07.26.2026. Sunday Sermon by Pastor Jeungbok Lee
Scripture: Luke 4:14–30
Title: People Who Are Blind and Deaf

### Scripture Passage: Luke 4:14–30 (NIV)
> Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
> “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
> 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.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
> Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! And do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
> 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.
> 

People tend to pay less attention to things that are familiar to them. Driving near home is a prime example. Because it’s a route we take every day, we don't pay as much attention. Because it's a familiar view, we fail to notice unusual driving behavior from other cars. We don't even hear children shouting and running around. This is precisely why most traffic accidents occur near home.
Faith works the same way. For those who have attended church for a long time, Jesus and the words of Scripture are deeply familiar. However, this familiarity must not blind or deafen us spiritually. The people of Nazareth knew Jesus merely as Joseph’s son, and as a result, they became spiritually blind. They failed to recognize His declaration that He was the Messiah.
Today’s passage tells the story of such people. The very people who had watched Jesus the longest—those from His hometown of Nazareth in Galilee, who thought they knew Him best—failed to recognize the Messiah when He stood before them, nor could they comprehend the declaration announcing His arrival.

### 1. Jesus Walked in the Power of the Holy Spirit, Yet the People Failed to Recognize Him

Jesus always lived according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
When He came into this world, when He was baptized, and when He fasted for forty days in the wilderness while enduring the devil’s temptations, He was continuously guided by the Holy Spirit. Scripture records that after overcoming the devil’s temptation in the wilderness, Jesus *"returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit."* Following the Spirit's guidance, He personally taught in various Jewish synagogues, and everyone praised Him.
However, this praise did not mean they truly recognized who Jesus was. The people of Galilee might have enjoyed Jesus' preaching, but enjoying a sermon is entirely different from having the faith that receives Jesus as the Messiah.
Even today, many people praise Jesus as a great teacher who taught and practiced love, yet they remain spiritually blind. This can also apply to churchgoers who listen to the Word and applaud, yet fail to truly know Him.

### 2. Jesus Loved the Worshiping Community and Worshiped with Them

#### 2.1) Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth and entered the synagogue to worship as was His custom.
He did this because He loved the synagogue, the place where God's Word was proclaimed. Even now, Jesus loves His church—His body—where the Word of God is preached. As Christians, we too must attend worship every Sunday to meet God and experience Jesus Christ.

#### 2.2) The Benefits of Attending Church to Worship God:
* **Meeting Jesus indirectly:** Though we cannot see Jesus with our physical eyes, we meet Him through believers who obey His Word in the church. Through fellowship with them, we catch a reflection of Jesus.
* **Spiritual vigilance:** Attending church weekly reminds us that the devil—roaring like a lion to devour believers' faith—is an ever-present danger right before our eyes.
* **Hearing the Good News first:** Just as only those who regularly attended the synagogue in Jesus' time heard the announcement that the Messiah had come, we as Christians will be the first to hear the news of Jesus’ return through the church.

### 3. Jesus Chose Isaiah 61 and 58 to Reveal His True Mission

#### 3.1) To Proclaim Good News to the Poor
This does not refer only to the materially poor, but to those who recognize their spiritual poverty before God caused by sin—the poor in spirit who realize they cannot save themselves. Jesus came to preach the Gospel to such sinners.

#### 3.2) To Proclaim Freedom for the Prisoners
Everyone born in Adam is a captive to sin and a prisoner of Satan. Jesus came to grant true freedom to these captives—bringing salvation that forgives all sins and declares us righteous through His death on the cross.

#### 3.3) To Proclaim the Year of the Lord’s Favor
The "year of the Lord’s favor" refers to the Jubilee described in Leviticus 25. The Jubilee occurs after seven Sabbath years (7 \times 7 = 49), marking the 50\text{th} year. In the Jubilee year, debts were canceled, slaves were freed, and sold land was returned to its original owner. Jesus came to be our Jubilee—to pay off our debt of sin and liberate us from Satan and bondage. Those who lost their identity as God's children are restored. Thus, the Jubilee is a year of great joy.

#### 3.4) A One-Sentence Sermon
After reading from Isaiah, Jesus concluded His sermon with a single sentence:
> *“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”*
> 
Since the Babylonian exile, the people of Israel had understood Isaiah’s prophecies and eagerly waited for the Messiah for over 600 years. In a small synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus declared that the long-awaited Messiah, spoken of through the prophets, was now fulfilled in Him.
How did the people of Nazareth react to this glorious news? Were they overjoyed? Their response to Jesus' gracious words was startlingly dismissive: *“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”*
Instead of rejoicing, they poured cold water on the announcement of the Messiah’s arrival. Their response should not have been, *"Isn’t this Joseph’s son?"* but rather, *"Amen! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!"* Even at the moment the saving year of favor was declared, their spiritual blindness made them see Jesus as nothing more than the son of a carpenter.

### 4. Blind and Deaf, the People Demanded Miracles—and Rejected the Messiah

Jesus knew they were thinking: *“Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.”* He saw that they cared more about miracles than the news of the Messiah's arrival.
Yet Jesus refused to win their favor through signs and wonders. Instead, He rebuked them by recalling the days of Elijah and Elisha. During those times, the Northern Kingdom of Israel was deeply corrupt. Though they were God’s chosen people, they were arrogant and committed idolatry. Consequently, God extended His grace to Gentiles instead.
**Consider this striking contrast:**
Every Israelite knew Isaiah's prophecy referred to the Messiah. Yet, when the good news of freedom and grace was proclaimed right in front of them, the people of Nazareth failed to recognize Jesus. On the other hand, when Jesus rebuked them using Elijah and Elisha—reminding them how God favored Gentiles over proud Israelites—they understood His rebuke instantly.
This is a key characteristic of a hardened heart:
* When people prioritize their own will over God's, His truth becomes irrelevant to them. Even if good news is preached right before them, they cannot hear it. Even if the Messiah stands in front of them, they cannot see Him.
* However, the moment their pride is offended or they are rebuked, they become hyper-sensitive.
As a result, furious at Jesus' rebuke, they dragged Him to the brow of a hill to throw Him over the cliff and kill Him.
Another sober fact is that Jesus **never ministered in Nazareth again**. This sermon was both His first and last sermon to His hometown. We must remember that certain rejections bring an end to second chances.

### 5. Application and Conclusion
Today's message is not merely a critique of Nazareth's failure; it serves as a mirror reflecting our own hearts.

#### 5.1) Familiarity Is Not Faith
Familiarity with the Bible and Jesus does not equate to genuine faith. Attending church for many years does not automatically mean strong faith. Reading the Bible frequently or listening to many sermons and testimonies is wonderful, but it is not faith itself.
The people of Nazareth had known Jesus longer than anyone else and were familiar with Isaiah’s prophecies. Yet, being closest to Him, they failed to recognize Him. The moment we harbor attitudes like *"I already know this"* or *"I've heard this sermon before,"* our spiritual eyes and ears begin to close. Therefore, we must continually renew our relationship with God and hear His Word with fresh ears.

#### 5.2) Examine Your Heart Before the Word

The people of Nazareth heard the Good News but failed to understand it; they saw the Messiah but failed to recognize Him. Yet they caught the rebuke immediately.
Why? Because their hearts were hardened by sin and pride. A hardened heart, rather than accepting truth and repenting when rebuked, reacts with anger toward the One giving the rebuke.
If you ever feel anger rising in your heart when confronted by God's Word, go before Him immediately and confess the hardness of your heart.
We must grow daily in our knowledge of Jesus, our Savior who frees sinners, opens the eyes of the blind, and proclaims the year of favor. To do this, we must continually read and listen to His Word.
Through His death on the cross, Jesus bore our sins, freed us from the power of sin, and reconciled us as children of God. God demonstrated His love for us through the cross of Jesus. May you all be believers who daily see, hear, and experience the love of Jesus anew.
Let us pray. *(End)*