The following post is from a series of blogs from the CBFVA Vision Team in preparation for the CBFVA General Assembly 2011. The theme of the assembly is “Beautiful Witness. Being Baptists Together. Doing God’s Mission” and the focal text is Luke 4:18-19.
This week’s blog was written by Rev. Barbara J. Morton, Minister of Church Growth and Development at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia.
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Luke 4:18c “to preach good news to the poor,”
So what is this “good news”? The answer is simple. It is the good news of Jesus Christ. It is the good news of God’s grace, mercy, salvation, and blessings. Just as God heard the cry of His people in Israel, today he hears the cry of the poor all over the world. Whether poor in spirit, living in poverty, homelessness, fear or doubt, God still hears the cries of his people and anoints His chosen to preach GOOD NEWS to them. Through and because of His love for humankind, God feels the pains of the poor and oppressed. When we preach the good news to the poor, we must preach through scriptural lenses. When we preach through these lenses, we remind the poor that even though the economic outlook is bleak, there is still hope for the hopeless. The good news is that there is still help for the helpless and love for those who feel alone and left out. Together as black and white Baptists we are anointed, which makes us responsible and accountable to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. We must remind the poor that there is still faith for the faithless.
The good news is true even in poverty or doubt: rather than turning away from Christ, turn to Him. The poor will always be among us, but there is good news! Jesus described his earthly mission in Luke 4:18. This was His work. This must be our work, for we are anointed to preach the Good News of freedom, mercy, salvation and blessings. As we journey together, black Baptists and white Baptists, let us forget about gender, race and nationality. The poor will always be among us, but together let us preach good news.
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To review other blogs in this assembly series, please visit http://www.cbfva.org/blog.