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Luke 4:18, 19 - Lifes Great Liberator.

Luke 4:18, 19 (KJV) The Spirit of the Lord 
is upon me, because he hath anointed me to 
preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to 
heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to 
the captives, and recovering of sight to the 
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

INTRODUCTION

Jesus was quoting from Isaiah 61:1, 2. 
Isaiah pictures the deliverance of Israel from 
exile in Babylon as a Year of Jubilee when all 
debts are cancelled, all slaves are freed, and all 
property is returned to original owners (Leviticus 
25). But the release from Babylonian exile had 
not brought the fulfillment the people had 
expected; they were still a conquered and oppressed 
people. So Isaiah must have been referring to a 
future Messianic age. Jesus boldly announced, 
"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your 
hearing." Jesus was proclaiming himself as the One who 
would bring this good news to pass, but in a way 
that the people would not yet be able to grasp. 
[Life Application SB] 

Christ stopped reading in the middle of 
61:2, since at His first coming He preached only 
the "favorable year of the Lord" (v. 19). The 
"day of vengeance of our God" (Isa. 61:2b) was 
reserved for His second coming. Long-suffering and 
the cross are associated with His first coming; 
judgment and a crown, with His second. [Ryrie SB] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   From some peoples countenance, we 
judge them to be happy. Smiles, makeup, and 
stylish clothing can create an appearance of inner 
peace. Internally, though, many are in bondage. 
   In todays passage, Jesus clarifies His 
purpose: He has come to set free those in captivity. 
Christ was referring to several types of bonds that 
can imprison our souls. 
   First, Jesus breaks the chains of sin. 
All people have broken Gods law and 
consequently live apart from Him (Rom. 3:23). But 
Christs death and resurrection free us when we 
accept His gift of forgiveness and place our trust 
in Him. Then we can have a relationship with 
the Lord. 
   Secondly, He liberates us from persistent 
sins like jealousy, bitterness, and gluttony. His 
Spirit resides within each believer and provides 
the power to overcome wrong choices that seemed 
to own us. He enables us to do what He 
desires - by bringing immediate healing or by giving 
guidance and strength in the ongoing battle. 
   The Creator of mankind made us with a 
void in our hearts for Jesus to fill. Everything 
we put there - whether it seems like a good 
thing at the time or an obvious bad choice - will 
ultimately leave us empty. And we will remain in 
bondage until God frees us and then provides the 
only true satisfaction. 
   Are you one of those people who appear 
happy and seem to have life figured out, and yet 
inside feel uneasy and empty? Jesus Christ is the 
only One who can redeem you, forgive your sins, 
and fill the vacant place in your soul. Allow 
Him to liberate you today. [In Touch Daily 
Devotional by Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org] 

COMMENTARY

This verse tells of the Messiah's ministry 
of preaching and healing - to meet every human 
need. [NIV SB] 

As the maladies under which humanity groans 
are here set forth under the names of poverty, 
brokenheartedness, bondage, blindness, and bruisedness, so the 
glorious healer of all these maladies, Jesus Christ, 
announces himself in the act of reading this 
Scripture. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary] 

This is a wonderful description of Christ's 
work. The Pharisees and Sadducees despised the 
poor. The learned and rich neglected them, as 
though their wealth and knowledge made them of more 
value than those who were poor. But Jesus declared 
that it was His work to give encouragement and 
comfort and help where it was most 
needed.--Manuscript 65b, 1898.  

He went from house to house, healing the 
sick, feeding the hungry, comforting the mourners, 
soothing the afflicted, speaking peace to the 
distressed.--Letter 117, 1903.  

He spent most of his time not among the rich 
and powerful in Jerusalem, but among the poor in 
the cultural and economic backwater of Galilee.  
He healed the sick and blind.  He fed the 
hungry.  And he warned his followers in the 
strongest possible words that those who do not feed 
the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the 
prisoners will experience eternal damnation 
(Mat.25:31-46).  At the supreme moment of history when God 
took on human flesh, the God of Israel was still 
liberating the poor and oppressed and summoning his 
people to do the same.  [Ronald Sider; Time with 
God devotional SB] 

God calls not only for your benevolence but 
for your cheerful countenance, your hopeful 
words, the grasp of your hand. Relieve some of 
God's afflicted ones. Some are sick, and hope has 
departed. Bring back the sunlight to them. There are 
souls who have lost their courage; speak to them, 
pray for them. There are those who need the bread 
of life. Read to them from the Word of God. 
There is a soul sickness no balm can reach, no 
medicine heal. Pray for these, and bring them to 
Jesus Christ. And in all your work Christ will be 
present to make impressions upon human 
hearts.--Manuscript 105, 1898.  

CLOSING THOUGHT

   I tend to buck the rules. I have had this 
tendency since I was a small child. Just ask my 
parents. I caused them no end of consternation. I saw 
rules as a barrier to my freedom. Rules shaped my 
view of how I saw Jesus. He was all "don't dos" 
and "can't haves" as far as I was concerned. 
What fun is that? It wasn't until my college 
years that I realized that, without Him, I would 
destroy myself. I was all good intentions and bad 
choices. 
   I slowly began to recognize that His ways 
weren't a barrier to my freedom. They were the only 
way to freedom. His laws weren't a blockade to 
fun; they were my jumping-off place into the 
safety and protection of His wide arms. Jesus's 
intentions for me weren't a load of backbreaking rules. 
His intentions were to liberate me from sin. To 
set my feet on a path of freedom. To unleash a 
new creation from the prison of bad habits and 
self-destruction. He was beating back my soul-crushing desires 
and selfish thinking so that I could live free 
in Him. 
   I am still learning this as I lean in and 
know Him more. Jesus is all about freedom. 
Freedom from addiction. From pain. From suffering. 
From heartache. From sin. From loneliness. From 
fear. How can we not see that? How can we not 
embrace it? His way of living is so beautiful and 
life-giving. Let's hold on to Him with both hands and let 
Him set us free. by Suzanne Foth Aughtmon 
   Faith Step: Go for a walk or a run. Open 
your arms wide. Imagine yourself receiving all 
the freedom that Jesus has for you. [Mornings 
With Jesus 2018 Devotional by Guideposts and 
Zondervan] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC

Isaiah 61:1-3 - Set Free and Beauty for 
Ashes. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190607-1117.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study 
Guides: 
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657  

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE