Isaiah 61:1-11 The Year of the Lord’s Favor Jesus used vv. 1-2 at the start of his ministry to explain who he was & what he was doing Jesus had begun his early ministry in Capernaum: preaching, healing, delivering. Lk 4:16-30 – Jesus returned to his hometown Nazareth. On the Sabbath, he went to synagogue, and opened the scroll of Isaiah, read vv. 1-2. He sat down and said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Isaiah was written 7 centuries before Jesus. How fulfilled in the boy they knew?

1. The Messiah and His Mission (1-3)
2. The Messiah’s Purpose to Transform His People (3-9)
3. The Messiah’s Ministry Results in Righteousness and Praise (10-11)

v. 1 The Messiah and His Mission The Messiah is speaking about himself through Isaiah. He is anointed, given special power by the Holy Spirit for a special mission.

God gave to Jesus His mission to save and to judge. Peter proclaimed to Cornelius: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit… he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil” (Acts 10:38)

vv. 1-2 The Messiah’s mission to poor prisoners • To preach good news to the poor • To heal the brokenhearted • To proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners • To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of God’s vengeance • To comfort those who mourn, • To give them a crown, oil, and splendid clothes in place of ashes and captivity

The people’s condition is desperate: poor, brokenhearted, captives, prisoners who mourn, clothed with ashes and despair, disgraced in ruined cities. How could a message transform their condition to freedom & blessing? This message was originally given to the Jews in Babylonian exile. It is in part about the restoration of the remnant to rebuild the promised land. But Jesus took these promises to an infinitely higher level. The true captivity that Jesus came to destroy was captivity to sin and to Satan. The proclamation of the gospel sets captives free. The healing work of Jesus Christ liberates people from the power of Satan. The proclaiming of Jesus’ gospel and his healing was a direct fulfillment of this passage

Jesus came “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Jesus ushered in new worldwide era of grace in which God cancels debts of sin and sets prisoners free to worship God.

In Lk 4, Jesus stopped abruptly in v. 2, before “the day of our God’s vengeance.” Jesus’ 1st coming is for God’s salvation, God’s grace and favor. Jesus’ 2nd coming will bring God’s wrath. Today is the day of salvation. We must all flee to Christ. He is our only hope.

1. The Messiah’s Purpose to Transforms His People (3-9) In salvation, Christ has removed our disgrace, ashes, and chains; and replaced them with a crown of beauty, oil of joy, and rich garments. (3a)

2.b.He has transformed us from weak captives to oaks of righteousness (3b) We have new names, new nature, new potential for righteousness.

1. “They shall build up ancient ruins… raise up former devastations of many generations” The exiles rebuilt walls, houses and the temple. Christ’s people are called to rebuild lives out of the rubble of human history. People’s lives are laid waste by sin, as are whole societies. Jesus has come to build a new people out of the ruin of sin.

vv. 4-9 pictures the mission of the church to rescue from the stronghold of Satan. And rebuild broken lives and ruined homes v. 6. We are the priests of the Lord and ministers of God. We have been rescued and now rescue others, restored and now restore others.

1. The Messiah’s Ministry Results in Righteousness and Praise v. 10. The Messiah (Jesus) is robed and equipped to be Savior of the world. v. 11. Christ will cause a worldwide harvest of righteousness and praise for God.