The Sermon The Lord's Favor by David McGee
Oct 18, 2015
The Lord's Favor (32:37)
Referenced Scriptures: Isaiah 61:1-7; Psalm 1:1-4
Audio
Click To View Notes & Scriptures
-
The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Isaiah 61:1-7
1) The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to those who are bound;
2) to proclaim the year of Yahweh‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
3) to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland 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 Yahweh, that he may be glorified.
4) They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
5) Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers.
6) But you shall be named the priests of Yahweh; men shall call you the ministers of our God: you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall you boast yourselves.
7) Instead of your shame [you shall have] double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be to them.
Psalm 1:1-4
1) Blessed is the man who doesn‘t walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
2) But his delight is in the law of Yahweh; On his law he meditates day and night.
3) He shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
4) The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
The WEB Bible is provided by Public Domain.
Click To View The Sermon's Machine Transcription
This is a machine transcript of the sermon. It won't be completely accurate of what's said in the sermon.
In the book of Isaiah Chapter sixty one. It is a proclamation of from Isaiah. That Jesus. Reads whenever he is in the temple and beginning his ministry. But in the first parts of the book of Isaiah. We find him being. What can I say. Of very scathing about that. He's very scathing in his his approach to the to the people of Israel for their backs lining for their indifference for their lack of attending to the house of in so on he just is just really gets into them on this on this. In the first parts of the book but in the second part of the book. It's words of comfort. He brings the words of comfort and it's in it's something how that Jesus then. It's he was beginning his ministry. We feel we see him reading this in the Senate go. And I think. Chapter sixty one it begins the spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me. Now as we look at this I en le this. The le of it is in even in the Bible here it says. The year of the Lord's favour. And so I en led this the Lord's favour. Now. Sometimes do you ever. When you were in your family. Growing up were year your mother and father's favorite child. Now. You know and everybody was on how many Every how many were your favorite How many was your mom and dad's favorite child. Tracy was OK. We got submitted here and. The Iran is an only child so you know. So. Tracy to. I know I was my mom and dad's favorite as their ONLY ONE Yeah so. I didn't have to know I was my mom and dad's favorite child. All my brothers told me. You know. They told me your s mom favorite and. My in-laws the you know they're my brothers wives always said you know you're your mother's favorite so. Because I was better than the rest. You know. It's just one of those things. But you know this is many wasted to. Well. I fall in the past my mother always wanted to be a missionary. And when she was a. When she was in her teens a she. She felt that wanted her to be a missionary but you know they got married and you know settled on the farm and went into farming and so she never really got to go to a foreign field. But she kept her. Missions. In all in in the local community. But I was thinking about how privileged for myself that I that I am. Because my grandparents both of them. Where very strong staunch Christians. My grandmother was a preacher. She wasn't fill in at number of churches and. She would. It was told that. If she were preaching you better not have any hidden sin in your life because she is going to tell you about it. She was just one of those fire and brimstone type of people and. My Of course my uncles and so on they would they disagree. Disagreed with her wrath of righteousness upon them. Because My one uncle would say that he she can he got beat every Sa ay morning whether he needed it or not but if you knew my uncle he probably needed it. You know. He was he was a terror. And so my my grandmother and grandfather were very very much in the church and. And very much a part of the church and. And you know Christians and then my parents of course were Christians and mom and dad both and raised in the church and in then for. You know Ron and I have course we've been Christians for a long time least three weeks. And. So. And so we've been a Christian then and I think of our son. You know now our daughter and David in his ministry. So there are life for generations from my grandparents to my parents to me to. David Michael. Our son the four generations of Christians and for generations of how that has changed our family. And I often repeat or talk about my. My mom there when we go to the cemetery on. On Memorial Day and for the graves you know and decorate the grace of my my my mom would never allow us to go to this one cemetery where the one relative was was born or was buried. She she was this about the eight hundred eight hundred ninety nine ninety five and turn of the century. She had five kids and never had to and they were all the same last name. McGee and she was never married. So. So you know she was and I told my mom she was kind of Varus bile that I said Mom. Look what happened when came into our family. You know look what happens when comes into a. Or family and see whether it's. You have generations of following Christ or you're the first. It doesn't matter in matters only that the favor of The sovern Lord. He has he's a spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on you. The Sovereign Lord the Spirit of is on you and you know. You can't get the church. You can't get to heaven by OSS MOSIS said close to a Christian and it just kind of rubs flows in. No it doesn't happen. It doesn't get there by setting by a religious person. It gets there by Christ being in your life. I mention in Sunday school this morning about this week I was called to go to a home in which the person wanted to be baptized and. They are in a very declining position. Physically. But they wanted to be baptized and of course I was going to haul them out of the house in a