Will We Rise or Will We Fall? (Cultivating Generosity - Intro to Series)

When Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple to consecrate Him to the Lord, they run into a man named Simeon. After giving thanks for Jesus, Simeon tells them, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel… 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35 NIV).Our text this Sunday (Luke 4-6 but esp. 4:14-30) is about one community that fell when they encountered Jesus. In fact, they wanted to kill Him. To be sure, His message that day was astonishingly good — and deeply disruptive. They responded poorly.This text is about an event 2,000 years and some 6,500 miles away. Despite the time and distance between it and us, it carries penetrating questions for us. It still begs the question of whether we will fall or rise.