FIRSTS are usually something we remember / often ‘big deal’ moments in life. In the gospel of Luke, he is telling us about Jesus' first recorded sermon and how that announces his mission.

This collection of verses from Isaiah 61 (v.1-2) combine to give us a clear signal that Jesus has come to keep God’s promises. And not just promises in general, but God’s promises to heal, restore, comfort, free, and release, all as a sign of God’s love and favor.

Perhaps Isaiah 61:1-2 was the reading of the day, but Jesus deliberately chose where to end the reading. Luke 4:18-19 stops short of ‘the day of vengeance of our God’ (Isaiah 61:2b). The Story of Jesus is a “2 act play” -- we’re living in ACT ONE, the year of the Lord’s favor which harkens back to the year of Jubilee - captives are set free, debts are forgiven, there’s a return and release == we’re living in the season of God’s kindness.

We live with the Spirit of the Lord upon us and he anoints us to share in the ministry of Jesus - so we pray and speak and work for the release of captives, the recovery of sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed, and as long as the year of the Lord lasts…we must continue! Jesus' mission is the mission of the Church.

Proclaimers = evengelizo (announce good news) proclaim it as HERE & AVAILABLE

Q) Are you and I bearers and bringers of the Good News of God’s grace in the situations of life we encounter?

We are living in the cycle of time (in wake of Jesus’ first coming and the pause before His second coming) = it’s the time of God’s favor and grace. And you want to get right with Jesus now, you don’t want to wait around for the 2nd coming -- he will fulfill the last part of Isaiah 61:2.

*Year of the Lord’s favor!: YEAR = cycle of time (not nec. an actual year timeline)

*note:
There’s an interesting reality of this passage as it involves the relationship of 4:16–22 with 4:23–30. In the former Jesus appears to have been accepted and praised, but in the latter there is a surprising reversal, and he was rejected. Yet this apparent conflict clearly fits Luke’s purpose, for the account reveals not only the heart and content of Jesus’ message to Luke’s readers (4:18–21) and the favor Jesus found in general among the common people (4:22), but it also foresees his rejection (4:23–30); the shadow of the cross hung over Jesus’ ministry from the very beginning.

1. As the Father Sent Jesus, Jesus Sends the Church
First, Jesus met his disciples after the resurrection just before he returned to heaven and said,“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21).

Disciples of Jesus are an extension of Jesus' mission in the world. We are his ‘active agents’ in the world - to bring more of the kingdom of Heaven to our here and now; that the way things operate in heaven, would be more and more the way things operate in our realm of influence.

The Church is to extend the kingdom REACH of Jesus everywhere we go and in every way we can!

2. The Church Is the Body of Christ
The second reason this passage describes our mission as well as Jesus' mission is that the church is called the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22–23; 4:15–16).

Just as our bodies are what people see of us, so the church is what people see of Christ. Everything Jesus said and did was to grow our trust in him
and call us to imitate him.

Jesus is FOR YOU & He’s FOR people — He longs for His Church to make the same proclamation of Good News - that God is FOR people wherever they are at.

The next generation is looking for an alternative to simply
more hype or more hate. They’re looking for HOPE.

THE CHURCH is still the hope FOR the world - it’s the very mission of Jesus.

Q) are you the bearer and bringer of Good News wherever you go?
=Your Savior is and he’s your tag team partner in life!
=We are to bring His hope and light wherever we go… ask him to help you do that with him this week in 1 specific way, with 1 specific person.

Do for ONE, what you wish you could do for everyone.

Have a blessed week everyone. We're right back here next Sunday at 5pm in person or online!