Jubilee

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Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV)

 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;

  2     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

 

Devotion:

           

            Our scripture from Isaiah today is the scripture that Jesus quoted at the beginning of his ministry. (See Luke 4) In Luke’s gospel Jesus tells his hearers in the synagogue that he is the fulfillment of this scripture. What Jesus is saying that in him God is at last coming to the aid of his people. Jesus’ original hearers could not grasp all that Jesus came to do. They were looking only for deliverance from Roman oppression; however, Jesus came for all the nations bringing good news to all who would hear him.

 

            Isaiah in today’s reading provides words of profound hope. Although Jesus applied these words to his first coming, they also look forward to a time when Jesus will come again. Again, we have the theme of hopeful waiting during this season of advent. We know that we have received the good news that Jesus saves us from our sin. However, many are still brokenhearted, captive, imprisoned, and need to be rescued. Jesus’ work is not finished. Therefore, our work is not finished. We are to be Christ’s hands, feet, and voice in our world today. Bringing hope to the last, least, and the lost.

           

            What Jesus was proclaiming here was the Israeli hope for a year of Jubilee. When the debts would all be canceled, and the slaves set free. It was a wonderful idea that God offered to Israel in the Hebrew scriptures. They had however, never practiced it that we can tell from scriptures. Jesus’ jubilee, likewise, is still awaiting final consummation. The nation of Israel and the Christian church all await the final jubilee.

 

The poor and the downtrodden can place their hope in a future that is full of promise. We celebrate Jesus’ coming at this time of year. We give each other gifts as tokens of our love for one another. Let us begin to celebrate the deep and lasting love of Jesus this year. Jesus will not, like all earthly gifts, ever break or wear out. The love of the Father for his creation is an amazing thing to meditate on. We need God’s help to love others as, in Christ, we have been loved. Let us pray:

 

Prayer:

            Lord, may we receive your gift of Jesus in this advent season. May we come to know Jesus more intimately than we have ever known him before. Help us through your Spirit to come to a deeper and sweeter love for Jesus and our neighbors than we have ever known before. Heavenly Father, thank you for all your gifts to us. May we not squander them but use them to proclaim to the world in word and deed your love for all humankind. Now be with us as we go out to live in your world. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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