wheelchair and dump them in the river. Or in a bed or in a bath tub. You know I was going to do that to them. So I said sure we can I can baptize you. And I went there and like went around the kitchen got a gl of water. And I know I didn't throw to honor him. I just the you know told them both before we baptize you know you've got to make your heart right with . Make sure we're going to heaven. And they said why I confess my thing every night message that's good. Let's just do it one more time. And so we prayed to sinners prayer. I took the water sprinkled on her Baptizer Nanette her him in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. And that person started to smile and to laugh and to say how free they felt and how wonderful they felt on the inside and that's what we're all about Christ's revelation of Himself. And you see that sovereign lord is on each of our lives. He has anointed us. What he got there because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor to the spiritually bankrupt. We are the ones who are called to bring the good news of what has said. And what has done for us. Did you ever meet a sour. Sour sour. Sour. Christians. Someone that disc can't get there. Whatever. Get themselves all the way long enough to allow to touch them. You see the good news that we have is good news. And that. Good news has a way of influencing our approach to living the good news has a a valuable input. To who we are such as. What happens in life that is not able to see through that what sin in our life. Is there that cannot be forgiven. You see it isn't our failures. And it isn't our inadequacies. It is the Spirit of . Touching our spirit that we are able to become. What wants us to be that we have good news. And if we have good news. You know we get it. If you turn on the television every Sa ay every evening. What do we have we have the news. And very seldom is there any good news because the only thing worthy of news is something that is tragic. Or something has gone wrong. Or the world is falling apart in the economy is going to fail. And somebody has killed someone else and somebody has stolen something so you can summarize the news. In about four or five categories. It's something devastating has happened to someone's life and we want to tell you about it. And that's you know. And the newspaper. You know. Generally the same thing. Because if there were a lot of good things there. It wouldn't sell. People won't buy. Good news. You know the only. Sometimes the only magazines the. You know the Reader's Digest. Is a good news but we gotta make it short and small simple. And to the point. Because if you want to read it. It's got to be short and simple to the point. But you see the good news that we have is good news that no matter where we find ourselves. is there no matter what situation is coming. There is a promise. No matter where we are at . Is there with a promise. And he has given us the good news and. Jesus. Whenever he was beginning his ministry picked this. Picked a scroll up. Turn to this road it out to this portion and said The spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor to the spiritually bankrupt people. There are people who are spiritually bankrupt. Now. To those who are bankrupt. A few coins means a lot of a contribution to tribute contribution to their to those who are physically bankrupt. A few dollars or a sum of money deposited into their life has a has a great impact on them. Remember the story of a young man who was down on his luck and. Everything had gone wrong in this minister. Saw him and walked up to him and gave him a hundred dollar bill and said get back on course and start your life over again. And so that bankrupt person. Not only physically but spiritually bankrupt person. They turned her life around because somebody believed in them. And you see when people are spiritually bankrupt. When people are emotionally bankrupt. When people have no hope. We come with a gift and the gift we are bearing comes from and that gift that has given to us we are to share. Because we have the good news of eternal life. We have the good news that all things work together for good. To those who love and are called according to His purpose. We have the good news that. When I am. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have the good news See this is the good news that comes to my life. Every day every moment of every day the good news is there. And Jesus quoted these verses to impact the people he said today. This is fulfilled in your hearing. So Jesus quoted this Jesus put this together and. He was sent. He has sent me to bind up. The broken hearted. To proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness. For the prisoner. That salvation. That is letting in getting out of that. That darkness of being lost. He tells them that. That he has come to heal the broken hearted those who have been devastated by life. Those who have found themselves in a very dark place. Do you know where light shines the brightest is in darkness. So if you does have a little light. In a dark setting. Huge your big help. And I remember going caving you ever go caving speed looking in college. Always to do this down in West Virginia and. We get back in these caverns you know on. And they have lights out. You talk about darkness. You get back in these caverns and places there's there's no light coming from anywhere. And even even the animals the fissions things that live back in these little ponds and stuff back in the in the caves they really have eyes. Because what good designs do in the darkness. And so when people are in darkness. The light that shines upon them. Even if it's a little flicker of a light in way off in the distance. It is a hope. It is something to go towards. And this is the good news that we have good news is the Light of Christ in my life has made some has made an impact upon me to set me free from the darkness. By giving ME LIKE TO MY path that he has helped me to move out of the prisons. Of what weren't what was holding me back. And then. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. Proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. We live in the divine. Favor of . We are his special special child and remember. If had a refrigerator. Your picture would be on it. Your picture would be on it. You know because Gore has special child I'm his favorite child. And I know mom my mom's favorite child like as. Everybody told me you know. And they were right. So in general I'm telling you your the favorite child in everybody telling you that in jest what were right. You are 's favorite child. He loves you he loves you more than we can ever imagine. He has a plan for us he has a purpose for us. He has a will for us and we go on through here. And we see what this good news does. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. And the day a vengeance of our . You know what about all those people who do all these nasty things to people. Guess what is going to exact punishment. When it's all said and done in the world is done and there is the judgment seat the great white throne judgment that people have to face. So it's that we don't need to worry about judgment we need to worry. We need to focus on grace and mercy. will take care of those who need to be taken care of the way that their atrocities or whatever their mindset was knows that and will exact what it is we need to look at our own lives and be at peace and recognize that we are under his favor. To comfort all who mourn. To comfort those who have experienced loss. Whether it's physical mental emotional whether it's loss of a dream. A loved one of friendship moving. Age It doesn't matter. Comfort. Comfort those who mourn and provide for those who grieve. To the store won them a crowd of beauty. Instead of ashes. That we have a crown of beauty. You know you really got a nice crown up there don't you. You've got a really pretty kind of current of what for for the Ashes. The ashes that we have experience in life are the things that kind of got burned up and the things that didn't work too well and kind of fellow parts and got taken away. Well there's. There is beauty for ashes. 's beauty. And they all of gladness Instead of mourning. The garment a phrase instead of the spirit of despair. You see Divine favor tells us here. That we are proclaiming 's year. In our own lives to comfort to provide to bestow to bring gladness and to and arrangement of trains instead of a spirit of despair. So we said Look at this it look at what has done in our life. Was of what has provided for us. Look at how has done a work in our lives. It has been something that has changed us from the inside out. It is one that has given us hope and. You know and recognition that this wife is a preparation for the next but in this preparation. No good thing Will he was hold from us. No no good saying Will withhold from our lives. No good thing. And so here we are recognizing what the good news is what is the good news to your life. What is the good news to you and your revelation. The revelation of to your heart. What is that good news that he has spoken to you. Is it. Opportunity. Is it. Forgiveness is it love. It is it recognizing that my name is in 's Book of Life. Is it. You know there's many things that we can look at it. No good thing was he going to withhold from us and he said. Instead of a spirit of despair they will. They will be called oaks of Rights as Miss Kotch a little acorn. Hold it up. Hold your ACORN up. Didn't think you could hold a big old tree did you do you not to get an elephant in a in a tree. You plant the acorn and set the elephant down. Way for it to grow. That's really dumb tester. Well. Sometimes we think that's how we become writers. You know it's a long process. Well is our brightest mission you see you're holding within your hands. What the. He calls us here. That we. They will be called oaks of right just missed a planting of the Lord. Oaks of righteousness how big can this little see get. Well you know what if you put in a little pot. It won't get too big but if you put it in a bigger pot it will get a little bigger. But if you go planted somewhere were the sky's the limit. This think in the come huge in how many acorns can come from a tree. If you have any doubt about how many acorns income from a tree. We have a whole bank full over there. And you can get a bushel basket after bushel basket after bushel basket of acorns from a future Eve. And you can get them every year. So here we are the oaks of righteousness. We are the oaks of righteousness and. We have to get over the idea that I'm just a little seed. Planted in Little Flower flaw. Plot pot. And I can only get so big you see. We don't know the potential to instill seed. Bob where he's in the back there. How many trees you have planted. Come from those acorns. You know. Bob and Trish they need to sometimes. Whenever we're throwing the acorns away. We don't take him out to Bobby's place and pull and throw him away. He has all kinds of trees out there and all kinds of trees growing out there and in the squirrels in the birds and whatever the deer they're all coming any eating them. But there's all these trees growing out there. Came from these little seeds. We have friends that come and pick these up. Take him out on the Hill. And they plant them. Not on out in the forest and think they plant the seeds because they know what they can become. They know that it's going to give opes of rights as in this. They know that the seeds from this is going to feed the turkeys and feed the deer and going to take care of the wild animals of the squirrels and all that stuff. It's all this is just from the planting a few of these. You are the Oka of righteousness. You're not some little seed. Laying around on a beach somewhere in the sand. Can't get it can't get a foothold anywhere. has planted you. In his vineyard in his patch in his field of righteousness. He has planted us and. You know years ago whenever they were doing experiments in like trying to live. You know what would it be like to live on Mars and all those places and they put people in these bubbles. And you know in these confined areas and artificial light artificial this and that they planted trees. And when the trees grew. You meant you know what happened to the trees. Part of the bland. The branches broke. Just from the leaves. Because there was no wind. There was no wind where there was no wind there was no strength in the trees in our lives it's the same thing. We think the winds of adversity Oh gods against me no god is just making you strong the difficulties in our life. Prove to us. What the right has this of is about it's about strength. It's about power. It's about love it's about forgiveness it's about recognizing the dog has a bonza for harvests for us