The Life and Ministry of Jesus (2)
Notes
Transcript
Is Jesus the Person you thought he was?
Is Jesus the Person you thought he was?
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This passage follows the 40 days that Jesus spent in the Desert, after he was baptised. He had fasted during this time and he was also intensely tempted by Satan every day.
If we were to examine this text in comparison to the other Gospels, we would most likely come to the conclusion that many scholars have, that the way Luke records the Life and ministry of Jesus, he begins about a year after Jesus had been in the wilderness.
Evidence to such is suggested by the verses found in ,
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
“News about him has spread through the whole country side… he was teaching in their synagogues … everyone praised him.”
By this time, he was well known for what he had been doing, teaching and healing many. People were excited about him. Here is what we learn in this passage...
1. Jesus’ Ministry Was Spirit-Empowered (4:14a)
2. Jesus’ Ministry Was Widely Reported (4:14b)
3. Jesus’ Ministry Was Synagogue-Centered (4:15a)
4. Jesus’ Ministry Was Popular (4:15b)
I. Jesus’ Ministry Was Spirit-Empowered (4:14a)
I. Jesus’ Ministry Was Spirit-Empowered (4:14a)
I. Jesus’ Ministry Was Spirit-Empowered (4:14a)
First, Jesus’ ministry was Spirit-empowered.
The things Jesus did was done in the Power of God’s anointing. When Jesus was Baptized by John, we read: “The Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. A Voice came from Heaven... This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” ()
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
This is the first mention of the Holy Spirit coming down upon Jesus. The second mention is found in 4:1 where he was lead into the wilderness and tempted by Satan (Meaning accuser)
Now, a ‘Third time’ in 4:14 we read that Jesus had returned to Galilee in the “Power of the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus had been ‘Anointed by… the Holy Spirit.’
Like Jesus, all who believe have been anointed by the Holy Spirit. In the gospels we read that Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit. After his resurrection, he said to them in
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
On the day of Pentecost (50 days after his resurrection) the gift of the Holy Spirit became a reality to the church, the Bride and Body of Jesus Christ.
Each and everyone of us who have professed Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, have been anointed by the Holy Spirit. We have been anointed to Serve Christ Jesus, for His Glory and Kingdom. Your service to God is not optional, it is a gift to be used to help others know and see the Love of Jesus in you and through.
John Calvin once said, “As the soul does not live idly in the body, but gives motion and vigor to every member and part, so the Spirit of God cannot dwell in us without manifesting himself by the outward effects.”
In other words, every Christian is empowered by the Spirit for ministry.
One way to know your spiritual gifts is to serve. One of the reason people don’t serve is fear. Fear of failure; fear of what others might think. Once you take the step of serving, God will affirm for you if this is for you or not.
Yes, there will be people who see you fall flat on your face at times, but then there will be those who say, WOW, you are doing a great job. There will be encouragers and discouragers. You will either find peace and joy in your service, or you will find dread and drudgery. The dread and drudgery may come about because you have wrong motives in serving or it may come about because you are just not gifted in that area. OR it may be that Satan sees your giftedness and will do everything he can to discourage you from doing what God has gifted you to do.
What God want for you is to find that place of service for him and contentment in doing so. As you work through fear and doubt, you will come to peace in the decision you make, whether to continue or not to. But you must give it a chance.
This may come about because you have wrong motives in serving or it may come about because you are jut not gifted in that area.
Jesus Ministry was anointed… He faced discouragement and doubt, he face fear of failure; fear of people… () You have been anointed by God who has given you the Holy Spirit.
2. Jesus Ministry was widely reported… (14b)
2. Jesus Ministry was widely reported… (14b)
News about him spread widely throughout the region. As we said moments ago, Jesus ministry most likely began about a year earlier. In we read
45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
John records the event of the Samaritan Woman at the well. It also says that when he arrived in Galilee they welcomed him because they too were at the Passover Festival. (In Jerusalem)
So we know that he had a ministry in Jerusalem, before he came to Galilee...
3. Jesus ministry was Synagogue Centered … (16a)
3. Jesus ministry was Synagogue Centered … (16a)
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
This introduces us to the Pattern and Priority of Jesus ministry.
