Jesus on the Margins: Poverty
Why did Jesus come to this world? Oftentimes we Christ followers say it was to redeem us from sin and give us eternal life. Jesus came to do that, but it was part of a broader purpose. His broader purpose was to bring God's kingdom to the world. Jesus spoke of this mission in his first recorded sermon in Luke. Luke 4:14-21 says that in this sermon, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2. This Old Testament passage was a prophecy of the end times. After reading it, Jesus said, "Today, this prophecy has been fulfilled in your hearing." This meant the end times had begun, and God was starting to establish his kingdom on earth through Jesus! This kingdom would be good news for the poor, as it would free prisoners, heal the sick, and release the oppressed. This passage tells us that the alleviation of poverty should be part of our kingdom work in this world. Sadly, churches today tend to fall into one of two categories: Those that preach the gospel but do little