The Ministry of Release

In Luke 4:14-21, Jesus works his way to the platform and pulls out a scroll from the Ark in Nazareth's synagogue. He doesn’t grab the Law – he grabs a prophecy. He grabs Isaiah 61 and Isaiah 58.

This is the first time you hear Jesus speak to people in the Gospel of Luke. And what a way to start!
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me! I’m anointed and I’ve come to bring with me the ministry of release.”

Release is the mission of Luke’s Jesus. It’s the life pattern Jesus is setting for all who chose to follow.

The final line Jesus reads from Isaiah says, “In the year of the Lord’s favor.” This is not a throwaway line. Jesus is speaking about Isaiah 58:6 which is talking about Leviticus 25. In ancient Israelite culture, there is a year known as the Year of Jubilee. Jubilee actually means, “Release.” The year of Jubilee occurs every fifty years. Accordingly, property would be returned to the original owners, debts would be canceled, and those who had managed their debts by selling themselves into slavery would be released.

Jesus is saying, “I am going to be the Jubilee for everyone. I am going to be what brings release to everyone I meet.”

We, as followers of Jesus, must continue Jesus’ ministry of release! Lest we fail to appreciate the far-reaching importance of this ministry, we should note that release comes in two ways:

The first release is a spiritual release that we all need. It allows us to forgive ourselves, our sins, and our failures. It allows us to continue pursuing after God without feeling ashamed. It saves our souls, grants us freedom, and allows us an opportunity to be forgiven.

But Jesus’ ministry of release is also physical. Jesus comes to this world to do ministry – not just preach it. The ministry of release is a ministry that loves and cherishes life over death, good over evil, and a helping hand in need.

Jesus is offering a pattern that all of us must continue. Followers of Jesus, Christians, are people who bring physical healing to the poor, wounded, outcast, disenfranchised, victims of an earthquake, victims of the housing market, victims of poverty, sex trafficking and everyone else who find themselves down and out.

If Jesus were here today he would find himself in Haiti helping rescue babies. He would find himself in Afghanistan promoting peace. He would find himself in Uganda stopping the spread of malaria. He would find himself in Atlanta shutting down sex trafficking parlors. Jesus would find himself in in your hometown taking care of the needy, the sick, and the poor.

Jesus is the ultimate Jubilee. All of us are captives, slaves to sin, slaves to the world, and in desperate need of freedom. Jesus in Luke 4 proclaims he is who history has longed for. He is our Savior! He releases us to go out into the world and do the very same.

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