September 16, 2018 - JESUS IS THE ONE

Day 259 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 28:30-57, Psalm 76; Luke 4:14-41)

“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,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll (Isaiah) and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  (Luke 4:18-21 ESV)

When Jesus returned home to Nazareth, His first stop was the local synagogue where He shared the words of today’s devotion. His concluding words let His hearers know that He is the One, the promised Messiah. Look again at what the Messiah came to do.

● Proclaim good news to the poor.
● Proclaim liberty to the captives.
● Provide recovery of sight to the blind.
● Set at liberty those who are oppressed.
● Proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Jesus did come to proclaim the mercy of His Father to the poor, captive, blind and oppressed. However, the ultimate mission His Father sent Him on involved a cross, and bitter suffering and death as our substitute. We now receive the Lord’s favor through faith in Jesus who has set us free, liberating us from sin, death and the devil. 

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being the promised One, the Messiah, my Lord and Savior. May all that I do and say today glorify Your name and be used by the Holy Spirit to witness to others. Amen.

“See” you at the Communion table this morning!

Pastor David Paape

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2018 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!