The Gospel of Luke - Week 14

Last 24 hours in our household, so bear with me as little sleep and lots of caffeine have a way of making me talk fast. I'm going to do my best to slow down there has been instructed to give me some Lena hand signals. If I start rambling too much. What I wanted to do is we're going to be in in Luke chapter 4 today, and we've only got a few verses that we're going to be sitting in primaries 42 through 44. And what I wanted to do is do a brief recap from last week because what we see last week is Jesus working through some miraculous healings and capernum, right? We see him driving out an unclean spirit in the synagogue. We see him healing Simon's mother-in-law of a high fever. And then we see. Many illnesses and demons driven out. Further into the evening. I saw you basically spent the day killing people in this city of capernum and that's what's really happened in verses 31 through 41 and Aaron did a great job last week walking us through this concept of that the authority of Jesus compels us to Amazement in comfort knowing that Jesus is in control and has absolute Authority compels us to this amazement and comfort and it we sometimes have to wrestle with it. And so as we move through these three versus today, what I want you to do is pay attention to the emotions that are present because the emotions are critical in this and so I'm going to read through a few versus real quick. And then most of them will break it down a little bit. So Luke Chapter 4 verses 42 through 44 and when it was day he departed and went to a desolate place and the people sought him and came to him and would have kept him from leaving them. But he said to them I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well. As I was sent for this purpose that he was preaching in the synagogues in Judea. So let's look at the context of what's just happened to Freedom is estimated to have been a population size of Maximum around 1,500 people write the cities that we see and this portion of the New Testament generally weren't very large. So that's a little bit larger than the number of students at Century High School last year.

Little bit larger couple hundred more than the number of students at Century not a very large community small town. And these healings are happening, right? The first one was maybe a little more isolated being in the synagogue right? Maybe fewer people saw that one and the next one Simon's mother-in-law. That's if it's a big house. So probably not a whole lot of people really witnessed that one either. but then as we keep going we see if we go back a little further as the sun was setting all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him and he healed every one of them.

All of those who had any who are sick. Who knows somebody that sick? I mean, I'm sick right now. So we can we can guess from there. So maybe they don't want to say that the entire town was there right? Maybe we wouldn't go that far. But everyone who knew someone that was sick with a disease brought them to Jesus. There's a good Gathering of people here. It's a good group of people Jesus of Nazareth impacted the entire city.

And I want to be careful. Because I don't want to manipulate emotions, right? That's that's something that and when you're preaching is be careful of doing is manipulating emotions with the same time. We have a tendency to Breeze over these moments in Scripture. We have a tendency to not really connected what's happening. So my dad has cancer that multiple bouts with prostate cancer and now he's tied up and bone cancer. There's no treatment and we're watching his life with her way. My mom has more medical problems than everyone else. I know combined.

We've we've lost a couple kids to miscarriage Emily to be like if these people who are so close to me were healed. How how would I feel what would go on in my Heart Wood sister in me if my dad no longer has cancer. If my mom was no longer burdened with all of the illnesses that she had. If I had 7 kids at 5.

I want to feel. How would you feel? Could you know that sick? Who do you know? That's that's dying. and if they were healed How would you react to that?

And more importantly how would you react to the person who miraculously healed them? Right cuz we're not we're not talking about somebody just getting better. The great. I don't give you a ride. Just a miraculous healing would be great. But to see somebody to see Jesus come and heal someone in front of you that you care about.

How would you react to the person of Jesus? Healing rose that you love. or even yourself

Sorry, are you with me on this and motion concept? Do you feel the weight of the goodness that Jesus brought to his people's lives?

edible that's incredible. And then what happens? Jesus leaves He's gone. He kills everyone and then night and then the next morning he's gone.

the ghost of the desert in a desolate place He leaves the bird of what we read. Read the people follow him. Write an Indian, you know more than that.

