A Man With A Purpose
This Sunday, March 3rd, we were blessed to have been given the Word and a new sense of Luke 4:14-24 through Pastor Rey Quilacio.
In the scripture we looked through, Jesus went to Nazareth on the Sabbath and went into the synagogue. He stood up and read the scroll of the prophet Isaiah (something that was written about 700 years before the birth of Jesus!), and said this:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” – Luke 4:18-19, Isaiah 61:1-2
I love this passage because this was something Isaiah foreshadowed about Jesus’ ministry so long ago. It truly does exhibit that the promises of God are true and faithful.
In this passage, Pastor Rey pointed out the 5 things Jesus’ purpose was: to proclaim the Good News to the poor, proclaim freedom for prisoners, recover sight for the blind, set the oppressed free, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
1. Proclaim the Good News
Wherever He went, Jesus proclaimed the gospel, which translates to the Good News. He did not stay in the towns people yearned Him to stay, but He kept on the move because He knew His purpose, and His purpose was to proclaim the Good News. That the Savior God promised was here, not only for the Jews, but also the Gentiles. Like Jesus, we too are to proclaim the Good News about the Salvation God has given us, as that is what we are called to do.
“But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.'” – Luke 4:43
2. Proclaim freedom for prisoners
Jesus came to set captives free. Many times in the Bible, Jesus healed them of their disease, and freed them of evil spirits. Ultimately, Jesus came to free us from the bondage of sin. By His blood, His sacrifice on the cross, we no longer are slaves to sin, but children of God.
“So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” – Galatians 4:7
3. Recover sight for the blind
I love the beauty of Jesus opening our eyes to see what the truth is. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and so He came to open our eyes to see from darkness to light. He transforms us to see what the truth really is, beyond what the world continues to show us, beyond our ignorance, beyond the hardening of our hearts. Jesus transforms us to see the goodness and grace of God, to see the hope that He has called us to (Ephesians 1:18), forever changing us from glory to glory.
4. Set the oppressed free
The definition for oppression is “prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control”. I love the stories where Jesus loved those who were weak, who were treated unjustly, who were outcasted by society, who people did not care about. The fact that Jesus was someone who didn’t conform to the status quo, and showed agape love to everyone always blows my mind. By one encounter with Jesus, He transforms everything, liberating us like no other thing, distraction or person ever will.
5. Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
Jesus proclaimed the year of the Lord’s favor. It is no lie that we live in a world that continues to darken; but what’s amazing is that we live in the Lord’s favor. The year is not an actual 365-day year, but it is the span from Jesus’ death to His return. We live in His time of grace, forgiveness and redemption, and as His people, we too are to proclaim is favor to everyone.
“‘For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.” – 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
Jesus did not only die for our salvation, but He communed with people everywhere He went. Jesus continues to transform you and me to this day, and I know there’s more He can proclaim the Good News, bring freedom, open the eyes, set free and proclaim the Lord’s favor to. You know that there are people He’s placed in your heart to that, so will you respond?
— Micah Ocampo
