The Day Grace Spoke

A few years ago, when I was a young man and single, I was in a lounge in my hometown of Provost, Alberta, with my friend Alan Murray. I looked across the room and saw a beautiful woman with long, brown, curly hair.

I asked Alan, “Who is that?” “That’s Susan Lee,” he said. And I replied, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

That moment led to absolutely nothing for several months—until we bumped into each other at a dance and started dating. The next spring, we were married.

But here’s something I haven’t yet told you. By the time I saw Susan in that lounge that night in February, I had known her for nine and a half years.

So how come my eyes weren’t opened to seeing the fullness of who she was before that moment?

I think it’s because sometimes our eyes are closed to things that are right in front of us.

One reason that might happen is our expectations.

In Susan’s case, I thought of her as my sister’s best friend. She was in the grade behind me, and that was it.

It wasn’t until I saw her without any of those expectations that I could see who she truly was.

Maybe you’ve had something like that happen. You’ve known someone for a long time, and then suddenly saw them in a new light that led to a deeper, richer relationship.

Or maybe you’re reading a book, watching a movie, or sitting in a class, and some amazing insight comes into your mind. Later, you realize you should have known it all along—it’s just kind of common sense.

Or maybe you’re in a situation—at home, work, or school—and you suddenly realize how great it really is. You get this new sense of appreciation for your environment, even though you’ve been in it for years.

Those kinds of revelations can change your life.

But all those worldly examples pale in comparison to what can happen when our eyes are open—or closed—to the things of God.

If our eyes are closed to what God sets before us, then the arc and trajectory of our life will never be what God intends for it to be.

Our life will be diminished.

It’ll fall short.

And because each and every one of us only has one precious life to live, that would be tragic.

So the question I’m asking you to reflect on today is: How can we have our eyes opened to all that God has for us?

To help us think about this, we’re starting a new series today called Setting the Prisoners Free. It’s based on the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. Eventually we’ll get to Luke 4:14–21, but first, I want to give you some background that will help you understand the passages more deeply.

The Purpose and Themes in Luke’s Gospel

As the Christian church began and spread throughout the world, its evangelism unfolded in phases.

In the first phase, the apostles reached out to the Jewish people around Jerusalem. These communities already had the Hebrew Bible—the Old Testament—and centuries of tradition living life with God. So when they heard the Gospel and learned that the Promised Messiah had come in the person of Jesus Christ, conversions happened rapidly. Reports tell of 3,000 in one case and 5,000 in another becoming followers of Jesus.

In this setting, Matthew’s Gospel—rich with Jewish nuance—was a fitting tool for outreach and teaching.

Later, Paul and other missionaries moved beyond Jerusalem into the wider Roman Empire. In these areas, the people were not Jewish; they were pagans with no background in the Old Testament or in walking with God. Reaching these Gentile communities required a deeper foundation and more patient teaching. As a result, the rate of conversions slowed, and Paul spent more time in each city.

Luke’s Gospel—written from a Gentile perspective, likely by Luke himself—was well-suited for these audiences. So we can say the purpose of Luke’s Gospel was to help the church reach and teach God-fearing Gentiles and pagans who were new to this message.

Recurring Themes in Luke’s Gospel

Luke weaves in three major themes, each rich in meaning for readers then and now:

1. The Journey Luke writes as if Jesus’ life is a journey—from heaven to earth and back again. Through His conception, birth, baptism, life under the shadow of the cross, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus transforms human existence. Our life, too, becomes a journey. With Him, we move from birth through baptism and eventually death—not into loss, but into inheritance, into communion with Him in heaven.
2. The Prophet Jesus follows the pattern of the Old Testament prophets—but surpasses them. His ministry begins with teaching and miracles, and then comes rejection—just like the prophets before Him. That rejection, because of His message and signs, leads to crucifixion. Yet Jesus overcomes rejection with resurrection. And the same pattern may play out in our lives. The Word of God transforms us and may stir rejection from others. But take heart—Jesus has gone ahead of us, and His resurrection stands as our hope.
3. God’s Presence in Shared Meals From the Passover meal to the heavenly banquet promised in Isaiah 25, meals have long been sacred spaces of communion. When Jesus walked the earth, He shared meals often, and in those meals we see three constants:
   1. His presence
   1. Proclamation of the Kingdom
   1. Eating together as a sign of fellowship and reconciliation

We experience this today in Holy Communion—the real presence of Jesus in bread and wine, forgiveness offered, and fellowship demonstrated.

A Survey of the First Four and a Half Chapters of Luke

Luke’s Gospel begins and ends in Jerusalem—a city of deep spiritual significance.

There we meet Zechariah and Elizabeth, who, through divine intervention, become parents to John—later known as John the Baptist. What unfolds is a parallel account of Jesus and John. While they share similarities, there’s a profound difference: John is the final messenger of the old covenant—the covenant of law. Jesus ushers in the new covenant—the covenant of grace.

Next come the beautiful songs of Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and Simeon. Each one echoes the good news that God’s glory, grace, and peace have come to earth. They speak of a great reversal: The rich and powerful will be brought low. The poor and humble will be lifted up by God.

Then we encounter Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan. Though sinless and without need of a baptism of repentance, Jesus chooses to wear humanity’s sins and stand in our place. It’s at this moment that the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, and the Father proclaims, “This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

This shows us something incredible: Because Jesus identified with us, we too are anointed with the Spirit and beloved by the Father.

Next, Jesus is led into the wilderness, where He fasts for 40 days and is tempted by the devil. Each temptation offers Him glory—if He will just step outside the bounds of humanity or worship the enemy. But Jesus refuses to trade suffering for shortcuts. He stays rooted in obedience and truth.

He overcame the kinds of temptations we all face—wanting immediate reward, control, and affirmation. And when we fall to those temptations, we can turn back in repentance, knowing Jesus has already made a way for forgiveness.

Now, we reach the heart of today’s passage—Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth.

Following the pattern of the prophets, Jesus begins with teaching. He reads from Isaiah and declares that His mission is to release creation from its bondage—to restore it to harmony with God.

He rolls up the scroll. Sits down. And every eye is fixed on Him.

Then He says: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

And they can’t see it. They expected miracles, not mercy. Glory, not grace.

Their expectations blind them, and rejection follows. Jesus reminds them that prophets are never accepted in their hometowns. He references Elijah and Elisha—prophets who, when rejected by their own people, performed miracles among Gentiles.

And that’s the turning point. The crowd, enraged, tries to kill Him. But Jesus walks away—His journey continuing toward a cross that will one day welcome another crowd.

So what does this mean for us?

In Luke 18, Jesus encounters a blind man near Jericho who cries out, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” People tell him to be quiet. He cries louder. Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” The man answers, “Lord, I want to see.” And Jesus responds: “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.”

It’s a curious moment. Of course a blind man would want to see. But maybe it’s not so obvious.

Because sometimes, those who are blind to God’s goodness don’t want to see. And the question echoes today:

Do you want to see all the good things God has set before you?

If your answer is yes, then here’s your challenge:

• 🌊 Immerse yourself in God’s Word—especially the Gospels. Get to know Jesus. Let His love captivate you.
• 🧠 Identify your expectations—and surrender them into the hands of Jesus.
• 👁️ Open yourself to seeing Him as He truly is, not just how you expect Him to be.

When you do that, Jesus will heal your spiritual blindness. He will open your eyes to grace, to purpose, to freedom.

Because the day Jesus stood up in that synagogue was the day grace spoke.

Amen.