What read is that? They sought him and came to help. They woke up and Jesus is gone. They don't know where he went and they went out and found them. And came to him and begged him to not go and to stay with them.

Wouldn't you? I know I would like if I got if I got Jesus who can just heal at the power of His word. I don't want him to go. I don't want to leave.

The work of Jesus endeared the people to him. And they chased after him begging him to not leave them.

And the Miracles that Christ performed were signs that showed his majesty Grace power and authority.

But he didn't just come to heal a few people so they would be more comfortable here on Earth. Ultimately his miracles these ones pictured that we just talked about last week. And briefly this week with a picture what his grace still does today is the big thing. I want you to connect with this that the grace of God drives back sin and Satan and restores peace and fellowship the miserable and undeserving centers.

It drives back Saint and Satan and restores peace and fellowship to miserable and undeserving centers. Now. I know you're miserable and I'm Dizzy Wright. but roll with me on this This is the result of the work of Christ right whether you are in Christ or not. The light drives out the darkness. Write the light drives out the darkness. And if you are in Christ, you received are you are not in Christ you receive this as a common Grace right that all Humanity encounters and benefits from this holding sin and evil at Bay and there's some peace and fellowship on Earth even for those that don't know if they don't love Jesus right If we're honest sometimes I look at people that I know hate Jesus and they got a lot more peace and fellowship and I got This is mrs. This common grace. Even if you are not in Christ, if you don't love Christ that still happens because the light drives out the darkness and if you are in Christ you receive this as a saving grace that above and beyond the felt needs being met. You have this Saving Grace. It's applied to your life also.

And we don't know the conditions of the hearts of the people chasing after Jesus right when I'm told that we're not told what's going on in our minds. We don't know on the spectrum of wizard The Savior where they think he falls right? We we don't understand exactly what they're thinking.

What we know is that Jesus showed his grace his majesty his power and authority over all things and the people were injured to him and chased after him what we know.

We have to be careful applying judgement here. Anyway, it's really easy to say that they were just chasing Jesus for the wrong reasons that of course they're going to chase after him because he healed everybody. If you want that the state you're going to chase after that because you want to be more comfortable you want to feel better. Yeah, so would you so when I I would chase after Jesus for that reason to? We don't know we have to remember that all of us when we meet. Jesus have an incomplete view of the fullness of a Salvation that we receive in Christ. We start with an incomplete View. And that picture that we have grows as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of God. But it starts out in complete on the last I know more in and burdened more by the Salvation I receive in Jesus now than I that I knew when I was eight.

So the people have chased after Jesus and are begging him not to go and here so Jesus response verse 43 and 44.

But he said to them I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well. But I was sent for this purpose and he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. I just like the first before we tend to Breeze over what's happening. We just kind of read the words move on Jesus just shut them down hardcore.

But again, I want to slow down a little bit and talk through this in his first letter Timothy. Paul writes the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, but Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Why Jesus came into the world to save Sinners the people that were chasing after Jesus as he left it for him may not have fully known what Jesus for purpose on Earth was likely they didn't. Jesus knew it wasn't a secret to him. It wasn't it wasn't like he wasn't aware of what was going on. He wasn't leaving them because they were a burden you wasn't leaving them because you was bored. He wasn't leaving them because he was tired of feeling them gone. He wasn't leaving them because there wasn't any more work to do. It's not like the people of Capernaum. We're now perfect and didn't need Jesus Anymore.

He was leaving because you must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well. He had to take this message of Redemption 2. everyone else Jesus love these people

and if he's purpose for coming into the world was to save Sinners and he had this group of people that have endeared themselves to him. He obviously loved and cared for them and it was not an easy thing. It wasn't this stoic moment. We don't have a stoic savior. We don't have a Jesus that doesn't relate to our emotion.

Jesus knew it was coming. He knew what awaited him in his trial he knew what awaited him in the crucifixion would have been far easier just to sit back with all these guys and compare them that love them. It would be much more comfortable for all of them. Certainly wouldn't have been better. I miss is the love that we have in Jesus.

