Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because LORD has anointed Me to preach the Gospel [basar] to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.
When Yeshua (Jesus) went into the synagogue in Nazareth and was handed the scroll of Isaiah to read [Luke 4:18], He opened it to the passage we know of as Isaiah 61, a powerful Messianic proclamation filled with hope and promise and fresh with the joyful good news of His arrival. After reading the passage He immediately declared that it was fulfilled in the hearing of those present. The first response was amazement and wonder that the carpenter's son was so gracious a communicator. But this did not last, as Yeshua immediately challenged his audience with a prophetic expectation...that they would reject Him, which they immediately did...nevertheless...
The Hebrew word for gospel – basar – not only mean "to preach the good news" – but its root also suggests cheerfulness and freshness or refreshing. The gospel is full of joy! The joy of knowing our sin debt has been paid in full, and that through the resurrection we acquire an unfathomably wonderful eternal life; and the joy of experiencing every moment of our lives, the reality of "Immanuel", God with us.
Life has its struggles, with disappointment, irritation, persecution, temptations to anger, bitterness, and even despair. Yet, this message and its impact upon us carries the renewing power and deep cheer of Yeshua's presence. The announcement of the "basar" is fully intended to be refreshed and renewed daily, never to become a dull or half remembered inspiration. By its very nature it brings deliverance, healing, vision, righteousness, and praise, a profoundly fresh, revivifying and transformative message carrying the indefatigable joy of the Holy Spirit.
The gospel of Messiah is not a message that "gets old"; at least it ought never to be. If we simply reconsider it, we discover an eternally fresh message to be received and reignited in our hearts each day. As we contemplate the entirety of what Yeshua did for us, it will never "get old", but remain ever fresh and invigorating. For He truly did come to bind up the broken hearted, release those who are captive, free those who are bound, and comfort those who mourn...AND to make us Trees of righteousness in this world, living, breathing, refreshing messages of His joy, that He may be glorified!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Did you know that on a rocket's journey, the most force is exerted at its lift-off? The amount of force that is needed to get that rocket off the ground is so fierce that it could easily blow the whole thing to pieces. Interestingly though, the further the rocket moves from the earth's gravitational pull, the less energy it needs to move farther along.
My wife and I are both big Keith Green fans. He sang a great song about the children of Israel in the wilderness complaining to Moses that they "Wannna go back to Egypt".
Peter exhibited GREAT faith when he stepped out on the water... but then he allowed his immediate surroundings to hinder his walk! Peter's faith began with a tremendous bold step, but it required a level of focus that he wasn't used to. Follow through.... that was the problem; those pesky waves, and the way he usually thought about and experienced water; (not something that generally supports your feet)...
I read this passage and I wonder how I would react if someone mixed their saliva with some dirt on the ground and put it on my face like this. Ewww! Why didn't Jesus just heal this guy and be done with it? Why the messy prelude?
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Years ago, a young sailor went to sea for the first time. Not long after setting sail his ship encountered a heavy storm and the sailor was commanded to go aloft and trim the sails. About three quarters of the way up, the young sailor made the mistake of looking down. The roll of the ship combined with the tossing of the waves made for a frightening experience. The young man started to lose his balance. At that moment, an older sailor underneath him shouted, "Look up, son! Look up!" The young sailor did as he said -- he looked up, and regained his balance.
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