Point of Grace Online Worship - March 8, 2026

Pursuing Humility – A Lenten Journey 03.05.26

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What is “biblical” humility?

• Humility is the radical reliance on God as the animating

center of our being and living.

• Humility denies “self” that place of power and yields to

God as the rightful holder of that position.

• Humility is a posture of the heart that does not come

naturally but is to be pursued.

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 We can be assured God is at work forming humility in us.

• The question becomes am I yielding or resisting His

transformational work in my life.

• How do I join Him in my transformation by “Pursuing

Humility”?

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and

learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is

easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

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1.Humility can be learned.

2.Knowledge of GOD.

3.Knowledge of SELF.

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Key Characteristics

1.Non-Programmed

2.Student-Led

3.Simplicity

4.Global Impact

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The Fear of the Lord.

Humility.

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“Humility is the consent of the creature to let God be

all.”

-Andrew Murray-

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“The call to humility has been too little regarded in the Church

because its true nature and importance have been too little

apprehended. It is not something that we bring to God, or that He

bestows; it is simply the sense of entire nothingness that comes

when we see how truly God is everything. When the creature

realizes that this is a place of honor, he consents to be-with his will,

his mind, and his affections—the vessel in which the life and glory

of God are to work and manifest themselves; he sees that humility

is simply acknowledging the truth of his position as creature and

yielding to God His place.”

-Andrew Murray - Humility: The Journey Toward Holiness-

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15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn

of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created,

in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether

thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all

things were created through him and for him.

Colossians 1:15-16

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9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time

we will reap if we do not grow weary.

Galatians 6:9

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Take a risk and share the score of where you are at?

1-10

•10 is I am fully energized, not weary or loss of

heart

•1 is I am going to quit and disappear

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Weariness does not = Weakness

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Fatigue is a human signal not a

Spiritual Flaw

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Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that

we are but dust.

Psalm 103:13-14

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Identity Confusion

Confusion between two things:

•Being and Doing

•Becoming or Performing

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 The most impressive thing about

you and the most epic thing you

can do is to just live in the fact that

you are loved by the Father.

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 Write your testimony.

 It raises the level of love that Jesus

loved you so much that he pulled

off the mission that was YOU.

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 Your Resiliency is going to come

from your beloved-ness, not from

your competency.

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 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good

 Galatians 6:9

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 He is much kinder and gentler and

for you than you probably think.

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 Confrontation - “Jesus, I invite You

to confront my limits with your

love.

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Point of Grace Online Worship - March 1, 2026

Point of Grace Worship   3.1.26     Sermon Notes – Lent 2 - “Pursuing Humility” 

“Pursuing Humility” 
A Lenten Journey

 What is “biblical” humility?

Humility is the radical reliance on God as the animating center of our being and living. 
Humility denies “self” that place of power and yields to God as the rightful holder of that position.

Humility is a posture of the heart that does not come naturally but is to be pursued. 
We can be assured God is at work forming humility in us. 
The question becomes am I yielding or resisting His transformational work in my life.

How do I join Him in my transformation by “Pursuing Humility”?

1 Peter 5:5-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

“I am sure there are many Christians who will confess that their experience has been very much like my own. I had long known the Lord without realizing that meekness and lowliness of heart are to be the distinguishing feature of the disciple, just as they were of the Master, and further, that this humility is not something that will come of itself. But that it must be made the object of special desire, prayer, faith and practice. As we study the Word, we will see what very distinct and oft-repeated instructions Jesus gave his disciples on this point and how slow they were to understand them.”
Andrew Murray – Humility -The Journey Toward Holiness

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

“By saying, “take my yoke, learn from me”, He is saying for them to “adopt and learn My ways of living and carrying the loads of life … I am gentle and humble in heart … you will find rest for your souls”

Jesus’s humility – “His radical reliance on His Father” as the animating, emanating center of His being” – was key to His “yoke” to be learned by His disciples.

Three Helpful Postures and Prayers in Pursuing Humility

Confrontation – Confession – Lament  

Confrontation - “Jesus, I invite You to confront pockets of pride in me.”

