Isaiah 61 was Jesus’ manifesto and it is the same for Message South Africa The good news is for those who live in a state of bad news!
Poor
Lost
Jesus has come to you
So you can go and be an oak of righteousness
An oak can withstand the storms of life
The storms still come!

But it takes a long time to grow an oak tree
We have to be patient
If you’re looking at a gang in Cape Town
Or a prisoner
You have to see differently

A city so divided by rich and poor
Needs the poor to rise up
And be the message
In fertile ground
To rebuild
To restore
To renew

Because an oak tree reproduces itself.

God wants us to be that oak tree
But we see ourselves as weeds
Disposable and weak

Look how Jesus sees us –
It’s in Romans 8:14-17
This tells us we are

1) Accepted – sons not slaves

Not slaves, not in fear, not even as foster children but as sons.
In a Roman household there would be many slaves – outsiders in the house, never really at home And there were sons & daughters. A massive divide, under the same roof.

Do you see yourself as a space or a son? Now, outsiders can be insiders. Because of Jesus Christ. Strangers become family! Or do you feel unworthy?

2, Adoption
From zero to hero
Have you noticed how many superheroes in our stories were orphans who got adopted. Harry Potter, Tarzan, Batman, Superman…
We get adopted by a Heavenly Father: that’s the one way a child could come fully into the family.

Tim and his wife have adopted a little girl
The letter they have says ‘now she is yours as if she was naturally born to you.’
On the day you become a Christian you are supernaturally born and loved as Jesus is loved by our Father. Paul says nothing can separate us from that kind of love!
We go from fear to free to family!

3. Access
We can cry out intimately – Abba! daddy! There was a barrier, sin kept us away. Extreme makeover home edition on TV.
They don’t just do it up
They do it over
But there’s a bus in the way.
Then it’s ‘move that bus!’
The Barrier! They can’t see the house!
Everyone has to shout ‘Move that bus!’
And the dream house is there!!
Now the curtain in the temple has been torn in 2, as Jesus died on the cross So now we are welcome!
Not just for the VIP
For everyone!

4) Assurance
The Spirit tells us we are heirs with Christ
His inheritance is ours
His glory is ours
We can be sure every promise is ours
A home in heaven
But now we can live like we have security
A father
A home
A purpose
To go and tell other brothers and sisters who don’t know they are loved like this To live differently
To persevere in the tough times
Nothing we go through we have to go through alone, our big brother understands He wants to change us so we take on the characteristics of Jesus Not as a makeover
But a takeover!

Become a strong oak
A planting of The Lord
To display his righteousness

2 Cor 3:12
Therefore since we have this hope, we are very bold!