Upon Arrival by Rob Haynes

My favorite part of any airport is the arrivals lounge. Everyone in the arrivals area seems to be full of happiness. Travelers are happy that they have arrived after their journey. Their friends and loved ones are happy to see them. Shuttle drivers are happy to see their passengers. The place is full of smiling faces.

In some airports, you see travelers get picked up outside the terminal building on the curb. A long line of cars moves along as travelers jump into cars and speed off. Surely, those people are happy as well. But there is just something about the inside arrivals area that warms my heart. You might see signs welcoming a loved one home from military service or from medical treatment or from a time of study in a far away place. To see those loved ones eagerly awaiting someone from my plane makes me smile. They look past me to see the one they expect to greet with great celebration. They want to welcome the long-expected one home.

In Luke 4, we see Jesus arrive home to teach in the synagogue. Luke records it this way:

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

Luke 4:16-21

To those in the synagogue that day, the Isaiah passage would have been a familiar one. It speaks of the long-expected One who would set things right. This prophecy of the Lord’s anointed was the impetus for great hope for anyone who is poor, captive, blind, or oppressed. He is saying, “The one you have been waiting generations to see has arrived! Time to celebrate!” The people could be holding up signs and carrying balloons and shouting for joy. They only meet him with confusion and disregard. However, we see in the gospels that Jesus delivered on these promises. Was it only in his time on Earth that delivered on these promises? Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

Who are the poor? The Greek text here says: “To evangelize poor people” A look at the text tells us that the meaning of the phrase is “Poor in Spirit” and is the same that we see in the Sermon on the Mount.

Who is captive? The Greek here for “release” used here can be translated “forgiveness” or “remission.” And the word for “captives” means a “prisoner of war.” We are captive to our sin and need forgiveness and remission from that which separates us from God, ourselves, or from others. Jesus is the only one that can release us from captivity to our sin.

Who is blind? There are many accounts of Jesus healing both physical and spiritual blindness. This helps us see that Jesus can give us all the sight to see the world as it should be. 

He also sets the oppressed free. The meaning of this phrase could also give the idea of “bruised now have liberty.” Who are the ones in your community who are bruised by others, by society, and by circumstance? 

There is another important and related account where Jesus arrives on the scene quite unexpectedly. The evening of the first Easter, the disciples are locked in the Upper Room. The last 72 hours have been tumultuous, at best. They are POOR, spiritually. It’s been an awful few days.

They are BLIND, it’s night and their future is dark. They are CAPTIVE: they’ve locked themselves in. They are BRUISED, all their hopes have been dashed by Jesus’ death, and there are only rumors of his resurrection. They haven’t seen it for themselves. Then Jesus arrives on the scene:

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John 20:21

Did you catch that? As the Father sent Jesus, he sends his disciples. That is any who would follow Jesus. That means we do the things he did and teach the things he taught. Though the world may not realize it, they are looking for Jesus’ message. They are standing at the arrivals lounge of their hopes, dreams, and expectations. They are setting their gaze on things that are making them poor, captive, blind, and oppressed. In the pattern of Jesus, we are called to let them know that the One they are waiting on has arrived. He has what they are looking to see. It is our job and privilege to announce the arrival of One they seek. Who will you proclaim that today?