Things Getting Dicey

The most interesting thing I have learned this week in my Perspectives class is found in a reading by Patrick Johnstone. He really opened up the passage of scripture that Jesus was reading - out of Isaiah 61. People were listening with joy and enthusiasm at first. Hometown boy making good as a rabbi. Joseph's son. Doing well after the shady birth story. However, things took a turn, and the account ends with the townsfolks trying to throw Jesus off a cliff. Ah, come on. (As a former first grader used to say.)

Why did things sour so quickly, aside from the fickleness of man? The Jews knew the passage well. They expected Jesus to read the second half of the phrase in Isaiah 61:2, but he stopped and only spoke of the time of God's mercy being fulfilled in their hearing.....and left off "and the day of vengence of our God". Things became dicey because, well, the Jews were sick to death of Roman rule and wanted some serious vengence and NOW! Their messiah needed to blast the bad guys off the planet immediately.

How dare Jesus suggest, by stopping mid-verse, that God was in mercy mode.  But that is precisely what Jesus was indicating, and they understood it well enough to not only tell him to go jump off a cliff; they were going to make certain He did it! What struck me is they were the very ones who needed mercy for their personal evil in their hearts. OK, like all of us.

What also struck me is how Jesus stopped and is extending mercy for a time. This is the mercy time period. Now is the time to receive forgiveness, mercy and grace for our own personal evil. Let's not throw Him off our private, little  "cliffs" but,  instead accept our culpability, ask for forgiveness and enjoy a loving relationship with Jesus. His heart is for you. His is famous for that.