Jesus Begin His Ministry
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Introduction
Introduction
The whole of Jesus’ earthly ministry can be described geographically as “from Galilee to Jerusalem,” ().
Luke focuses on Jesus’ ministry in Galilee from here in to .
After that he will focus on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and then his time in Jerusalem just before his crucifixion.
[CONTEXT] After successfully resisting every temptation of the devil in the wilderness, Jesus officially began his public ministry in the region of Galilee.
[CONTEXT] But after successfully resisting every temptation of the devil in the wilderness, Jesus officially began his public ministry in Galilee.
Most of Jesus’ public ministry will be devoted to Galilee, and in he is called “Jesus the Galilean.”
[CIT] But it was in Galilee that Jesus began to demonstrate three hallmarks of his public ministry: obedience to the Spirit, perspective when praised, and continuous teaching.
[PROP] As we look at these two verses, we ought to praise God for the public ministry of Jesus we see beginning here, and we ought to learn from it.
[PROP]
We ought to praise God for the ministry of Jesus because much of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is comprised of Jesus’ public ministry.
Thus, we get to see and hear Jesus in his ministry so that we "may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing (we) may have life in his name,” ().
We ought to learn from the ministry of Jesus because Jesus has given everyone of us the ministry of reconciliation ().
Just as in Christ, God was reconciling us to himself, God now make his appeal through us. Therefore, it is the dutiful delight of every genuine Christian to implore others on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God, ().
That means we can learn from Jesus’s ministry of reconciliation how best to go about the ministry of reconciliation he has given us.
Here’s a hint: the hallmarks of his ministry - obedience to the Spirit, perspective when praised, and continuous teaching -
ought to be the hallmarks of our ministries as well.
[INTER] But what do these things mean?
[TS] Let’s examine each one...
I don’t want you to miss this
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
Hallmark #1: A faithful ministry of reconciliation will be marked by obedience to the Spirit (v. 14a).
Hallmark #1: A faithful ministry of reconciliation will be marked by obedience to the Spirit (v. 14a).
[Exp] The Spirit had anointed Jesus for ministry at his baptism (). Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit (), was led into the wilderness to face and defeat Satan. He defeated Satan because he followed the Spirit in obedience to God’s word. Then Jesus returned to Galilee “in the power of the Spirit,” ().
It is only the Holy Spirit that imparts power for ministry.
According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, there were about 240 cities and villages in Galilee.
The whole of Jesus’ earthly ministry can be described geographically as “from Galilee to Jerusalem,” ().
Spirit and power are often connected in Luke’s writings.
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.
They were connected concerning Jesus in .
The Holy Spirit imparts power for ministry.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
Mark 1:14
After the two days he departed for Galilee.
you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:
Acts 10:37
But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, there were about 240 cities and villages in Galilee.
The Holy Spirit imparts power for ministry.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
They were connected concerning the disciples after Jesus ascended.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Luke, a member of Paul’s missionary team, was no doubt influenced by the Apostle who often wrote of the Spirit and power.
He did so in Romans 15:13...
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
He wrote of the Spirit and power in as well...
and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
Also, Ephesians 3:16...
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
And ...
Romans
because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
The only true power in ministry is the power of the Holy Spirit.
[App] Power in ministry doesn’t come from a position of authority. It doesn’t come from doing what we think is best. It doesn’t come from doing what seems most reasonable or popular. It comes from obedience to the Spirit.
[App] Power in ministry doesn’t come from a position of authority. It doesn’t come from doing what we think is best. It doesn’t come from doing what seems most reasonable or popular. It comes from obedience to the Spirit.
[App] Power in ministry doesn’t come from a position of authority. It doesn’t come from doing what we think is best. It doesn’t come from doing what seems most reasonable or popular. It comes from obedience to the Spirit.
But how do we obey the Spirit?
In order to obey the Spirit, we must obey the word of God because the word of God is inspired by the Holy Spirit (). It’s that simple, but if you’ve ever tried to obey God’s word then you know it’s not easy.
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
It’s that simple, but if you’ve ever tried to obey God’s word then you know it’s not easy.
Our flesh wants us to obey our sinful desires. The world wants us to obey its sinful way. The Holy Spirit is the only one saying, “Obey the holy word of God.”
