“Knowing the Power of Jesus!”
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Would you turn with me to Luke chapter 4 today? I hope that you have brought your Bibles so that you can follow along with me. The good doctor Luke has been showing us the early life and ministry of Jesus and really detailing many events of His Galilean ministry. We have seen the details of His baptism, the 40 days of temptation, and the understanding from Isaiah when Christ preached at His home synagogue in Nazareth. One of the primary things that had stood out to me is the response of the people that Jesus came into contact with including a demon possessed person.
-The first group of people responded, “we know who you are Jesus.” “You are the son of Joseph.” They missed that Jesus was the true Son of God, the Messiah.
-The second scenario that we see is that Jesus was confronted by a demon possessed man who said, “We know who you are Jesus.” “You are the Holy One, the Son of God.”
Church, throughout God’s Word we see that there is much here that tells us about who God is. Some people missed who Jesus was, while others understood that He was the Son of God. Do you know who Jesus is? Do you know that He has the power to change your life and save your soul? Luke presents us with a very carefully and historically accurate account of the Life of Christ. Jesus is the Son of Man, but He is also the Son of God. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, he died as our substitute, and rose triumphantly from the grave three days later in order to save us from sin, death, and the Devil. All of these things point us to see that Jesus is the God-man, the Messiah, and the Savior of the World. As your pastor, more than anything I want you to know Jesus and trust Him as your Savior. Do you know about the power and might of Jesus? This final section of Luke chapter 4 helps us to see that Jesus was truly the Messiah, the Son of God in 3 very specific ways. Let us take a look at our text this morning.
38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
1. Christ has the Power over Disease.
1. Christ has the Power over Disease.
38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
When we go back to the beginning of time we are reminded that there was an age where there was no sin, no sickness, no disease, and no death. But, with sin came sickness and death and down through the pages of history we know that there have been many folks who have suffered with sickness and disease. Some of you in this room have suffered yourselves or know someone right now who is battling a disease and you are desperately praying that they might be healed. We seek God on their behalf who is the great physician and who can heal. Jesus himself has the power over disease. After preaching in the synagogue there in Capernaum Jesus leaves and makes his way toward Simon Peter’s house. We assume that Jesus was invited to stay the night with Peter and enjoy a meal with the family. However as Jesus arrives at the house of Simon we find out why He is really there for. There was a family crisis! We are told here that Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. Luke being the physician that he was helps us to see that this was a very serious matter, and both Peter and his wife were concerned that this could become a fatal illness. This family was in desperate need of healing. Fully aware of the Lord’s power to heal they ask Jesus for help on her behalf. There are several things that stand out to us about this situation.
-Jesus is standing over her with concern, which meant that she was on a bed or mat beneath the Lord. When it comes to disease no one is exempt because we know that even believers can become ill. However, what we see here is that Jesus had a tender compassion for this woman especially in her sickness.
-Second of all Jesus rebuked the fever. The word rebuked here demonstrates that Jesus has authority and power over the forces that debilitate a body. Jesus rebuked demons, and Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves and calmed the storms. This proves that Christ does have the might and ability to cure diseases.
-At the very word of Jesus this fever immediately left her. Again this demonstrates the sovereign and mighty power of Christ. He says to the fever go and it obeys His very voice. Wow!!!
-Finally, the last thing that stands out to us is that immediately this woman gets up and begins to work by serving her guests. In other words, there were no lasting effects from the fever. She had been immediately healed by Christ. This was not some sort of show or deceptive healing like what we see with many self proclaimed faith healers today. So, how do we know that the Lord’s healing ministry was real and powerful??? Was it trustworthy?
1. This shows us that Jesus healed this woman and others instantly with just a word. With others as we see in verse 40 he laid His hands on them and healed them. My point here is that Peter’s mother-in-law and others who were sick with various diseases were truly restored to health.
2. As verse 40 shows us, Jesus healed everyone who came to Him. He did not pick and choose who could be healed based on their sickness and disease. He did not leave behind certain people with tougher diseases only to be discouraged. We see this happening in our day and age. I often wonder why certain faith healers who claim to heal people don’t go to hospitals and clinics to heal people. Why do they have to sell tickets or tell people to sow a seed in order for their loved ones to be healed? It’s because they are charlatans or false teachers who are just trying to make some money. There is something demonic about these tricksters who tell people that they can heal. Luke chapter 6 tells us from where true healing comes from.
