Freedom to the Captivesves
August 22, 2021
Bible: Luke 4:16-21
Title: “Freedom to the Captives”
Sharon’s brothers and sisters, have you had a good week?
Last August 15th is the Independence Day of the Republic of India and the Republic of Korea.
India was liberated from British colonial rule.
Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule.
The two countries coincidentally celebrated the same day as a national day.
We feel deeply how grateful we are to exercise our sovereignty.
How miserable is it for people from other countries to come and rule my country and rule my people when they can’t defend their own country, come from another country to protect them, can’t rule their own country on their own?
August 15th was a very special day when we, India and Korea, achieved the independence of our country through our ceaseless will and efforts for independence.
Our two countries, which have the same history, should remember the past history as a lesson and work together to prevent a history of pain from repeating itself in the future by cooperating with each other.
We, Sharon’s brothers and sisters, are an even more special meeting and one family.
It is fortunate that we gained physical freedom, but it is because we became children of the same God who also gained spiritual freedom.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
His growth took place in Nazareth in Galilee.
Every Sabbath Jesus went into his synagogue and read his Bible.
The leader of the synagogue gave the prophet Isaiah to Jesus, who especially liked to read the Bible.
At that time, the Bibles were linked by scrolls, so it took a lot of time to open a long scroll to find one part.
The characteristics of the scroll of the Bible are the 66 chapters, where the very outer part starts with chapter 1 and the deep part is the last part.
The place that Jesus opened and searched for was chapter 61, so he was looking for it for a very long time.
Many of the Jews in the synagogue must have held their breath and wondered which part of the Bible Jesus was looking for.
At that time, Jesus taught in many synagogues, and he was praised by many.
All the deeds and words of Jesus, who received his respect and love, brought great joy and comfort to many Galileans.
The places where the Lord found and read the book of Isaiah are verses 18 and 19 of the text.
“The Holy Spirit of the Lord has come upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, and has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and restoration of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. to do it.”
After reading these words, he closed the book and spoke to the audience in all the synagogues who looked with their eyes on him, saying, “Today this writing has been fulfilled in your ears.”
These words have been fulfilled for our brothers and sisters, and also for me.
To say that it has been answered means that it has been fulfilled.
Jesus’ proclamation that the word has been fulfilled means an irreversible confirmation.
This is the purpose of Jesus coming to us.
To set me free from the bondage of Satan,
To open my eyes that the soul cannot see in death,
To take away the burden of bondage and to live freely,
He came to help us live a life of preaching that everything is the grace of the Lord.
This freedom was granted to the saints who listened to these words of the Bible.
Just as India and Korea became independent countries on August 15th, on the day we heard these words, we were freed from Satan’s captivity.
As proof of that, in India, people all over the country hold up the Indian flag to celebrate.
The same goes for Korea, and we celebrate with the Korean flag.
Dear Sharon’s brothers and sisters,
The word freedom is the most dignified and precious word on earth.
There is nothing more precious to man than the word freedom.
How many peoples or peoples are still living in the world without freedom?
There are many countries where people cannot speak properly, cannot travel properly, cannot go to school properly, and cannot find a job properly due to oppression and suffering.
Even worse, it is heartbreaking that there are still so many countries where the freedom to believe in God is still limited.
How terrible is the suffering of living in a country where even the chance of salvation is not guaranteed?
We must pray earnestly to proclaim freedom and enlighten the eyes of Satan’s captives living in such a harsh environment.
Together we must take the light and go to that dark world together.
That dark world has no hope unless we enter it.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray that you will become all brothers and sisters of Sharon who spread the light of grace that the Lord has given us. Amen
