Jesus' Isaiah 61 Projects

On one mission-critical Sabbath day in Nazareth, Jesus read from Isaiah 61, closed the scroll, sat down and declared, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus was on mission. We are on mission too! We (you and I) have the same Isaiah 61 mission.

In this article, we will look at some people Jesus radically saved, liberated, healed, and loved. When Jesus drops some truth bombs on us—when He missionizes our thinking—He says words to us like the ones he spoke to the lawyer in Luke 10:37, “Go and do likewise.”

Isaiah 61:1-3 says,

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, cecause the LORD has anointed Me tpreach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Even today, people may ask, “Does Jesus really do this? Is this who He really is? Are you sure He isn’t some unhappy, hard to please, religious guy with a lot of power?”

As I was looking through the Gospels, it was so exciting to see all the people Jesus helped, all of the broken hearts He mended, the wounds He healed, the captives who were set free, the oppressed who were loosed, and all the limitations and hindrances that were totally shattered in people’s lives. This is the real Jesus. This is His business. This is what He came to do! (This is our business too!)

Jesus changed people’s lives, and He still does!

• Matthew 9:9-12 — Jesus didn’t come to hang out with a bunch of religious people who thought they had it all together. He came to hang out with people who were lost and sick, who needed to be saved and healed!
• Matthew 11:4-5 — Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: ‘The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.’

Here is the proof Jesus gives that He is the Son of God. He is on mission, He helps people, and He saves people! As Christians, this must be our fruit and our evidence too!

• Matthew 14:36 — People recognized Jesus, knowing His reputation. They came running to Jesus—towards hope, His anointing, and compassionate love! They brought all who were sick and all who had needs. “All who touched Him were made perfectly well.” They were Jesus’ Isaiah 61 Projects.
• Luke 13:10-17 — Satan had bound this lady for 18 years, and Jesus freed her from that bondage on the Sabbath. Jesus was a rule breaker! He healed on the sabbath many times. He touched the untouchables. He allowed anyone with a need to touch Him. He healed those who others deemed unacceptable, set sinners free, had compassion on multitudes, forgave sin, wanted mercy over what the law required, called the unexpected, and included anyone who wanted to be included. Jesus had a lot of Isaiah 61 projects!

John tells us in the last book and verse of his Gospel that Jesus did many more things—so many that if books were written about all of them the world could not contain the books! (John 21:25) Think about all those stories and all those Isaiah 61 Projects!

Think about some of the other Isaiah 61 Projects that were written down: Zacchaeus, the thief on the cross, the woman at the well, the man who was infirmed for 38 years and didn’t have anyone to help him, the woman caught in adultery, the man born blind, and even Lazarus who died and was resurrected.

What is your story? We are Isaiah 61 projects too! What stories do some of your neighbors and family members have? Jesus wants to heal us, set us free, make our lives strong and sturdy like an oak tree, and then He wants to reflect His love and glory through us for others to see and experience. Jesus wants to missionize us and send us into our world!

Every generation is filled with Isaiah 61 projects. We have a centennial mandate, a prophetically declared 2nd century PCG Decade of Harvest. This is within our grasp! If you can only believe, all things are possible to those who believe! We must excel-erate our missional pace and reach our world with the Pentecostal message. God’s eye is upon us for good, for mission, and for eternal impact!