The Good News is that Jesus came to help people with their
distresses. The Gospel is for the benefit of mankind, in every
area. Jesus didn't come to start a new religion, he came "to
preach the Gospel to the poor, 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, To preach the acceptable
year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19)
The word "poor" in the above scripture figuratively
means "distressed." Jesus here was saying that he was
anointed to proclaim the Gospel (Good News) to the distressed.
Inner turmoil, sickness, relationship problems, emotional brokenness
are all distressing situations.
He came to heal the brokenhearted. Many hearts have been broken
through calamity, abuse, neglect. The scripture says, "The
spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit
who can bear?" (Proverbs 18:14, KJV).
There are many people with wounded spirits-wounded through broken
relationships, wounded through sexual abuse, wounded through violence,
wounded by words, wounded through their own separation from Father
God. The Good News is that Jesus came to change things, to make
a difference, to do a miracle in your life. That's the real Jesus.
He's not a statue. He's not even the founder of Great world religion,
like Mohammed or Buddah, He's Jesus, the Savior of the world.
He came to save his people from their sins. He has the cure for
sin and it's awful results in the world.
There are victims and there are victimizers in the world. There
are oppressors and there are the oppressed. In God's mind and
plan, there would be neither. Jesus came to destroy the works
of the devil-both in the oppressor and the oppressed. (1 John
3:8)
Jesus came to "set at liberty them that are bruised."
The word "bruised" here means shattered or broken by
calamity. How many shattered, broken lives do you know? The Good
News is Jesus came to set at liberty them that are shattered and
broken-not leave them in their misery, not "bear their cross
of misery"-but to set them free.
When you're a victim of an accident or a beating you are physically
bruised. After time, those bruises will normally heal. But many
lives are broken and shattered by the calamities of life and it
seems that there is no healing. But Jesus Christ can bring healing.
He can restore your broken personality. He can once again give
meaning to your life and bring you hope.
He came "to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
This has reference to the time of God's favor and mercy. The time
of God's favor 'is now because Jesus Christ has died on the cross.
Because of this, we can be forgiven because His life was given
as a sacrifice for ours. Therefore, by receiving Jesus Christ,
we are accepted by God.
Through this acceptance, we also find grace with God and have
access to the blessings of God. The void in our life is filled,
because we are brought into right relationship with our Maker,
and we can begin to find healing and restoration through Jesus
Christ.
Jesus came to preach Good News to the distressed. You don't have
to stay distressed. This is God's time of favor. Be blessed, in
Jesus name.
Pray this simple prayer:
Dear God, I've been distressed. I've been out of the way.
Lead me in your path. I make Jesus Christ the Lord of my life
TODAY! I believe in the risen Savior, who died for my sins. Thank
you for saving me from destruction in Jesus name. Amen.