WEBVTT

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 So today is the third Sunday of Epiphany.

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 So we're in a season right now of celebrating and observing how God revealed himself

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 through the person of Jesus Christ to the world.

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 God's revealing of himself through the person of Jesus Christ.

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 2,000 years ago, the ancient world had an epiphany.

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 Here's who God is. Here's what he's like.

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 And here's what he's doing.

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 Jesus. The particular epiphany, revelation, that the people of Nazareth had when Jesus

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 came home to preach was twofold.

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 First of all, Jesus told them in no uncertain terms that he is the fulfillment of one of

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 the most hopeful passages of the Hebrew Bible, Isaiah 61.

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 And second, he gave them a vastly more inclusive picture of the kingdom of God than they had.

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 Jesus says, I'm the fulfillment of this promise, but not quite in the way that you've been thinking.

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 Maybe not even the way you want me to be.

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 And Luke records their response in the following paragraph, which we didn't read.

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 They mob him and they try to throw him off a cliff.

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 Not exactly the response most guest preachers want from the congregation,

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 but I take comfort for my own sake that there's no cliffs in the area.

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 So as we look at this text, let's pray.

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 Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word.

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 We thank you for revealing your truth to us in Jesus Christ.

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 I pray now that the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts would be pleasing to you.

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 Lord God.

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 Amen.

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 So why was Jesus's sermon so unpopular?

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 What part of his message triggered that harsh reaction?

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 To understand the people of Nazareth's response to the message,

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 we have to understand more about the people of Nazareth.

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 So like citizens of the United States today,

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 first century Israelites had a number of differing opinions on what was best for their country.

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 And there were four main competing views,

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 visions of what the kingdom of God should look like and how it would arrive.

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 So one, you've probably heard of the Pharisees.

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 They expected the kingdom of God to arrive when people started,

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 were truly following the cultural practices that surrounded the Torah,

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 the teachings of God's word.

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 That's the Pharisees.

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 Get everyone living right and we'll be ready for the Messiah to come and usher in the age to come.

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 The Sadducees, the priestly ruling class who ran the temple,

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 they had life already about as good as they could have it.

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 And so they didn't really want any kind of kingdom of God coming and disrupting their status quo.

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 Then you have the Essenes who saw corruption pretty much everywhere at the heart of both these parties.

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 So they said, we're tainted by any contact with other nations, with faithless Israelites.

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 So for the sake of our purity of life, we're going to remove ourselves.

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 And so they joined these communes out in the wilderness and they waited for the return of the Messiah.

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 For the coming of the Messiah.

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 And then finally you have the Zealots who they believe the best way to usher in the kingdom of God was,

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 let's throw off the shackles of our Gentile Roman overlords and let's have a revolution.

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 By the time Jesus was an adult, a number of men claiming to be the Messiah had laid groups of zealots on bloody riots and revolts,

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 which the Romans in their classic brutal fashion had put down with mass crucifixions and other gruesome, painful forms of execution.

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 So Galilee, the region where Nazareth was and the region where Jesus is preaching this sermon,

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 was known for having very strong zealot sentiments.

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 There were a lot of zealots from Galilee.

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 Luke records, so that's the context, right?

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 That's Jesus' audience.

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 That's who he's preaching to.

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 Let's look at his preaching text and his message.

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 Luke only records a summary of the sermon.

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 It's not a word-for-word record of the sermon.

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 So what we have here is the highlights.

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 Really, it's the thesis statement.

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 So here's Isaiah 61, the text.

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 According to the ESV, the version of the Bible we're using,

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 the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

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 because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

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 He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

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 to proclaim liberty to the captives,

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 and the opening of the prison to those who are bound,

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 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

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 and the day of vengeance of our God,

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 to comfort all who mourn.

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 I'm going to read verse 2 one more time,

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 just so we can keep it in our heads.

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 To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

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 and the day of vengeance of our God.

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 Now listen carefully to what Jesus reads out of the scroll.

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 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

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 because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

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 He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives,

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 and recovering of sight to the blind,

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 to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

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 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

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 And the eyes of all the synagogue were upon him.

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 Did you notice where Jesus stops?

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 Did you hear it?

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 Anything missing there?

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 As far as the folks in Nazareth are concerned,

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 he stopped right before the best line.

