Completing the Circuit

Completing the Circuit

Words of Faith 3-22-18

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2018

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 

Luke 4

    [14] Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. [15] He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

    [16] He 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. [17] The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

    [18] "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, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

    [20] 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, [21] and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

    [22] 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.

        Over the past few years we completed a renovation on a 70 year old one room cabin in Colorado.  I was assigned as the electrician.  This is probably because I mess up the drywall too much.  After a couple of summers of reading electrical books and wiring, I learned three basics guidelines.

        1) Don't cut into a live wire with tin snips. (I won't explain exactly how I learned this.)

        2) Don't put in a three-way switches unless you absolutely have to-- they will drive you crazy. 

        3) AC Power must have a complete circuit-- power must go out and come back. 

        You can forget a lot of things but these three are important, especially the last one.  That is the way AC electricity works.  It has to come in from the box on a HOT wire and it has to go back to the box on a RETURN.  All wiring is based on that.  That is a completed circuit.

        Strangely, that last guideline is exactly the same truth that was made evident as Jesus visited His hometown and began His public ministry. Jesus had actually begun preaching in the Galilee.  People who knew Him before realized that He was different.

        Mark tells us of the extensive healing ministry that went on at Capernaum.  Luke says that Jesus was in the power of the Spirit.  He was plugged in. We often focus on Jesus as a carpenter and fail to acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit. He is the electrician.  He brings in the POWER.

      But a strange thing happened when Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth.  It is commonly called a rejection.  Some would evaluate it as a failure.  Mark 6:5