The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from Isaiah 61:1-11

For discussion questions click here. 

REFLECTION

Good News

by Elaine Pierce

The prophet Isaiah is quoted in the New Testament more than all other prophets combined. He was respected in royal circles, despite his message of the fall of Jerusalem to come. Other prophets (Jeremiah, Joel, Hosea, to name a few) suffered greatly in their lifetime. And yet, all of these men were faithful to the one true God.

Chapter 61 brings good news to the poor, the brokenhearted, and those in prison and captivity. The chapter is bursting with hope for the restoration of the nation of Israel. In fact, Jesus reads the first 3 verses in the temple in his hometown of Nazareth. When he finishes, he rolls up the scroll and says "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:18-19). Can you imagine what it would have been like to hear that? While we weren't there that day, we can rest in the certain assurance that Jesus brings good news to us today.

What good news does God bring to the poor, the brokenhearted, and those imprisoned? Freedom from financial worry? No more sorrow? Release from bondage? Ultimately, when Jesus comes again, we will be free from all the worldly cares that entangle us. But our goal is not to lead a comfortable, trouble-free life. Our goal is to "delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God (Isaiah 61:10). When my focus becomes pleasing him, all these other things will fade in importance.

During this Advent season, take some time as you wait on the Lord's coming to reflect on your many blessings. Has there been a time when you have been poor? Brokenhearted? Imprisoned? Or is that where you are right now? Who can you come alongside and offer hope in Jesus' name? Our church has many resources for those who are struggling. And all of us have the best Good News to share with others, the only Good News that will change their life forever. Don't let the holiday season go by without sharing that Good News!

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

SUNDAY - PEACE - Blessed are the Shalom-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. We confess that we have all sinned and fallen short of your glory, O God. We have broken the peace and wholeness of your good world. Forgive us, lead us, and restore us. Reform us into peacemakers instead of peace-breakers.

The Year of the Lord's Favor

 If the first verse of today’s reading sounds familiar, it is because this is the text that Jesus read at the synagogue to describe Himself and His ministry. Read through the passage carefully and consider all that it says. What does it tell you about Jesus that He chose this text to describe His work on earth?

 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

 

Click here to access the reading from Isaiah 61:1-11

 

For more help use these Bible Study methods.

 

REFLECTION

 

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

By Katie Borden

In a normal year, my family starts listening to Christmas music on November 1. This year, which has been anything but normal, I began inundating myself with Christmas tunes significantly earlier than that. One of the pieces I’ve been listening to with some regularity is “O Holy Night”, and as I read today’s Scripture from Isaiah, I am reminded of one of my favorite lines from that carol:

 …A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices…

I think today’s text gives us permission to name the weariness and grief that has hung heavy around & upon us throughout these last months, but it does so much more than that. It gives us hope to cling to, particularly in the midst of an acutely intense week.

At the beginning of this week, we remembered those who have gone before us into the glorious company of the saints on All Saints Day, and at the end of this week, our nation will be processing the results of Tuesday’s election. To be honest, as I write I do not know what our world will look like on this post-election Wednesday. I do not know which candidates may be rejoicing and who may be mourning. I pray to the Lord for peace, though I do not know if I will see peace in our world today. But this I do know: that ultimate hope and true peace is only found in the Prince of Peace, and that someday, God will bring peace and justice and restoration to all things. Dear readers, I look forward to that day so much!

As we process the events of the last days, weeks, and months, and as we consider what the future may hold, we as believers know that we can rest our ultimate hope and faith in Jesus, in whom these words of Isaiah are fulfilled. My heart leaps when I read Luke 4 where Jesus quotes this very chapter of Isaiah and then declares in the power of the Spirit, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. Thanks be to God!

The people of Israel heard these words and looked forward to the day when they would be fulfilled. Today, we can look to Jesus and know that hope, healing, peace, freedom, and restoration are found this very day in him. And someday, the whole creation will be set right with God’s shalom—his peace and his justice will reign forevermore. In that truth, dear weary world, we can rejoice.

 

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

WEDNESDAY: JUSTICE: Stir up the power of your Holy Spirit to create reconciliation and justice where we cannot. We are enmeshed in the sin and hurt and futility of a fallen world. But you, O God, have raised Jesus from the dead and poured out the Spirit of your new creation. Reconcile us to one another across the divides we alone cannot cross, in the justice and wholeness only you can create.

 

 

Larry Got It Wrong

I am a Spongebob  Squarepants fan.

 

Spongebob has been part of my family for 17 years. My kids taught me to like Spongebob, and now I am passing that love along to my grandkids.

 

I know people who are like Mr. Crabs, like Squidward, like Patrick and like Larry the Lobster. The Spongebob cartoons are a lot like my life.

 

In one of the episodes, Spongebob sings a song. Larry the Lobster tells Spongebob, “That was so righteous!”

 

Larry thought Spongebob’s actions made him righteous. Was Larry right?

 

Today’s reading is Isaiah 61:1-11.

 

God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah 700 years before Christ’s birth, tells us why Christ will be coming to the earth. The Jews thought it would be to set up an earthly kingdom similar to King David’s reign. God tells us, however, the reason Christ came was to preach good news, comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve.

 

We are also told that the Christian Church will be established on earth, and it will be for Jews and Gentiles. Not only that, but we will be called priests of the Lord, expected to carry out Christ’s work.

 

Because of Christ’s work, we will be clothed with a robe of righteousness.

 

There is nothing we do that makes us righteousness, that is, right with God.

 

We are sinners and we descend from sinners. We have failed God’s commands. We deserve eternal torment in the fiery lake.

 

Yet, we are righteous.

 

Our righteousness is nothing we did. It is everything that Jesus did. God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to not only atone for our sin, but to also assume our sin. Jesus gets punished for our sin and it is as though we never sinned!

 

If in fact Spongebob is righteous, it has nothing to do with the song he sang, or anything else he might do.

 

Larry got it wrong.