Our scripture reading this evening is found in Luke's Gospel, Chapter 4. Our text is Luke 4, verses 16-30. So if you want to find that and stick your bulletin there, and then turn back to Isaiah 61. We'll read a few verses from Isaiah 61. So our text is Luke 4, verses 16-30. But we'll first read a few verses from Isaiah 61. I'm actually going to read the first three verses of Isaiah 61 instead of verses 1 and 2, as I told the secretary. So we read Isaiah 61, verses 1 to 3, and then drop down and read verses 10 and 11. People of God, this is God's Word. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Then drop it down to verse 10. I delight greatly in the Lord. My soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation, and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness. As a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up, and a garden causes seeds to grow, So the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all the nations. And then turn over to Luke chapter 4. Beginning at verse 16. Now he, that is, Jesus, went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom, and he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written, 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 for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. Isn't this Joseph's son? they asked. Jesus said to them, surely you will quote this proverb to me. Physician, heal yourself. Do hear in your hometown what we have heard that you did at Capernaum. I tell you the truth, he continued. No prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time. when the sky was shut for three and a half years, and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet. Yet not one of them was cleansed, only Naaman the Syrian. All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. Thanks be to God for his word. Now J.R.R. Tolkien begins his famous trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, with a very interesting prologue. A prologue entitled, Concerning Hobbits. Now one writer wrote of this prologue, It contains a great deal of material on very such mundane matters as hobbits' eating customs, political arrangements, and tobacco preferences. And Tolkien anticipates the question we might have reading that book, who are these hobbits? But this background that he gives is very necessary since the hobbits play a crucial role in the characters of the Lord of the Rings. So we need to know a little bit about who they are and what they do so the rest of the story makes more sense to us. Now, in many ways, this is what Luke does in the beginning of his Gospel. He gives us many things about this Jesus Christ so that we know about who he is and what he came to do. In our text this evening, we have one of the very first instances of Christ's earthly ministry. And I believe that here we can answer the very fundamental question that I'm sure Luke's readers had as well. Who is this Jesus? And that's a very important question for us today as well. Many people think they know who Jesus is. But are they right? We need to look at Jesus' life and Jesus' work. What did he come to earth to accomplish? A lot of people just look at what Christ said. They look just at those red letters. And that's who Christ is. But as Christians, we look not only for what Christ said, but also what he did. But we also look at what was foretold about him in the Old Testament scriptures. So this evening, I want to answer that question with you of who is this Jesus in two ways. Jesus was foretold. Jesus was also rejected. If you look at your outlines, you notice that there are three sub-points to each of those, and I hope it doesn't look too complicated. It's really not, and I hope that you can follow along. So first of all, Jesus was foretold. Jesus, we're told about Jesus' family. Jesus was a Jew. He was a very devout Jew at that. Luke makes this very clear already in his Gospel. Luke 1, verse 27, we're told that Jesus was to come in the line, in the house of David. In many ways, that was the ultimate family line for a Jew, to be called a son of David, to be in David's line. And it was through David that God promised the Messiah would come. All the way back in 2 Samuel 7, God gives that promise to David. Luke 2, verse 22, we're told how the family went to the temple eight days after Jesus was born. They kept the law of Moses just as they should. Luke 2, verse 41, every year the family went to the Passover. And in the couple of verses just before ours, his custom was to go up to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. And if that wasn't enough, Luke even includes one of the two genealogies of Jesus we have in the Gospels. Luke wants to make his readers very certain of who Jesus was. And he goes back from Joseph, through David, Abraham, all the way back to Adam, showing us who this Messiah was in his family. But why is it important that we see Jesus as a Jew? Well, very simply, the history of the redemption of God's people came through the Israelites. It came through the Jews. And the Messiah was to come from a very specific Jewish family. The Messiah was to be David's son. And God, throughout the Old Testament, and even today, works through