We had a minor flood in our offices Thursday night. I appreciate Will and John and Corey and Patti and Mom who came and stayed late as we tried to limit the damage. My office is a mess right now. No, this is not how my office usually looks. Okay, maybe my desktop isn’t that far from normal, but my office feels messy to me!
As I was moving files, boxes, and books, I came across on old folder I haven’t opened in more than 20 years. Inside were several papers I wrote as an undergraduate student at Oral Roberts University. Back in the 1980s, we were still using typewriters. How did I ever manage to get those papers typed?
One of the papers I typed as a freshman on February 8, 1985. I think I actually typed this paper while sitting in the 12th floor stairwell because my roommate (Tony Smith – where are you now?) had uncharacteristically gone to bed early. I don’t remember for what class this was an assignment, but whoever graded must have liked it. I was encouraged as I read it and share it today hoping it encourages you. The one-page double-spaced paper was based on Jesus public reading of Isaiah 61:1-2, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me…” (Luke 4:18a NIV84).
Isaiah is quoted more than once by Jesus, probably because Isaiah’s central theme is salvation. Isaiah showed God as the Savior of His people, who delivered them out of Egypt, who will deliver them from their coming captivity, and who will send His Son to deliver all captives. Isaiah 61:1&2 gives a full account of what Christ came into the world to do. When Jesus read these verses, He was in Nazareth, His hometown. Jesus had gone to the synagogue, “as His custom was. (Lk. 4:16)” In the Jewish synagogues seven people read every sabbath, the first a priest, the second a Levite, and the other five were Israelites of the synagogue. On this Sabbath, Jesus was one of the five. After concluding the reading, Jesus says, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Lk. 4:21)” Jesus truly did fulfill prophecy.
The word “anointed” is essential in these verses. In the Greek, the word aleipho is a term used for almost any kind of anointing. However, in these verses aleipho is not used. The word chrio is used. Chrio is used for more specific anointings, especially anointings with sacred or symbolic meaning. The use of this gives Jesus something special, the anointing of God. Therefore, Jesus is Christ or “The Anointed One.”
The idea that Jesus was anointed during this time in His life, has great impact on my life. The first thirteen verses of Luke 4 tell of Jesus’ temptation by Satan. After Jesus’ statements in the synagogue, the people were about to kill Him. If Jesus was anointed, then He was anointed during these trying times. If I can realize that I am anointed with God’s Holy Spirit in every situation that I face, I will succeed.
