Our new quarter of lessons continues our study of the Gospel According to Luke.  We shift our emphasis to focus specifically on the life and ministry of Jesus.  We are leading up to the events of the week of Passover and the celebration of the resurrection on March 31st.

In this lesson, we are focusing on the actual mission of Jesus.  What did Jesus come to earth to accomplish?  Of course, we know that His main purpose was to provide a way for the wall of sin that separates us from His Father to be torn down.  Giving His life to pay for the sins of the world on the cross of Calvary was His ultimate goal.  His sacrificial death would lead to the resurrection of our Savior and the defeat of the sting of death forever.  For all of those who would believe in Him, eternity in the Father’s House was made possible. 

The Holy Spirit inspired Doctor Luke to pen both the Gospel of Luke as well as the Book of Acts.  Some have called this the “two-volume” book set of Doctor Luke.  Both Luke and Acts are “dedicated” to Theophilus.  The identity of Theophilus is unknown.  He is addressed as “most excellent” Theophilus.  This could be an officer or political leader. 

Since the person is not specifically identified, he shall remain a mystery.  Two clues are there inside the name.  “Theos” is the Greek word for God.  “Philus” is the Greek word for friend.  So, whoever this person might have been, we can be sure he was a friend of God as well as an acquaintance of Luke.  Then, we might also be assured that as friends of God, this message is also for us! 

Luke (1-2) joins Matthew (1-2) in sharing what we know of the details of the births of both Jesus and John the Baptizer. Luke gives us the naming and circumcision ceremony of Jesus with Simeon and Ana.  Luke tells us of the upbringing of Jesus until age 12.  Then there are 18 “silent” years.  Jesus is preceded by John the Baptizer who is the one prophesied to be the forerunner of the Messiah.  Isaiah the prophet had given this word 800 years before the birth of Jesus and John.  Part of the mission of Jesus was to be a fulfillment of the prophecy in the Old Testament. 

Luke narrates the baptism of Jesus by John in chapter 3.  Luke 3 continues with a genealogy of Jesus that traces all the way back to “Adam the son of God.”  We know that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God.  Luke showed that mankind began exactly as God had said in His Word in the creation story.  Adam and Eve were given life by our God the Creator.  Luke then records the temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness of Judea. 

In verse 14 of Luke 4, we find Jesus teaching in the local synagogues of Galilee.  Finally, the “hometown boy” comes to Nazareth, the home of Joseph and Mary where He had been raised.  He enters the synagogue on the Sabbath.  His custom (habit, way of life) was to worship on the Sabbath and to be in Jerusalem each year on Passover.  Jesus made worship a priority in His life!!! 

He chose a passage from Isaiah to teach that day.  The scroll of Isaiah was handed to Jesus by the scripture “attendant” so that He could stand up to read and then sit down to teach.  This was the custom as well.  Jesus unrolled the scroll to a specific place.  I find it so interesting that He was scrolling through His own writings! 

He chose a passage from Isaiah 61.  “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 and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” 

His message in response to this prophecy from Isaiah was simple: “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  It was an amazing message.  Jesus was revealing that He had come to earth in fulfillment of the direct, prophetic Word of God to Isaiah. 

His mission was revealed in these few verses: 
Founded with the authority of the Holy Spirit of God. 
Anointed by the Lord God Himself for this work.
Purposed to bring good news to the spiritually poor and personally afflicted.
Determined to bind up those whose hearts and lives were broken by sin.
Provided liberty to captives.
Insured freedom to prisoners.
Healed physically and spiritually blinded ones.
Lifted up those who were oppressed.
Proclaimed the favorable year (era) of the reign of God.

The people of Nazareth responded to His message by attempting to throw Him off a high cliff.  How unimaginable!  Of course, He moved through the crowd and escaped their intentions.  He had an appointment on a much higher mountain called Golgotha. 

Never forget the mission of Jesus.  I have recently seen this quote and I love it.  It comes from the heart of the woman at the well in John 4.  “Jesus didn’t come to the well for water.  He came for ME.”  The mission of Jesus was…YOU and ME!