Now, that’s just daily life, but it’s no different when it comes to ministry.
When it comes to how we do ministry, the Spirit is saying, “Obey the holy word of God,” but everyone and everything else is saying, “Obey me.”
Many people in ministry obey their own desire for glory. Many people in ministry obey their need to be applauded. Many people in ministry obey their want to be approved of by the world. But true power in ministry comes by obeying the Holy Spirit-inspired word of God.
[Illus] Isn’t this what we saw Jesus do in the passage before this one? Led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Jesus didn’t resist every temptation from Satan because he quoted the word of God but because he obeyed the Holy Spirit-inspired word of God. And having obeyed the Holy Spirit-inspired word of God, Jesus came to Galilee “in the power of the Spirit.”
Do you want power in your ministry of reconciliation?
Then get into the Spirit -inspired word of God, find out what it says, and obey it day in and day out.
That’s the only way to true power, to true bold faithfulness, in ministry - obedience to the Spirit.
[TS] >
From a merely human perspective, that seems to make sense.
Satan had tempted Jesus to go to Jerusalem and perform miracles before the crowds, but the Spirit leads Jesus to rural Galilee to teach in small synagogues among farmers, fishers, and traders.
but the Spirit leads Jesus to rural Galilee to teach in small synagogues among farmers, fishers, and traders.
[TS]
Hallmark #2: A faithful ministry of reconciliation will be marked by perspective when praised (vv. 14b, v. 15b).
Hallmark #2: A faithful ministry of reconciliation will be marked by perspective when praised (vv. 14b, v. 15b).
[Exp] For the most part, Jesus was popular during his public ministry.
John recorded a significant ministry between Jesus’ baptism and his subsequent return to Galilee. That ministry, which was in Judea and actually before the official start of his public ministry here in Galilee, lasted about a year (cf., ).
For the most part, Jesus was popular during his public ministry. John recorded a significant ministry between Jesus’ baptism and his subsequent return to Galilee. That ministry, which was in Judea and actually before the official start of his public ministry, lasted about a year (cf., ).
So when Jesus returned to Galilee, he had already turned water into wine (). He had already cleared the temple the first time (). And he had already ministered in Samaria ().
This is why a report about Jesus would have gone out through all the surrounding country of Galilee even before Jesus had done much in Galilee ().
He had already cleared the temple the first time (). And he had already ministered in Samaria (). This is one reason why a report about Jesus would have gone out through all the surrounding country ().
Jesus had come to town, and there was a sense of expectation.
Matthew tells us that as Jesus ministered in Galilee, his fame only increased. says...
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
At one point Jesus was so famous that says...
But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
follows all this up by saying...
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
The term “glorified” in v. 15b is a term usually used for God alone. For example, when Jesus healed the paralyzed man who was lowered through a roof to Jesus by his friends, the onlookers were so amazed, they “glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this,” ()!
#4: Jesus was glorified by all (v. 15b).
#4: Jesus was glorified by all (v. 15b).
Jesus was glorified by all (v. 15b).
By connecting the term “glorified” directly to Jesus, Luke is saying that people spoke of Jesus with the same language they used for God.
on Being Glorified
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
But how did Jesus respond to all this fame and notoriety?
And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
There’s another passage that I would like us to think about in answer to that question. It’s , which says...
The term “glorified” in v. 15b is a term usually used for God alone. For example, when Jesus healed the paralyzed man who was lowered through a roof to Jesus by his friends, the onlookers were so amazed, they “glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this,” ()! By connecting the term “glorified” directly to Jesus, Luke is saying that people spoke of Jesus as if he were God.
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
The obvious question is, “What was it that Jesus knew was in man?” In a word, “fickleness.”
How many people do you think said to Jesus, “I just love your teaching! Your miracles are just the best! Your Sermon on the Mount is going to go viral!”
I think at one point in his ministry, Jesus heard a lot of praise like that, but he always kept it in perspective because he knew that the praise of men is a fickle thing.
People who sang Jesus’ praises one day often walked away from him the next when he taught something they didn’t want to hear.
The rich young man called him “Good Teacher” until Jesus said, “Sell all you have, and come follow me.”
