WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
Isaiah 61:1-3
Psalm 37:21-33

"The steps of a good man are
ordered by the LORD…"

THE PREACHER BEFORE THE PRINCE

In Isaiah 60, we saw how, when the Lord, the Prince of Peace, will come to Israel in His Second Advent, the nations of the world will pay homage to Him in Jerusalem. In the beginning verses of Isaiah 61, the prophet returned to the Messiah in His First Advent, when His mission was that of a Preacher.

In Luke 4:17-21, Jesus applied this passage to Himself. His preaching was energised by the Lord God by the unlimited anointing of the Holy Spirit. The word "anointed" (Luke 4:18) is "Messiah" in Hebrew and "Christ" in Greek. As the Messiah, the Christ, He is sent by God to announce the good news of salvation to the meek, the humble. His message is one of gracious healing to the broken-hearted, one of liberation to the bound ones, yea, even from the prison of sin. His message is not for the self-righteous, but for those who confess their guilt, for the poor and downtrodden who earnestly look up to Him. An adaptation of what Matthew Henry said follows: Though the gospel is proposed for all, yet it will not appear glad tidings to any but the convinced, humble sinner.

He was to be a Deliverer. He was sent as a Prophet to preach, as a priest to heal, and as a king to proclaim:
1) Peace to His friends... This is the Gospel proclamation, it is like proclaiming the great year of release, (Lev 25:9-40);
2) War against His enemies. Christ proclaims the vengeance He takes on sin and Satan, death and hell... Christ triumphed over all these on the cross…

THOUGHT: What an example of a preacher is Christ. Is our preaching accompanied by all the graces of a loving Saviour? Do we practise what we preach?
PRAYER: I thank Thee, O Lord, for Thy gracious healing of my soul, and the liberation of my soul from sin.

Posted in Adult RPG