“Towards A Fullfilment Of God’s Restoration Promise!”

“Towards A Fullfilment Of God’s Restoration Promise!”(Lk.4:16-22a).
Great is your faithfulness O LORD for the light of a new day.
According to Luke, the Lord Jesus Christ introduced his ministry by reading this quote from prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” After he read the passage, he said to all the people, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
These words are foundational to Liberation theology. Gustavo Gutiérrez one of the advocates of liberation theology defines it as reflection on the word of God in the light of praxis.
This liberation framework distinguishes three levels of meaning: “political liberation, human liberation throughout history, liberation from sin and admission to communion with God.”
How do we communicate the gospel meaningfully to the poor, the marginalised, the disenfranchised, the oppressed and suppressed, and the voiceless if it does not help to improve on their condition?
If the story is only about sin, judgement, heaven and hell fire, then it truly becomes “an opium of the poor.”
The body of Christ on earth fails to continue his mission if she does not “seek to address social and economic injustices through the application of Christian principles, particularly focusing on the needs of marginalized communities.”
Liberation theology may have started in the 1960s, but God had initiated it since from the time of the exodus. Exodus is God being on the side of the oppressed. Jesus introduced his work to include, the proclamation of the good news to the poor (liberation from poverty), freedom for the prisoners (those under the captivity of marginalisation, and voicelessness), recovery of sight to the blind(presenting the stark reality of injustice, oppression and suppression and enlightening both the oppressor and the oppressed, and the suppressor and the suppressed), and finally to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor(announcing that when we live with truth, righteousness and justice, we will all make heaven because heaven begins with the true brotherhood of man).
What are the disciples saying and doing in this political quagmire of our country? How far are we genuinely addressing the war in the English speaking part of the country?
Good news to the person with an empty stomach is when you give him fish, after which you empower him by teaching him how to catch fish.
The masses languish in anthropological poverty. Anthropological poverty is caused by structural sin. The political status quo is a cultic structural sin that uses intimidation, manipulation, unbridled authority and uncontrolled power and fear to keep the masses numb!
We are continuing the ministry of Christ to break the domination system in what Walter Wink prescribes in his power trilogy:
“Naming the powers: The language of power in the New Testament.”
“Unmasking the powers: the invisible forces that determine human existence.”, and,
“Engaging the powers: Discernment and resistance in a world of domination.”
The fullness of God’s restoration plan is possible only by dismantling the domination systems that hold sway! The domination system in any context cannot be dismantled without the word of God being reflected upon in the light of praxis. The mansions in heaven can wait; for now let us see how we can make it possible for each person to have basic human needs! By so doing, we will make come true the year of the Lord’s favor. Let it begin from home, through the quarter upwards to the top!
Weekend prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, inspire us to continue the work of liberation that you initiated. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
12/09/2025.