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 Yes, yes, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

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 and the day of vengeance of our God, right?

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 You say you're the Messiah, Jesus.

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 Let's do this.

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 Come on.

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 Isaiah was writing about vengeance on the Babylonians, right?

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 But anyone claiming to be Messiah nowadays,

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 if you're not going to talk about vengeance on the Romans,

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 like, let's not talk about that other stuff.

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 But he doesn't read that line.

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 He stops.

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 He stops with the year of the Lord's favor,

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 sits down, and tells them,

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 today this scripture has been fulfilled.

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 The Messiah has arrived,

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 but he's not talking about a day of vengeance.

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 He's announcing his mission,

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 what he came to do.

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 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.

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 He has anointed me.

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 When Jesus is baptized,

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 at the start of his public career as a prophet,

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 the heavens open,

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 and the Holy Spirit descends on him as a dove.

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 And his father says,

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 you are my beloved son.

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 With you I am well pleased.

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 In the power of the Holy Spirit,

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 Jesus retreats to the wilderness,

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 and goes through temptation by his greatest enemy,

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 Satan,

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 and he rejects Satan's offers

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 to allow him to become great

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 and provide him a name for himself

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 by the world's methods,

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 or by diabolical methods, we might say.

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 Instead, he trusts in his identity

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 as revealed to him by his heavenly father.

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 He's a beloved son.

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 In the power of the Spirit,

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 he returns to Galilee,

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 as we read today,

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 and he becomes a traveling preacher,

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 finally coming back to his hometown of Nazareth.

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 So what's he preaching?

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 Well, let's go through Isaiah 61.

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 Good news to the poor.

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 The economy of God's kingdom

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 doesn't work the same way our economy does

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 in this country or any other nation I've ever heard of.

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 Throughout the Old Testament,

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 we see God setting up a nation

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 and a social worldview that favors the poor.

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 Those who are wealthy are called by God

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 to share the provision they've received,

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 to use their wealth for the sake of others,

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 not just for their own comfort.

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 Those who are strong are called by God

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 to care for, to protect the weak and vulnerable,

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 not just their own, not just their selves,

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 but those who can't protect themselves.

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 But all of it is done in a way that gives dignity.

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 The poor, the widows, the orphans,

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 they're not just vessels who exist for the rich and powerful

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 to earn good karma or get points with God.

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 They are brothers and sisters,

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 fellow bearers of God's image.

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 Next line, liberty to the captives,

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 to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

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 In the Roman Empire, as in the United States today,

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 there were many men and women locked up for unjust reasons.

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 In the Roman Empire, as in the United States today,

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 there were many men and women who were captured by slavers

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 or as prisoners of war

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 and taken far from their homes and their families.

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 And Israel was no exception in the Roman Empire.

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 But a look at the history of God's people

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 will show that God's program,

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 almost from the beginning of the Bible,

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 has been to rescue the captive and the oppressed.

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 He freed his chosen people from slavery in Egypt

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 and rescued them from the oppression of other nations numerous times.

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 Jesus' mission is not different.

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 Sight to the blind.

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 Jesus' ministry was characterized

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 by a concern for and a care of those who were sick.

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 The Gospels are full of accounts of Jesus and his disciples

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 healing those with physical ailments

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 and not only healing,

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 but visiting the homes of those who were terminally ill,

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 touching those who were contagious or considered unclean,

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 visiting and treating those who,

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 because of their maladies,

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 were isolated or lonely.

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 And finally, the last line,

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 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

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 In saying the scripture has come true with his arrival,

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 Jesus is saying that his life and work,

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 his ministry and his mission

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 is the beginning of a new age of grace from God.

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 In applying this verse to himself,

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 Jesus is saying,

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 you want to know what good news for the poor looks like?

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 You want to see captives and oppressed or liberated?

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 You want the blind to see?

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 Watch me. Watch how I do it.

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 Listen to me. Walk with me.

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 This is what I'm doing right now.

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 This is what it looks like.

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 This is good news.

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 This liberation, though,

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 it's not just for one tribe or for God's chosen people.

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 In fact, his acts of deliverance from physical maladies,

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 they point beyond a single individual affliction.

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 His promises of deliverance from captivity,

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 which recall the ways God has saved his people in the past.

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 They point beyond the deliverance of a single people group

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 to the deliverance of all humankind

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 from the chains that have held all people in bondage

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 from close to the beginning of time.

