*Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-11 (NKJV)* 1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, 3 to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the foreigner shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But you shall be named the priests of the LORD, they shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast. 7 Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs. 8 "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, and will make with them an everlasting covenant. 9 Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed." 10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. *Devotion* The prophet Isaiah preaches that the "Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me." This is not just a reference to Isaiah's preaching, but these words (and the words of the entire pericope) are to be understood as our dear Lord Jesus Christ's words. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon our dear Lord Christ. The Son of God sent us the Holy Ghost, and with the Holy Ghost the Son of God comes "to preach good tidings," "to heal the brokenhearted," "to proclaim liberty to the captives" of sin and iniquity. He was sent to open the prison of "those who are bound," "to proclaim the acceptable year" of our Lord's crucifixion for the atonement of the whole world, and "to comfort all who mourn" in Zion—that is, the Church—that we may be called "the planting of the Lord" so that His merits and works of salvation are praised and glorified, not our own. Our dear Lord Jesus Christ was incarnated into the world to fulfill all these things so that we might no longer be in darkness, but live in light. He came so that we might continue to be reminded of the Light of our dear Lord Christ. And having come with the Holy Ghost, He in turn sent His Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, who through their pure preaching of the Gospel and their administration of the Holy Sacraments according to Christ's institution, lead many souls out of darkness into Christ's light. Today the Holy Ghost continues to be poured out abundantly upon those who in faith receive the pure preaching of the Gospel and the right administration of the sacraments for their forgiveness.
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