That's the love that the father shows us. It's this deep. Love that God will do it has done anything and everything to keep us with him. He loves me enough to not give me everything I want but I think I need. He loves me enough to discipline me. If you don't waste time disciplining someone you don't care about you just run him some rope out and then hang themselves, right? He loves me to the point. I'm sending you some. It's a love that overcomes all wrongs and it's an all-knowing love. Are you going to guess there are some people in your life that you tiptoe around a little bit maybe maybe because you're afraid that if they knew the things that you had said or done. Maybe it would be in your life anymore. About how God works. He does know he knows everything you've ever said and done everything you've ever thought about saying and thought about doing He knows the deep dark secrets secrets that you hope no one ever finds out.

and in that he still loves you. I've all we were yet sinners Christ died for us. He still sent his son to redeem you and he still seals us with his spirit for the final days knowing that will continue to sin and grieve his spirit in our sin. Because of how much he loves us.

If you look at John 3 16 through 18, a lot of us are familiar with John 3-16, but we cut off our memorization at 1600 16 17 18 for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world. But in order is the world might be saved through him whoever believes in him is not condemned but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only son of God.

Because God so loved. He sent his son.

And here in this moment and Luke, Jesus knows that's why he was sent. And he has to leave these people to go and continue preaching the Good News of the kingdom of God.

Don't let me let me ask you something. We talked a little bit ago about emotions. How would you feel if Jesus healed somebody right in front of us and what we would do how we would chase after him?

Do you chase after him now?

Do you see the work of God in your life actively pushing back sand and Satan and restoring peace and fellowship?

Internet is harder to see you in the Here and Now.

Often we we see God's discipline as not a great thing in the moment. And then as we look back on it, we might see it with more grace and mercy.

So maybe maybe in your past and I'm sure you had pain and suffering. All of us have and I'm not trying to diminish pain and suffering. But can you see where you were protected through things? Can you see where God has brought you through and provided for you in those moments? Can you see where God kept you from doing something? That would have ruined your life?

That's your those moments myself. When I was in junior high, I fell into a rough crowd. I think I say fell I kind of ran blissfully into that rough crowd, right? We would drink all the time. They got pretty steeped into drugs. I never I never got that far I drink. I drank and Junior I don't do it. I got caught stealing. I took some stuff one of the classrooms in my junior high get reported. I got turned in turns out they were cameras. Makes it difficult. I remember sitting there in that. My excuse was I thought it was mine.

Solid right super stuff I remember going to court. With my parents. I remember that the weight of disappointment especially for my dad right having to go to court. Hamburg testifying and I remember an insane amount of Grace being applied to my life.

I had some community service hours to fill. I haven't done. Insane amount of Grace nothing on my record nothing recorded at all. Like it wasn't even a sealed record. It doesn't even even there. Fast forward a few years and I found myself applying for a job at the prison here turns out you need a pretty clean record. To work at a prison and I overthink everything. So I told I like wrote out this multi-page confession about what I did in junior high and attached it to my application and they're like a record of that.

I worked there for six years. I learned more than any other job I've had. And I know that the grace of God protected me through back in junior high for my horrible decisions and to be sure God protected me for making some bad decisions and allowed me obviously to make some to learn through that. But I was protected and it was a miracle. It is a miracle that I ended up on that side of the bars.

And I know that while we've lost two of our pregnancies mountains are first a couple of our kids that we have now based on the data. We shouldn't have I shouldn't be here now or

the miracles of god the pushing back of sin and Satan and the bringing and restoring of peace and fellowship happen all around us all the time and they may not appear like Jesus in person coming in healing someone we love And sometimes for that reason. We just dismiss them for not being miracles. The fact that God loves his people who live an act of rebellion to him who live actively hating him the fact that God loves those people and loves us so much to send his son to live without seeing it suffer. All temptation had to die a horrific death on the cross is a miracle. Is an absolute. miracle And so we stand Waiting for God to heal when he's already brought us to life. Brought us from death to life and it's an absolute Miracle my point is this are you chasing after Jesus?

