Open Heaven 7 April 2023
MEMORISE: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
BIBLE READING: Luke 4:13-20, Isaiah 61:1-3
Luke 4:13-20
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
Read yesterday’s Open Heaven Devotional here
In Luke 4:13-20, Jesus read from Scripture the reason He came to the earth as prophesied in Isaiah 61:1-3. There is however, one surprising thing in that Scripture: He started reading the prophesy of Isaiah about His ministry from the beginning, but when He got to the part that says ‘to preach the acceptable year of the Lord’, He stopped and closed the book. That was not all that Isaiah said; there was more, but in announcing the assignment that He had come to do on earth, Jesus stopped halfway.
There must have been a reason for this. We see that reason in Acts1:8: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Jesus came to the world, lived and died, then sent us the Holy Spirit so that we can continue from where He stopped.
The first part of His assignment was fulfilled while He was on earth; the rest, as prophesied by Prophet Isaiah, is to be fulfilled through us His children after we have received the Holy Ghost. Jesus saved you so that He can use you to save others. The question is: are you a ready vessel or not? As you celebrate Easter, don’t forget the assignment the Lord celebrate Easter, don’t forget the assignment the Lord 20).
Does Christ truly have you as a vessel to fulfil His will? Apostle Paul was a man who stopped at nothing to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Easter is not a time to just eat chicken and stay at home relaxing; it’s a time to go out there and let Jesus use you to save unbelievers. It’s a time to proclaim the day of the vengeance of God and to comfort all those who mourn. Let Jesus use you to win at least one soul this season. Tell someone about the day of the vengeance of God and don’t let that fellow end up in hell.
KEY POINT: Have you conquered yourself?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 20-22
Thank you for studying today’s Open Heaven – The Purpose of His Death I – written by Pastor Enoch Adeboye
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Open Heaven 7 April 2023
