Bible Text: Isaiah 61:1–2 | Preacher: Pastor Andrew Okai

Sermon prepared by the Holy Spirit and Pastor Andrew T. Okai

3rd Sunday in Advent

December 17, 2017

Sermon text: Isaiah 61:1–2

Sermon Theme: Jesus Is the Greatest One

Introduction

Grace, mercy, and peace

Today is the third Sunday in Advent.

Today’s readings speak heavily about the person and purpose of our Lord and his mission to the earth.

The prophet John the Baptist was questioned regarding his identity. He pointed his interrogators to the Messiah. John was presenting Jesus as the one who is the greatest.

That’s the subject of our message today… and this should be the subject of our message and ministry at all times.

Isaiah the prophet describes this greatness in one of his prophetic discourses, a description of our Lord’s mission to the earth. This mission could not be carried out by anyone else, because at the time, there was a great power that held everyone captive. All of mankind was in prison to this great power that we now know to be Satan.

So God the father needed someone who was greater than him to come and crush him, because when God looked down, he saw some things that needed to be addressed.

The news down here was bad. The bridge between God and man was broken, and the earth had been turned over to Satan. But then our superhero came. Even though he knew the purpose of his mission, he wanted to experience it.

He healed the broken hearted.

He set the captives free.

He set us free from the power of darkness.