lament and repentance as well as the book of Lamentations. As each Scripture is read, listen in an attitude of prayer, and perhaps repeat the words to yourself. Feel the very raw emotions of the words and agony of the original writer and at the heart of God Himself. Yet also listen out for those little words of joy and hope that are hidden within. Then after listening, pray to God using that piece of Scripture.
Lamenting can be part of our worship & prayer life – as individuals and corporately - just as it was for the ancient people of Israel and the early Church. There is much to lament in the world at the moment, particularly regarding the Corona Virus pandemic. But as we lament, we also know that God is in control and that He has not left us alone in our lament but is by our side, embracing us and wiping our tears.
Today we are reading and praying Psalm 90, Psalm 94, Psalm 123, Psalm 126 & Psalm 129. Come on in!
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3 days ago
Investigating Jesus - Part 11
3 days ago
3 days ago

Investigating Jesus Part 11
Jesus Selects His Disciples
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22
There are three main lists of disciples (Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16) who were chosen near the start of Jesus ministry. The Gospel of John offers no comprehensive list but does refer to them as “The Twelve” (John 6:67, John 6:70, and John 6:71). Here are “The Twelve”: the 12 main disciples of Jesus Christ:
- Andrew: he was a fisherman from Bethsaida (Matthew 4:18). It was he who introduced his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus (John 1:40-42). He was also a disciple of John the Baptist.
- Bartholomew: he was the son of Talemai and possibly was also called Nathaniel (John 1:45-51).
- James: he was the son of Alphaeus. He is also known as James the Less (Mark 15:40). He would later play a leading role in the Jerusalem church (Acts 15).
- James & John: the sons of Zebedee. Both were fisherman (Matthew 4:21; Luke 5:1-11) and Jesus called them the sons of Boanerges or sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). John is known as the “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23, John 19:26).
- Judas Iscariot: (Luke 6:13, 16): he was the son of Simon (John 6:71 & John 13:26). He was the disciple who betrayed Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11) and was replaced after the Resurrection by Matthias (Acts 1:26).
- Matthew: he was a tax collector (Matthew 9:9) and the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14. He also authored the gospel by the same name (Matthew 1:1).
- Philip: from Bethsaida (John 1:44; John 12:21). Notably, it was he who introduced Greeks to Jesus (John 12:20-22).
- Simon: known also as Simon the Zealot (Matthew 10:4) and possibly from Jerusalem.
- Simon: brother of Andrew and an uneducated fisherman from Bethsaida (Matthew 4:18; Acts 4:13). Later, he was renamed Peter by Jesus (John 1:42) and would go on be the leader of these twelve disciples (Acts 1:15-26). We know that Peter also wrote letters to churches and we have two of them in what is our New Testament, the books known as 1 Peter and 2 Peter.
- Thaddeus: listed as a disciple in Mark 3:18 and known also as Lebbaeus (Matthew 10:3) and Judas brother of James (Luke 6:16).
- Thomas also known as Thomas Didymus. He is best known however, as doubting Thomas for initially disbelieving the resurrection of Jesus before he saw the Lord and proclaimed Him as such (John 11:16, John 20:24, John 21:2).
How were they chosen?
It was usual practice for a disciple to take the initiative and choose his master and then voluntarily join that school. However, in reverse of this practice, Jesus Himself chose those who were to follow Him by issuing a simple command “Come, follow me.” This can be seen in several places in the Gospels, for example Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 19:21; Mark 1:17; Mark 8:34; Mark 10:21; Luke 9:23; Luke 18:22.
The reason that God gave them to Him as his disciples was so that they would produce fruit for God’s Kingdom (John 15:16). Jesus also placed some demands on those who wanted to follow Him. For some, these demands proved too much so they went away, like the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22). Others, who were initially attracted to Jesus, stopped following him and left saying: “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it? (John 6:60)
What was it about these people we know as the Twelve Disciples that made them want to follow Jesus?
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4 days ago
Lament 08 - Psalm 80, 83 & 85
4 days ago
4 days ago
Readings and Prayers of Lament
Day 8. Psalms of Lament: Psalm 80, Psalm 83 & Psalm 85
Psalm 80
1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine forth 2 before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might;
come and save us.
Psalm 83
1 O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads.
Psalm 85
8 I will listen to what God the LORD says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants –
but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file
We are reading Scripture together, particularly Psalms of lament and repentance as well as the book of Lamentations. As each Scripture is read, listen in an attitude of prayer, and perhaps repeat the words to yourself. Feel the very raw emotions of the words and agony of the original writer and at the heart of God Himself. Yet also listen out for those little words of joy and hope that are hidden within. Then after listening, pray to God using that piece of Scripture.
Lamenting can be part of our worship & prayer life – as individuals and corporately - just as it was for the ancient people of Israel and the early Church. There is much to lament in the world at the moment, particularly regarding the Corona Virus pandemic. But as we lament, we also know that God is in control and that He has not left us alone in our lament but is by our side, embracing us and wiping our tears.
Today we are reading and praying Psalm 80, Psalm 83 & Psalm 85. Come on in!
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4 days ago
Investigating Jesus - Part 10
4 days ago
4 days ago

