How often do I find myself focused on work of Jesus thankful for His sacrifice, His willingness to stand in my place so that my wrongdoings could be atoned for or on His ultimate victory? Plenty.

How often is that the limit of my focus, the limit of what I celebrate, worship and adore Him for? What I mean is when I consider the supernatural, life-changing, Kingdom-bringing work of Christ, my thoughts go from His birth straight to His death and resurrection. I realized this morning something I have known, in pieces, for years. I do that more often than not.

So what? Well, along with that realization comes that another, that Jesus did so much more than that with His life. And that maybe, just maybe, it might be better – no – richer to consider and worship the fullness of Jesus’s work for/to/in us as the display and compassionate gift of God’s heart and love. More succinctly, to worship the character revealed through Jesus’s actions and words that culminated in Friday and Sunday. Not just the accomplishment and effect of those two days.

You could stop here if you want. The rest is illustration and examples from the Scriptures. Still, I invite you to continue to walk with me this morning.

Luke 4:14-44. What we note as His ministry “kickoff” begins with the prophetic reference from Isaiah. ‘This is what I have been anointed for. This is what you can hold me accountable to.’ might be one way of seeing it. But we all accept it as a description of the fruit of the Kingdom of God come on the earth.

Now in thinking about the idea I describe at the beginning, I see in the same chapter beginning in verse 36, Jesus go from announcing His ministry, what God was about to do, to doing that ministry. Delivering the kingdom where prisoners of impure spirits are set free (v 35) and those oppressed by sickness set free and recovered (vv. 38-41). The last bit, all night long.

In other words, I’m starting to think this might be Jesus’s way of saying ‘Friday and Sunday are coming, but I want to give you some of my Heart already. I (Father+Son+Holy Spirit) love you so much.’ What tenderness, generosity, compassion and affection!

What a morning this is!