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 His mission,

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 his purpose here on earth,

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 is not to deal with the Romans.

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 That's why folks in his hometown were so angry

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 after he finished preaching.

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 He didn't come to deal with a single corrupt

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 or oppressive government.

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 These people, Jesus says,

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 are not our ultimate enemies.

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 Our enemies at work,

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 in our nation,

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 in our neighborhoods,

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 internationally,

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 they are not our ultimate enemies.

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 They are fellow human beings

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 who are captive under the same cruel rulers

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 that we are,

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 apart from Christ and his work.

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 The strife that we see today

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 and throughout history

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 between tribes and nations,

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 families,

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 the divisions between persons,

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 they're all products of the fact

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 that our world's relationship with God

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 is fundamentally broken.

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 Through disobedience to God,

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 humankind has become sinful,

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 which means separated from God.

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 And as a result,

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 we've become subject to the powers of death

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 and the power of Satan and his angels

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 who are rebellious against God.

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 Jesus came to a world

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 that was captive to these three powers.

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 Sin, separation from God,

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 death,

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 the proclivity to violence,

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 disease,

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 loss of life,

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 Satan,

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 the spiritual forces

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 that influence individuals

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 and nations

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 to oppose God and his people.

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 Church of the Advent,

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 I have good news for you.

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 The day of vengeance

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 foretold by prophet Isaiah

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 has come already.

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 The justice required by God

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 for the crimes of humanity

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 has committed against God

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 and against one another

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 has been exacted.

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 Jesus bore those crimes

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 in his person

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 to the cross.

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 He took the sin,

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 that separation from God

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 that afflicted all humanity

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 into his own person

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 and he put it to death

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 with his own death.

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 In the body of Christ,

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 the way to God

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 is now open.

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 He rose from the grave

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 three days later

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 as a proof

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 that death

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 is now

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 powerless.

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 It's a serpent

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 without things.

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 It's an insubstantial

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 bogeyman.

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 He has taken

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 his rightful place

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 as king over this world

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 and he will return

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 to serve final vengeance

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 on his enemy,

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 Satan,

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 whose power

00:13:37.779 --> 00:13:38.779
 is now bound

00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:40.139
 and restricted.

00:13:41.540 --> 00:13:42.259
 Church of the Advent,

00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:43.680
 I have good news for you.

00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:45.240
 Jesus has passed

00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:45.920
 his mission

00:13:45.920 --> 00:13:47.340
 to us.

00:13:47.340 --> 00:13:49.060
 We,

00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:50.340
 the church,

00:13:50.580 --> 00:13:51.280
 his body,

00:13:51.660 --> 00:13:52.639
 can now say

00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:53.280
 to a world

00:13:53.280 --> 00:13:54.100
 that is poor,

00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:55.560
 captive,

00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:56.860
 and dying

00:13:56.860 --> 00:13:57.759
 for good news

00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:59.440
 that in our baptism

00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:00.720
 the spirit

00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:01.379
 of the Lord

00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:02.980
 is upon us

00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:04.560
 because he has

00:14:04.560 --> 00:14:05.660
 anointed us

00:14:05.660 --> 00:14:06.540
 to proclaim

00:14:06.540 --> 00:14:07.180
 good news

00:14:07.180 --> 00:14:07.780
 to the poor.

00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:09.879
 He has sent us

00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:10.820
 to proclaim liberty

00:14:10.820 --> 00:14:11.700
 to the captives

00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:12.639
 and recovering

00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:13.080
 of sight

00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:13.740
 to the blind

00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:15.100
 to set at liberty

00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:16.340
 those who are oppressed

00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:17.800
 to proclaim the year

00:14:17.800 --> 00:14:19.280
 of the Lord's favor.

00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:21.519
 This is now

00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:22.940
 our mission.

00:14:23.660 --> 00:14:24.600
 In the power

00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:25.340
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.840
 we get to proclaim

00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:27.840
 good news

00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:28.360
 to the poor

00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:28.840
 in body

00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:29.500
 and in spirit.

00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:30.620
 This is why

00:14:30.620 --> 00:14:31.379
 serious Christians

00:14:31.379 --> 00:14:32.220
 from the beginning

00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:33.399
 of our faith

00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:34.340
 care for the poor

00:14:34.340 --> 00:14:35.440
 and seek

00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:36.200
 to give them

00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:36.940
 dignity.

