The reflection through the season of Epiphany posed by the popular Christmas carol, “Once in Royal David’s City” points to who and what child is Jesus. The Gospel reading today provides an opening scene to the manifesto for the ministry of Jesus (Lk 4:14-21). More than any inaugural address or priorities for the mission ahead, Jesus’ manifesto is a vision, a vision for what his ministry can and should be. The passage for Jesus’ manifesto opens with his ‘returning in the power of the Spirit to Galilee from the wilderness where he had overcome temptation’ (Lk 4:1-13). On his successful return from the wilderness after victory over Satan, accompanied by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was filled, anointed, and empowered for the mission work, travelling and preaching in synagogues throughout the region. Jesus went to his wilderness but returned to his ministry not as he used to be before, not just as an ordinary son of Mary and Joseph. He return in power of the Spirit.

Jesus’ manifesto based on a promise of God’s aid and active presence is about a description of the kingdom of God through the words – Good News: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” (Luke 4:18-19). The Lord said in the book of Isaiah, “In returning and rest you shall be saved (Is 30:15). In returning from his wilderness, Jesus received power, the anointing to bring good news to the poor. He was empowered and sent to proclaim release to the captive. The proclamation of release to the captive without anointing produces causalities and death. Only the anointed can proclaim the good news effectively. Nothing gives anointing except the Spirit of the Lord, hence the Bible says, the letter kills but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6). It is easy to get busy doing church work and not operate under anointing. David defeated Goliath because of anointing. Anointed people are disciplined and focused. The anointing left Samson because of lack of discipline and sin. God’s anointing does not come on a silver platter. Anointing is a gift of God. We need the anointing for effective and radical vision especially in the new year of the Lord’s favour.

Without our personal and corporate returning and repentance, no renewal. Paul, in returning from his legal profession and persecution of Christians, surrendered everything before God, hence he was anointed and sent to proclaim the release of the captives effectively. Position or office does not give anointing. John Wesley, in returning from Oxford felt his heart strangely warmed. He was anointed to proclaim the release of the captives and restoration of sight to the blind. Proclaiming the good news without anointing not only promotes liability and decay, it waste energy, resources, and time.

Jesus’ manifesto as a vision of good news is only good news for those who are ‘willing to admit what is hard in your life, what is lacking, what has been most difficult. It is not “good news” in general, but rather good news for the poor. It is not just release, but release to those who are captive, sight to those who are blind, freedom to those who are oppressed.’ Your garage offers words of comfort, but such words only mean something when your car go for MOT or servicing just as, ‘God offers words of comfort, but such words only mean something to those living with discomfort.’

Beloved, the adjective, poor apply to you and me. The question is what are you tied up to that you need to be released from? Are you tied up with so much pressure on you externally from the culture at large? Are you blind ‘maybe not physically, but simply unable to see what we should do and the path we should follow? Jesus’ manifesto as a radical vision for a radical change is able to wipe ‘away the cataracts of our corrupt reasoning that distorts our vision of
the heavenly Father.’

Jesus’ manifesto calls us as the Body of Christ to live out and extend God’s good news to all those we meet. The reflection is that Jesus’ message may first hurt or strike us a bad news in other for us to hear it like the story of the rich man who was asked to go and sell all his possessions. He went away sorrowfully. Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, but a leper, initially took the good news of his release and healing as bad news when he was asked to go to river Jordan (2 Kg 5). Until he returned and repented from his pride, he was not set free.  The bad news is the fact ‘we are not who we want to be, can be, and should be…’ Jesus comes bringing good news to you and I, and to those in need. The bad news is that, ‘those who don’t see and admit their need want nothing to do with him.’

The Prodigal son admitted his failure and in his returning he was restored and redeemed. Jesus’ manifesto invites us as a nation, as a church and as families to admit our needs and failures. Jesus’ manifesto summons us to be honest about our deep hurts, fears, pride, and longings. When we admit our need, ‘we feel an immense freedom simply from admitting the truth.’ The reflection is that ‘bad news, when it’s true, is still better than a pretty lie.’ When we are honest about our fears, deep hurts ‘we can receive the help and comfort that God offers – release, sight, healing, freedom, and more.’ When we receive good news – help and comfort, ‘we are also invited to offer it to others.’ Jesus’ manifesto summons us as a church – God’s hands delivering the promise of good news to all who come in need. Jesus’ manifesto is shaped by anointing with radical vision for radical change, ‘the reversal of fortunes that results not just in change in one’s environmental state, but in the person itself.’ The radical change beyond the ‘turnover in governmental administrations… is real change in the spirit and life of the person who hears this good news and whose life is never the same afterwards.’ God is saying to someone, stop living in your past, but let the promises given in the past give you freedom, release, insights and riches in the new year of the Lord’s favour.