Same Jesus
By Pastor Kent Munsey
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.” Luke 4:16-21
This passage in Luke marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when he ends his days as “just a carpenter” and begins his time as a miracle-working healer and teacher. It was customary for Jesus to attend services at the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, but when he is asked to read, he surprises everyone. After he reads, he says that he is the fulfillment of this Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah. In doing so, he claims his identity as the Messiah. Those who knew him from a young age were shocked and offended.
They probably said things like, “isn’t this Joseph’s boy?” “Isn’t this the guy who fixed my porch?” They were looking at him as the son of a carpenter, and he was telling them that he was the long-awaited Messiah. They became so angry that they chased him out of the church and nearly off a cliff. Jesus then began his ministry.
These statements about the identity and mission of Jesus were challenged by the religious leaders of the time, and are still controversial today. If we don’t understand Jesus for who he says he is, then we can misunderstand him and subscribe to an artificial, powerless version of Jesus. But we don’t serve a different Jesus today; we serve the same Jesus that we see in Luke 4 who declares that his mission is to save, heal and deliver us. It is important to know and identify who Jesus is and what He wants to do in your life today.
There are 5 foundational ministries of Jesus.
Salvation: When Jesus says he is anointed to “preach the gospel to the poor,” he wasn’t talking about monetarily poor people; he was talking about the poor in spirit. He came to give the good news of salvation. He came to give you the eternal life that you cannot earn. (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Inner Healing: Jesus says that God sent him to heal the hearts that have been broken. Jesus introduced the second foundational ministry of his life which is inner healing. Jesus is a healer of hearts. (Psalm 147:3)
Deliverance: Jesus says that he came to bring freedom for captives. He came to set us free from sin, death and the grave. The ministry of Jesus includes deliverance and freedom. (Galatians 5:1)
Physical Healing: He brings recovery of sight to the blind. Jesus offers physical healing to our diseases, injuries and illnesses. Jesus is the great physician, the perfect healer! He not only heals the inward bruises but also physically heals people. (Matthew 8:15-16)
Anointing: The anointing represents the authority of God. He anoints us, his followers, and empowers us to carry out his mission with specific gifts and assignments. (Acts 10:38; John 1:33)
Don’t settle for a different Jesus. Don’t settle for a lesser Jesus . The devil wants you to buy into a counterfeit Jesus, but remember that Jesus is a savior, healer, deliverer and anointer. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Action Item: Do you need salvation healing, deliverance, or a special anointing? Ask Jesus confidently for this, knowing that this is the reason for his presence with us. He wants to save, heal, deliver and anoint you today!