00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:38.639
 This is why

00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:39.340
 serious Christians

00:14:39.340 --> 00:14:39.940
 from the beginning

00:14:39.940 --> 00:14:40.560
 of our faith

00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:41.460
 care for those

00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:41.980
 who are poor

00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:42.600
 in spirit,

00:14:43.060 --> 00:14:44.280
 who are poor

00:14:44.279 --> 00:14:46.799
 in non-material

00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:47.679
 things,

00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:49.019
 whether they're

00:14:49.019 --> 00:14:49.860
 economically wealthy

00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:50.339
 or not,

00:14:50.459 --> 00:14:51.339
 we seek to

00:14:51.339 --> 00:14:52.199
 uplift them.

00:14:53.139 --> 00:14:53.879
 In the power

00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:54.559
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:55.919
 we get to proclaim

00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:57.939
 liberty to the captives

00:14:57.939 --> 00:14:58.899
 and the oppressed.

00:14:59.439 --> 00:14:59.959
 This is why

00:14:59.959 --> 00:15:00.799
 serious Christians,

00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.199
 we seek to reform

00:15:02.199 --> 00:15:02.659
 prisons,

00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:03.819
 call corrupt

00:15:03.819 --> 00:15:04.759
 or evil governments

00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.519
 to account for

00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:06.799
 unjust imprisonments

00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:07.959
 and give help

00:15:07.959 --> 00:15:08.639
 to those who are

00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:10.039
 trapped in addiction.

00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:11.439
 This is why

00:15:11.439 --> 00:15:12.159
 serious Christians

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:12.860
 from the Apostle

00:15:12.860 --> 00:15:13.939
 Paul to William

00:15:13.939 --> 00:15:14.579
 Wilberforce,

00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:15.839
 from Harriet Tubman

00:15:15.839 --> 00:15:18.120
 to Martin Luther King Jr.,

00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:19.839
 have opposed slavery

00:15:19.839 --> 00:15:20.959
 and fought for

00:15:20.959 --> 00:15:21.559
 equal rights

00:15:21.559 --> 00:15:22.559
 for all citizens

00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:23.759
 of their lands.

00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:25.059
 This is why

00:15:25.059 --> 00:15:25.879
 serious Christians

00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:26.539
 take Jesus

00:15:26.539 --> 00:15:27.259
 at their word

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:28.259
 when he says

00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:29.379
 in John 8.34

00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:30.939
 that whoever sins

00:15:30.939 --> 00:15:31.980
 is a slave

00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:32.659
 to sin.

00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:33.839
 So we seek

00:15:33.839 --> 00:15:34.620
 to be honest

00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:35.819
 and free from sin.

00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:37.240
 This is why

00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:38.100
 serious Christians

00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:39.079
 hate the work

00:15:39.079 --> 00:15:39.519
 of Satan

00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:40.639
 and in the power

00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:41.199
 and authority

00:15:41.199 --> 00:15:42.340
 given by Christ

00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:43.799
 drive out demons

00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:44.879
 from those

00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:45.639
 who are afflicted.

00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:47.620
 In the power

00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:48.319
 of the Spirit,

00:15:48.460 --> 00:15:49.740
 we get to proclaim

00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:51.080
 recovering of the sight

00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:51.759
 to the blind.

00:15:52.259 --> 00:15:52.740
 This is why

00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:53.340
 Christians seek

00:15:53.340 --> 00:15:54.080
 to bring healing

00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:55.240
 to those

00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:56.100
 who suffer

00:15:56.100 --> 00:15:56.899
 in body

00:15:56.899 --> 00:15:57.679
 or mind.

00:15:58.319 --> 00:15:58.799
 This is why

00:15:58.799 --> 00:15:59.439
 Christians seek

00:15:59.439 --> 00:16:00.080
 to learn,

00:16:00.699 --> 00:16:01.039
 know,

00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:02.000
 and proclaim

00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:02.860
 truth

00:16:02.860 --> 00:16:03.679
 in a world

00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:04.639
 that is spiritually

00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:05.340
 blind.

00:16:06.939 --> 00:16:08.179
 Christ has passed

00:16:08.179 --> 00:16:08.840
 his mission

00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:09.879
 to us.

