Discovering Your Mission
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Key Verse: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me 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.” Selected Scripture: |
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness he was led by the Spirit into Galilee and “there went out a fame of him through all the region” … as “he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.” (Luke 4:14,15) Then “he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.”—vs. 16
When the book of the Prophet Isaiah was delivered to him he began to read, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me 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.’ “He closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him,” and Jesus said, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”—vss. 18-21
All who were present spoke well of him and were amazed. “All bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” (Luke 4:22) Others said, “Never man spake like this man.” (John 7:46) How can this be, they asked? “Is not this Joseph’s son?” “He said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.”—Luke 4:22-24
While this prophecy announcing Jesus’ commission was primarily fulfilled in Jesus, we understand also that it applies to every member of the body of Christ likewise anointed with the Spirit of the Lord. Each is commissioned a preacher of the Gospel, to serve the Lord, and is to lay down his life for the brethren.
Christ Jesus, as the head of the church which is his body, was anointed “with the oil of gladness,” the Holy Spirit. (Heb. 1:9) It was poured upon him, and “of his fulness have all we received.” (John 1:16) It is a great privilege to be joint-heirs and have our consecration “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13), under the anointing of our Head.
David gave us a typical picture of Jesus anointing. (Ps. 133:1-3; Luke 4:18) This holy anointing oil represented the Holy Spirit, giving enlightenment to all those whom God accepts as probationary members of the Royal Priesthood. All thus marked by the Holy Spirit as prospective members of the New Creation are assured by the Lord, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:16) “I have chosen you, and ordained you, [for your mission] that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.”—John 15:16