Inviting Jesus to confront our pockets of pride and self-reliance so we might yield to Him is unnatural but so necessary in our pursuit of humility. 

Psalm 139:23-24
 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

Confession – “Jesus, I confess my sin and brokenness ……………, forgive and cleanse me with your blood.”

Confessing sin, brokenness and sin’s toll in our lives, opens us up to His forgiveness, restoration and healing, 

1 John 1:7-9
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 51
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 

Lament – “Jesus, I am hurting, confused, frustrated…… are You even there? …. Help me hold on to You!”

In suffering and pain we are prone to “take over” (pride) and give up on God … even blame Him.  Learning to lament in His Presence while living through suffering, grief, loss and despair opens us up to help and hope from Him.   He can handle my complaint!

Psalm 13
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me. 

Confrontation - “Jesus, I invite You to confront pockets of pride in me.”

Confession – “Jesus, I confess my sin and brokenness ……………, forgive and cleanse me with your blood.”

Lament – “Jesus, I am hurting, confused, frustrated…… are You even there? …. Help me hold on to You!”

Point of Grace Online Worship - February 22, 2026

Point of Grace Worship   2.12.26     Sermon Notes – Lent 1 - “Pursuing Humility”  

“Pursuing Humility” 
Our Lenten Journey  

Who are your heroes of humility?  

What is “biblical” humility?

Humility is the radical reliance on God as the animating center of our being. 
Humility denies “self” that place of power and yields to God as the rightful holder of that position. 

Philippians 2
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

“Humility, the place of entire dependence upon God, is from the very nature of things the first duty and the highest virtue of his creatures. And so pride, the loss of humility, is the root of every sin and evil.
… It was when the serpent breathed the poison of his pride, the desire to be as God, into the hearts of our first parents that they too fell from their highest estate into the wretchedness to which all humankind has sunk in heaven and on earth.
Pride, or self-exaltation, is the very gateway to hell and so Jesus came to bring humility back to earth to make us partakers of it and by it to save us.  … He humbled himself and became obedient to death. His humility gave his death its value and so became our redemption and now the salvation he imparts is nothing less and nothing else than a communication of his own life and death, his own disposition and spirit, his own humility as the ground and root of his relationship with God and his redeeming work.
Jesus Christ took the place and fulfilled the destiny of man as a creature by his own life of perfect humility his humility became our salvation his salvation is our humility.

Without humility there can be no true abiding in God's presence or experience of his favor and the power of his spirit.   Without this no abiding faith or love or joy or strength. Humility is the only soil in which a virtue takes root.  A lack of humility is the explanation of every defect and failure.  Humility is not so much a virtue along with others but it is the root of all because it alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all.
Andrew Murray “Humility – The Journey Toward Holiness” 

Humility is not:

-        weakness but strength – God-empowered strength

-        insecurity but confidence rooted in God, not self

-        passivity but activity led and enabled by God’s Spirit

-        lack of courage – but boldness born of union with Christ

-        self-hatred or self-condemnation – but the positioning of self in a place of surrender to God. 

Humility is:

-        strength submitted to God

-        confidence rooted in God not self

-        power restrained and directed for the good of others

-        willingness to serve rather than dominate     

 The Hope of Humility

            The pursuit of humility leads us to become the best version of ourselves … to live the life we were meant for … making the contribution and having the relationships which enliven our truest selves… by living the meaningful life Christ intends.

            All led and made possible by a God who says “Come to Me … I am gentle and humble in heart.” 

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Point of Grace Online Worship - February 15, 2026

Point of Grace Worship   2.15.26     Sermon Notes – “Transfiguration Sunday – Who’s Got the Power?” 

The Transfiguration – What happened?   Why was and is it important? 

Mark 9:1-10
And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:
 “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. 

Why was The Transfiguration so important for them and is for us now?

·       It encouraged these lead disciples in their faith that Jesus is the Divine Son of God, full of power and glory.

