Jesus Returns to Galilee

Scripture: Luke 4:14-15

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. (Luke 4:14-15 NLT)

Jesus had been down south in Judea at the Jordan River to be baptized by his cousin John. He was likely traveling on his own or with a few friends at this point. He appears to have been alone when John baptized him, but some people from Galilee who were present on that occasion and witnessed the baptism introduced themselves to Jesus and showed an interest in following him. Among those Jesus met at this time were Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip, and Nathanael from Bethsaida, a fishing village on Lake Galilee (see John 1:29-51). Then Jesus went away alone into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan forty days.

Then he returned to his home province, Galilee, and began to travel around the region teaching as a guest speaker on the Sabbath in the village synagogues. He was becoming fairly well known in the heavily populated area around Lake Galilee and seemed to focus on Bethsaida and Capernaum, but soon headed for his hometown of Nazareth, about halfway between Lake Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. Nazareth was a smallish village in the hills above a major trade route between Syria to the north and Egypt to the south. Roman presence was heavy in Galilee, and there was lots going on in the area. It was Jesus’ home turf.

Think how exciting it must have been for young Jesus! He had been declared the Messiah and the Lamb of God by John a couple of months earlier, he had battled Satan and his own desires in the wilderness, and he was confident in the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. Each day was a fresh adventure asking the Spirit, “Where do we go now, Holy Spirit?”; “Who do I talk to today?”; “What’s the next step in bringing Father’s kingdom to this messed up situation we’ve got ourselves into?”

What if we approached each day that way? What if we simply thought; “I’m God’s child. I know who I am and I know what I’m here for! Where do I go today? What shall I say today? How can I serve today? What’s next, Holy Spirit?”

Prayer:

Father, Please help my friends and me to look at our days and opportunities with fresh eyes. Please give us clarity about who we are and why we’re here. Give us a “What’s next, Holy Spirit?” approach to this day and to each day. In Jesus’ name!