families. And he worked through the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So we need to see that Jesus was a Jew. But Jesus was also foretold in his function. What did Christ come to this earth to do? Did he come just to merely be a great and wise teacher? Somebody that we can look to as an example of how we should live our life. To be merely an example to follow. No, what did Christ actually come to do? Well, he came to accomplish the redemption of God's people. That's what the whole Old Testament story was leading up to. All the way from Genesis 3.15, all the way through Israel coming out of Exodus, all the way through the kings and the prophets, was talking about the redemption of God's people. And the prophets foretold many things about what Jesus was to do. This promised Messiah. So that's when Jesus comes to the synagogue on that Sabbath day, and he knows exactly what he needs to say. He asks for the scroll of Isaiah, and he turns right to the place where he wants to go. He knew what to say. So let's look at what Isaiah says this Messiah was to do. Jesus picked out this passage. Let's look at it briefly. Well, first of all, we are told the Messiah was to be anointed by the Holy Spirit. It's very important that we remember that. Jesus was anointed for his task. Anointing means being set apart. Set apart for a very specific task. That's what the Heidelberg Catechism says in question and answer 31. Jesus was anointed to be our prophet, priest, and our king. But Isaiah says he was anointed to proclaim the good news to the poor and to proclaim freedom to the prisoners. Literally, Jesus came to preach the gospel. Christ is our chief prophet. He is the word of God incarnate and he was bringing God's word to his people. well you may be wondering why just to the poor and to the captives is the gospel not for me since I'm not in prison and I have something in my bank account does that not mean the gospel is going to come to me well obviously this is a generalization and Luke uses these terms throughout his gospel to point to us to spiritual truths we are all poor we are all in need of something and we are all in need of a savior In that sense, we too can be considered spiritually poor in need of God's grace. And every man, woman, and child is captive to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. We can't escape our sinful ways. John 8, verse 34, we hear everyone who commits a sin is a slave to sin. In a very real sense, all of mankind is held captive under God's righteous wrath. We can't get out of it on our own. We are behind those bars. Isaiah goes on and says that there will be a recovering of sight to the blind. And without God's grace, aren't we all blind to who Jesus was and what he came on earth to do? Look at how blind the Jews were, and they had Jesus standing in the flesh right in front of them. But they were blind to what he actually came to do. Of course, Christ did actually do miracles that gave sight to the blind. But they always pointed to the spiritual truth as well. Listen to the end of Luke's Gospel. When Jesus approaches those apostles on the Emmaus Road in Luke 24, and their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Now, is there more than just a recognition of Jesus' physical presence as him being Jesus of Nazareth? Well, I think there's more there. Their eyes were opened to the truth of the Scriptures that said who this Messiah was. And they finally realized that he was the promised Messiah that they had been waiting for. All the Scriptures pointed to Jesus Christ. But Isaiah also said the Messiah would set at liberty those who are oppressed. In this statement, we're told the Messiah was actually going to do something. Before, he was just proclaiming good news and telling the prisoners that liberty was coming. But the people needed more than a prophet. They needed somebody to actually accomplish their redemption. They needed a priest and they needed a king. So that's what Christ came to do, to be their redeemer. As their priest, he was the one final sacrifice on the cross. And as their king, he battled and defeated the devil, not only in his temptation, but also on the cross. So Christ is preaching good news to the people there in the synagogue, and he's also preaching good news to us as well. That in Jesus Christ, we are given liberty. Isn't that what Romans 8 verse 1 says? There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Finally, Isaiah says that the Messiah was to come to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Here Isaiah is telling the people that the Lord would bring forth an abundance of His grace. It is now the time of the Lord's favor. A time when the people would be held, they could come into God's presence and come to Him. Now, of course, God's favor is seen in many ordinary and very different ways. But God's ultimate act of His favor is seen in His bringing us His only begotten Son, the incarnate Jesus Christ, who reconciled us to our Heavenly Father. There are many statements that Isaiah gives that Jesus quoted on that Sabbath morning. But it's very important for us to look at what Jesus didn't say from Isaiah. You may have noticed when we read Isaiah that Jesus stopped at a very interesting point. Listen to Isaiah 61 verse 2 again. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God. Why would Christ stop where he did? But it was not the time of God's vengeance. God's judgments would be poured out on Christ on the cross, and they will be poured out at the end of time when Christ comes again. But that was not the time for God's vengeance to be poured out there on that synagogue morning, on that Sabbath morning in the synagogue. Today was not the day of God's vengeance. There was still time for the people in that synagogue to believe in Jesus Christ and to trust in Him as the promised Messiah. And brothers and sisters, we can say the same thing today. Thanks be to God that today is not the day of God's vengeance. But today is the day of salvation. Today is not the day of vengeance. So we've heard about Christ's family. We've heard about his function being foretold. It brings us to our third point in honor of his being foretold. Christ is the fulfillment. Now Luke gives us some very specific details about what happens. and you can just see it in your eye Jesus says these words rolls up the scroll and gives it back to the attendant and I love what is said next the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him people knew that this was a messianic prophecy they probably heard it before so what is this man from Nazareth this carpenter going to say there was a time of reflection on the scripture read when scripture was read in the synagogue the rabbi who said the scripture would then explain to the people what that scripture meant. So what was Jesus of Nazareth going to say? Well, what Jesus says is absolutely amazing. Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Already early in Christ's earthly ministry, he is equating himself with the promised Messiah. And he tells the people that scripture is being fulfilled right then and there in their hearing. He's accomplishing the work that Isaiah prophesied even then and there. Christ would continue to fulfill this prophecy throughout his earthly ministry. Listen to how Jesus responds to John's disciples in Luke chapter 7. John's disciples had a legitimate question. Are you the promised Messiah? Or do we need to wait for somebody else? Are you the promised Messiah? Listen to how Jesus responds. So he replied to the messengers, Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me. It's an amazing response that Jesus gives, isn't it? Jesus could have just said, Yes, I'm the Messiah. I'm the one you've been waiting for for hundreds and thousands of years. I am the Messiah. That's not what he says, is it? Jesus says prophecies such as the ones we heard in Isaiah 61, those prophecies are being fulfilled. You're a good Jew. Do the math yourself. Am I the Messiah? Are these prophecies being fulfilled? Jesus continues to fulfill prophecies throughout his earthly ministry. But the great thing about Isaiah 61 is that we're included in that fulfillment as well. We receive benefits from Christ's work. We receive new covenant blessings. Listen to Isaiah 61, verses 10-11 again. I delight greatly in the Lord. My soul rejoices in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up, and a garden causes seeds to grow so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all the nations. Did you notice those New Covenant blessings, people? We are clothed with the garments of salvation and we are covered with the robe of righteousness. Christ's active and passive obedience is given to us as God's children. And these are the garments that God sees us in if we are in Jesus Christ. Our filthy rags are removed and Christ's perfect robes cover us. That is truly good news that Christ fulfilled for us. But this is also done before all the nations. It's not just limited to the Jews anymore. But the true Israel will sprout up from all the nations, even as Isaiah prophesied in verse 11. So brothers and sisters, who is this Jesus? He was foretold in his family function and his fulfillment. But he was also rejected. Which brings us to our second point. And that's ultimately the reaction of those who heard Jesus. They rejected Christ. And they rejected him with their response, with a repeated offense, and with a riot. Well, first let's look at that response. Look at verse 22. All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. The people were amazed at what Christ said. They marveled at his understanding. It seemed as if it was going to be a positive response. This isn't the first time that this happened in Christ's life. Luke 2, verse 47, when Jesus, even as a young boy in the temple, and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And in the text right before ours in Luke 4, 14 and 15, a report about him went out through all the surrounding country And he taught in the synagogues, being glorified by all. So if we were to stop at verse 22 in the beginning, we'd say, this must have a happy ending. It's a very positive response of these people hearing Jesus on that Sabbath day. But then the people had to open their mouth. The people had to say something. Isn't this Joseph's son? Right then and there, the people in the synagogue rejected Jesus Christ. the