Week Six

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;” (Isaiah 61:1)

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What does the world call people of conviction who are known to compromise? It calls us Christian. What an unfortunate truth that those who should be known as truth-tellers are known instead by many as hypocrites. This is not a new problem, throughout the history of the world, it is God’s people alone who have a reputation for exchanging their God for worthless idols. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.” (Jeremiah 2:11) Later in Romans, we see The Apostle Paul render the same judgment against those of his day, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”(Romans 1:21-23)

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The Book of Isaiah was written concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Those who have a faithful God yet are known for their unfaithfulness. (Isaiah 1:21) Isaiah warns God’s people of their coming judgment due to their disobedience and the promise of a redeemer, a coming Messiah, their future salvation. Written 700 years before the incarnation of Christ, God called Isaiah to issue both a warning and a future promise. 700 years later, a thirty-year-old Nazarene would walk into the synagogue on the sabbath day, unroll the scroll of Isaiah, and read these words, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”(Luke 4:18-19) After reading this, Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, informed those in attendance that day he was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words. Today, God’s judgment is certain for compromising idol worshippers like us. What is the only hope that we have in the face of this judgment? It is that the promised redeemer has arrived, and his salvation is for those who repent and trust in Him.

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“And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 59:20)

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John Oliver

Student Pastor