F O O T H O L D
READING
47 FREEDOM
PRAY Lord, bring your light
to this passage and my life today.
READ Isaiah 61:111.
THINK What does this chapter
say to us about our work in the world?
FOCUS The Israelites in
Babylon were crushed, brokenhearted prisoners.
The Holy Spirit inspired the
prophet Isaiah to bring them good
news. A big change was
coming. God would avenge them. They could
look forward to the
rebuilding of their ruined cities and to a
period of justice and
prosperity.
This was an external freedom.
But this passage also has the aspect
of inner freedom. In fact
the whole chapter has this thread of
release running right
through it. In the synagogue at Nazareth
Jesus applied verses 1 and 2a
to himself and explained that he had
come to fulfil this prophecy
(Luke 4:1621).
PREPARATION. Notice three
things before the good news is brought
to the poor. Spiritfilled chosen
sent (1). Think of some of
the things in Jesus' life
before he began his public ministry
Luke 2:51; 3:2123; 4:1,2.
Hard work, patience, obedience,
testing. If Jesus needed
this preparation so will we only more
so.
PROCLAMATION. The Christian
faith is, of course, about a life that
is pleasing to God, but also
we have news to pass on. We can
easily make the excuse of
saying that it is the life that matters
and we are not very good at
speaking for Jesus. A word today,
spoken in love, could be the
means of bringing hope, healing or
comfort to someone in need.
The early church had something to say
from the word go and they
said it on every occasion possible (Acts
2:14; 4:20; 6:2; 8:4; 8;25
etc.) Look at Romans 10:1415.
PRAY Ask God to help you
take the opportunities that God gives to tell
others his good news.