00:16:11.280 --> 00:16:11.820
 And as you

00:16:11.820 --> 00:16:12.460
 and I seek

00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:13.759
 to carry it out,

00:16:14.060 --> 00:16:14.820
 I pray we don't

00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:15.720
 fall into either

00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:17.399
 of two errors.

00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.320
 We dare not

00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:20.360
 spiritualize

00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:20.960
 matters

00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:22.500
 that God's word

00:16:22.500 --> 00:16:23.660
 gives us no reason

00:16:23.660 --> 00:16:24.920
 to spiritualize.

00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:26.480
 Isaiah 61

00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:27.280
 is talking about

00:16:27.280 --> 00:16:27.879
 good news

00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:28.620
 for the poor

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:30.340
 in body,

00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:30.960
 the poor

00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:31.780
 in relationships.

00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:32.700
 And we,

00:16:32.780 --> 00:16:33.080
 the church,

00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:33.460
 are called

00:16:33.460 --> 00:16:33.920
 to proclaim

00:16:33.920 --> 00:16:34.360
 good news

00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:34.900
 to the poor

00:16:34.900 --> 00:16:35.900
 by seeking

00:16:35.900 --> 00:16:36.700
 to relieve

00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:37.379
 poverty.

00:16:38.500 --> 00:16:39.340
 But in following

00:16:39.340 --> 00:16:39.800
 that call,

00:16:39.860 --> 00:16:40.440
 let's not miss

00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:40.900
 the fact

00:16:40.900 --> 00:16:41.560
 that this

00:16:41.560 --> 00:16:42.879
 physical mission

00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:43.900
 is a signpost

00:16:43.900 --> 00:16:44.520
 to the great

00:16:44.520 --> 00:16:45.040
 reality

00:16:45.040 --> 00:16:46.240
 of God's

00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:47.080
 lavish charity

00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:47.520
 in giving

00:16:47.520 --> 00:16:48.360
 all the treasures

00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:48.879
 of heaven

00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:50.220
 to his finite

00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:50.980
 creations,

00:16:51.340 --> 00:16:51.620
 us.

00:16:53.379 --> 00:16:53.900
 We,

00:16:54.040 --> 00:16:54.360
 the church,

00:16:54.420 --> 00:16:55.040
 are called

00:16:55.040 --> 00:16:55.520
 to proclaim

00:16:55.520 --> 00:16:56.780
 liberty to the captives,

00:16:56.800 --> 00:16:57.240
 which means

00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:58.000
 we are called

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:58.920
 to actually

00:16:58.920 --> 00:17:00.060
 oppose and fight

00:17:00.060 --> 00:17:01.060
 against slavery,

00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:02.180
 economic oppression

00:17:02.179 --> 00:17:03.459
 of physical

00:17:03.459 --> 00:17:05.379
 or economic,

00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:06.980
 you know,

00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:07.619
 evil debt,

00:17:07.700 --> 00:17:08.359
 usury is what

00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:09.159
 is the sort

00:17:09.159 --> 00:17:09.779
 of medieval term

00:17:09.779 --> 00:17:10.220
 for it.

00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:11.359
 We must,

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:12.559
 but let's not

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.159
 miss the fact

00:17:13.159 --> 00:17:13.919
 that this mission

00:17:13.919 --> 00:17:15.259
 is a signpost

00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:15.720
 to the great

00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:17.159
 reality of God's

00:17:17.159 --> 00:17:17.759
 liberation

00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:18.619
 of his people

00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:19.619
 from the captivity

00:17:19.619 --> 00:17:20.279
 to sin

00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:21.440
 and the oppression

00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.240
 of death.

00:17:22.859 --> 00:17:23.679
 We must hold

00:17:23.679 --> 00:17:24.799
 these things together,

00:17:25.339 --> 00:17:25.619
 church.

00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:27.859
 Jesus forgave sins

00:17:27.859 --> 00:17:29.460
 and made the lame

00:17:29.460 --> 00:17:30.619
 walk in the blind sea

00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:31.839
 and he calls us

00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:32.399
 to follow

00:17:32.399 --> 00:17:33.439
 in his footsteps.

00:17:35.479 --> 00:17:36.399
 As I close,

00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:37.619
 I want to invite

00:17:37.619 --> 00:17:38.359
 those of you

00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:39.599
 who don't consider

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:40.119
 yourself to be

00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:40.519
 a Christian

00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:41.619
 or those of you

00:17:41.619 --> 00:17:42.579
 who have been

00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:44.119
 hurt by the failure

00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:44.899
 of the church

00:17:44.899 --> 00:17:45.939
 to carry out

00:17:45.939 --> 00:17:47.739
 Jesus' mission

00:17:47.739 --> 00:17:48.299
 perfectly.

00:17:49.899 --> 00:17:50.879
 After the service,

00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:51.859
 come and talk to me

00:17:51.859 --> 00:17:53.139
 or to a staff member

00:17:53.139 --> 00:17:53.599
 or a leader

00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:54.259
 in the church.

00:17:54.879 --> 00:17:55.359
 We would love

00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:56.019
 to tell you more

00:17:56.019 --> 00:17:57.579
 about this year,

00:17:57.699 --> 00:17:58.299
 this era

00:17:58.299 --> 00:18:00.079
 of the Lord's favor,

00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:01.059
 of his grace.

00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:02.720
 Whether you're

00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:03.659
 a Christian or not,

00:18:03.740 --> 00:18:04.240
 whether this is

00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:04.939
 your first Sunday

00:18:04.939 --> 00:18:06.139
 at Church of the Advent

00:18:06.139 --> 00:18:07.359
 or your 500th Sunday,

00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:08.699
 I want to invite you,

00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:09.460
 if you're poor

00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:11.240
 of any sort

00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:12.740
 of poverty,

00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.079
 if you're oppressed

00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:15.019
 or captive

00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:16.759
 to addiction,

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:19.240
 if you are suffering

00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:19.919
 in your body

00:18:19.919 --> 00:18:20.779
 or in your spirit,

00:18:21.099 --> 00:18:22.139
 I invite you,

00:18:22.619 --> 00:18:24.199
 come receive prayer

00:18:24.199 --> 00:18:25.159
 from our prayer ministers

00:18:25.159 --> 00:18:26.000
 during our time

00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.480
 of communion.

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.360
 God works

00:18:28.360 --> 00:18:29.440
 powerfully

00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.400
 in the prayers

00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.059
 of his people.

00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:33.259
 For those of you

00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:34.200
 who are baptized

00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:35.420
 who consider yourselves

00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:36.059
 to be Christian,

00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:37.120
 I invite you

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:38.120
 to ask yourselves,

00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.640
 and I'm asking myself

00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:40.200
 this as well,

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.059
 I'm preaching to myself

00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:41.319
 here,

00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:42.660
 are you,

00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:43.839
 am I,

00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:45.500
 carrying out

00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:47.099
 the mission

00:18:47.099 --> 00:18:48.740
 Jesus has given us?

00:18:49.259 --> 00:18:50.819
 Are we neglecting

00:18:50.819 --> 00:18:52.019
 one aspect

00:18:52.019 --> 00:18:53.200
 of Jesus' message

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.299
 in favor of another?

00:18:54.299 --> 00:18:55.980
 Are we holding

00:18:55.980 --> 00:18:57.019
 these things together

00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:58.279
 as Jesus did?

00:18:59.339 --> 00:19:00.639
 My prayer for you

00:19:00.639 --> 00:19:01.779
 and for myself

00:19:01.779 --> 00:19:02.480
 and my family

00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.879
 is that we proclaim

00:19:03.879 --> 00:19:05.119
 and live out

00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.579
 the full gospel

00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:07.779
 given to us

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:08.399
 by Jesus.

00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:11.059
 2,000 years ago,

00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:11.980
 the world had

00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:12.639
 an epiphany

00:19:12.639 --> 00:19:13.720
 in the person

00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:14.519
 of Jesus Christ.

00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:15.960
 Here's who God is,

00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:17.000
 here's what God's like,

00:19:17.159 --> 00:19:17.940
 and here's what

00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:18.399
 he's doing.

00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:21.240
 May he use us,

00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:22.879
 may he use this church

00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.320
 to give the world

00:19:24.320 --> 00:19:26.000
 that same epiphany.

00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:28.280
 Here's who God is,

00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:29.200
 here's what he's like,

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:30.660
 and here's what he's doing.

00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:31.980
 Amen.