Dear Christian friends:

Many years ago when I was the pastor of Faith Lutheran Church for the Deaf at Spokane, Washington there was a little hearing boy who came to church with his deaf mother. His name was Ronnie. I will never forget Ronnie for several reasons: he was a cute little boy and he was always getting into trouble; but the chief reason why I will not forget Ronnie is because he always called me "Jesus".

Was Ronnie wrong to call me Jesus? When he first called me Jesus I was shocked and surprised, and I thought that I should correct him. But I did not correct him. I permitted him to call me Jesus. Was I wrong to let him call me Jesus? Maybe you think that. Maybe you think, "Hauptman is crazy! Now he thinks he is Jesus!"

Well, I am not crazy and I do not think that I am Jesus. However, I do not think that I was wrong to let Ronnie call me Jesus. Why? In one way I am Jesus! What is that way? When I stand here on Sundays and read His Word and preach His Word. I speak for Jesus. Jesus speaks through me and ministers. Little Ronnie understood that I spoke for Jesus. He knew that I was a Jesus person. Therefore, he called me "Jesus." The same as we call anyone who believes in Jesus and follows Jesus a "Christian," (Signed Jesus-Person). Little Ronnie came to church expecting to see Jesus and hear Jesus.

We, perhaps, come to church expecting to hear only a man. We don't expect to hear Jesus speaking. For us Jesus is often the unexpected preacher. He was that also for the people in our text here. Our text is the Gospel lessen, which I signed before.


We often make the same mistake as the people of Nazareth here in our text.

The people of Nazareth came into the church that Sabbath Day expecting to see only a man preach and speak to them. But we read in our text, "Jesus stood up to read." (verse 17) They did not know or believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior God promised through the prophets. They thought He was only a man, the same as them.

We make the same mistake when we gather here in church expecting to see a man only preaching to us. We do not expect to see Jesus here on Sundays preaching to us and teaching us. For us Jesus is often the unexpected preacher. Therefore, we sometimes fail to come to church or if we do come, we come without excitement and eagerness. We are just going to see Hauptman and listen to him again.

Jesus corrects us about this big mistake!

Jesus corrected the people in the synagogue at Nazareth. He read to them from the Old Testament, the book of the prophet Isaiah. He read His own words which He had said through Isaiah's writing 750 years before:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has chosen Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to give comfort to the brokenhearted, to preach freedom to the prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to give freedom to the slaves, and to announce that now is the year when God accepts people." (verses 18-19)

Then Jesus closed the book; gave it back to the ruler of the Synagogue and sat down. All the people watched Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Today, while you are listening to Me, this writing of the prophet is fulfilled." (verse 21) (happens in Me)

Jesus meant to tell the people: "Isaiah prophesied about Me! I spoke these words through Isaiah long ago. I am God's only Son, the Christ! God chose Me and gave Me His Spirit. God sent Me to preach Good News to the poor, the brokenhearted, the prisoners, the blind, the deaf and the slaves." Jesus corrected the people at Nazareth that day.

Today Jesus also corrects us. He is not just a man! He is the Son of God, the Christ, the Savior of the world! And His pastors are not just men. They speak for God and for Him! When Jesus sent the 70 disciples out to preach He encouraged them with these words: "He that hears you hears Me; and he that despises you despises Me; and he that despises Me despises Him (God) that sent Me." (Luke 10:16)

Today Jesus corrects us about those who read and speak God's Word in church. We must not despise them, but honor them and listen to them the same as we would listen to Jesus or to God the Father. We must respect the office of the Word, the holy ministry! When we on Sunday morning prepare for church we should expect to meet Jesus here and to see Him teach and preach to us, not only a man-preacher. And the man preacher should remember that Jesus sends him and speaks through him. He should, therefore preach with confidence and authority and preach only Jesus' Word, not his own. Then the people know that Jesus is speaking to them through the pastor.

If we will remember this, we will be more faithful about coming to Bible and Church services. Also, we will be more excited and eager to listen and learn when we do come to church. We will expect to see Jesus and receive His precious words of life, which give good news to the poor, comfort to the brokenhearted, freedom to prisoners, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and life to the dead! (Explain spiritually) Each Sunday as we gather here we should expect and welcome Jesus as our preacher.

Let us pray:

"Blessed Jesus, at Thy word
We are gathered all to hear Thee;
Let our hearts and souls be stirred
Now to seek and love and fear Thee
By Thy teachings sweet and holy
Drawn from earth to love Thee soley."
(TLH 16: BLESSED JESUS, AT THY WORD, verse 1)

Amen.