In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln said these words near the end of the US Civil War as part of his second inaugural speech: “Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Lincoln’s words were an attempt to set his nation on a path of reconciliation and healing, a path that—sadly—would be cut short. But this is what inaugural addresses do: They reveal the tone and the direction of each new administration.
In the book of Luke, Jesus made His own inauguration speech—one that didn’t inaugurate a presidency but the kingdom of God (Luke 4:18-21). And his first words, taken from Isaiah 61:1-11, were about freeing prisoners, healing the blind, and releasing the oppressed. These are the priorities of the kingdom: setting people free, healing, and justice.
But it’s not just the words of Jesus that reflect this. After being visited by the angel Gabriel, Jesus’ mother, Mary, sang that God lifts up the humble and fills the hungry with good things (Luke 1:52-53). And John the Baptist said something similar in Luke 3:10-13—that to prepare for Jesus’ coming the people should live generously and honestly.
All of these accounts help us see that works of compassion and justice are not optional pursuits we simply choose to engage in or not. They’re the very heart and soul of the gospel and of the kingdom of God, the first priorities that Jesus pronounced in His official ministry. And as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), it’s our privilege to make these priorities our own as He leads and enables.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Matthew 26:57-75
More:
Read Exodus 22:22-24 to see how far back our calling to the marginalized goes, and how passionate God is about it.
Next:
What will it look like for you to make compassion and justice a priority? Why do we sometimes consider acts of compassion and justice to be secondary as we live out our faith?
Gary Shultz on September 22, 2015 at 6:14 am
I guess my question would be, was it compassion and justice or compassion and mercy? Certainly there is no other record of such an out pouring of compassion than Jesus. Thanks
Roxanne Robbins on September 22, 2015 at 9:52 am
Thank you Peter Chin for this good message and reminder to reflect on and live out Kingdom priorities: setting people free, healing, and justice.
street on September 22, 2015 at 12:47 pm
And his first words, taken from Isaiah 61:1-11, were about freeing prisoners, healing the blind, and releasing the oppressed. These are the priorities of the kingdom: setting people free, healing, and justice.
had to come back to this one after thinking about it for awhile.
thinking, freeing us from sin and death, a prison with no hope, healing spiritual blindness in seeing Jesus as the true lover of my soul and worthy of my love and devotion , and lastly releasing us from the oppression of guilt shame regret hatred pride self righteousness. Jesus accomplished this and more. joyfully looking for His return. wait and watch with Him by faith. such great freedom peace and joy.
Winn Collier on October 3, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Jesus’ life and ministry as the inauguration of justice, grace, mercy, healing — all we need and hope for. This is my hope.