Jesus' Mission
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations. Isaiah 61:1-4
Jesus came to earth on a multifaceted mission and He continues His mission on earth today through His body made up of His followers empowered by the Holy Spirit. What is His mission?
God employed prophets to proclaim the coming Messiah and to explain His function. Speaking through Isaiah, God paints a trinitarian image. In the first verse we see the Holy Spirit, God the Father and Christ Jesus, and God explains Christ Jesus brings good news to the oppressed, heals the brokenhearted, proclaims release of people held in captivity, and fills those who mourn with joy. Jesus left heaven and came to earth on a multifaceted mission. He delivers good news. He heals. He frees. He brings joy.
Christ Jesus transforms people enabling them to fulfill their purpose, which involves engaging in God’s great mission on earth. With this in mind, we should consider the messianic mission statement set forth in Isaiah 61from two perspectives. First, what is your experience with Christ Jesus? Is your experience with Jesus consistent with His mission statement? How is He working in your life? What captivity does He free you from? How is He healing you? Second, Jesus continues His mission on earth through His disciples. How is His mission continuing through you?
To appreciate the foundational nature of Isaiah’s prophecy, let’s consider a few times Jesus quotes it, refers to it and directs others to be guided by it.
Jesus started His ministry in Galilee traveling from town to town, teaching in synagogues. In the beginning everyone praised Him (see Luke 4:14-15). He continued the pattern in His hometown, Nazareth, where Jesus read the opening portion of the messianic prophecy set forth above in Isaiah 61 and proclaimed, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). When Jesus wanted to proclaim His birthright, His Lordship, His title, He quoted Isaiah 61.
Around the same time, Herod Antipas imprisoned John the Baptist. So while John the Baptist heard God the Father proclaim Jesus to be His Son and he saw the Holy Spirit light on Jesus in the form of a dove, he did not hear Jesus teach, he did not see the miracles, he did not see Jesus cast out demons. As he sat in prison, he began to wonder whether Jesus really is the Messiah. So, he asked friends to visit Jesus and pose the question directly to Him. After they asked the question, Scripture says,
Jesus had just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” Luke 7:21-23
Through Isaiah, God says the Messiah will deliver good news, heal, free and bring joy to people once living in the wretched state of humanity separated from God. When Jesus tells John’s friends to go back and report what they see happening, His words harken to Isaiah’s messianic prophecy. Rather than simply saying, “yes,” Jesus refers to Scriptural authority along with eyewitness accounts, as if to say, “Don’t simply take my word for it, look at all the irrefutable evidence.” His actions speak who He is and Jesus uses the concepts set forth in Isaiah 61 to establish the context through which we view His actions.
When Jesus sent missionaries across the region, their mission was a continuation of His mission. First, He sent the twelve disciples to “proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:2). Next, He sent 72 missionaries to “cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:9). The Messiah’s mission involves delivering good news, healing, freeing and delivering joy, and Jesus sent His followers out as His agents on His mission.
God’s holy word says it is the same with us (see John 14:12 and 1 John 2:3-6). Our actions speak who we are and we are called to continue His mission on earth. Jesus says, those who claim association with Him “will also do the works that I do” (John 14:12). The apostle John writes that followers of Christ Jesus will “walk just as he walked” (1 John 2:6). If we are followers of Christ, our actions speak it. His disciples do what He did. He came to deliver good news to people living in the wretched state of separation from God. He came to heal, free and bring joy to people in need. Followers of Christ do the same. And if our actions fail to speak our association with Christ, we should question the status of our relationship with Him.
The statements are absolutes. Jesus says,
Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. John 14:12-14
The apostle John writes,
Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked. 1 John 2:3-6
Our actions reveal who we are. Relationship with Christ Jesus results in actions revealing the association. Christ Jesus delivers good news. He heals. He frees. He brings joy. And His followers do the things He did. He came to earth on a mission and His mission continues through His disciples empowered by the Holy Spirit. How do you reveal that you are His disciple?