“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
-Luke 4:18, ESV
Christmas is a time to celebrate advent, to celebrate Jesus coming to earth, born as a baby, to fulfill his holy mission of restoration and resurrection. We read the Christmas story, we celebrate the start of his life, and we reflect on the end of the story. However, Christmas is also a time to look at the middle.
The prophet Isaiah foretold Christ’s coming and gave us an insight to his life over 700 years before it happened. In the book of Luke, Jesus visits his hometown and reads from the scriptures this old testament passage from Isaiah;
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 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 grant to those who mourn in Zion– to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified” (Isaiah, 61:1-4, ESV).
He looks up and tells everyone “this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21, ESV). He says, “this one who was sent for the brokenhearted, for the poor, that’s me!” He came for the ones that no one else would come for.
The story of Christmas is incredible news for everyone, but it is especially great news for the downtrodden, for those who have a faint spirit, for the captives, for the hurting, for the lost. It is good news for us. Isaiah foretold of Christ’s coming and his heart to those who were in the aftermath of physical captivity.
Christ fulfilled this prophecy by releasing us from our spiritual bondage. Christ came for individual and community restoration. He came to bring freedom in every capacity.
In our world today, there are 40.3 million people who are in physical slavery. That’s more than at any point in human history. Christmas is for them.
There are innumerable people who are emotionally and spiritually captive and downtrodden. Holiday season can be heavy and draining. Christmas is for them. Christmas is for us.
Christmas is about freedom; about breaking chains and bringing justice. We are living in the year of the Lord’s favor, in the aftermath of Christ’s resurrection. That means those of us in Christ now carry the burden of proclaiming this good news to the poor, and bringing freedom to the captives alongside Jesus now, of proclaiming that over yourself.
This holiday season, proclaim liberty to the captives, look for the brokenhearted and those who are bound and put on garments of praise instead of a faint spirit. This prophecy was fulfilled in baby Jesus!
Rachael Smith
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Christmas truely is a time for the lowest of low. The ones who have no hope in themselves nor anyone else they know. Jesus came that we might have a relationship with God the Father. He fought for our liberty over satan. He was tempted as we are, but He was with no sin, a state we cannot achieve. He did it because He LOVED us that much, even before we knew Him, He knew us by our name and what He had planted in our hearts. A very good message today. Thank you , dear one, thank you.