God Chooses the Weak: Scriptures

Isaiah 61:1–3

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”

And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because he has anointed me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;¹⁹
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Then he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on him.
And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

When the men had come to him, they said,
“John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?’”
And that very hour he cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind he gave sight.
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard:
that the blind see,
the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
the poor have the gospel preached to them.
“And blessed is he who is not offended because of me.”

And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

‘The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

“he (God) administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.
“Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

“for I was hungry and you gave me food;
I was thirsty and you gave me drink;
I was a stranger and you took me in;
I was naked and you clothed me;
I was sick and you visited me;
I was in prison and you came to me.”

But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners do the same.
And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return;
and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.
For he is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.”
And the servant said, “Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.”
Then the master said to the servant, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.”

Then they also brought infants to him that he might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
But Jesus called them to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”
have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?
Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well;
but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.