Isn't this Joseph's son?

“They were all speaking well of Him and were amazed by the gracious words that came from His mouth, yet they said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"

~Luke 4:22 HCSB

Jesus was starting his ministry.  He has been baptized, we has survived the wilderness and the temptations of the accuser, Satan.  He enters Nazareth where he grew up.  As was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.  He stood and read from the prophet Isaiah and he read:  

“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”  (Luke 4:18-19 HCSB)

He rolled the scroll up and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.  Everyone was watching him, waiting to see what he would say.  He said to them all, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” Up to this point they were all speaking well of him and were amazed by him and then someone asked the question, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” From that point on the conversation and opinion of the crowd took a turn.  Jesus goes on to tell them of the days of Elijah when there was a famine and two Gentiles where taken care of but not Israel.  He was telling them they had reject him just like they had rejected the prophets and salvation would go to the Gentiles.  This enraged the crowd and they drove him out of the synagogue, out of the town, to a cliff where they wanted to throw him over, but he turned and faced the crowd and walked on through them and went on his way. 

I read this story and realize the power of Jesus and the impact he has on people who are listening.  The people heard Jesus and were amazed, but as soon as he proclaimed to them who he was, they questioned him.  They connected him with Joseph, they remembered his family.  They reminded themselves of his past.  I’m sure there were rumors of Jesus, who was his ‘real’ father anyway?  Besides they were a common family, a poor family, what is he doing in here telling us about anything!  When Jesus is spoken into people’s lives he causes such a reaction today.  He is just a moral teacher, he didn’t exist at all, he was just a man.  Jesus is so much more! He is the Son of God.  He came to set the captives free, free from sin and spiritual blindness!  He came to free those oppressed by weight of guilt and shame, he is the good news and he was sent for us! 

Lord thank you for your Son Jesus who came to set us free from sin so we can follow you with our whole hearts.  Hearts freed to worship you, free to know you, free from this world and it’s ways!  Lord thank you, who are we without you!  Amen