Those he fed left him when they could no longer get from him bread for their stomachs, but only nourishment for their souls.
Large crowds followed him until he told them that in order to be his disciple they would have to eat his flesh and drink his blood (a symbolic way of telling that they would have to believe on him as the sacrifice for their sins). Afterward, only a few followed him.
In fact, in the passage following this one in , the people in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth will speak well of him one moment and be filled with wrath against him the next.
[App] You better believe that the same thing can happen to you. Sometimes the people who sing your praises the loudest one day are also the loudest ones shouting, “Crucify him,” the next.
[Illus] Many years ago now I was serving as youth minister in another church. It was a church in transition really.
The old church building was being sold and a new building was being built in a different location.
The ministry philosophy was changing as well. Sunday School was becoming small groups. Worship was moving from traditional to contemporary. Their were talks about canceling Sunday evening worship.
All of this was very above board. Everyone knew what was going even if not everyone agreed with it.
But during a business meeting, one man in particular (a former pastor himself) stood up and said to the church, “Brothers and sisters, one thing I’m sure of: this man (pointing to the pastor) is God’s man for our church!” And every one said, “Amen.”
I was moved by that. I thought it was a very encouraging moment in the life of that church.
I was shocked when only a few months later that same man berated the pastor in another business meeting.
He even walked up to the front were the pastor was moderating the meeting and essentially challenged the pastor to a fight.
My point is this: the praise of man is fickle. You had better not make it your aim in ministry. For with the mouth they use to praise you, they will also curse you.
You had better entrust yourself to God and make it your goal to win his praise for he is not fickle like men.
He is not fickle.
[TS] Hallmark #1: Obedience to the Spirit. Hallmark #2: Perspective when praised. And now Hallmark #3...
Hallmark #3: A faithful ministry of reconciliation will be marked by continuous teaching (v. 15a).
Hallmark #3: A faithful ministry of reconciliation will be marked by continuous teaching (v. 15a).
on Synagogues
[Exp] According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, there were about 240 cities and villages in Galilee. Any of those place with at least 10 Jewish men could have a synagogue.
These were places were Jewish people gathered together for various activities including worship and teaching.
The place were Jewish people gathered together for various activities including worship and teaching. Synagogues originated when Israel was kicked out of the Promised Land and sent to live in Babylon. Far from Jerusalem and with the Temple destroyed, these synagogues became important in Jewish civic and religious life. Typically made of stone and facing Jerusalem, they served as schools for young Jewish boys during the week and local courts, but they were also places where the people could pray, hear the Scriptures read, and listen to the rabbis as they interpreted Scripture and offer instruction. Any town with at least 10 Jewish men could have a Synagogue, which would be run by one leader and an assistant. The leader of the Synagogue would invite visiting rabbis to read the Scriptures and teach. As a rabbi, it was Jesus’ custom to go to the local synagogue on the Sabbath day to teach (cf., ; ).
Synagogues originated when Israel was kicked out of the Promised Land and sent to live in Babylon. Far from Jerusalem and with the temple destroyed, these synagogues became important in Jewish civic and religious life.
Typically made of stone and facing Jerusalem, they served as schools for young Jewish boys during the week and local courts for those in dispute, but they were also places where the people could pray, hear the Scriptures read, and listen to the rabbis as they interpreted Scripture and offered instruction.
The synagogue was run by one leader and an assistant. The leader of the Synagogue would invite visiting rabbis to read the Scriptures and teach. As a rabbi, it was Jesus’ custom to go to the local synagogue on the Sabbath day to teach (cf., ; ).
This is the priority and pattern of Jesus’ ministry. The priority was teaching and the pattern was “in the synagogue on the Sabbath.”
As a rabbi, it was Jesus’ custom to go to the local synagogue on the Sabbath day to teach (cf., ; ).
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
This is the priority and pattern of Jesus’ ministry. The priority was teaching and the pattern was “in the synagogue on the Sabbath.”
The plural “synagogues” in refers to a teaching tour throughout the synagogues of Galilee, but Jesus actually taught everywhere.
on Teaching in the Synagogues
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.
He taught as sat at table with his disciples.
He taught as he walked along the way.
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
He taught in boats. He taught from boats to those on shore.
He taught on hillsides.
He taught in homes.
He taught in the temple.
He taught large crowds, and he taught individual people.
Men, women, and children; educated and non-educated; religious and non-religious - Jesus taught them all
Luke emphasizes Jesus’ role as teacher because he wanted Theophilus (the one to whom he wrote this gospel) to be certain of the things he had been taught concerning Jesus ().
Jesus was frequently depicted is a teacher of God’s truth in Luke’s gospel (cf., ; , ; ; ; , ; ; ; ; ).
He is also frequently called the “Teacher,” (cf., ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; , , ; ; ).
What better way for Theophilus to be certain of what he had been taught than to know that they had come from the Jesus, the Master Teacher.
It’s interesting that when the people were clamoring for Jesus to be crucified, they said to Pilate, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place,” ().
It was the teaching of Jesus - not the healings, not the exorcisms, not his power over nature - but his teaching that stirred up the people from Galilee to Jerusalem.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
It was his teaching that were attempting to silence by having him crucified.
What was it that people found so offensive about his teaching?
One thing was that everyone is a sinner condemned under God’s wrath. It didn’t matter if you were Jew or Gentile, religious or non-religious; this was true of everyone.
Another was that
Another thing was that he was the Messiah, the Christ who had been sent by God not to conquer Israel’s political enemies, but to conquer their spiritual enemies of sin and death and this by becoming sin on the cross and dying as the once-for-all sacrifice for sin.
But just as offensive as any of those teachings was the teaching by Jesus that Jesus was the only way of salvation.
In he told some religious leaders...
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
In he told his own disciples...
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
[App] Now, there were other things that Jesus taught that people found offensive. He taught that he was equal with God and could do things only God had the right to do. Those things would have been blasphemous had Jesus not been God in the flesh. But the things I’ve shared with you are the things I think people found most offensive in Jesus’ day and its the things that they find most offensive about Jesus today.
They don’t want to believe that they are sinners condemned under God’s wrath.
They don’t want to believe that Jesus came, lived, and died as the sacrifice for their sin.
They don’t want to believe that he is the only way of salvation and that they will perish in their sins unless they trust him.
But even those these things are offensive to people, we must teach them. Everyone of us must teach them.
The Great Commission is the mission of every Christian, not just missionaries or pastors, but every Christian. Jesus told us in ...
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
tells us that not many of us should become teachers in an official capacity because teachers will be judged more strictly, but everyone of us have the responsibility to teach about Jesus as we have opportunity.
Most of the time that will not take place in a pulpit or in a classroom, but at the dinner table or in the car on the way from one place to another.
[Illus] The opportunity to teach about Jesus came for one high school girl, we’ll call her Claire, as she sat across the lunchroom table from her Mormon friend.
The friend said that she believed in Jesus just like Claire did.
Claire knew that wasn’t true. She knew that the Jesus of the Bible was not the same Jesus of Mormonism. But she didn’t say anything.
She said to me later, “I wasn’t going to touch that with a 10-foot pole!”
But she said to me later, “
There was an opportunity to teach that was missed.
What opportunities are you missing?
[TS] >
Conclusion
Conclusion
on Being Glorified
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Isaiah
When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
The term “glorified” in v. 15b is a term usually used for God alone. For example, when Jesus healed the paralyzed man who was lowered through a roof to Jesus by his friends, the onlookers were so amazed, they “glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this,” ()! By connecting the term “glorified” directly to Jesus, Luke is saying that Jesus is God.
, the onlookers were so amazed, they “glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this,” ()!
If we are true Christians, we have been reconciled to God by faith in the Lord Jesus, and we have been given this ministry of reconciliation. Christ is making his appeal to the world through us!
Let’s be faithful in this ministry by...
....obeying the Spirit....
…having perspective when praised....
…and continuously teaching about Jesus as God gives us opportunity.
[CIT] But it was in Galilee that Jesus began to demonstrate three hallmarks of his public ministry: obedience to the Spirit, perspective when praised, and continuous teaching.
[PROP] As we look at these two verses, we ought to praise God for the public ministry of Jesus we see beginning here, and we ought to learn from it.