Greetings friend, welcome back! Nice to see you here again today. This lesson is a little shorter because I have put some links in the lesson for you; to encourage you to read and watch what the links point to, I’ve purposefully kept the writing less so that you’d have time to view those links. If this lesson takes you a couple of days to complete that’s no problem. Take your time and enjoy the study.
Oh the depths and the riches found in Isaiah 61, let’s look at it again, and this time we will add one additional verse (verse 4):
Isaiah 61:1-4 NIV The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, (2) to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, (3) and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. (4) They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
We’ve spent a few days looking at the work Jesus Christ came to do, let’s remind ourselves.
Jesus proclaimed good news to the poor by going to the cross and paying off our debt of sin. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
On the cross Jesus took our place and made a legal payment according to the Law. When He died He cried out, “Tetelestai!” meaning “It is Finished!” and has also been translated as “Paid in full!”
Here are the links I was telling you about above. Please take the time to view them as part of your lesson today:
Finally, spend a few minutes in awe-struck, wide-eyed amazement at all that Jesus accomplished throughout the entire world when He said, “It is Finished!”
Question 1. Do you fully acknowledge that Jesus paid your debt of sin, and do you see this as good news for the poor in spirit? What are your thoughts?
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Wendy writes, "Yes! Having my sins forgiven is definitely good news for anyone, but especially for those who are or in spirit. With nothing to offer, we can come to the Cross and be forgiven and reconciled to God through Christ's blood!!"
Tori writes, "Yes, I fully acknowledge it from the deepest part of my heart. He is my King! He is my savior! He came down to rescue me, rescue us. He deserves all the glory. I just imagine what he went through, especially after watching the 3rd link. How he has was such a fighter for me, went through both mental, physical and spiritual pain to save us. How can we not thank Him? This is good news because to Honor my sweet Lord, I honor Him also with the belief that I am NOT A SLAVE TO SIN, I AM NOT A SLAVE TO GRIEF, I AM NOT A SLAVE TO SATAN's LIE because Our Lord defeated it all! I say these words now with more conviction because Our Lord did not die for nothing! I say it with conviction as I see what he did on the cross, how he fought so I can fight. I thank you Jesus, I thank you, I thank you, I thank you! At this moment I feel angry at the lies the devil tells us to pull us down into depression and grief. Really it is the only way he can get to us, is through lies. It is the only way he can attempt to defeat what happened on the cross, but no. IT IS FINISHED! My Lord did it and today by God's grace, I choose to live in the truth. I choose to honor His son. I choose to honor the cross. Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus! I am feeling less weak to depression, I am feeling as if I want to fight it, fight it less for my comfort and more because I fight in honor of our Christ who already defeated this! Amen! Jesus what you did was not for nothing, and Jesus I pray you give me the strength to make my life honor what you did, glorify what you did and show it was magically and powerfully worth it, all you did through your great love and sacrifice for me. You are my hero."
Another student writes, "Yes, He completely paid the debt for all my sin. This is the BEST news ever. Before going through "setting the captives free", I always concentrated on my past debts as being paid in full - not past, present, future. I literally thought I had to keep up with my own sins present/future sins. I honestly think that's where my depression was stemming from, it was such a burden. I feel free to now just enjoy God. I use to read about Enoch and wish I could walk with God like that - and now I'm realizing I can. There is nothing holding me back from Him now."
Question 2. Did you go to the above links? If so, what did you get out of them? Please share here:
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Wendy writes, "Yes, and I especially enjoyed the sermon. The last song link was difficult to watch, but allowed me to "see" again some of the physical pain Jesus endured. Add to that the mental and spiritual torture just makes me feel overwhelmed and say thank you over and over to my Savior."
Harris writes, "Yes I did go to all of them. I saw a sacrifice, the greatest price ever been paid and is all for me."
Pamela writes, "Remember to not only come to the cross, but come with fresh eyes asking Him to enlighten the eyes of my understanding of how deep,how high and how wide is the love of God toward me and all the world. It is finished the debt is paid in full. How then will I choose to respond to such a love."
Tori writes,"The first song was very peaceful, reminding me he paid my sins and it is done. The second link was incredibly insightful. The third link for me was the most powerful as I visually saw everything Jesus did for all salvation. It was painful to watch, he was treated as less than human, he was struck so harshly as if he did something terrible, he had no crime yet was treated like this. The only way this is rationally possible is because he was dying for our sins. I am both angry, devastated but also feel grateful and joyful that he did it. To me, he is such a hero, so powerful and so loving."