{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Luke: The Depth and Breadth of the Gospel","description":"Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14-30 The account of Jesus teaching in the synagogue is the story of Jesus teaching people who had seen Him as a boy.  In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus reads from a well-known prophecy about the coming of the Messiah, from Isaiah 61.  He then proceeds to astonish the people there that day by saying, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Lk 4:21). We see here the nature of Christ's salvation, as it transforms us at our deepest levels.  We also see the breadth of Christ's salvation, as it permeates all the world, in every tribe and tongue. The basic theological question in this section is, "Who is Jesus?"  And then we see the hometown reaction to Jesus' declaration that He is the Messiah ... and the revelation that the mission of the Messiah would go far beyond the nation of Israel.  The Jews of Nazareth summarily spurned the words and person in a murderous anger.  Their reaction to Christ is very instructive to us, giving us a perspective which serves as an encouragement when we find that someone is cold to the gospel or to spiritual things in general, or when they ridicule us for being Christians.  The Jews' rejection of Christ's good news is not basically different than the rejection of Christ that has persisted from that day to ours.  Let us neither be surprised when people refuse Christ and His news ... nor deterred in declaring His glories.  The truth cost Jesus His life.  Let us be true to Him ... whatever the cost to us.  ","author_name":"Bethel Baptist Church","author_url":"https:\/\/bethelbaptistscs.org\/","html":"