Are you doing everything you can to keep him as close as possible? Are you responding to the wondrous things that Jesus has done in your life. With more and more faith as you grow.

What it really boils down to is it the response that we see from the people in her in them? Is the response that we should have to Jesus everyday? Recognize her absolute need for Jesus went to chase after him with the prayer of Never Let Me Go. Never never let me go and is not a prairie that's causing an effective thing from Jesus right is not like you have to pray that get Jesus to never let you go. You're speaking the truth of the Gospel to yourself, but Jesus is promised to never let you go.

Promised to hold you fast the guy by his grace and mercy will hold you fast not because of what you can accomplish with because he is called you his.

In 1st Thessalonians, we read about this account of the day of the Lord coming. And it will come in like a thief in the night that she X going to come like a thief in the night and there's is charged to stay awake and do not sleep to be prepared for the coming of the Lord. Let me read this verse is 911 for God has not destined us for wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

Did you catch it? Whether we're awake or asleep, we might live with him were called to be ready were called to be prepared were called to shed off a sinful nature of our lives in to take off on the Holy Spirit right we're called to do all of these things were called to resist temptation recalled to stay awake. Be prepared but whether were awake or asleep. His salvation is there an ours is secure in it?

And it is from this peace and fellowship that comes from the grace of God. That we can engage what reading Titus Chapter 2 the beat up on the screen are verses 11 through 14 for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled upright and David lives in the present age of waiting for our blessed. Hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself, but people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. The grace of God drives back sin and Satan and restores peace and fellowship to miserable and undeserving centers. Beating a miraculous healing of a loved one or in the simple gift of energy and power from the Holy Spirit when you're exhausted and can't feel like you can go on.

And this Grace causes a specific reaction in the heart of someone awakened by the spirit. It's the pursuit of Jesus. The grace that dries back sin and Satan and restores peace and fellowship causes the Christian to pursue Jesus mean by irresistible Grace. It's like somebody dying of thirst in the desert being offered a glass of water.

They're going to take it. They're going to take it. Right so Christian grass for the grace of God to bring life to his withered soul.

That's our constant action driven by the grace of God this pursuit of Jesus. And this is repentance right the Turning from sin and it's turning to Jesus. It's this holy discontent that we talked about. This. Jesus is a never-ending wealth and I want more I want more of his power. I want more of his goodness or more of his grace and mercy one more. The gospel is the news that Jesus Christ the righteous one died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies. So that there is now no condemnation for those who believe but only Everlasting Joy. Forgiveness of sin and a right standing with God come freely through him alone by faith alone. And our response is to pursue Jesus chasing to the desert.

chase them

to open God's word and read it to pray that God would change us to use us to speak the goodness of the Gospel to ourselves to each other as often as possible. Will never outgrow it. I just want to step it's not like okay. I pursue Jesus for a little while. And I've got this thing figured out and this is what we do. We respond by pursuing Jesus because he's constantly in Pursuit Of Us. Trip for falling by the grace of God will keep up get up and keep running after Jesus.

Going to be doing pretty good maybe running after Jesus pouring over your Bible and praying without ceasing preaching the gospel great pursue Jesus. Maybe you're struggling in San and maybe you're feeling like you're unworthy. pursue Jesus

Maybe think you don't deserve it, but the promises of God don't apply to you. They're good for everyone else but not for you.

No one deserves it.

I think we deserve it. We wouldn't need salvation. We would need Redemption if we could deserve it. Nobody deserves the Salvation that Jesus brings. And don't listen to the lies, but the promises of God are not for you and God himself has said that they are for you. pursue Jesus the grace of God drives back sand and Satan restores peace and fellowship to our souls and gives us this need to pursue Jesus.