Read Luke 4:14-30 with your family.

Jesus grew up in a small village called Nazareth, in the northern area known as Galilee. In those days Galilee was one of the provinces of the Hebrew territories, and Judea was another (that is where Jerusalem and Bethlehem were located). Jesus travelled all over Galilee and Judea, as well as the surrounding communities.

This story happens when Jesus returns home for a visit. It was typical in synagogues at that time, that male guests were invited to read from the section of the prophets (in this case Isaiah 61) and then talk about it, especially if they were recognized as someone who studied the scriptures, as Jesus had done growing up. So Jesus did what was expected…. and then told them things that they didn’t expect.

Jesus told them that outsiders, people who were not Hebrew, had been favoured in the past and would be again. He told them his healing gift would be shared in other communities, just not Nazareth, and he told them that he was the fulfilment of the “Year of the Lord”, or Jubilee Year…. a once every 50 years experience where all slaves were released, all debts were cancelled, all land had to be given back to the original owner, and anyone in prison had to be set free. Jesus said his existence was the promise that that would happen. That made the people in the synagog mad, especially since most of them were probably rich and wanted to keep their money and property.

Often times the community we grow up in wants us to stay a certain way, the way they remember, and not change. However Jesus shows us that change is important, and when we know more or differently, we have to act on what we believe to be true, even if those around us are not accepting of what we have to say.