27 Jan - Luke 4:14-21

27 Jan.  Luke 4:14-21      Our Mission Statement

Consulting with organizations to think clearly about their purpose, their reason for being at this moment in history, and then figuring out how to articulate that purpose in a clear, concise way has provided me with a good income over the years. The first question I always ask is, "Does your current mission statement still work? Does it still clearly and concisely articulate your reason for being at this moment in history?"

For you and me as members of the Body of Christ, the answer to that question is a resounding, “yes.” In today’s gospel, Jesus offers us his Mission Statement - “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor” Because we are the Body of Christ, it’s the mission we are also called to engage. We have been chosen, anointed, and given the gifts to care about, and advocate for, the poor and the marginalized in our society.

Continually calling people to the mission of the organization is a fundamental principle in all leadership development. What if we took that principle seriously? What if, at the Peace, we would turn to one or two people and, prayerfully and with eye contact, say, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon you, because God has anointed you to bring good news to the poor?" What if we were dismissed from worship with the words, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon you, because God has anointed you to bring good news to the poor... He has sent you to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor?" Most importantly, what if we put that mission on our own bathroom mirror, to see at the beginning of our day as we make decisions throughout our day? "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."