while we're just some will. SAP willing. You know. We're just a little sapling. And we're not to know. We're oaks of righteousness. And you see here. What we got here. Proclaimed the year of the Lord and a day of vengeance to come to comfort all who mourn. Provide for those who grieve in Zion. To bestow them on a crown the oil of gladness the garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair. They will be called the oaks of Rights as Ms. And the garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair. They will be called opes of rightness miss a planting of the Lord. You are a planting of the Lord your not a little acorn anymore. You are a tree. You know what tree that is planted by the river of life. Psalm one. Blesses man that walketh non the council the ungodly nor sit in the way of centers but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law. He will meditate day and night and he shall be like a tree planted by the river. And that see that and its leaves and. You know its fruit common. Harvest and it's got life in it. And when that tree planted by The seed that has put in your life for some of us. Well my. My parents. I was in church the second week that I was born one. And I know Journal week and I was in church that Sunday. And I've been in church almost ever. Every Sunday sense. So my it told me whenever my grandfather was. You know in the coming. It would all go up to the altar and pray my grandfather really raising his hands and coming the Fatah coming to the altar there was a little kid running behind him with his hands raised to go to the altar and so then I've been a sap for a long time. Sixty six years. You know we've been in church but you see it isn't that all the time is planted in us the seed the seed of righteousness the seed that is growing. A seed that makes a difference. And you see how does a tree. Make a difference and just is itself. Just being yourself. Being yourself and allowing to speak through you a plan to give the Lord for the display of his splendor. For the display of his splendor think of this. The oak trees not out there saying hey look at me waving in the wind. It's just it is a display of splinter. You are a display of 's splendor. Imagine it. You me. Each of us. His special child. We are display of splendor. It is his divine favor that is that is upon our lives. And we you know. The fruit that we bear. What happens to it. It falls on the ground. You know. Sometimes you feel like a knot. Sometimes you don't know enough of that for the display of his righteous they will rebuild the ancient runes and restore the places. Long devastated. I was going to talk about Jeremiah. Nehemiah excuse me. I was going to talk about Nehemiah. And the book of Nehemiah but I thought. I'll do that next week. I was doing I was going to do Nehemiah for the sermon today then the Nehemiah was basically written on them I was about eighty years. After this. And. Nehemiah reads this and says you know what the walls around the city have to be rebuilt. And so he was reading. What had put in place. And he felt like he needed to be done. And you see. That's why we are the display of cause right just miss. Because we feel that COGS love and forgiveness and 's grace and His mercy. Need to be displayed. We read about it. And we need to be the display of it. We need to be the splendor of it. Just as natural as the oak tree produces acorns. We need to produce love and grace and mercy and forgiveness. Just a natural part of who we are. And we are the display of . Blowing In The Wind and every wind and trial that comes only makes the stronger. Because is that work his spirit is inside of us. And there's a longing in our heart. For the Revelation of Jesus. And that revelation is grace mercy. Strength and power. Forgiveness. So in verse seven. Own skip down to their. Well. Diverse ics. And you will be called the priests of the Lord. You will be named ministers of our . You will feed on the Wealth of Nations. And in their riches. You will boast. What happened here was. They were going back to Jerusalem to build the city. Nehemiah and other people were occupying the Landon. And so on but he was trying that you people are going to go back to those lands in the people who have had your land they're going to end up giving it to you. So you're going to live in houses that you didn't build. You're going to eat. From the crops that you didn't plant. You're going to have a place that. I'm going to give you that somebody occupied before. And in our life. has His blessings in store for us. And you look around see why I don't have many blessings but does. And where does he say can get them from their going to come from the hand of . So here we are being our selves. Blown in the wind. Producing fruit. Going to fall from our trees and people are going to pick it up. And you know what the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And we usually say that about kids and descendants and so on one. You know what. That's a good thing because when they eat of the fruit of your righteousness. They needed the truth of the fruit of your forgiveness. They needed the fruits of your love that comes from It's been searching your tree. Your life. Our branches been grafted into the vine of Jesus Christ and we have life and we have an abundance and it's a good news. The good news the is alive and blessing. And he's going to bless you right out of your socks. He's going to bless you from your roots to your highest limb. Amen. He's going to. He's going to give you his blessing in his power and his influence. Because it's his to give. We're not earning it. We're just allowing it to flow through us. And so. Take the sea did you have what you going do with it. What that plan is over there in a field where the church owns and I have to cut around. Yes. Well we're going to do with it. We're going to plant it. And you know what. Planted planted in little pot in your house and keep it through the winter. And then in the spring when it's sprouted and got some substance to it. Go planted somewhere. See what happens. Protected from the deer and all that stuff. And see what happens. How big can this thing get. How big can this little seed get. Well you know. If you pint it in the right place. If you planted were can get the right amount of sun in the right amount of nourishment. This can be a great oak tree. And that's us. The planting of the Lord. Becoming the