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• Jesus' role in proclaiming good news to the poor and blind
• The concept of true light and salvation
• Restoration and wholeness through Jesus' ministry
• Freedom from spiritual and social restrictions
• The proclamation of God's kingdom and year of favor
• The need for the good news of Jesus Christ in modern life
• Poverty and blindness in various forms (economic, spiritual, self-centeredness)
• The struggle to see God and others' needs, leading to captivity and oppression
• The dangers of consumerism, busyness, and distractions from God
• The importance of remembering one's own brokenness and addictions
• Looking to Christ for salvation rather than personal achievements or holiness
• Reflecting the light of Christ together as a community
• Importance of unity in the Christian community
• Devotion to Christ and each other with one's entire being
• Reflection of God's light through the power of the Spirit
• Proclamation of the good news for a world in darkness
• Prayer for guidance, mercy, and gratitude for salvation
• Struggling with personal flaws and brokenness
• Needing guidance and trust in God's presence
• Reflecting God's goodness and love for the world
• Gratitude for church, past year, and upcoming year
• Serving in God's kingdom
[0.00 --> 7.96] Good morning, Hope.
[14.82 --> 19.44] Well, it's my privilege to be witnessing to God's Word as we cap off this year.
[20.32 --> 21.46] And what a year it's been.
[22.00 --> 24.64] I don't know about you, but thinking back on this year,
[25.38 --> 28.54] it's been a year to remember.
[30.00 --> 35.18] I really believe that one of the gifts that God created us with is the gift of memory.
[36.12 --> 40.36] So we are created beings and we are made to remember.
[40.36 --> 43.66] And this is part of our act of worship as well.
[44.42 --> 46.88] When we share in the table at communion,
[47.32 --> 50.92] we remember Jesus and what he did for us on the cross.
[51.54 --> 54.42] Jesus said as he sat down with his disciples,
[55.32 --> 57.50] do this in remembrance of me.
[58.04 --> 58.84] So we remember.
[58.84 --> 61.54] It's our act of worship to remember.
[62.46 --> 64.38] And so through this act of remembering,
[64.82 --> 69.08] we get to grow and deepen our relationship with God and with one another.
[69.84 --> 73.70] And that's the reason that I chose our text from the Gospel of Luke this morning.
[74.40 --> 77.44] Because for me personally, reflecting on this year,
[77.80 --> 80.48] it was the beginning of my official calling into ministry.
[80.48 --> 83.90] And this calling that I've sensed,
[84.10 --> 86.14] it's been a long time coming.
[86.42 --> 90.10] Because I've sensed this sort of calling into ministry
[90.10 --> 93.08] and I've wrestled with it since 2009, I would say,
[93.40 --> 94.84] when I entered Bible college.
[95.60 --> 99.18] And this year was the year where I finally finished my studies
[99.18 --> 102.32] and did the exam and then was finally ordained.
[102.82 --> 105.28] And then as some of you pointed out to me,
[105.36 --> 106.70] now I'm a real pastor.
[107.34 --> 108.50] I used to be a fake one.
[108.60 --> 109.68] Now you're a real one.
[109.68 --> 115.76] And so this year for me has sort of forced me to remember where I was,
[116.76 --> 117.42] fake pastor,
[117.70 --> 118.96] and then where I am now,
[119.30 --> 120.14] a real pastor.
[120.64 --> 121.72] But in all seriousness,
[122.10 --> 124.42] it forces us to recognize
[124.42 --> 126.70] how God has led us through
[126.70 --> 129.38] all the ups and downs that we go through in our lives.
[129.38 --> 131.50] In our Christian journeys as well,
[131.86 --> 134.90] we remember how God is faithful,
[135.04 --> 138.38] even though we many times are faithless.
[139.08 --> 141.80] Our act of worship through remembering.
[142.40 --> 143.80] And so with that in mind,
[143.96 --> 146.44] I want to invite you to open up to Luke 4.
[146.82 --> 148.50] This is the beginning of Jesus
[148.50 --> 150.68] and his adult ministry
[150.68 --> 153.28] when he came down for us.
[153.40 --> 154.64] And so if you have your Bibles,
[154.82 --> 156.26] your phones are on the screen,
[156.78 --> 158.52] Luke 4 should be available for you.
[159.38 --> 162.22] And we will start reading from verse 14.
[165.22 --> 167.04] From verse 14 we read,
[167.16 --> 168.84] Jesus returned to Galilee
[168.84 --> 171.24] in the power of the Spirit.
[172.14 --> 174.34] And news about him spread through the whole countryside.
[174.88 --> 176.40] He was teaching in their synagogues
[176.40 --> 177.42] and everyone praised him.
[177.88 --> 180.18] He went to Nazareth where he had been brought up.
[180.18 --> 181.84] And on the Sabbath day,
[181.96 --> 184.50] he went into the synagogue as was his custom.
[185.12 --> 186.22] He stood up to read
[186.22 --> 189.24] and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.
[189.38 --> 190.38] On rolling it,
[190.44 --> 191.96] he found the place where it is written.
[192.96 --> 195.14] The Spirit of the Lord is on me
[195.14 --> 196.92] because he has anointed me
[196.92 --> 199.00] to proclaim good news to the poor.
[199.74 --> 201.72] He has sent me to proclaim freedom
[201.72 --> 203.36] for the prisoners
[203.36 --> 205.62] and recovery of sight for the blind,
[205.98 --> 207.14] to set the oppressed,
[207.40 --> 209.56] again, freedom, free,
[210.22 --> 211.72] to set the oppressed free,
[211.72 --> 214.82] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
[215.94 --> 217.40] Then he rolled up the scroll,
[217.54 --> 218.56] gave it back to the attendant,
[218.68 --> 219.34] and sat down.
[219.54 --> 221.54] And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue