Sight For the Blind

“. . . and recovery of sight for the blind.” Luke 4:18c (NIV)

Here again Jesus could have meant more than then physically blind. In our 21st Century world, we seem to have a lot of spiritually blinded people. We also notice persons who are blinded by the glitz of the world. Some people get sidetracked in their walk with Jesus by some Christian-sounding groups

I have heard certain people described by others as “having a blind spot”. Some parents have fallen in this category because they have a relationship with someone and think that other person can’t do anything wrong. Some times this blind spot causes a person to become involved in activities that are dangerous to themselves and to others.

Did Jesus come to give these sight?

Freedom for Prisoners

“He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners.” Luke 4:18b (NIV)

Are we to take this phrase as Jesus speaking words of independence to those men and women behind bars? He could mean this. I believe He means more, His message could focus on emotional, spiritual, and mental freedom, not simply the condition of a person having served his or her time behind physical bars and being released.

Could the Master also call those held in bondage to certain self-destructive habits prisoners? If a person becomes addicted to a substance, he or she has allowed that ‘stuff’ to take them over-physically, mentally and emotionally. It is horrific to see someone attached to things that can take their life.

What about victims of abuse? Wouldn’t we call them prisoners? Friends of mine have a daughter who, in order to function, has to take seizure medication. When the daughter was married, I heard she had a spell every time she and her husband came to visit. After she moved back home, she confessed that she hadn’t been taking her meds. It seemed they needed the money for ‘other things’ but it wasn’t her decision. It was the husband’s. Was my friend’s daughter a prisoner?

Didn’t Jesus came to help them find a better way to live?

Good News to the Poor

“The Sprit of the Lord is upon me

because he has anointed me to preach

good news to the poor.”

Luke 4:18a (NIV)

Who are the poor in our 21st Century world? We live in an economically depressed town-a corporation closed one of it’s larger parts plant in the 1990’s. Then another corporate decision closed it’s other division in, I believe, 2006. These two divisions employed a large percentage of our area’s population.

We hear of people who have no or inadequate health insurance. Would Jesus consider them poor? I remember a friend sharing with me that her mother-at that time, a fairly recent widow-had to use the majority of her Social Security to purchase her medication. This lady had less than $15.00 each month to use for food, utilities, etc. Do we think about this condition as being impoverished?

We hear of people losing their homes because they are out of work. People live in substandard housing because they can’t find anything within their means. Back in the early summer the local newspaper ran a story about a man being injured in a fight at what seemed to be a campsite set up by some homeless people.

God loves the poor, the ones without means and the homeless as much as he loves you and me.

Glory to the Lord

“ . . . and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ

is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:11



Can you picture this? Every tongue will confess. I wonder how that will sound. I once sat in a large auditorium and heard those assembled sing “Wonderful Grace of Jesus”. (The chorus divides into four parts-each part singing different phrases.) My thought was “Will everyone know which part to sing?” When the people came to the end of the verse, all the voices divided as if they had the music right in front of them. I felt I was in Heaven. Those gathered that night knew the song. I believe hearing every tongue saying “Jesus Christ is Lord” will be like it was in that auditorium. It sounded like angels singing.

The sound will surround us. We won’t be able to hear anything else. We who believe He is Lord will be saying it as a form of worship-telling Him he is worthy to receive our devotion, our honor, and our praise.

God will hear our words of confession. He will be glorified. His Son will be recognized for who He is-Lord of our lives.

Honoring Our King

“. . . that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and in earth and under the earth. . . .”

Philippians 2:10 (NIV)



We all will one day pay homage to God’s Son as we gather before Him. All who have every walked this earth will fall before Him in an attitude of worship. I noticed something when I recently studied this passage. Paul tells the Philippians that ALL will bow-those already in heaven, those still on earth, and those under the earth. Let’s think on this a bit. Could this mean those who have already been condemned will also recognize the need to get on their knees? Will they recognize His authority and who He is?

God’s children will bow their knees because they will recognize the returning Savior. They will do it without thinking. They have been preparing their hearts for that time.

As we wait for Christ to return, what are some ways we can honor Him?

Name Above All Names

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name.”

Philippians 2:9 (NIV)



As I grew up, movie theaters were a major place of gathering for teens. If friends saw each other there, one would save a seat for the other. When a local theater was refurbished, the campaign to replace the seats carried the name. “I’ll save you a seat.” Have you been invited to sit in church with a friend? When it happens to me, it always makes me feel special.

Because Jesus took on all our sins, God raised the Son and gave Him the seat next to Himself. He saved the most special place for the one who became Sin for us, the one who obeyed Him.

Because Jesus Christ is the name above all names, God’s children honor it.

Jesus’ Attitude

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself and became obedient

to death even death on a cross.”

Philippians 2:8 (NIV)



Jesus humbled Himself. He asked God three times to not let Him go to the cross, but the ending of His prayer was “not my will but your will be done.” He knew it was His Father’s plan, accepted it, and obeyed.

Crucifixion was the Roman way of dealing with the most severe of criminals. It is thought to be the most horrible of deaths at that time. But Jesus had done nothing to deserve it.

He had to learn obedience in order to achieve what God wanted for Him. He became like us in order to guide us through our days here on Earth. He took upon himself the sin of us all. He bore every cross word, bad thought, lie, broken promise, tidbit of gossip and misconception we ever had or gave.

He chose, for our sakes, to be obedient to the Father. He did these things because of His great love for us.