·       It vividly displayed that the Old Covenant (Law and Prophets) is fulfilled in Jesus and gives way to Him as the ultimate revelation of God to humanity. Only Jesus was transfigured.  Only Jesus was left.
 Jesus is the One and Only lens to see all God’s revelation through.

·       The disciples are directed by the Father to “Listen to Him” in order to endure what following Jesus means as He turns toward Jerusalem where a cross awaits Him and unprecedented trials await them.

·       This is truly a mountain top experience for the 3 but then Jesus calls them to the humility of discipleship, “Don’t tell anyone … until the resurrection.” 

2 Peter 1:16-18   16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

“Peter is recounting the “mountaintop” of the Transfiguration which displayed ‘the Lord Jesus Christ in power’ while he is in one of the darkest valleys of his life.  Jesus had discipled Peter in such a way that Peter trusts in Jesus as the One and Only source of life, hope and power whether on “mountaintops” when it is easier and you want to just “stay” ….. but also “in the valleys of powerlessness” when you want to just “go”…. go somewhere, anywhere, for relief.
His words discipled those 1st century readers of his letter in the same way – trusting Jesus as the One with the power … whether in the mountaintops or valleys of life.  He is doing the same with us.” 

Let’s follow Jesus and Peter back down the mountain.

“14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer (and fasting).” 

Where do we go for power?

Especially when what use to work doesn’t work … when facing a different “kind”?

Where does our lifestyle direct us?       

Where is Jesus and the Father directing us?   Who’s got the power?    

“Our spiritual health and capacity to do real life well
does not rise to the level of our aspirations or beliefs
but falls to the level of our regular spiritual rhythms
 which are designed to lead us into the Presence
of the One with the power.”

Point of Grace Online Worship - February 8, 2026

Point of Grace Worship 2.8.26 – “The Kingdom Words of Jesus” 

Jesus Revealed the Good News of the Kingdom of God Through His Works and His Words 

A “Red Letter” Listen to the Gospel accounts as Jesus Ushers in the Kingdom of God 

Matthew 4:17-5:10 (Mark 1:14-20)
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

5:1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Jesus is using the power of Words to describe what His Kingdom is like and to Invite people (us) into it by faith.

The “Kingdom of God” is “the meaningful life Christ intends”. 
Our mission at PoG is to “Love and Lead Real People into the meaningful life Christ intends.” 
The meaningful life Christ intends is a life under His rule and reign, in His Kingdom. 
So our mission at PoG is to “Love and Lead real people into the Kingdom of God – into the meaningful life lived under His reign.
It is a different sort of kingdom … a different sort of life. 

These opening Words of Jesus invoke a response from us.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

“Jesus, what are you up to?”

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  

“Jesus, how can I join you in what You are doing?” 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

“Jesus, help me come weak …
surrendering my self-reliance and
trusting in Your power at work in me!” 

“But he (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me…. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 

We respond to the Kingdom Words of Jesus. 

“Jesus, what are you up to?”

“Jesus, how can I join you in what You are doing?”

“Jesus, help me come weak …
surrendering my self-reliance and
trusting in Your power at work in me!”

Point of Grace Online Worship - February 1, 2026

Point of Grace Worship 2.01.26 – Discover and Do The Servant In You – Pastor Mike Coppersmith

Key Truth:

People Often Need to See the Gospel in Our Lives 

Before They Can Hear the Gospel from Our Lips! 

Jesus Ushers in the Kingdom Through WORDS and WORDS 

Mathew 4:23-25

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogue, preaching the good news of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed Him. 

Matthew 5:14-16

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 

We value TANGIBLE GRACE! 

Our BLESS Strategy 

Begin with Prayer

Listen with Care

Eat Together

Serve in Love

Share the Story 

Our Emphasis for this New Year:

DISCOVER AND DO THE SERVANT IN YOU! 

Philippians 2:6-7

…taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. 

Matthew 20:28

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many. 

DISCOVER THE SERVANT IN YOU! 

YOU BEST DISCOVER THE SERVANT IN YOU BY DOING!  

Ephesians 2:10

You are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that the Father has prepared in advance for you to do. 

