Who is

ChristmasReally For?

OT Promise: Isaiah 61 “The SPIRIT of the LORD is upon ME,

because the Lord has anointed me . . . He has sent me:

‘Anointed’ means: set apart, consecrated, separate from others

“Messiah” or “Christ” means: “Anointed One”

OT Promise: Isaiah 61 “The SPIRIT of the LORD is upon ME,

because the Lord has anointed me . . . He has sent me:

Bring good news to the afflicted. . . PREACH

Who are the afflicted? humble, poor in spirit

Physical, moral, spiritual bankruptcy

Why are the ‘afflicted’ or ‘poor in spirit’ the ones targeted here?

b/c they are THE MOST LIKELY TO LISTEN . . . most willing to be changed,

transformed . . . not comforted or comfortable in their life circumstances.

OT Promise: Isaiah 61 “The SPIRIT of the LORD is upon ME,

because the Lord has anointed me . . . He has sent me:

Bind up the brokenhearted . . . HEALo Truly broken over their sin; humbled by their sinful transgression and dread

of wrath

o “crushed in spirit” . . . “broken and contrite”

o The Gospel shared is like soothing salve or balm on an open, festering

wound

OT Promise: Isaiah 61 “The SPIRIT of the LORD is upon ME,

because the Lord has anointed me . . . He has sent me:

Proclaim liberty to captives & freedom to prisoners . . . DELIVER (1st Advent: PHYSICAL DELIVERANCE) (2nd advent: SPIRITUAL DELIVERANCE)

REDEMPTION / RANSOM . . . All sinners owe God an unpayable debt!

The lost are in bondage to Satan (Jn. 8.44 “of your father the devil”)

Enslaved to sin (Jn. 8.34 “everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”)

Charles Wesley: “He breaks the pow’r of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner

free.”

OT Promise: Isaiah 61 “The SPIRIT of the LORD is upon ME,

because the Lord has anointed me . . . He has sent me:

Comfort all who mourn (VERSE 3) . . . COMFORTo “mourn”: Lament, be sorrowful; overwhelmed by life’s circumstances

o From mourner’s wardrobe of sackcloth & ashes to victor’s garland wreath

o From sadness to gladness

o From a “spirit of fainting” (heaviness) to the “mantle of praise”

ULTIMATE PURPOSE?“That HE may be glorified”

People of God get a NEW IDENTITY!

God gets the GLORY!!!

NT FulfillmentLuke 4.14-22

Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me .. . has sent Me

o Preach the Gospel (‘good news’) to the Poor

o Proclaim release to the Captives

o Recovery of sight to the Blind

o Set FREE those who are Oppressed

o Proclaim the favorable year of the Lord (v. 19) … omits “vengeance”