IV) A MARVELOUS MISSION

Luke 4:14-21

After overcoming Satan and triumphing over temptation in the wilderness, Jesus returned to His hometown and to the Synagogue. It was there that Jesus received scroll of Isaiah and He found the place where it was written:

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-9, NIV)

After reading the text Jesus told those listening, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21, NIV). Jesus was clearly applying this Messianic text to Himself. The verses which follow reveal that those listening understood that this was what Jesus was doing and they were having trouble accepting it.

One thing is evident, and that is that Jesus knows who He is and He knows what He has come to do. He has declared a marvelous mission. In other words, when Jesus came out of the wilderness, He knew where He was headed. He had a direction, a mission, a purpose to fulfill. It is one thing to have a general sense of purpose, to know that you’ve been called to accomplish more with your life than what you are doing at the moment. But it is another step in the journey to know what it is that you’ve been called to do.

It is frustrating for both the leader and those who attempt to follow him or her, when there is no clear direction to travel. Who would want to follow a leader who rallies the people with the cry, “Come and follow me!” But when they ask where he is leading, to here him say, “I’m not sure.” This isn’t very assuring.

However, when a leader has a mission (and it may be the mission of the organization he or she represents) at least the people who follow have the security of a direction. Jesus was saying, “Here is who I am (the Anointed One) and here is what I’ve come to do (preach to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, bring sight to the blind, release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.)"

That mission should have resonated with the people who heard it. They were looking for Messiah. They were seeking someone who would do these very things. Unfortunately, because they had known Jesus for most of His human life, they had a difficult time accepting Him as Messiah. (Tomorrow I will address the issue of overcoming the contempt of familiarity.) As mission statements go, however, this was a marvelous one. Leaders need to offer those who follow, a mission that will inspire. Leaders should hear from God, know where He is leading, and then paint the picture of a marvelous opportunity to achieve greatness together as a team working toward a common goal.

People want to be inspired, they are willing to follow someone who can build confidence and who will embrace a mission that leads the team to a higher level. Give them a mountain to climb, give them the training and the equipment to climb it, and then lead them to the top and they will follow.