Luke 4:31-44

Introduction

Growing up, maybe like many of you, I played sports ALL THE TIME. And inevitably, when by myself, I would be the hero. I am pitching Game 7 and get the strikeout. I am up at bat in Game 7 with a full count and I hit the home run. More often than not though, I was shooting hoops and I had the last shot. Counting down the clock and I have to make it to win (of course if i missed it I got fouled)…and it even happened one time. I hit the gamewinner from the opposite foul line! and still to this day if you leave me alone long enough with a basketball I’ll probably be heaving a half court shot or three “at the buzzer”.

So why tell you this? Other than it was an opportunity to relive the single greatest shot of my life!

Because we live in a culture where we are surrounded with things that tell us we are the center of the world.

Pop Culture and the world in general are consistently trying to answer “who is in charge”.

American Individualism says, “I am”. I am the last word on myself. I get to decide my future. I get to decide what’s right for me, good for me. I am the hero of the story. I am the Survivor, the American Idol, the Voice, the GOAT.

And yet, Scripture stands in direct contrast to this. Scripture says that the “point” of this life is about something more than our individualism. That the hero of the story is (shockingly?) someone else. That the final word in all things should be the “Word” of someone else. And that our lives should be conformed to His ways, his Kingdom, his Word, and not our own.

Over our time in the book of Luke, we have seen Luke point again and again to Jesus’ humanity. He was born into a family as a man. He was baptized to identify with the people. He resisted Satan in the desert when he was hungry and worn down by quoting the scriptures about what God wants from man and not by “power”.

And last week we began to see how Jesus was “more than a man”, as he interpreted Scripture as fulfillment, as he told the “church” in his hometown that he didn’t necessarily come for them, as he claimed (though not in as many words) that HE was the Messiah. And yes, even as he “jesus juked” his was through the crowd to avoid being killed.

As we come to our text this morning, we see Luke begin to press into Jesus’ authority and his “god-ness”. We begin to see that this man from Nazareth is no mere man. And ultimately, my hope is that we will see that JESUS alone answers the question of who’s in charge of us, of who the hero is, of who gets the last word.

Let’s pray, Lord if you speak to me this morning I will listen and respond.

Read Luke 4:31-44

The Authority of Jesus is in His Word(s)

Authority in Teaching by His WORD

Luke 4:31–32 “Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbath. They were astonished at his teaching because his message had authority.”

As we saw last week, when Jesus begins teaching, the people listen in amazement. We even saw the beginning of this back in Luke 2 when Jesus was 12 and was teaching. When Jesus speaks, people listen. His Word produced a response from people, whether positive or negative, BECAUSE he was teaching with authority.

Think about it. The people in the synagogues, for the first time, were hearing the WORD of God, straight from the mouth of God! Outside of a few instances in the OT, people do not hear God’s word from him. They hear it from angels, from prophets, but not him, and certainly this group of people had heard none of that. All authority in teaching (and this includes me, Ralph, any one else) is a delegated authority.

But Jesus speaks the direct words that the Spirit inspired in the Scriptures and then HIS WORDS ARE THE WORD OF GOD

And the people are astonished, amazed (SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW) because these words are not the words of a teacher, but of the source. These words hold the universe in motion. So these words have to be responded to.

His authority as a teacher, as a fulfillment of Scripture, is confirmed by the stories of his authority over demons and sickness

Authority over demons, spiritual world, by His WORD

Luke 4:33–35 “In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean demonic spirit who cried out with a loud voice, “Leave us alone! What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be silent and come out of him!” And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all.”

Luke 4:41 “Also, demons were coming out of many, shouting and saying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.”

As he is speaking, the demons can’t help but respond because they KNOW who he is.

Unlike the exorcists of the day (and even our day) Jesus doesn’t need spells, rituals, etc, he just speaks and the demons must obey. Jesus has authority over the Spiritual World.

Not much is said about demon possession before our after the ministry of Jesus, why?

Spiritual warfare is real, Ephesians 6:10–17 “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.” BUT, Demons are not around every corner. FINITE.

We must be aware of the battle and respond appropriately through HIS WORD.

Authority over sickness, physical world, by His WORD

Luke 4:38–40 “After he left the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and began to serve them. When the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought them to him. As he laid his hands on each one of them, he healed them.”

Jesus healings were complete. Simon’s mother got up and served and didn’t need to recover

PERSONAL TOUCH when he only needed his word

Conclusion

Luke 4:42–44 “When it was day, he went out and made his way to a deserted place. But the crowds were searching for him. They came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said to them, “It is necessary for me to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

The Kingdom is here (in Jesus) and coming

What does the Kingdom look like?

Kingdom is God’s reign, so it looks like God reigning over every part of us. He is the final word. it is Submission to His Word

Love, Service, Submission, Truth

“All authority has been given to Jesus. He exercises this authority simply by speaking his word. Do we believe in the power of that word? Does it have the same priority for us that it had for Jesus? If it does, then we will read it, hear it, study it, memorize it, and do everything in our power to share it with others. The Word will be the center of our lives, exercising a controlling influence over what we think, say, and do. And it will be the main thing that we want to share with others. We will not be content simply to befriend people and to serve them with the love of Christ, although we must at least do that. But we will have a pressing, compelling desire for people to hear God’s Word. We will encourage them to read it. We will invite them to study it. We will bring them to hear it preached. And as we have the opportunity, we will help to carry it around the world, so that it can do its authoritative and powerful work of extending the kingdom of Jesus Christ.” - Philip Ryken

Are you in the Kingdom? No, then respond. Yes, the live like it.

“You cannot enjoy a kingdom unless you are submitted to the king.” - Kent Hughes

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!