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  To proclaim the year of the Lord ’ s favor   Luke 4:16 – 19: “ 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, and to proclaim the year of the Lord ’ s favor. ’” In describing a coming golden age for Israel, the prophet Isaiah speaks of an anointed one — led by the Holy Spirit — who would arise to carry out God ’ s purposes. The source of this anointed one ’ s power is the Spirit of the Lord; God ’ s Holy Spirit empowered him to fulfill God ’ s will. Isaiah 42:1 says, “ Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit o...

  The Seed of the Spiritual Covenant   Luke 3:23 states, "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli..." Joseph is mentioned in Matthew 1:18 – 19: "This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly." A "righteous" (or faithful) person is one who looks toward God ’ s covenant through faith; in the eyes of those around him, Joseph was a man of faith. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Since His Father was not a human being — but rather, He originated from heaven — He is the Son of God. Although He is the Son of God, He referred to Himself as the "Son of Man." A h...