Opposition to Jesus in Nazareth

Opposition to Jesus in Nazareth
Luke 4.14-30

The commentators were ecstatic after the game. ‘He played like a man inspired,’ they said. What images does that conjure up for you?

A sports star, perhaps, running rings round the opposition and scoring a brilliant goal.

Or, from a different world, a musician: eyes closed, fingers flying to and fro on an instrument, filling the air with wonderful jazz.

‘Inspiration’: we use the word loosely. We imply that ‘it just came over them’, that they suddenly became someone different. Of course we know that it didn’t happen like that. The brilliant athlete has been training and practising, hour after hour and week after week. The musician has been playing exercises, perfecting technique for long hours out of the public eye. Then, when the moment comes, a surge of adrenalin produces a performance which we call ‘inspired’ – but which is actually the fruit of long, patient hard work...

Taken from Luke for Everyone – by Tom Wright