Phil 4:4 Rejoice and again I say rejoice

On a day 2000 Year’s ago Jesus walked into his home town and almost got killed for what he said.  This is what he said...

Isaiah 61 

Exaltation of the Afflicted

1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

• I have good news for the afflicted 
  • The ones having trouble of some kind
  • The poor
  • The meek
  • The humble
• To bind up the broken-hearted 
  • The ones broken in pieces 
  • He will put you back together
  • He will hold your disparate pieces together 
• All the prisoners go free
  • A divine get out of jail free card
  • He will open the doors for the ones who want out
  • He will go in and carry out the ones who cannot remove themselves 

2To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfortall who mourn,

• To tell you the time is NOW!  WAITING IS OVER!
• To comfort all who mourn
  • All that is lost will be returned 
  • All that has been stolen returned!

3To grant those who mourn [in] Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

• No longer a time for sadness 
• Celebration not sorrow
• You thought all chance at happiness was over but this is the beginning not the end!
• You will do a victory dance not the walk of shame not giving up but winning 
• Towering sumbols of life and stability 
  • Unshakable 
  • Deeply rooted
  • People will wonder if you ever weren’t strong 

4Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.

• Then the restoration will move backward 
  • Restoring what past generations have lost
  • Rebuilding dreams that have died

5Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

6But you will be called the priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of [as] ministers of our God.You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast.

7Instead of your shame [you will have a] double [portion], And [instead of] humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double [portion] in their land,Everlasting joy will be theirs.

8For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an everlasting covenant with them.

9Then their offspring will be known among the nations, And their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them Because they are the offspring [whom] the LORDhas blessed.

10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom deckshimself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to springup, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations.