AT the beginning of His ministry on earth Jesus went to the synagogue of Nazareth on the Sabbath Day. Here He was doubtless well known, and would be recognized by many of those who were assembled for the customary service. He stood up to read, and, having been given the scroll of Esaias, the prophet, He read as follows: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He bath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:1818The 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, (Luke 4:18), 19.)
“And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (v. 21.)
The people in the synagogue fixed their eyes on Jesus as He read over these wonderful words.
Possibly they had heard them read before, but never as He read them. Isaiah had uttered the words nearly 700 years before, but no one had ever come until now who could take them up as being true of Himself. As Christ Jesus spoke them they were true: He had come to preach good news, to heal, to deliver, and to relieve the oppressed.
And, thank God! He has done it in tens of thousands of cases—in mine and, may I say, in yours? Think it over. God's Son—He who is God—came to earth to tell men good tidings of God's forgiving grace to the guilty— His mighty power put forth to meet all human need, and to crush the power of the oppressor, so that the poor, weary sinner might be free.
All you need is to be found in Him: no longer a man on earth, but the living Lord enthroned in the highest heaven, He who was dead but lives to die no more. And it is still the acceptable year: you may receive the gospel of God's grace, may find deliverance and know by faith and in the Spirit's power a Mighty Deliverer. "Now is the accepted time." Friend, do not come too LATE. R. B.