The Gift of Gifts

Text: Luke 4:14-21 (NIV) 1″The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor… proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” … “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

1. Good News to the poor
• Mark 2:13-17 “When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
• We are all “sick” because we have all fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

2. Freedom from death and into life.
• Jesus said, He who believes in me will never die (John 11:26). Death is separation from God. Those who believe will never experience that separation.
• We are not just freed from death we are freed to life.
Life in Christ is a symphony of many movements,
filled with surprising notes of glory.
The universe is His orchestra,
He is the Composer and Conductor.
And the music never stops.

3. Sight
• Bartimaeus, blind from birth and healed by Jesus. (John chapter 9).
• But Jesus had more to offer Bartimaeus than physical sight.
— John 9:35 “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
• 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Jesus didn’t come to be a judge, but He is the truth.
— He came as a lifeboat for those aboard a sinking cruise ship. The lifeboat isn’t there to judge you, but it’s your decision that determines your fate. Salvation is found in no other name but Jesus. So, each of us make a choice, but no other lifeboat is coming.
• 1 Peter 1:8 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,”
— We see because the Lord opened our eyes to see.

4. Release of the oppressed
• Mary Magdalene from whom seven demons were driven out (Luke 8:2).
• The woman whom the evil one had caused to be bent over for 18 years and could not straighten up and whom Jesus healed. (Luke 13:16).
• Releasing of the oppressed is an understatement.
• We have been seated in the heavenlies with Christ (Ephesians 2:6). Whatever else being seated in the heavenlies may mean the best part of that promise is these two words: with Christ.

5. Favor (Grace)
• Jesus did not read this portion of the passage in Isaiah: “and the day of vengeance of our God” because His first coming was not about “vengeance” but salvation. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it.