The Unfinished Verse
Jesus stood up in His synagogue in Nazareth and read Isaiah 61:1, and half of verse 2, saying… “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach Good News the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are bruised, to proclaim the Year of Lord’s Favor.” Then He closed the book and sat down.
He said, “Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears.” Not only was Jesus claiming to be the Messiah (the Anointed One) from Heaven, He was also announcing a new 2000-year era, the Jubilee of grace, for the whole world.
A Jubilee is the 50th year in the Hebrew calendar, in which debts are forgiven, inheritances restored, prisoners released, and families reunited (Leviticus 25).
This is the message of the Gospel - through Christ, every debt of sin we owe has been paid in full by His precious blood. Now those who ran from God can come home to Him without fear. Broken hearts are mended by His grace; slaves to sin are set free; spiritual eyesight is restored to 20/20 vision, and an eternal inheritance awaits.
The Bible urges people to understand this time is limited, so don’t waste it… “Now is the time of favor! Now is the day of salvation!” For when this era of Grace is finished, Jesus will finish verse two… “To proclaim the Year of Vengeance (righteous retribution) of our God; to comfort all who mourn (because of sin’s oppression).”
Grace is a wonderful gift, but it brings greater accountability for spurning it. Jesus is still calling, “Come to Me, that you might have Life.” Let’s tell them to run.
(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)
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