Today in the Word for December 30-January 3
Today in The Word
Monday Dec 30, 2019
What do prophecies about Jesus in Isaiah 42 tell us about Jesus? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 42:1 records God speaking about the coming Messiah:
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight...”
The gospel of Luke can inform us about this title for Jesus in the story of the transfiguration of Jesus as God speaks again in Luke 9:35:
“A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
Jesus is God’s Chosen One. There is none like him. And the call to those on the Mount of Transfiguration is the same call to us. We are to listen to Jesus. What he commands, we are to follow. When he speaks to us, we are to hear and obey. The world around us contains a lot of loud voices, but we are to give attention to the voice of Jesus. We are not to let the noise of life drown out his voice. After all, he is ‘God’s Chosen One’
And that’s the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday Dec 31, 2019
What do prophecies about Jesus in Isaiah 42 tell us about Jesus? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 42:1 and 7 records God speaking about the coming Messiah:
“…I will put my Spirit on him…to open eyes that are blind to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”
This prophecy that Jesus is a liberator empowered by the Holy Spirit can be seen when Jesus preaches in the synagogue in his home town in Luke 4:17-18:
…the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me …to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”
It is by the Holy Spirit that Jesus liberates humanity. Miracle comes through the power of the Spirit. Freedom from the darkness that binds us comes through the power of the Spirit. If Jesus brought freedom by the power of the Holy Spirit, shouldn’t we seek the Spirit’s power to do the same? After all, people still need freedom!
And that’s the Word from David Baker of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Wednesday Jan 1, 2020
How are we to respond to Jesus who brings freedom to our lives? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Jesus announces to his hometown synagogue in Luke 4:18:
“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.”
How do the locals respond? They are angry and try to throw him off a nearby cliff after Jesus states in Luke 4:27:
“…there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed---only Naaman the Syrian”.
Jesus was stating that God was present to liberate anyone, but the locals thought God would only work with the Jews. For them, as for us, Jesus is the one to bring freedom, but only to those who choose to believe. Naaman acted in faith. Many followers of Jesus chose to believe. What about us? Will we believe in Jesus and experience freedom or not?
And that’s the Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly. Happy New Year. No Bible Study today on New Year’s. May your time with family be blessed.
Today in the Word
Thursday Jan 2, 2020
What do prophecies about Jesus in Isaiah 42 tell us about Jesus? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 42:6 records God’s word to the Messiah:
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness…and will make you to be a covenant for the people…”
We see this fulfilled by Jesus at the Last Supper in Luke 22:20:
“…after supper he took the cup, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Jesus is the New Covenant maker. His death on the cross and his blood that he shed has made it possible for us to be in true relationship with God. It is his blood that is an adequate cover for our wrong actions.
Yet how are we to respond? We must partake of his offer of forgiveness. The action of communion symbolizes this with the drinking of the fruit of the vine. Jesus’ offer is real. We can begin life with God under his new covenant, but only if we are willing to join with Jesus. If we receive his cover for our sin, we then become part of his Body. We partake. What will we choose?
And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Friday Jan 3, 2020
What do prophecies about Jesus in Isaiah 42 tell us about Jesus’ heart? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 42:6 records God’s word to the Messiah:
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness…and will make you to be…a light for the Gentiles.”
When Jesus is 8 days old, a priest named Simeon announces Jesus will be a light for the Gentiles (Luke 2:25-32). Some years later when Paul and Barnabas are preaching as missionaries and experience Jewish opposition, Acts 13:46-47 states:
“…Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
“I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Jesus’ heart was to reach more than the Jews. His heart was to reach the ends of the earth. He wants all humans to come into the light of his love. And the term ‘all humans’ includes you and I. God’s ‘big picture’ is to reach the whole world. He wants his light to shine in every place of darkness. Can you see his ‘big picture’, and will you come into the light?
And that’s the Word. You can enjoy more of the Word this Sunday at 10:45 at Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.