Bible League: Living His Word "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."— Luke 4:18-19 ESV In our verses for today, Jesus quotes extensively from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1). The prophecy originally applied to the restoration of the Jewish people from the Babylonian Captivity, but it has a greater application to the ministry of Jesus. In effect, it summarizes the main benefits to us of his ministry on earth. First, the Spirit of the Lord anointed Jesus to "proclaim good news to the poor." The good news, of course, is the good news of the Gospel. It is the good news that a way of salvation is available. It is for "the poor." Who are the poor? They are all who are "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3). It is those humble enough to accept the good news message—those who know they need Jesus Christ in their lives. Second, the Spirit anointed Jesus to "proclaim liberty to the captives." Originally referring to the captives of Babylon, for Jesus it refers to all those who are captives of Satan, captured by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). Just as the captives of Babylon were released from captivity, so the captives of Satan will be released if they have faith in Jesus. Third, the Spirit anointed Jesus for the "recovering of sight to the blind." This was literally fulfilled in the healing ministry of Jesus, but it refers primarily to those that have been spiritually blinded by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4). Those that accept the gospel message will recover their spiritual sight. Fourth, the Spirit anointed Jesus to "set at liberty those who are oppressed." Originally referring to the oppressed of Babylon, Jesus sets at liberty those oppressed by the devil. Jesus had, of course, an extensive deliverance ministry. Finally, the Spirit anointed Jesus to "proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." The "year of the Lord's favor" is not a literal year. In Isaiah, it refers to the time of acceptance and blessing of those released from captivity in Babylon, but Jesus uses the term to refer to the time of acceptance and blessing of those who repent and acknowledge him as Lord and Savior. If you accept the good news, if you accept Jesus Christ, then all these benefits of His Gospel message belong to you. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDeuteronomy 8, 9, 10 Deuteronomy 8 -- God's Mercy NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 9 -- Reminders of God's Grace; The Golden Calf NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 10 -- Rewriting of Stone Tablets Recalled NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Mark 12:28-44 Mark 12 -- The Parable of the Tenants; Render to Caesar; Marriage at the Resurrection; Greatest Commandment; Widow's Offering NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Insight This psalm tells us to remember God's goodness and dependability, and then to worship with thanksgiving and praise! Challenge God alone is worthy of being worshiped. What is your attitude toward worship? Do you willingly and joyfully come into God's presence, or are you just going through the motions, reluctantly going to church? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Songs 5:16 Yea, he is altogether lovely.The superlative beauty of Jesus is all-attracting; it is not so much to be admired as to be loved. He is more than pleasant and fair, he is lovely. Surely the people of God can fully justify the use of this golden word, for he is the object of their warmest love, a love founded on the intrinsic excellence of his person, the complete perfection of his charms. Look, O disciples of Jesus, to your Master's lips, and say, "Are they not most sweet?" Do not his words cause your hearts to burn within you as he talks with you by the way? Ye worshippers of Immanuel, look up to his head of much fine gold, and tell me, are not his thoughts precious unto you? Is not your adoration sweetened with affection as ye humbly bow before that countenance which is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars? Is there not a charm in his every feature, and is not his whole person fragrant with such a savour of his good ointments, that therefore the virgins love him? Is there one member of his glorious body which is not attractive?--one portion of his person which is not a fresh lodestone to our souls?--one office which is not a strong cord to bind your heart? Our love is not as a seal set upon his heart of love alone; it is fastened upon his arm of power also; nor is there a single part of him upon which it does not fix itself. We anoint his whole person with the sweet spikenard of our fervent love. His whole life we would imitate; his whole character we would transcribe. In all other beings we see some lack, in him there is all perfection. The best even of his favored saints have had blots upon their garments and wrinkles upon their brows; he is nothing but loveliness. All earthly suns have their spots: the fair world itself hath its wilderness; we cannot love the whole of the most lovely thing; but Christ Jesus is gold without alloy-light without darkness--glory without cloud--"Yea, he is altogether lovely." Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.Deuteronomy 8:11,12,14,18 "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; • otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, • then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. • "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Psalm 127:1,2 A Song of Ascents, of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. • It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. Psalm 44:3 For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them. Psalm 4:6 Many are saying, "Who will show us any good?" Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD! New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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