If you watch news on television, hear it on the radio, or look for it on the Internet you’ll see an awful lot of bad news. It’s time for good news.

There is a solution to America’s economic and other problems. It is logical and practical. The solution has worked for centuries and continues to work. In fact, the concepts involved are what made this nation the most prosperous in the history of earth.

Many years ago there was a community oppressed by a brutal dictatorship. It was crushed by high taxes and rampant corruption. Poverty and misery were the norm.

Into this situation came a man who proclaimed “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Before you say, “Here we go again. More religious baloney,” let me explain why the practical non-religious implications of this ancient proclamation are the best news America could possibly get in 2010.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE POOR

The first anointing (assignment) was to preach “good news to the poor.”

What causes poverty in the United States today?

While what people call “hard luck” can devastate any family’s finances, the more common reasons for poverty include drugs, alcohol, gambling, promiscuity and other destructive personal behavior. People from America’s most impoverished communities stand the best chance to rise out of poverty when their attitude and behavior is transformed to become more productive.

Education alone is not the solution. American children are taught that smoking is unhealthy but many take up the habit regardless. People often reject what they know is right because of selfish and rebellious attitudes.

The good news for the poor is that God can transform the lives of those driven by selfish and rebellious attitudes.

Whether you’re religious or not, imagine what it would be like if God’s will was done in the United States as it is in heaven. There would be no alcoholism, drug addiction, promiscuity or even vulgarity. People would “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Courtesy, charity and generosity would be normal behavior. Those who experience “hard luck” would be helped by their family and their neighbors. The quality of life would be incredible and productivity would be amazing.

The reason we don’t have heaven on earth today is because people reject God’s offer of transformation. They’ed rather live with their destructive attitudes and habits than give them up for a whole new life with healthy attitudes and habits.

This may sound like a sermon but I’m asking you to consider the economic, social and political implications of transformed lives. President John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” He knew that the Constitution could not keep America from self-destruction unless the vast majority of Americans voluntarily maintained healthy attitudes and behavior.

Countless studies could be conducted and papers written to show that increases in bad behavior lead to increased poverty and that increases in good behavior lead to prosperity. Such studies are not needed. Common sense should be sufficient.

The good news for the poor is that their lives can be transformed. Even better news is that the poor God was referring to are not just those with little money. You can have the wealth of Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson and be emotionally as poor as a homeless man under a bridge.

God can replace bitterness, despair and lust with peace, joy and love. He offers eternal happiness. While the good news is not really about obtaining money, people with healthy attitudes toward work do better financially than those who are looking for the next handout or entitlement.

It doesn’t take a mathematician or sociologist to calculate that a child raised by two parents is less likely to live in poverty than a child raised by one parent. It’s even more obvious that children do not benefit from parents being addicted to drugs and alcohol and that the odds that a family will benefit from gambling are horrendous.

Even the most devout atheist would have to admit that if millions of Americans overcame destructive habits, the quality of life in the United States would improve.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE CAPTIVE

The second anointing (assignment) relates closely to the first. Jesus Christ was authorized to proclaim release to those who are captive.

Abraham Lincoln is famous for the Emancipation Proclamation that legally set free all American slaves. That document told those who paid money for slaves, “They don’t belong to you anymore. They’re free.”

God gave Jesus Christ the authority and responsibility to tell people, “You are no longer required to live as a slave to bad desires, attitudes and habits.”

People who don’t want freedom can choose to continue living like slaves, but their Emancipation Proclamation has been signed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Everyone’s freedom has been paid for.

Once again, while this sounds like sermon material, consider the practical economic, social and political impact. If, as an elected official, you were given the task of solving America’s problems you could not come up with a more effective plan than to see lives transformed from bad behavior to good.

The Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 was profoundly moral, but it was not a sermon. It was a transformation of public policy. Its impact was economic, social and political. It represented a turning point in American history. Just think how different life would be in the United States today if you could still purchase other people.

You would have to be blind not to see the even greater economic, social and political significance of an Emancipation Proclamation for everyone involved in self-destructive and socially-destructive behavior.

You would also have to be blind not to see the impact of millions of children being led into bondage. The more ungodly the behavior in a community the worse the quality of life will be.

This leads naturally into the third anointing (assignment) of Jesus Christ.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE BLIND

If you’re concerned that carbon emissions are causing global warming you need to see what’s happening from God’s perspective. The impact of gas guzzling SUVs on America is nothing compared to the impact of sin.

This observation is not just religious propaganda. It’s as logical and practical as believing in gravity.

The truth is, everyone is born selfish and rebellious. The truth is, Jesus Christ paid the price for mankind’s rebellion with his death on the cross. The truth is, if you’ll accept the above truths and fully give yourself to God he can transform your life.

Many people either don’t see this or wish it weren’t true.