people heard the messianic prophecy they heard Christ tell them in so many words that he was the promised Messiah but they couldn't get over the fact that they saw Jesus grow up Christ just announced to them the time of the Lord's favor and acceptance but they rejected that message they did not accept Jesus Christ what an amazing contrast God shows his acceptance of his people by sending to them His incarnate Son who would come and accomplish their redemption. But the people to whom those promises came rejected Jesus. Earlier we thought about how Luke was so careful to point out Jesus' family and who He was as a faithful Jew. How important that is. But here the people are rejecting Christ precisely because He was a Jew that they saw grow up from a young boy. They overlooked the fact that Jesus was David's greater son. They couldn't get over the fact that he was Joseph's son. So how did Christ respond? Verse 23, Jesus knows what the people are going to ask. So he says, I know you're going to tell me to quote this proverb, physician, heal yourself. We heard that you did some cool things in Capernaum. We want to see him here. Jesus knows what their answer will be. What does that response of physician heal yourself mean? Jesus knew that the people wanted him to confirm that he was a true prophet. Confirm that he was the Messiah. And to confirm that with a sign or a miracle. Something to prove who he was. How can a physician prove that he is in fact a good physician? Well, by curing himself and being healthy himself. Would you go to a doctor who is always sick and can't even keep himself healthy? No, you're not going to go to that kind of doctor. So the people hear the miracles that Jesus did in Capernaum and they want to see it themselves. They demand that Jesus prove right then and there that he was a true prophet. Well, is that a legitimate request to the people? Do the people have a legitimate question to bring before Christ? Prove to us that you are a real prophet. listen to deuteronomy 18 where moses gives the test for a false prophet moses writes and if you say in your heart how may we know that the word that the lord has not spoken when a prophet speaks in the name of the lord if the word does not come to pass or not come true that is a word that the lord has not spoken the prophet has spoken it presumptuously you need not be afraid of him so what does Moses tell the people they need to look for do they need to look for miracles no they were to wait and see if the words of the prophecy actually come true if they didn't come true then that man was not a true prophet and they don't need to worry about him so the people in that synagogue on that Sabbath morning needed to see if the prophecies of Isaiah 61 were actually going to come true in Jesus' life if they did then he must be a true prophet. Then he must be the Messiah. Jesus would do many miracles in his earthly ministry and they did prove who he was as the incarnate Son of God. But he never did miracles on demand. So the people rejected Christ because they knew where he came from. They saw him go up. But they also wanted to see something for themselves. This is an interesting place to think about what true faith is. True faith, as you may have heard, is a knowledge, assent, and trust. Although people have the knowledge, Christ told them the facts, they can read it in Isaiah. They even gave in some way their agreement, their assent to what he said. They marveled at his gracious words. But that final element of trust, they did not move from knowledge and assent to trusting in what Jesus said and believing in him as a promised Messiah. They didn't trust in Jesus Christ. People of God, when you're confronted with the facts concerning who Christ is and what he came to do, do you only acknowledge them as maybe being true or maybe good words to look at? They're already looking for more. Brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit creates true faith by the preaching of the Gospel. And if you don't have true faith, then you're in the right place this evening. As I said earlier, today is the day of salvation. It's not yet the day of God's vengeance. So put your trust in Jesus Christ alone. Now the people of Nazareth had Jesus standing right in front of them, and they did not have true faith in Jesus Christ. So we aren't to envy them and say, if we were sitting in those pews, we would have believed in Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, our faith is not based on sight. Jesus, in his response to Thomas in John 20, he said, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed. People of God, that's us. Jesus is talking about us. Hebrews 11, verse 1, Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. We are now in the age of proclamation about these things. We have the prophecies about Jesus Christ. We have the apostles giving us their eyewitness testimony of who he was and what he did and what he said. And the miracle of the resurrection is all the proof that we need to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. And we didn't even see it. But we trust in the word of the apostles. And it is through the Holy Spirit that we have knowledge, assent, and finally, trust. This comes through the preaching of the gospel and confirmed by the sacraments. So Jesus was rejected by the people's response, but he was also rejected by a repeated offense. Now, it's always sad to see somebody commit an offense that they just were in prison for maybe a couple weeks before. They go right back to their old ways. Well, Jesus, in verses 25 to 27, he continues in a very interesting way and recounts two of the stories of the greatest prophets in Israel's history, Elijah and Elisha. Now everybody knew who these two prophets were. So why does Jesus give these two stories? He reminds the Jews that they have rejected God's prophets in the past. And they were put under the curses of God. God sent the prophets as his covenant attorneys to tell them they have transgressed God's commands. And they are now under the curse. And Jesus even reminds the Jews that there was no rain for three and a half years because they were not following God's law, the prophets told them. And that there was nobody in Israel at that time that benefited from Elijah and Elisha. The people did benefit, but they weren't even Jews. And because of Israel's rejection of the prophets' message, the prophets went someplace else. And Jesus Christ was going to leave Nazareth and go someplace else as well. Jesus also told these stories to remind us and the Jews of the need for God's grace. Just because we have the history, whether it was Jews or the people of Nazareth, God's grace is needed to accept the message of his prophets. And this is true today in the church as well. Just because you've gone to church your whole life doesn't mean that you don't need God's grace to have true, saving faith. We, too, can be the ones that reject the Messiah. And it has dire consequences. The day of vengeance is coming. So why else does Jesus give this story? To also show that it was always God's plan to have the good news go to all the nations. For a time, it did seem as if it was just for Israel. just for the people in the promised land. The Old Testament was always pointing to more. As we heard earlier from Isaiah 61, verse 11, there was a garden to sprout up before all the nations. And there were those sprouts coming up throughout Israel's history, wasn't there? Jethro, Rahab, Ruth, and even the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian were all sprouts growing up out of the nations. To the Jews, this was offensive. They were the people of God. Those Gentiles have to stay out. We're God's people. Gentiles were unclean. And that's another reason Jesus was rejected throughout his ministry, wasn't it? That he had supper with unclean people. Tax collectors, prostitutes, Gentiles. People the Jews thought were unclean. So Jesus uses these stories from Elijah and Elisha to remind the people that they were in a privileged position as Jews. But throughout their history, they rejected the prophets. And had already just rejected the chief prophet, the incarnate Son of God, who was standing before them. They truly did commit a repeated offense. And they continued to reject the prophets of the Lord, even the incarnate Son of God. But even this repeated offense wouldn't be their final. Let's think about that last point. Jesus was rejected with a riot. Well, the Jews weren't stupid. They knew exactly what Christ had said. They wanted a sign from this supposed Messiah because they understood that this prophecy from Isaiah was messianic and that Jesus was identifying himself with that promised Messiah. And Jesus gives them stories reminding them how they rejected God's prophets in the past. And how God was pleased to then go to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected Him. So the people broke out in a riot. And as a result of Christ's words, they are full of wrath. They are furious, as the Bible says. They are extremely angry. The same word that Luke uses here in Luke 4, he uses in Acts 19 to describe the city-wide riot in Ephesus. This was a big riot. The people were going to treat Jesus as a false prophet and a blasphemer. They were going to kill him just like the law of Moses told them to do. So they take Jesus Christ out of the synagogue and they drive him to the edge of that cliff and intend to throw him down. Look at the depth of the people's rejection of Jesus Christ. They wanted to kill the Messiah in a rageful wrath, just as they had the prophets before. Earlier in Luke's Gospel, in chapter 2, Simeon gives this prophecy. Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed, so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. Already, just a couple of chapters later, we see that prophecy being fulfilled. Their hearts were revealed. The depth of their rejection is shown. They rejected the truth of the Messiah. Now, it's clear in the Old Testament that Jesus was to die. That he was going to die on this earth. But this was not the time. Jesus' earthly ministry had just begun, and this was not the time for him to be put to death. So Jesus walks through the crowd. He leaves. Now some translations read that as passing through their midst. And upon an initial reading, you might think that this was some kind of supernatural act. What did Jesus do? Did he become invisible and walk through the crowd? Did he go up in a puff of smoke so that they didn't see where he went? Well, sorry to burst your imaginations, but this was just an ordinary exit. this statement just means that Jesus got through an obstacle. Luke uses it throughout the book of Acts to tell us how the apostles walked through the cities and passed through the cities on their missionary journeys. And given what Christ said in verse 23 about the people demanding a sign, what was the last thing he wanted to give them when he left? The last thing he wanted to give them was a miraculous exit. So Jesus just leaves. And throughout Luke's Gospel, he puts Jesus on this journey to the cross. And that's exactly what happens here as well. The time for Jesus' death was not right then and there, but it was coming. So Luke puts Jesus back on that road to Jerusalem and ultimately to the cross. Now one of the amazing things about this passage is how it points to the final days of Jesus' life here on earth so beautifully. Think about the movement we heard for verse 22. All spoke well of him and marveled at his gracious words. The verse 28. When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. Now listen to these words from later in Luke's Gospel. On Palm Sunday. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest. Which goes to just a few days later, the Good Friday. Away with this man. Bring us Barabbas. Crucify him. Crucify him. How quickly do the people turn on Jesus Christ when they realize that he was not the Messiah they wanted him to be? It's a scene both in chapter 4, but also throughout Jesus' ministry. Finally, in the ultimate rejection of Jesus Christ. But it is through God's wisdom that he used that final rejection as a means to sacrifice the Son of God as the innocent Lamb on the cross. Christ had to be crucified to fulfill His mission. The same people who shouted Hosanna were the ones shouting crucify Him just a few days later. And that should give us pause, brothers and sisters. Without God's grace, we would have sent Christ to die as well. We're not any better than the Jews sitting in that synagogue that Sabbath morning. We would do the exact same thing if left to ourselves. But the amazing thing is that God did send His Son to die in our place. That God's wrath was heavy on us, but now it's been turned away. Christ died for our sins and atoned for all of our sins for those who have true faith in Jesus Christ. To the people of God, who is this Jesus? Well, this Jesus was a Jew, but he was also the God-man who became incarnate to gather for himself the true Israel from all the nations. Christ also had a function. He came to this earth to work. He came to accomplish the redemption of all those God gave to him. And it's only because of that work that we can stand before God reconciled to Him. Christ was also a fulfillment. He was foretold throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. And He was the final answer to all of God's promises that He gave from the beginning of time. And because of that work, we are included in that fulfillment as well. That's the good news of the Gospel that we need to hear yet again this evening. That God did work out redemption for all of His people. that we too are included in that great act of God's redemption. Jesus was also rejected. He was rejected by the response of the people. He was subject to that Jewish repeated offense who rejected the prophet of the Lord yet again. And finally Christ was rejected in a rage-filled riot. Brothers and sisters, when you hear about the person and work of Jesus Christ, what is your response? Do you find it foolish and reject the Son of God because He wasn't what you expected Him to be? Are you a repeat offender? Have you heard the good news of the Gospel time and time again but repeatedly brushed it aside? Are you doing the same thing yet again tonight? Are you part of the riot that thinks you're righteous in and of themselves and you want to throw Jesus over the cliff because you think he's a false prophet. Well, if that's your response this evening, let me remind you that today is the day of salvation. Repent and believe in Jesus Christ for the day of God's vengeance is coming. Now, this question of who is this Jesus may seem childish to you and too basic for an educated 21st century American. But Jesus asked the same question of his disciples. And he asked them, who do you say that I am? And Peter responded, you are the Son of the living God. You are the Christ. Brothers and sisters, that is the correct response. And may those words truly be on our lips up until the day that Christ comes again and we do see him face to face in the flesh. Amen. Most gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for the wonderful good news it is that you sent your Son into this world in the fullness of time to redeem for Yourself a people. Lord, may that good news cause us to live our lives out of gratitude for all that You have given to us. And may we always look to Jesus Christ as our only Savior. And thank You for allowing us to cry, Abba, Father, for we can only do that through Your Spirit. In Your Son's most holy and precious name, Amen.