good news of Jesus Christ. To all nations. Beginning with our own family friends our own circle of influence Amen. So we stand. And if any of you would like to have numerous plantings. There is a whole new bushels and bushels of acorns over there you can take and. Taken plant them to your heart's desire. So. Father thank You for the blessings of this day and that we are the planting of the Lord we are His righteousness. We are recipients of his divine favor. we thank you that we are the favor of . Thank you that we are your favorite child. We thank you that you hear our prayers and know our needs and Lord you desire to fulfill them. Bless us now that we might be blessings in Jesus' name we pray. A min. bless you. The Lord's Favor In the book of Isaiah Chapter sixty one. It is a proclamation of from Isaiah. That Jesus. Reads whenever he is in the temple and beginning his ministry. But in the first parts of the book of Isaiah. We find him being. What can I say. Of very scathing about that. He's very scathing in his his approach to the to the people of Israel for their backs lining for their indifference for their lack of attending to the house of in so on he just is just really gets into them on this on this. In the first parts of the book but in the second part of the book. It's words of comfort. He brings the words of comfort and it's in it's something how that Jesus then. It's he was beginning his ministry. We feel we see him reading this in the Senate go. And I think. Chapter sixty one it begins the spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me. Now as we look at this I en le this. The le of it is in even in the Bible here it says. The year of the Lord's favour. And so I en led this the Lord's favour. Now. Sometimes do you ever. When you were in your family. Growing up were year your mother and father's favorite child. Now. You know and everybody was on how many Every how many were your favorite How many was your mom and dad's favorite child. Tracy was OK. We got submitted here and. The Iran is an only child so you know. So. Tracy to. I know I was my mom and dad's favorite as their ONLY ONE Yeah so. I didn't have to know I was my mom and dad's favorite child. All my brothers told me. You know. They told me your s mom favorite and. My in-laws the you know they're my brothers wives always said you know you're your mother's favorite so. Because I was better than the rest. You know. It's just one of those things. But you know this is many wasted to. Well. I fall in the past my mother always wanted to be a missionary. And when she was a. When she was in her teens a she. She felt that wanted her to be a missionary but you know they got married and you know settled on the farm and went into farming and so she never really got to go to a foreign field. But she kept her. Missions. In all in in the local community. But I was thinking about how privileged for myself that I that I am. Because my grandparents both of them. Where very strong staunch Christians. My grandmother was a preacher. She wasn't fill in at number of churches and. She would. It was told that. If she were preaching you better not have any hidden sin in your life because she is going to tell you about it. She was just one of those fire and brimstone type of people and. My Of course my uncles and so on they would they disagree. Disagreed with her wrath of righteousness upon them. Because My one uncle would say that he she can he got beat every Sa ay morning whether he needed it or not but if you knew my uncle he probably needed it. You know. He was he was a terror. And so my my grandmother and grandfather were very very much in the church and. And very much a part of the church and. And you know Christians and then my parents of course were Christians and mom and dad both and raised in the church and in then for. You know Ron and I have course we've been Christians for a long time least three weeks. And. So. And so we've been a Christian then and I think of our son. You know now our daughter and David in his ministry. So there are life for generations from my grandparents to my parents to me to. David Michael. Our son the four generations of Christians and for generations of how that has changed our family. And I often repeat or talk about my. My mom there when we go to the cemetery on. On Memorial Day and for the graves you know and decorate the grace of my my my mom would never allow us to go to this one cemetery where the one relative was was born or was buried. She she was this about the eight hundred eight hundred ninety nine ninety five and turn of the century. She had five kids and never had to and they were all the same last name. McGee and she was never married. So. So you know she was and I told my mom she was kind of Varus bile that I said Mom. Look what happened when came into our family. You know look what happens when comes into a. Or family and see whether it's. You have generations of following Christ or you're the first. It doesn't matter in matters only that the favor of The sovern Lord. He has he's a spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on you. The Sovereign Lord the Spirit of is on you and you know. You can't get the church. You can't get to heaven by OSS MOSIS said close to a Christian and it just kind of rubs flows in. No it doesn't happen. It doesn't get there by setting by a religious person. It gets there by Christ being in your life. I mention in Sunday school this morning about this week I was called to go to a home in which the person wanted to be baptized and. They are in a very declining position. Physically. But they wanted to be baptized and of course I was going to haul them out of the house in a wheelchair and dump them in the river. Or in a bed or in a bath tub. You know I was going to do that to them. So I said sure we can I can baptize you. And I went there and like went around the kitchen got a gl of water. And I know I didn't throw to honor him. I just the you know told them both before we baptize you know you've got to make your heart right with . Make sure we're going to heaven. And they said why I confess my thing every night message that's good. Let's just do it one more time. And so we prayed to sinners prayer. I took the water sprinkled on her Baptizer Nanette her him in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. And that person started to smile and to laugh and to say how free they felt and how