There are people who see Christians as hateful bigots out to impose arcaine religious beliefs on others. They hate being called a “sinner.” They really, really do see those who oppose sin as intolerant.

Some people see anyone unwilling to honor Mohammad as infidels worthy of death.

Some people see capitalists as evil oppressors who get rich taking advantage of the poor.

The words that come out of your mouth and the choices you make are based on the way you see the world — your worldview.

The anointing of providing “recovery of sight to the blind” is really about enabling mankind to see the truth about life on earth. The person who understands and believes what Jesus taught will say and do things differently than someone who believes what Marx or Hitler taught.

What people believe about God cannot be separated from what they believe about business, entertainment or politics. If the majority of Americans adopt Islamic or Communist worldviews all aspects of American society will change. In the 1930s the growing popularity of Hitler’s views on racial superiority led to World War II.

Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” What this means is that, through Jesus Christ, God showed the world how life on earth really does work. He showed the way to heaven on earth (and to heaven itself). What Jesus taught is not propaganda. It is truth. If you believe it you will experience “recovery of sight.” If Americans believe it we will see economic and moral recovery.

Other worldviews, like Hitler’s, do not lead people to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Some would have you behead infidels or take everyone’s property and declare it “state property.” Those who see the world through such worldviews are not just blind, they’re oppressed.

This leads to the final anointing (assigment).

GOOD NEWS FOR THE OPPRESSED

One translation of the Bible calls the fourth anointing “to set at liberty those who are bruised.” As quoted above, it is to “release the oppressed.”

Consider the compassion of these four assignments. God anointed Jesus to provide hope to the poor, the prisoners, the blind and the oppressed. He wasn’t anointed to schmooze with the rich and the righteous. He was given the job of rescuing the lost and suffering.

He came to provide true liberty.

Americans love the words “freedom” and “liberty.” They want the right to make choices when shopping, when voting and when choosing a school or occupation. They want the liberty to go where they want, when they want and to speak their mind freely. They certainly value the right to choose their religious beliefs.

You will not keep these liberties in a society dominated by Islam, Communism or Facism. These liberties are possible in a Christian society because Christians believe in a God-given rights.

You cannot become a Christian by force. It would be pointless to hold a knife to someone’s throat and say, “Confess Jesus as Lord, or die.” You can only become a Christian by choosing to give up sin and follow Jesus.

Because of this, Christians respect the right of others to choose not to believe. This does not make other beliefs true or equal. The truth about God’s design for life on earth is still true, but, in a Christian culture, people who remain blind to this truth are not executed for their disbelief.

The ultimate liberty Jesus came to provide is the opportunity to choose to serve God. This can only happen because Jesus made possible the forgiveness of sin and reestablishment of a right relationship to God. Without this act of God’s grace everyone would be stuck as a poor, blind, oppressed prisoner of evil desires.

Some people see “liberty” as a right to “enjoy” alcohol, drugs, pornography or any other vice they think may bring them pleasure. This is a form of blindness. People who enjoy sin either don’t see how it enslaves them or don’t care.

God’s concept of liberty centers on freedom from sin.

A healthy relationship to God includes a higher concept of liberty. God didn’t create mankind to behave like a robot. God made mankind creative and unique. He wants companions he can relate to, talk with and bless. He wants these companions to share his heavenly kingdom.

Heaven would not be heavenly if it was not perfect. This means you have to make a choice between obeying God (righteousness) and disobeying God (sin). If your choice is to obey God this means you will do he tells you to do.

Consider what he told Jesus to do. Was it enjoyable to be called names and be whipped? No. Was it pleasant to go to the cross? No. Was it fulfilling to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to bring liberty to the oppressed? ABSOLUTELY!

What God has for you to do just as good, because . . .

THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE LORD

Jesus is not dead.

His mission is not complete. He is still bringing good news to the poor. He is still releasing captives and bringing sight to the blind. He is still proclaiming liberty to the oppressed.

He is doing so through those called “the body of Christ.”

The same Spirit of God that “anointed” (assigned) Jesus Christ to bring good news to the poor, release the captives, let the blind see and proclaim liberty works through those called of God today.

America doesn’t have to continue down a path to depravity and poverty. We don’t have to tolerate 500,000 more Americans dying of AIDS. America’s schools don’t have to be turned over to those promoting blindness. America doesn’t have to export vulgar, pornographic movies.

There is no shortage of work to be done in advancing God’s kingdom. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

America, wake up. Let’s reduce the constant flow of bad news on television. Let’s redeem the entertainment industry. Let’s reach out to the poor, the prisoners, the blind and the oppressed. Let’s bring the good news we’re anointed (assigned) to bring.

Let’s show the whole world Jesus is not dead. He’s alive in us.

THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR