Declaring God's Favor

Dave Cochran, a homeless man living near Kansas City, helps a stranded motorist in the snow. That motorist turned out to be offensive lineman Jeff Allen of the Kansas City Chiefs. Allen rewarded Cochran with tickets to the upcoming Conference Championship game against the Patriots. Now that’s a feel good story.

While we should listen to less negative news and surround ourselves with more inspiration, we need more than feel good stories. We need more than good news.

Why?

Good News isn’t Good Enough.

Jesus understood the real problem we all have. Being positive isn’t enough. Motivation Monday and Fun Friday are fine, but being positive does not change the details of your existence.

Beggars, Bound, Blind, & Beat Up

People Need Some Good News.

People are Bound.

People are Blind.

And the reality for natural man is they are in trouble. The news is very bad. Jesus describes the natural man in these terms: poor, captive, blind, oppressed.

People are Helpless

These metaphors describe the destruction sin brings into our lives.

Poor: the spiritually poor. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ().

Captive: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin ()

Jesus is the Good News.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin

Blind: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God ().

The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.Jesus is the Good News.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Oppressed: He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted ().

These are the realities for people living in sin. Sin bankrupts and turns people into beggars; sin binds people in addictions; sin blinds people to the destructiveness of their choices; and sin breaks hearts.

Jesus is the Good News.

A Fulfilled Promise

A Ful-filled Promise

“These Scriptures came true today in front of you.”

Jesus quotes from and applies it directly to Himself. This is incredible!

refers to the Servant of the Lord or the Suffering Servant. The most famous passage is .

What’s interesting is the reference to anointing. To be anointed was to receive favor, blessing, and authority, just as kings were anointed by the priests. Messiah, or Christ, is a translation meaning Anointed One. Which is interesting considering the end of v. 18, He has anointed me.

See, when Jesus sits down and says, Today this Scripturt has been fulfilled in your hearing, he understands that the Scripture is about Him. He understood he was the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ of God who came to take away the sins of the world.

And that means when we proclaim the Good News, we’re really just proclaiming Jesus and what HE DOES for the broken.

Our message isn’t “come to church…you’d enjoy our worship music…your kids will love it!...” or any of those secondary messages we tend to focus on.

Our message is simple: Jesus enriches the poor! Jesus sets the addicted free! Jesus heals your blindness! Jesus heals the broken heart! We preach Jesus and what He does!

Applications

What are some in which we need to believe better or obey better? How can we submit to Christ more fully?

Rejoice in this Good News!

The Good News that we are living in the Age of the Lord’s Favor.

This is not a Joel Osteen message!

Notice people, especially the wounded.

Conclusion:

Share Good News!

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