“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives,
And freedom to prisoners.”
(Isaiah 61:1)
“For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:11)
The God of the universe stepped into our broken world that all might be “saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). A quick assessment of his life reminds us that Jesus was one of a kind. This humble king profoundly affected lives wherever he went. He treasured people of all sorts and loved them as they were.
Like the outcast adulterous woman he met at a community watering hole one day.
Breaking the strict cultural norms, Jesus engaged this woman in a life-changing conversation. The compelling factor in all of this, however, was that he talked with her at all. In this very act, he esteemed her highly and brought a whole new level of value and dignity to her life.
Like the banished lepers of Israel, whose lives had deteriorated into a mode of survival, despair, loneliness and meaninglessness.
These disease-stricken castaways were excommunicated from any normal contact with people. At times, the lepers formed a community together where they would grieve their condition together and help one another in their new business of begging for food.
When entering the public venues of the day, a leper was required to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!” This was done so the people could remove themselves to a safe distance from the leper’s course of travel.
But Jesus broke the norms with them, too! Scripture records in numerous places that “He stretched out His hand and touched” them (Matthew 8:3) and brought healing to their lives. Simon the Leper hosted a meal for Jesus and his disciples. Jesus cared for, dined with, and loved people who no one else desired in the least.
Like the two blind men on the road to Jericho.
As they called out from the crowd to gain Jesus’ attention, all those around them sternly told them to shut their mouths! In this culture, blind people were a nuisance. They were sentenced to begging on the public streets for survival. The land was filled with these pesky good-for-nothings.
But Jesus saw them as precious children of God. When he heard them calling, he was gripped by their condition. In fact, the Bible tells us that Jesus was “moved with compassion.” He walked to them, talked with them and touched them. He healed these two beggars, and they became followers of Jesus.
Love Without Limits
The list could be very long. The demon-possessed, the traitor tax-collectors, the oppressed women of the day, and at times, even the haughty Pharisees were all recipients of Jesus’ liberal, unreserved goodness lavished upon those who needed it most.
Jesus’ arrival at Christmas was foretold hundreds of years earlier by the prophet Isaiah, who expressed what this Promised One would be like. In the verses above, we read a synopsis of what characterized this amazing Messiah—his Spirit-driven compassion would primarily extend to the afflicted, brokenhearted and the captives.
Yes—Jesus directed his focus on those that most people forget!
Maybe that’s why he arrived as a nobody. Perhaps that’s why he came with no advantage over anyone—born into an impoverished family, exiled as an alien in Egypt, fleeing the rage of a mad dictator, homeless, needy, unassuming.
Guess what? You’re called to be Jesus! That’s why he invited you to come to the manger.
2 Corinthians 4:11 (above) makes it quite clear that Jesus wants to live his life through us. Now get this:
- The plan is not for us to live our lives and then add a dash of Jesus to it.
- The plan is not for us to act like Jesus.
- The plan is not to try really hard to do what Jesus did.
The plan is for Jesus to actually and miraculously live his life through our mortal flesh!
Romans 12:1-2 states that we are to become “a living sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service of worship.” Jesus wants to be right here in our world, in our workplace, in our health club, in our home…through you!
This Child-King we have worshiped is calling us to give something back. Our very lives!
And when we do, we will find life in a way we never imagined. We, too, will start doing things that we never thought possible. It won’t be us…it will be the Christ incarnated through our flesh!
That’s an adventure I hope none of us will miss.
Ivan Veldhuizen is Senior Vice President of International Ministries for Converge. He is the author of Far Off Saints, a missions curriculum and teaching series designed specifically for pastors that provides tools and insights to enhance their ministry and help their congregations discover their place in bringing the gospel to the nations. The four-week study includes sermon resources, daily bite-sized readings, small-group guides and QR codes linking to video teaching sessions and additional resources. See how some pastors are using Far Off Saints in their churches.