NIV Spiritual Renewal Study Bible PlanSample

Fulfilling Our Mission

A life set free from sin is a beautiful sight. When we turn from our sins and follow God’s plan for us, we testify to the glory of God and give others hope that he can change their lives as well. We may have learned from experience the suffering, affliction and brokenness that come from going our own way. We may also know what it is like to be enslaved to our passions. Yet we also recognize that there is more to life than bondage. There is healing and freedom; there is beauty and joy; there is love and mercy. And we have the wonderful privilege of proclaiming this news to those around us.

Jesus was commissioned with this same task — to bring the Good News to those who are broken. He began his ministry by quoting these verses from Isaiah: “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, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn” (Isaiah 61:1 – 2).

We were once on our way to destruction too, but God redirected us toward Jesus Christ. When we surrendered our lives to Jesus, we started on the path to heaven. Now we are called to bring this Good News to others, urging them to turn from their own way and follow the Lord.