TO CHEW ON: "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners," Isaiah 61:1
If you’ve ever played Monopoly, you’ll know that if you get sent to “Jail” there are consequences. You must miss your turn. You don’t get to move around the game board like the other players. By the time you’re free again, all the best properties may be bought by others. Unless you have a “Get out of jail free” card. Then you get to go free!
The way Isaiah described the deliverer or Messiah who would come someday sounds a lot like a “Get out of jail free” card. As well as bringing good news to the poor and comfort to the brokenhearted, the promise was that He would free captives and release prisoners.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus was about to give His first sermon. In front of the gathered listeners He started by opening the scroll of Isaiah and reading these exact words (Isaiah 61:1). And then He said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-21)
By that he meant, “I am the one who Isaiah was talking about. I can and will do all these things.”
And he did! He hung around with poor people and let them know God loved them very much. He gave a brokenhearted mother her son back from the dead. He brought light to people of all kinds – from blind Bartimeus to the spiritually blind tax collector and cheater Zacchaeus. And He freed people from many things like sickness and demons and lifetimes of doing bad things.
The good news is, Jesus is still our Get out of Jail Free card! What is your jail? Is it a problem with getting angry at every little thing? Is it the need to be liked by everyone? Is it the habit of eating too much? Is it fear or swearing or being sneaky? Whatever it is, Jesus can set you free. Why don’t you ask Him today?
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, my prison is ______ Please set me free. Amen.
MORE: Prison Break
The verse about freedom, below, has some large, bold letters. What word do those letters spell?
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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1 comment:
This is gorgeous!
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