wonderful they felt on the inside and that's what we're all about Christ's revelation of Himself. And you see that sovereign lord is on each of our lives. He has anointed us. What he got there because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor to the spiritually bankrupt. We are the ones who are called to bring the good news of what has said. And what has done for us. Did you ever meet a sour. Sour sour. Sour. Christians. Someone that disc can't get there. Whatever. Get themselves all the way long enough to allow to touch them. You see the good news that we have is good news. And that. Good news has a way of influencing our approach to living the good news has a a valuable input. To who we are such as. What happens in life that is not able to see through that what sin in our life. Is there that cannot be forgiven. You see it isn't our failures. And it isn't our inadequacies. It is the Spirit of . Touching our spirit that we are able to become. What wants us to be that we have good news. And if we have good news. You know we get it. If you turn on the television every Sa ay every evening. What do we have we have the news. And very seldom is there any good news because the only thing worthy of news is something that is tragic. Or something has gone wrong. Or the world is falling apart in the economy is going to fail. And somebody has killed someone else and somebody has stolen something so you can summarize the news. In about four or five categories. It's something devastating has happened to someone's life and we want to tell you about it. And that's you know. And the newspaper. You know. Generally the same thing. Because if there were a lot of good things there. It wouldn't sell. People won't buy. Good news. You know the only. Sometimes the only magazines the. You know the Reader's Digest. Is a good news but we gotta make it short and small simple. And to the point. Because if you want to read it. It's got to be short and simple to the point. But you see the good news that we have is good news that no matter where we find ourselves. is there no matter what situation is coming. There is a promise. No matter where we are at . Is there with a promise. And he has given us the good news and. Jesus. Whenever he was beginning his ministry picked this. Picked a scroll up. Turn to this road it out to this portion and said The spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor to the spiritually bankrupt people. There are people who are spiritually bankrupt. Now. To those who are bankrupt. A few coins means a lot of a contribution to tribute contribution to their to those who are physically bankrupt. A few dollars or a sum of money deposited into their life has a has a great impact on them. Remember the story of a young man who was down on his luck and. Everything had gone wrong in this minister. Saw him and walked up to him and gave him a hundred dollar bill and said get back on course and start your life over again. And so that bankrupt person. Not only physically but spiritually bankrupt person. They turned her life around because somebody believed in them. And you see when people are spiritually bankrupt. When people are emotionally bankrupt. When people have no hope. We come with a gift and the gift we are bearing comes from and that gift that has given to us we are to share. Because we have the good news of eternal life. We have the good news that all things work together for good. To those who love and are called according to His purpose. We have the good news that. When I am. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have the good news See this is the good news that comes to my life. Every day every moment of every day the good news is there. And Jesus quoted these verses to impact the people he said today. This is fulfilled in your hearing. So Jesus quoted this Jesus put this together and. He was sent. He has sent me to bind up. The broken hearted. To proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness. For the prisoner. That salvation. That is letting in getting out of that. That darkness of being lost. He tells them that. That he has come to heal the broken hearted those who have been devastated by life. Those who have found themselves in a very dark place. Do you know where light shines the brightest is in darkness. So if you does have a little light. In a dark setting. Huge your big help. And I remember going caving you ever go caving speed looking in college. Always to do this down in West Virginia and. We get back in these caverns you know on. And they have lights out. You talk about darkness. You get back in these caverns and places there's there's no light coming from anywhere. And even even the animals the fissions things that live back in these little ponds and stuff back in the in the caves they really have eyes. Because what good designs do in the darkness. And so when people are in darkness. The light that shines upon them. Even if it's a little flicker of a light in way off in the distance. It is a hope. It is something to go towards. And this is the good news that we have good news is the Light of Christ in my life has made some has made an impact upon me to set me free from the darkness. By giving ME LIKE TO MY path that he has helped me to move out of the prisons. Of what weren't what was holding me back. And then. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. Proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. We live in the divine. Favor of . We are his special special child and remember. If had a refrigerator. Your picture would be on it. Your picture would be on it. You know because Gore has special child I'm his favorite child. And I know mom my mom's favorite child like as. Everybody told me you know. And they were right. So in general I'm telling you your the favorite child in everybody telling you that in jest what were right. You are 's favorite child. He loves you he loves you more than we can ever imagine. He has a plan for us he has a purpose for us. He has a will for us and we go on through here. And we see what this good news does. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. And the day a vengeance of our . You know what about all those people who do all these nasty things to people. Guess what is going to exact punishment. When it's all said and done in the world is done and there is the judgment seat the great white throne judgment that people have to face. So it's that we don't need to worry about judgment we need to worry. We need to focus on grace and mercy. will take care of those who need to be taken care of the way that their atrocities or whatever their mindset was knows that and will exact what it is we need to look at our own lives and be at peace and recognize that we are under his favor. To comfort all who mourn. To comfort those who have experienced loss. Whether it's physical mental emotional whether it's loss of a dream. A loved one of friendship moving. Age It doesn't matter. Comfort. Comfort those who mourn and provide for those who grieve. To the store won them a crowd of beauty. Instead of ashes. That we have a crown of beauty. You know you really got a nice crown up there don't you. You've got a really pretty kind of current of what for for the Ashes. The ashes that we have experience in life are the things that kind of got burned up and the things that didn't work too well and kind of fellow parts and got taken away. Well there's. There is beauty for ashes. 's beauty. And they all of gladness Instead of mourning. The garment a phrase instead of the spirit of despair. You see Divine favor tells us here. That we are proclaiming 's year. In our own lives to comfort to provide to bestow to bring gladness and to and arrangement of trains instead of a spirit of despair. So we said Look at this it look at what has done in our life. Was of what has provided for us. Look at how has done a work in our lives. It has been something that has changed us from the inside out. It is one that has given us hope and. You know and recognition that this wife is a preparation for the next but in this preparation. No good thing Will he was hold from us. No no good saying Will withhold from our lives. No good thing. And so here we are recognizing what the good news is what is the good news to your life. What is the good news to you and your revelation. The revelation of to your heart. What is that good news that he has spoken to you. Is it. Opportunity. Is it. Forgiveness is it love. It is it recognizing that my name is in 's Book of Life. Is it. You know there's many things that we can look at it. No good thing was he going to withhold from us and he said. Instead of a spirit of despair they will. They will be called oaks of Rights as Miss Kotch a little acorn. Hold it up. Hold your ACORN up. Didn't think you could hold a big old tree did you do you not to get an elephant in a in a tree. You plant the acorn and set the elephant down. Way for it to grow. That's really dumb tester. Well. Sometimes we think that's how we become writers. You know it's a long process. Well is our brightest mission you see you're holding within your hands. What the. He calls us here. That we. They will be called oaks of right just missed a planting of the Lord. Oaks of righteousness how big can this little see get. Well you know what if you put in a little pot. It won't get too big but if you put it in a bigger pot it will get a little bigger. But if you go planted somewhere were the sky's the limit. This think in the come huge in how many acorns can come from a tree. If you have any doubt about how many acorns income from a tree. We have a whole bank full over there. And you can get a bushel basket after bushel basket after bushel basket of acorns from a future Eve. And you can get them every year. So here we are the oaks of righteousness. We are the oaks of righteousness and. We have to get over the idea that I'm just a little seed. Planted in Little Flower flaw. Plot pot. And I can only get so big you see. We don't know the potential to instill seed. Bob where he's in the back there. How many trees you have planted. Come from those acorns. You know. Bob and Trish they need to sometimes. Whenever we're throwing the acorns away. We don't take him out to Bobby's place and pull and throw him away. He has all kinds of trees out there and all kinds of trees growing out there and in the squirrels in the birds and whatever the deer they're all coming any eating them. But there's all these trees growing out there. Came from these little seeds. We have friends that come and pick these up. Take him out on the Hill. And they plant them. Not on out in the forest and think they plant the seeds because they know what they can become. They know that it's going to give opes of rights as in this. They know that the seeds from this is going to feed the turkeys and feed the deer and going to take care of the wild animals of the squirrels and all that stuff. It's all this is just from the planting a few of these. You are the Oka of righteousness. You're not some little seed. Laying around on a beach somewhere in the sand. Can't get it can't get a foothold anywhere. has planted you. In his vineyard in his patch in his field of righteousness. He has planted us and. You know years ago whenever they were doing experiments in like trying to live. You know what would it be like to live on Mars and all those places and they put people in these bubbles. And you know in these confined areas and artificial light artificial this and that they planted trees. And when the trees grew. You meant you know what happened to the trees. Part of the bland. The branches broke. Just from the leaves. Because there was no wind. There was no wind where there was no wind there was no strength in the trees in our lives it's the same thing. We think the winds of adversity Oh gods against me no god is just making you strong the difficulties in our life. Prove to us. What the right has this of is about it's about strength. It's about power. It's about love it's about forgiveness it's about recognizing the dog has a bonza for harvests for us while we're just some will. SAP willing. You know. We're just a little sapling. And we're not to know. We're oaks of righteousness. And you see here. What we got here. Proclaimed the year of the Lord and a day of vengeance to come to comfort all who mourn. Provide for those who grieve in Zion. To bestow them on a crown the oil of gladness the garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair. They will be called the oaks of Rights as Ms. And the garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair. They will be called opes of rightness miss a planting of the Lord. You are a planting of the Lord your not a little acorn anymore. You are a tree. You know what tree that is planted by the river of life. Psalm one. Blesses