Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
FOR YOU ... JESUS' MINISTRY TO THE POOR
When Jesus began reading Isaiah He was reading His own God-given mission statement. Jesus was reading his own Father-given ministry outline. He was reading what the Father had promised His Waiting people He would come and do:
Jesus came to proclaim Good News to beggars. The poor doesn't merely refer to people who are down and out, who have lost their jobs and live on food stamps. The poor are spiritually poor. They are those who see their sins in sharp contrast to God's Law and understand that they have nothing of which to boast before God. They are those who know they have nothing with which to atone for their sins; nothing to turn aside His anger, nothing to reconcile them to God. They are those who realize that they have deserved not a place in heaven, but a bed in hell. They do not boast that they are "not as bad as some sinners"; but refusing even to lift their eyes to heaven, they pray (Luke 18:13):
"God, be merciful to me, the sinner!"
It is to these that Jesus comes to announce Good News. The Good News is that God has had mercy on us in His Son. That your sin is forgiven on account of Jesus' suffering and death. This is the rich message that Jesus has for you.
