19 Mar 2007 - Isaiah 61:1

Monday, March 19, 2007

Read today’s Scripture: Isaiah 61:1

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus reads these words from Isaiah as he begins his
ministry: “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, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor . . .” (Luke 4.18-19,
quoting Isaiah 61.1). After reading these words, Jesus responds: “Today
this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4.21) This
launched what would be the focus of Jesus’ ministry: to preach to the
outsiders and outcasts, those whom society had neglected yet those whom
God still called God’s own sons and daughters.
In a society with as much affluence as the Bay Area, it is difficult to
imagine the poor, especially the severely impoverished. But, the poor
are still with us and the poor still need good news, both the freeing
power of the Gospel and in the freeing power of being released from
their poverty. God’s love compels us to express love for one another. As
members of the Body of Christ, we can be witnesses of this Gospel of
love to bring good news to the poor by being stewards of that with which
God has blessed us. Take a moment and ask the Spirit to reveal to you
those in your life that you need to “proclaim…the Lord’s favor” to.
Write down these names of these people:

Someone who poor: _________________________________

Someone that is a captive: ____________________________

Someone who is spiritually blind: ______________________

Someone who is oppressed: ___________________________

Pray and ask God to show you how to carry on the ministry of Christ to
those in our lives that are hurting. Decide now how you will initiate
contact with one of the people on your list above. What steps will you
take to bring release, freedom and joy into the impoverished souls in
your life?

Chris McCabe, Freedom