Good News to the Poor
READ
When Jesus returned to His hometown synagogue, He was handed the scroll of Isaiah. This was His public debut, His mission statement, His announcement of what He'd come to do. He could have chosen any passage.
Let’s take a moment to read Luke 4:14-21:
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues,and everyone praised him.
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, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“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, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
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. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
REFLECT
This is Jesus' mission. And since the Church is His body, continuing His work in the world, it's our mission too. We are sent to embody and extend this redemption—to bring good news to the poor, freedom to the captive, sight to the blind, liberty to the oppressed.
Notice who Jesus prioritizes: the poor, the captive, the blind, the oppressed. These are people without power, without options, without advocates. They're the ones the world overlooks, undervalues, or actively exploits. And Jesus says His entire mission centers on them.
This should radically reorient our priorities. Too often, the Church has catered to the comfortable, built programs for the resourced, and focused energy on those who can give the most. But Jesus' heart beats for those on the margins. His Kingdom operates by different economics—where the last are first, the least are greatest, and the poor are called blessed.
What does this mean for your sent life? It means you pay attention to people others ignore. The janitor at your office, the homeless person on your commute, the immigrant family in your neighborhood, the single mom struggling to make ends meet. These aren't interruptions to your mission—they are your mission.
It means you use whatever privilege, power, or resources you have on behalf of those who have less. Maybe you advocate for better wages. Maybe you volunteer with organizations serving the vulnerable. Maybe you share your home, your table, your time, or your money. Maybe you use your voice to amplify voices that are typically silenced.
This is what the gospel looks like with hands and feet. James said, "Faith without works is dead." John wrote, "If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" The love of God isn't meant to stay theoretical—it's meant to become practical, tangible, costly.
But here's what's beautiful: when we engage with the poor and marginalized, we're not just helping them—we're encountering Jesus Himself. He said, "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me." When you feed the hungry, you're feeding Christ. When you welcome the stranger, you're welcoming Christ. This transforms service from obligation into privilege.
The sent life means you don't just talk about justice—you work for it. You don't just feel bad about inequality—you do something about it. You don't just pray for the oppressed—you stand with them, advocate for them, and use your power to help set them free.
This is the gospel Jesus proclaimed. This is the mission He embodied. And this is the work He's invited you into. The Spirit of the Lord is upon you, too. You've been anointed, sent, empowered to bring good news to those who desperately need to hear it—not just in word but in deed.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
Who are the "poor and oppressed" in your specific context—the people with less power, fewer resources, or limited options?
How is your life, and your church, currently engaging with their needs? What gaps exist between Jesus' priorities and yours?
What's one concrete way you could serve or advocate for someone with less privilege than you this week?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Jesus, thank You for coming to bring good news to the poor and freedom to the oppressed. Forgive me when I've been more concerned with my own comfort than with those who are hurting. Open my eyes to see the people You see and break my heart for what breaks Yours. Give me wisdom and courage to use my resources, my voice, and my life to reflect Your heart for the marginalized. Amen.