PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 4:14-21
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” (Luke 4:18)
Why does the Spirit of God commission the messiah to bring good news to the poor?
Why not everyone, why specifically those who are poor, prisoners, blind and oppressed?
God’s desire from the beginning is that everyone be free and blessed and loved.
Since the corruption of humanity, our world has become divided.
The proud over the humble, the rich over the poor, the strong over the weak.
When God sets things right, everyone will be placed on the same level.
This will be a gain for the poor, and the a loss for the rich.
The exalted will be brought down, and the lowly will be lifted up.
Can you imagine what our world will be like then?
No more victims, no more poor, no more disadvantaged, no more bullies.
No more fraud, no more corruption, no more unjust policies, no more abuses of power.
What will the media talk about when all this is gone… nothing left but good news!
The Spirit of the Lord is on us too, to be and to bring this good news.
Jesus fulfilled this message for us; is it being fulfilled through me too?
PRAYER
Lord, I seem to be working more among the rich than among the poor, more for the advantaged than the disadvantaged. Is your Spirit calling me to change my focus and my audience?
Connecting to scripture – connecting with Jesus. Jesus shows us how. How does scripture fulfill itself in my life? Do I exhibit the promises of the gospel – communicating the freedom, the liberation from sin and the decay and immorality only possible through Jesus. He is my hope – do I exhibit that hope or just keep it to myself – dismayed by thoughts that most people find Jesus irrelevant today? Rather He is! He’s alive – he lives – so I may live too. I must remain encouraging and hopeful – especially in the face of the challenges of the pandemic! Jesus has come and brings hope! Help me to exude hope – especially to the those sidelined and challenged. How can we help those caught up in the cycle of addiction? They are our poor.
The carpenter reading the scroll. I wonder what the people thought. Jesus was Spirit driven to tell the Story. And I too need to tell that story of Jesus and His love.
1
I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story,
Because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do.
I love to tell the story,
’Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
of Jesus and His love.
2
I love to tell the story;
More wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies
Of all my golden dreams,
I love to tell the story,
It did so much for me;
And that is just the reason
I tell it now to thee.
3
I love to tell the story;
’Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems each time I tell it,
More wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story;
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God’s own holy Word.
4
I love to tell the story;
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story,
That I have loved so long.