Scripture Readings: Jeremiah 1: 4-10 & Luke 4: 21-30
In Jeremiah 1, God tells Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” This emphasises that divine purpose is in every life and how God’s call is personal and purposeful. God formed him, knew him, set him apart, and appointed him.
When Jeremiah received a call from God, he expressed fear, saying, “I do not know how to speak.” But the Lord said to him, “You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.” (v.7) God reassures him, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will rescue you.” (v.8) God’s power strengthens and equips us regardless of our inadequacies
Jeremiah was given a mission to uproot and break down, to build and plant. However, he faced rejection because he proclaimed God’s word, challenging injustice and false security. Faithfulness to God’s call means speaking the truth even in discomfort. Despite opposition, Jeremiah continued prophesying. Let us be reminded that God’s plan may extend beyond rejection.
When God calls people, they often respond with excuses emphasizing their weaknesses rather than relying on God’s strength. When God calls people to His service, He equips them for the task. Just like Jeremiah, the main reason people are slow to respond to God’s call is fear. From time to time, those who serve God must tear down what needs to be removed before they can plant and build the new. And I trust God will newly reform and transform us into the best version of ourselves.
God’s word speaks to us today. As He is the one who builds and designs our lives, our circumstances and situation do not matter. In response, as He gives us strength to handle it, we have nothing to be afraid of.
God is not only always present but is aware of everything going on in this world, including how we react and respond to His words. Those who declare God’s Word may be presented with opposition. However, as God promises to be with His servants who obediently serve Him, may we all be the ones who respond to God’s call without fear, trusting His promise to be with us.
In Luke 4, He proclaims, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” referring to Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messiah bringing good news to the poor. At first, people marvelled at Jesus and His words, but the admiration soon turned into aggression and rage. With speculations in disbelief that Jesus couldn’t possibly be the Messiah, Jesus was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth.
When Jesus referenced Elijah and Elisha in His sermon at Nazareth, He made a radical point that enraged His audience. He reminded them that God sent Elijah to a Gentile widow who trusted and welcomed the prophet during a great famine, rather than to an Israelite widow (1 Kings 17). Likewise, in the days of Elisha, though there were many lepers in Israel, it was Naaman, a Syrian commander, who was healed because he humbled himself and obeyed the prophet’s instructions (2 Kings 5).
Both stories emphasize that God’s grace and miracles extend beyond Israel, reaching those who are willing to receive in faith. The widow’s hospitality and Naaman’s willingness in faith contrast sharply with the hardness of heart Jesus encountered in His hometown. Jesus’ reminder enraged the crowd because they expected privilege rather than inclusive love and redemption.
Are we resisting God’s word because it challenges us? Or are we embracing the uncomfortable truth that is beyond our expectations? The people of Nazareth expected a Messiah who would favour them exclusively, but Jesus made it clear – God’s love is for all who are open to receive it. And just as the widow and Naaman stepped forward in faith, let us be willing to receive God’s truth, even if the challenges may exceed our expectations.
The crowd’s rejection in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth foreshadows further rejection, betrayal, and suffering on the cross. They even try to throw Jesus off a cliff, but He walks away untouched. Jesus continues to walk the path of ministry as He loves us and wants to save us. The way of the cross, the road of love, His mission does not end with rejection and has much further to go.
Faithfulness to God often invites rejection. However, Jesus remained faithful to God’s purpose and proclaimed the truth even in life-threatening situations, simply walking through the crowd without any miracles or angels from heaven. Nazareth’s rejection became a process in His greater mission to the cross and beyond.
Luke 4:30 says, “But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.” Here, the Greek meaning of “went” carries a stronger will or intention meaning ‘to continue on the way you are going’. The crowd’s rage was intense and surreal, but that did not stop Jesus as He had further to go; to heal, to teach, to die on the cross, and to rise again.
In today’s Scripture readings, Jeremiah was called upon and faced with resistance. And when Jesus announced His mission, He was fronted with rage and resistance. This reminds us that God’s plans are not tampered by rejection and that our calling is only determined by God’s purpose.
Like Jeremiah and Jesus, we may face rejection when we follow God’s call, but do not be discouraged. God is with you. Even when people reject us, we must keep going and stay focused as God’s calling is so much more than one moment of opposition or betrayal.
The nature of human beings does not make it easy to be susceptible to rejection, but if we are living in God’s will as Jesus’ disciples, we have nothing to fear. Jesus continued His journey despite rejection even unto death. We are called to move on from rejection and bottlenecks, not to dwell in despair of our past experiences and emotions.
There is no limit nor boundaries in God’s love and blessings. We have further to go to worship, love, and serve. May we walk beautifully in the path God has called us to go and may we reach the end of our race faithfully in Christ.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(Ref. Bible, commentaries, theological books, UCA materials)