man that walketh non the council the ungodly nor sit in the way of centers but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law. He will meditate day and night and he shall be like a tree planted by the river. And that see that and its leaves and. You know its fruit common. Harvest and it's got life in it. And when that tree planted by The seed that has put in your life for some of us. Well my. My parents. I was in church the second week that I was born one. And I know Journal week and I was in church that Sunday. And I've been in church almost ever. Every Sunday sense. So my it told me whenever my grandfather was. You know in the coming. It would all go up to the altar and pray my grandfather really raising his hands and coming the Fatah coming to the altar there was a little kid running behind him with his hands raised to go to the altar and so then I've been a sap for a long time. Sixty six years. You know we've been in church but you see it isn't that all the time is planted in us the seed the seed of righteousness the seed that is growing. A seed that makes a difference. And you see how does a tree. Make a difference and just is itself. Just being yourself. Being yourself and allowing to speak through you a plan to give the Lord for the display of his splendor. For the display of his splendor think of this. The oak trees not out there saying hey look at me waving in the wind. It's just it is a display of splinter. You are a display of 's splendor. Imagine it. You me. Each of us. His special child. We are display of splendor. It is his divine favor that is that is upon our lives. And we you know. The fruit that we bear. What happens to it. It falls on the ground. You know. Sometimes you feel like a knot. Sometimes you don't know enough of that for the display of his righteous they will rebuild the ancient runes and restore the places. Long devastated. I was going to talk about Jeremiah. Nehemiah excuse me. I was going to talk about Nehemiah. And the book of Nehemiah but I thought. I'll do that next week. I was doing I was going to do Nehemiah for the sermon today then the Nehemiah was basically written on them I was about eighty years. After this. And. Nehemiah reads this and says you know what the walls around the city have to be rebuilt. And so he was reading. What had put in place. And he felt like he needed to be done. And you see. That's why we are the display of cause right just miss. Because we feel that COGS love and forgiveness and 's grace and His mercy. Need to be displayed. We read about it. And we need to be the display of it. We need to be the splendor of it. Just as natural as the oak tree produces acorns. We need to produce love and grace and mercy and forgiveness. Just a natural part of who we are. And we are the display of . Blowing In The Wind and every wind and trial that comes only makes the stronger. Because is that work his spirit is inside of us. And there's a longing in our heart. For the Revelation of Jesus. And that revelation is grace mercy. Strength and power. Forgiveness. So in verse seven. Own skip down to their. Well. Diverse ics. And you will be called the priests of the Lord. You will be named ministers of our . You will feed on the Wealth of Nations. And in their riches. You will boast. What happened here was. They were going back to Jerusalem to build the city. Nehemiah and other people were occupying the Landon. And so on but he was trying that you people are going to go back to those lands in the people who have had your land they're going to end up giving it to you. So you're going to live in houses that you didn't build. You're going to eat. From the crops that you didn't plant. You're going to have a place that. I'm going to give you that somebody occupied before. And in our life. has His blessings in store for us. And you look around see why I don't have many blessings but does. And where does he say can get them from their going to come from the hand of . So here we are being our selves. Blown in the wind. Producing fruit. Going to fall from our trees and people are going to pick it up. And you know what the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And we usually say that about kids and descendants and so on one. You know what. That's a good thing because when they eat of the fruit of your righteousness. They needed the truth of the fruit of your forgiveness. They needed the fruits of your love that comes from It's been searching your tree. Your life. Our branches been grafted into the vine of Jesus Christ and we have life and we have an abundance and it's a good news. The good news the is alive and blessing. And he's going to bless you right out of your socks. He's going to bless you from your roots to your highest limb. Amen. He's going to. He's going to give you his blessing in his power and his influence. Because it's his to give. We're not earning it. We're just allowing it to flow through us. And so. Take the sea did you have what you going do with it. What that plan is over there in a field where the church owns and I have to cut around. Yes. Well we're going to do with it. We're going to plant it. And you know what. Planted planted in little pot in your house and keep it through the winter. And then in the spring when it's sprouted and got some substance to it. Go planted somewhere. See what happens. Protected from the deer and all that stuff. And see what happens. How big can this thing get. How big can this little seed get. Well you know. If you pint it in the right place. If you planted were can get the right amount of sun in the right amount of nourishment. This can be a great oak tree. And that's us. The planting of the Lord. Becoming the good news of Jesus Christ. To all nations. Beginning with our own family friends our own circle of influence Amen. So we stand. And if any of you would like to have numerous plantings. There is a whole new bushels and bushels of acorns over there you can take and. Taken plant them to your heart's desire. So. Father thank You for the blessings of this day and that we are the planting of the Lord we are His righteousness. We are recipients of his divine favor. we thank you that we are the favor of . Thank you that we are your favorite child. We thank you that you hear our prayers and know our needs and Lord you desire to fulfill them. Bless us now that we might be blessings in Jesus' name we pray. A min. bless you. The Lord's Favor