Read Isaiah 61
If the Spirit of the Lord were upon you (as it likely is if you are reading this), what kind of message would He give you? One of repentance and warning? Of fire or reckoning? Perhaps it would be a message of logic or hope. Isaiah has one of the most unusual ministries – except it wasn’t that unusual for a true prophet to be shut out (Nu 14:1-2, 2Ki 2:23-25, 1Ki 22) – in that he says things and does things one would not expect a prophet to say and do. Whether it is his unusual calling (Is 6:10-13), various prophecies that so clearly point to Jesus (Is 9:6-7, 52:13-53:13), or this passage, he is unconventional.
What would YOUR message be? Isaiah’s message is to preach good news to the POOR (v1)! He will comfort those who mourn (v2). He goes on to call them to rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated (v4) and a call for renewal. Those who do this will be doing the work of the Lord (v6) – by serving the poor. This will allow them to eat of the wealth of the nations and experience their wealth (v6). Why is this the message of the Lord through Isaiah? This is all because God 1)loves justice, 2)hates robbery and 3)iniquity. What are you doing to see these things change?
This is my peek into the future. I believe that one day teenagers in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties will come to Jesus in droves. I believe people will come to Jesus because we will be changing the city by cleaning up the darkness, sweeping up the broken pieces and fixing the rundown. We will be serving, laying aside our hopes, dreams and desires for our OWN futures and collectively giving that dull hope for the hope of the Lord. I believe that people will rally around this cry and students will start it all. Do you see it? Can you do it? What are you willing to lay on the line for a reality like this?
If God is number 1 for us, then where do our college ambitions go? If God is first, our careers, money and time will be spend differently. I know students (and parents) think that there are very important things to focus on in High School. What if there is more? What do you think?
christopher stukenberg 
I love this! I love your peek into the future. I whole heartedly agree that students will start the next revival movement. The one major thing I learned in the history section of the Perspectives course is the power of student prayer movements in starting revivals. Because I came to Jesus while I was in college, I spent my college career learning what it means to put God first and it is difficult for me to think about what my life would have been like had I had Jesus as an active role in my life in high school. Now looking back, I see God’s hand in every step of my life and how He is used my passions (service, teaching, leading) to guide my training (4-H, high school clubs, undergraduate, graduate school, and church training), and now how he is using that training for His glory (Fuse, teaching in MPS, missions). It’s amazing. I, too, wonder what high school could be like for teens sold out to and for Jesus. At my school, the staff read a book called “College Without High School” – and those kids are doing amazing things – I would argue that the question is not, “What if there is more?” but rather, how do we make the shift to embracing the more that is possible.
Great post!