In the power of the Spirit
by Tatiana Overduin
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The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor (Luke 4:18).
Read Luke 4:14–21
In this Scripture text, we often translate ‘the poor’ simply as those who are ‘financially poor’. However, in Greek, ‘the poor’ are also broken-hearted, those without support, ultimately, we could interpret, as those who do not yet believe in the message of the cross and the inheritance of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
In this Lukan text, Jesus specifically cites the reference, written in the Book of Isaiah 61:1–3, where the Old Testament prophet describes the coming of the Messiah:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release the prisoners from darkness.
So we, too, now understand that Jesus fulfils the prophecy, reiterating in verse 21: ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’.
Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit. He stood in the synagogue, read the Old Testament Scripture before those who gathered there, and proclaimed the fulfilment of the Scripture. We read that those who were there were ‘amazed’. Jesus had a mission: he was sent by his Father to proclaim the good news, and Jesus himself fulfilled this because he was – and still is – ‘the good news’.
This truth remains and continues to be proclaimed today. Jesus remains the definitive good news to an impoverished world. In response, we, too, are called to fearlessly walk in the power of God’s Spirit and witness to the poor, the message of God’s redemptive power working through the death and resurrection of Jesus, all to fulfil God’s plan and save a sinful human race. Sometimes, we are called to be witnesses of Christ to family, sometimes to friends and at other times to strangers. When we call on Jesus to help us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, God promises to be with us. May we continue to do this faithfully through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord God, thank you for empowering us to walk in the power of your Spirit, being with us through grace every day, reminding us through your word that we need not be afraid when confronted by life’s difficult challenges of living a life of witness to the redeeming power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thank you for forgiving us when we fail to do this and reassure us now that you are with us as we place our trust in you. Amen.
Tatiana is married to Jim, and they live at Largs North, a seaside location in Adelaide. They have two adult children and six grandchildren. This year, Tatiana looks forward to spending more time building her art therapy/knitting business, writing, gardening and enjoying an early morning beach walk. Tatiana gained a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Australian Lutheran College in 1996. Both Tatiana and Jim attend worship at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide.
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