19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
True healing comes from the power of Jesus and the prayers of His saints. It is Christ who heals and it is through the means of His believers prayers that God hears, whereby He alone does the healing. And remember that sometimes God chooses not to heal people here on earth unbeknownst to us. Ultimately God does heal people because we will all be healed with our new bodies in heaven.
3. Another thing to remember is that Christ healed real diseases not vague or invisible diseases. We never see Christ trying to straighten one leg that is longer than another leg or cure lower back pain or headaches. Jesus gave sight to the blind, he restored hearing to those who couldn’t hear, he gave the lame the ability to walk, He fully cleansed the leapers, and Jesus even raised the dead. Jesus healed every kind of disease as we see here in verse 40. And the Lord’s healings were not dependent on the faith of the one being healed.
The important thing church to keep in mind is that throughout the Old Testament healings were very rare and even towards the end of the apostolic era healings drew to a close. Do I believe that God can heal today? Absolutely. But, I believe that God may choose to heal through the prayers of His people, but not through miracle working men like Jesus or the apostles. As the Sabbath comes to a close and people can now travel, many more folks are brought to Christ for healing. Word traveled fast that Jesus was healing many, and as people brought their needy loved ones to Jesus, they were not disappointed. Jesus had compassion on those who had various diseases and many that day witnessed His mighty power. Church every day we see God’s power, all we need to do is pick up His word and witness His wondrous deeds and miracles. May we never doubt who God is, and lean unto him for wisdom, guidance, and direction as we journey through this life.
2. Christ has the Power over Demons.
2. Christ has the Power over Demons.
41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
We took time last week to really address this issue, however it is important for us as believers to see that Christ demonstrates His power over demons so that we know He is the Son of God. Like the demon that was cast out in the synagogue, these demons were crying out or shouting out as we have seen. These demons were terrified of Jesus. They knew who Jesus was, and were shouting out that He was the Son of God. What we see here is that Jesus had the power to silence the demons, however Jesus did not want their testimony about Him to be heard, so He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak. Jesus did not want the demons to confirm His identity because it would cause problems with the Pharisees. If the demons agreed to keep quiet it could look like Jesus and the Devil and his demons were allies.
The Lord’s power here over the demons reveals to us church that He too can deliver sinners whose minds and hearts have been blinded by the god of this world. The apostle Paul explains it this way in 2 Corinthians.
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Jesus our Savior can and will rescue sinner’s from Satan’s power and deceivement.
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Jesus shows us here that He alone has absolute power over the Devil and his demons. Will you trust in the Lord’s power today?
3. Christ has the Power over the Darkness of Sin.
3. Christ has the Power over the Darkness of Sin.
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Thomas Watson the puritan pastor said, “The further one goes from the sun, the nearer he approaches to darkness. The further the soul goes from God, the nearer it approaches to misery.”
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
When the sun rose on Sunday, we know that Jesus got up and went to a desolate place. The gospel of Mark tells us the exact reason that Jesus got up early. He did this in order to get away and pray.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Before the crowds would come to find Jesus, He gets alone to pray to His Father. It is good for us to be alone at times and seek the Lord in prayer. If Jesus found times to pray church, than we too need too make prayer a priority in our lives.
The people were now looking for Jesus and it is no wonder that they are looking for Him especially now that Jesus has shown them his power over disease and demons. But, there is one last lesson the Jesus wants them and us to understand. Jesus was much more than a miracle worker, Jesus came to do the will of his Father and to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. In fact, this is exactly why the Father had sent Jesus. Jesus didn’t just come to earth to show his power by physical healing and overcoming those who were demon possessed.
Jesus came to set free those who were captive to the darkness of sin. Only by faith in the truth preached to sinners, could they be rescued from Satan’s kingdom and the darkness of sin, and enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus wanted the crowds to see the importance on why He must continue to keep on preaching the good news in other towns and to other people. Jesus had been sent by God to preach the saving gospel to lost sinners.
On October 7, 1857, C. H. Spurgeon preached to his largest audience ever, some 23, 654 assembled in the mammoth Crystal Palace for a national day of fasting and prayer. A few days before the event Spurgeon had gone to the huge hall to test the acoustics. Stepping into the pulpit, he lifted up his voice like a silver trumpet and proclaimed:
"Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Then Spurgeon repeated the one verse again: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Satisfied with the acoustics, he left and went his way.
Unknown to him, there were two men working in the rafters of that large auditorium, neither one Christians. One of the men was pricked in his conscience by the verse Spurgeon quoted and became a believer later that day! Such is the penetrating power of God and His eternal word!
Do you know who Jesus is? More importantly do you know the power of Jesus?
Close in Prayer:
Lead into Communion: