Wednesday, January 30, 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 CAPTIVES
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 them He would come and do.
Every year in the United States, just before Thanksgiving, with tongue in cheek, the sitting president offers a presidential pardon to a single turkey, who is released from becoming the guest of honor along with stuffing and cranberries. I'm quite sure that there are no turkeys waiting and hoping to be pardoned. There are, however, prisoners on death row who do wait and hope for a last minute pardon, a call from the governor, granting a stay of execution and pardon.
Jesus came to proclaim pardon to captives of sin. There are far more captives to sin than there are captives in prisons across the face of the earth. We are born among them. The Holy Law of God makes plain the sentence and punishment that we deserve. God's Law condemns every sinner to be worthy of eternal death.
Jesus came to do more than proclaim pardon. He came to make it possible by offering Himself on the cross in our place, winning our pardon by His sacrifice.
This is the message of freedom that Jesus has for you.