Investigating Jesus Part 10
Jesus' Mission Continues Away from home
(Luke 4:31-44)
Now Jesus walked through the rioting mob and went to Capernaum and here he engaged in public ministry. What does this public ministry look like and what was the reaction to Jesus and his ministry?
- Preaching (Luke 4:31-32) – Here we see Jesus setting up his ministry headquarters in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13-16) and from there, he started teaching in the Synagogue. People were astonished that he taught with such authority.
- Rebuking (Luke 4:33-37, 41) – Our Lord did not want the demons to bear witness to Himself and his identity (Luke 4:34, 41). Again, people were astonished at Jesus power and authority.
- Healing (Luke 4:39-40) – People bought their sick and asked Jesus to help them.
- Praying (Luke 4:42-44) – he was up early the next morning to pray (Mark 1:35). It was in prayer that he found his strength and power for service, and so must we.
All during this period, we can learn several things about Jesus and his ministry towards those he encountered and interacted with.
- No new teaching – he has God’s authority to do what he is doing – preaching, healing and releasing.
- God desires humility – Jesus is looking for people to acknowledge their spiritual blindness and poverty, so that he may liberate them.
- God’s Word is important – In the previous verses, Jesus counters the devil by using God’s Word, and he continues to do this throughout his ministry. He teaches and preaches in the synagogues (Luke 4:32, 44); rebukes demons (Luke 4:35, 41), and heals diseases (Luke 4:39); all with the authority of his word.
Jesus today
As we read the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, we see that Jesus reached out to all kinds of people, particularly people who society had rejected or were castaways. These included the sick, women, Gentiles (non-Jews), the religious elite – anybody. There was no barrier Jesus wasn’t prepared to break down so as to show God’s love for them. Jesus’ mission was to be the saviour of the world as God’s Son (John 3:16) and the Servant of the Lord. Jesus’ mission was to give a message of hope for the spiritually poor and spiritually oppressed people - people not only in his hometown, nor only in Israel, but rather for the whole world. People have two choices when faced with this fact: accept or reject. There is no other option. That is why as Christian Disciples we are to be actively engaged in evangelism, to tell people of this news about Jesus Christ.
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~

5 days ago
Lament 07 - Psalm 60, 74 & 79
5 days ago
5 days ago
Readings and Prayers of Lament
Day 7. Psalms of Lament: Psalm 60, Psalm 74 & Psalm 79
Psalm 60
1 You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us;
you have been angry – now restore us!
2 You have shaken the land and torn it open;
mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
Psalm 74
9 We are given no signs from God;
no prophets are left,
and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long will the enemy mock you, God?
Will the foe revile your name for ever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
Psalm 79
1 O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2 They have left the dead bodies of your servants
as food for the birds of the sky,
the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.
Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file
We are reading Scripture together, particularly Psalms of lament and repentance as well as the book of Lamentations. As each Scripture is read, listen in an attitude of prayer, and perhaps repeat the words to yourself. Feel the very raw emotions of the words and agony of the original writer and at the heart of God Himself. Yet also listen out for those little words of joy and hope that are hidden within. Then after listening, pray to God using that piece of Scripture.
Lamenting can be part of our worship & prayer life – as individuals and corporately - just as it was for the ancient people of Israel and the early Church. There is much to lament in the world at the moment, particularly regarding the Corona Virus pandemic. But as we lament, we also know that God is in control and that He has not left us alone in our lament but is by our side, embracing us and wiping our tears.
Today we are reading and praying Psalm 60, Psalm 74 & Psalm 79. Come on in!
Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file

5 days ago
Investigating Jesus - Part 9
5 days ago
5 days ago

Investigating Jesus Part 9
Jesus' Mission - at home
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
Luke 4:14-15
Jesus’ public ministry on earth has begun. These verses at the end of Luke 4 tell us that his mission is to preach God’s Kingdom. A reluctant John the Baptist had baptized Him and the crowds who witnessed this event. They had heard God the Father speaking to Jesus. He underwent temptations by the arch-seducer, satan, and emerged victorious from that ordeal. Now Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit, has returned home to Galilee (Luke 4:14). What did he do there and how did those who knew Him react as he grew through childhood?
Jesus at home (Luke 4:14-30)
Jesus is back in home territory and because of the power of his teaching, he is becoming known as a great teacher (Luke 4:15). Jesus spent some time in Galilee, became known and aroused the interest, curiosity and excitement of people.
Worshipping (Luke 4:14-18): It was Jesus’ habit to attend public worship wherever he was. But what did a typical synagogue service look like in the time of Jesus? Here is the outline of a typical synagogue service at the time of Jesus in the early first century AD:
- Opened with a prayer for God’s blessing
- Traditional Hebrew confession of faith (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21)
- Prayer and readings from the Law and the Prophets
- Brief sermon given by one of the men or a visiting rabbi (Acts 13:14-16)
- Benediction or prayer
Because of Jesus’ growing renown as a teacher, it is no surprise that he should be asked to read the Scripture and give a short teaching session regarding it. Here in Nazareth, Jesus declared that the day for demonstrating God’s salvation had arrived and the day the prophets looked forward to, was going to be fulfilled in Jesus Himself (Luke 4:20). Jesus was the Servant who Isaiah had talked about long ago (Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus’ ministry was divinely directed. It was a ministry of hope for all people and a ministry to free the spiritually oppressed (Luke 4:18).
Acceptable Year of the Lord (Luke 4:19): When Jesus said in Luke 4:19 “to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour”, Jesus was referring to the “Year of Jubilee” (Leviticus 25). This was when at every fiftieth year, there was the balancing of the economic system. Slaves were released, set free and returned to their families. Property that was sold, now returned to the original owners. All debts were cancelled and the land lay bare to rest and rejoice in the Lord. Upon hearing this announcement, the reaction by the local people was at first one of astonishment (Luke 4:22) and telling each other he was the son of Joseph. But we remember and know, that Jesus was not the son of Joseph. Rather, Jesus was the Son of God, as announced by angels before he was born. Jesus Christ is the new Adam and the founder of a new humanity. All this, Jesus goes on to explain.
Rejected (Luke 4:20-30): The local people of Nazareth, saw Jesus as the son of Joseph. Admiration turned to anger, because Jesus began to remind them of God’s goodness to the Gentiles. He did this by reminding them about some of the Jewish heroes of the past. People such as the great prophet Elijah who bypassed all the Jewish widows to go and help a Gentile widow in Sidon (1 Kings 17:8-16). Jesus also reminded them that another Jewish hero, Elisha, had healed a Gentile leper from Syria (2 Kings 5:1-15).
Whilst those people in Nazareth could only see Jesus in their local setting, he told them his mission was for all Israel. And if Israel rejected this message of Good News, then the Gentiles would be blessed by it (Luke 4:25-27). Upon hearing this, the astonished admiration turned to furious anger (Luke 4:28-30). Salvation is no longer restricted to Israel but for every child of Adam – every human. Jesus’ mission was not only to be Israel’s saviour but the world’s saviour. When Jesus quoted the proverb “no prophet is accepted in his hometown” (Luke 4:24), he revealed his knowledge of Old Testament history. He knew that God’s messengers often were rejected, and even as God’s Son, he was rejected as well. Next week we look at Jesus away from home.
We investigate that in the next podcast of this series.
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