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A PORTRAIT OF JESUS –

                  He Gave Hope to the Hopeless

                        

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.  He sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed...today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  Luke 4:18-21

                  

      Jesus’ ministry was, and still is, one that gives hope to those who struggle and are in bondage. Whether the struggle is with doubt or fear, sorrow or emotional scars, illness or suffering of any kind, whatever it is that weighs us down, Jesus is there to give hope.

 

     This particular day, Luke tells us that Jesus walked into the synagogue in Nazareth, His hometown, to worship and was handed the scrolls of Isaiah to read.  Jesus read this passage cited above. He knew it was His commission from His Father.  He came to this earth to give the good news to the poor, to heal the sick, to bind up the broken-hearted, to give sight to the blind, and to set the captives free…He came to this earth to give hope to the hopeless.

 

   He had seen what sin had done; sorrow and suffering were everywhere. He saw the poor widows struggling for existence.  He witnessed the beggars at the side of the road crying out for alms.  He felt the weight that the chains of sin had put on the people around Him and Jesus desired to do more than just encourage those who had been bound by Satan; He had come to bring freedom!.  Whatever means Satan uses to keep people captive, whether it is sickness, addiction, poverty, depression, fear, guilt, etc. none of these things will prevail against Jesus who still releases all captives who are willing. At the cross, He paid the price to deliver this captive world from sin and its bondage.

 

     Yes, Jesus came not only to bring hope, but He came to bring freedom to all who would receive Him.  He did not come to condemn people for their sin, but to release them from their sin.  We must continue the work that He left behind.  The commission is ours as well.  We, too, are called to bring hope to the hopeless, to preach the good news, to help people see that sin does not have to weigh them down, because one look at their Savior, and they, too, can be free.  Jesus continues to bring hope to the hopeless through you and me.  Will you be Jesus to someone today?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                     D. Mathewson