James 2:26

Faith without WORKS is dead. 

Matthew 4:24

People brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 

DISCOVER AND DO THE SERVANT IN YOU!

Point of Grace Online Worship - December 21, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 12.21.25 – Advent 4 – “Coming Home for Christmas – Drawn to the Light”

Advent – This season of anticipation, preparation, waiting for what is coming – for Who came and
is coming back ………. Is now ushering in the season of Christmas … the season of Light.

We have been “Coming Home for Christmas” spending Advent in the prophet Isaiah who brought God’s message of hope to a people who were far from home … in exile because of sin and rebellion against God.  The invitation then and now is “Come Home…. Come Home … Your Father has made you a way Home.  He has given His Son as “Light to Lead You Home”

Isaiah 63:1-5

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
    All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy;

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.

Glory – “The Glory of God is the full potency of God, the manifestation of His greatness, character and power.  The Glory of God is also His manifest Presence. “ – John Eldridge
It was the Glory God that filled the Temple in the Old Testament (Presence) and the Glory of God that raised Jesus from the dead (Power).

 “God's glory comes freely.  It comes apart from anything we do or say.
It still comes to us in Jesus Christ.
We are called to faithfulness, not so that Kingdom glory will come but because its advent is imminent. Divine light cannot be humanly generated we can only “Arise and shine because our light has already come” and is coming again.
Luke writes, (think Christmas story here) “An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them.”  Simeon celebrates, “A light to lighten the gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”, the Magi marvel, “We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him”. 
What a light show!  Majesty arrived in the midst of the mundane.  The most holy appeared in the flesh in the presence of cattle manure.  Divinity entered the world on the floor of a stable through the womb of a teenage virgin and the presence of a lowly carpenter.  Jesus is the light of the world who took on flesh so that he might take you into his arms heal your hearts, forgive your filth and destroy your darkness.  The Son of God became a human being not to demonstrate the innocence of infancy but to live the life we could not and to die our death so we need not!
Here is dazzling light, brilliant light and eternal light no wonder the Nicene creed confesses that Jesus is God of God and Light of Light”    Reed Lessing

Isaiah 60
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
    All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy;

So Jesus could say,

““I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12

and

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16

at the same time!

Think “Snow Globe”!

How do I keep the “aperture” of my soul wide open to the Light especially during the holidays?

            Time and Intentionality in the Presence of the Light
            Practices to open our souls “aperture” – Worship, Word and Prayer  (Daily Pause)

            “Jesus, Come in …..”

            “Let there be Light”

Point of Grace Online Worship - December 14, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 12.14.25 – Advent 3 – “Coming Home for Christmas – A Home Un-broken”  

Advent – A season of anticipation, preparation, waiting for what is coming – for Who came and is coming back. 

“Coming Home for Christmas” means some beautiful things for all of us.  It can also mean some painful things. Our experience of “home” although meant to be a place of wholeness, healing and restoration is in reality a place also tainted by wounding and brokenness in need of restoration and healing.  The hope of the Christ-child is that through Him we are invited into a home “un-broken” now in part but in full when He returns.  

Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

This is the 5th Servant Song of Isaiah. 

“The Suffering Servant of Yahweh who is “anointed” by Yahweh to bring salvation, hope and restoration to God’s people speaks for and about himself in these Songs.  It was this song that Jesus used to launch and define His ministry and claim His place as the long awaited “Anointed One” of Yahweh – the Messiah – the Christ! 

Luke 4
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,   
 because he has anointed me   
 to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners    
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,19    
 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. 
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 
He has sent me:
            to bind up the brokenhearted,
                 to proclaim freedom for the captives and
                     to open wide (eyes) those bound shut
                         to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,
                     to comfort all who mourn, and
                 to provide for those who grieve in Zion—
           to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
                the oil of joy instead of mourning, and
                      a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

 Responding to this “good news” to the poor – to us in need? 

“Jesus, come in … … …

 You get the last word!” 

 Amen 

 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, 
  I will come in … “
  - Jesus -

Revelation 3:20