The Good News of Isaiah 61:5-6 = Harmony and Prosperity. “Strangers will come from all over the nations to be your servants, to feed your flocks, to plow your fields, and tend your vineyards; But you will be called “Priests of the Lord” and honored as ministers in the service of God, as “Attending Servants …
The Good News of Isaiah 61:4 = The Promise of Restoration. “They will rebuild the ancient ruins, and will restore those sites that were destroyed so long ago; they will renew the ruined cities out of the wreckage, taking the rubble that was abandoned generations ago and making it new.” (Isaiah 61:4). Ruins (feat. …
The Good News of Isaiah 61:3 = Beauty for Ashes. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me to… provide for those who mourn in Zion, to comfort and care for the needs of all who grieve in Israel; to give a crown of beauty to replace their ashes. I will anoint them with the …
The Good News of Isaiah 61:1-2 – The Anointing. “The Spirit (“Ruach”) of Lord (“Adonai”) Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed (“mashach”) me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, to let out into light those bound in darkness; …
The Gospel According to Isaiah. WANTED: An imaginative scribe who can write exquisite poetry. A faithful, articulate believer in Yahweh who can switch from one extreme to another at the Lord’s command… from a sublime vision of God’s glory to a ridiculous demonstration of shameful nakedness; from confronting the people over their sinfulness to comforting …
The ‘Good Eye’ of Forgiveness. “You shall not do injustice in judgment… You are to judge your neighbor fairly.” (Lev. 19:15). “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive (“apolyo”), and you will be forgiven. For …
Forgiveness in the Life of Peter and Paul. “… When neither debtor was able to pay the moneylender, and the lender graciously responded by cancelling both debts, which of the two debtors will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘The one for whom he cancelled the larger debt.’ Jesus said, ‘Yes, you have judged rightly…. Then …
Stephen the Martyr’s Heroic Forgiveness of His Executioners. “And Stephen told them, ‘Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!’ As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ He fell to his knees, shouting, ‘Lord, don’t charge them with …
The Gut-Punch Prelude to Forgiveness. “Forgive each other, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.” (Eph. 4:32) Splagchnizomai (splawnk – NITZ – oh – mi). Don’t let that strange, practically unpronounceable Greek word put you off. It turns out to be one of the most meaningful ideas in the gospels, and it describes Jesus to a …
The Unforgivable Sin? “One can say something against the Son of Man and be forgiven; but whoever keeps on speaking against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, neither in this world or in the world to come.” (Matthew 12:32). “Yes! I tell you that people will be forgiven for every sin they commit and every …
Healthy Brains through Forgiveness and Harmony with One Another. Forgiveness in the Newer Testament. There are two main Greek words for forgiveness in Scripture: “Charizonai” = (from the root word charis, which means grace; used 23 times in NT for forgive); to freely offer the favor of forgiveness to those who don’t deserve it; to graciously pardon an …
The Big IF of Forgiveness. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15). The Big IF. Sometimes our eyes just skip over small words in Scripture when we are reading in a hurry. In other words, if …