The priority of Jesus’ ministry was teaching God’s word. Throughout his Gospel Luke constantly portrayed Jesus as a teacher of God’s word (cf. ; , ; ; ; , ; ; ; ; ). There are at least 11 different times we read, “On another Sabbath, He went into the Synagogue and was teaching… He went through the towns and villages, teaching …
It was his custom to go to the Synagogue… for us today it would be going to church.
Pastor Freddy Fitz shares this … History of the Synagogue… Their origin is not entirely clear. As best as we can tell, after the Babylonians destroyed the temple when they sacked Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Jewish exiles in Babylon began gathering in small groups to hear the teaching of God’s word (cf. ; ; ; ). Those informal gatherings eventually developed into the synagogues of Jesus’ time. Over time regulations were given in order to govern how synagogues were to function.
1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.
In the NT The Jews of the Diaspora (i.e., those who lived outside of Palestine) lacked ready access to the rebuilt Jerusalem temple. So they also built synagogues, as the book of Acts indicates (9:2, 20; 13:5, 14; 14:1; 17:1, 10, 17; 18:4, 19). The apostle Paul, like Jesus, frequently preached the gospel in those synagogues (; , ; ).
The synagogues had no full-time pastors or teachers. The policy known as the “freedom of the synagogue” allowed for anyone approved by the ruler of the synagogue to teach. Thus, if a noted teacher was available, he would likely be invited to preach, as was Paul (cf. ). In the absence of a guest teacher, any of the men in attendance who were approved to do so might teach.
The synagogues were ruled by elders (cf. ), the chief of which was the ruler of the synagogue. It was his responsibility to conduct the worship service and approve the teachers.
In we read of the Synagogue leaders during Paul’s day come to Christ.
There was another officer besides the ruler of the synagogue and the elders. He was the keeper of the scrolls on which the Scriptures were written (cf. v. 20) and was responsible for getting the proper scrolls out for each day’s reading and returning them to the chest where they were stored.
In addition to serving as places of worship, the synagogues also provided instruction for children, much like today’s Christian schools. They also served as local courts (cf. 12:11; ).
An Order of Worship in the synagogue in Jesus’ day may have looked like this:
1. Thanksgivings or “blessings” spoken in connection with (before and after), the Shema: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
2. Prayer, with response of “Amen” by the congregation.
3. Reading of a passage from the Pentateuch (in Hebrew, followed by translation into Aramaic).
4. Reading of a passage from the Prophets (similarly translated).
5. Sermon or word of exhortation.
6. The Benediction pronounced by a priest, to which the congregation responded with “Amen.” When no priest was present a Closing Prayer was substituted for the Benediction.
Jesus was a guest teacher in the Synagogue of his home town… It was a pattern and a priority for him to be there and to teach the word of God.
It should be our pattern and priority to Worship God and to learn from him. The question of us is it a pattern and priority to worship God? The Sabbath was made for man, to worship God. The rest of the Week was made for man to do the work of God in the World, for others to know Love, grace, kindness, forgiveness, help, and support to one another in all things.
4. Jesus Ministry was popular… (16b)
4. Jesus Ministry was popular… (16b)
People were excited because of the things Jesus had done. Plus he was a home town boy!
All this was good. He was a great teacher; His mission was clear… and that’s what he taught about in the passages as he stood up and read from the Book of Isaiah, the Prophet. His Purpose and Mission...
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
Jesus brought a message of hope… the people thought, this is wonderful… HE was talking about the prophesied Messiah, the one who would come to deliver the people from the bondage of Roman rule in their lives.
There was an anticipations that the coming of the Messiah was upon them. Something they had been waiting for…
That Promise was based on God had promised that a King would rule forever from the family of David. “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son.”
This King was highly anticipated. , and he would enjoy God’s protecting favor
2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
50 He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.
But then the fall of Jerusalem came in 586 B.C. (Before Christ) This led to confusion, especially when God’s anointed as they saw him at the time (King of Israel) was taken into captivity and his authority of king was rejected.
20 The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.
But then GOD gave them a hope… a hope that Jesus preached… In we read that your punishment will end, Daughter of Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But will expose your sin, daughter of Edom, and expose your wickedness.”
Even after they returned to their homeland, they was a pious longing for the Messiah to come.
14 “ ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.
15 “ ‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.
16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’
17 For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel,
18 nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’ ”
4. Jesus Ministry was popular and praised … at first…
Everyone who heard Jesus teach praised him… at first. I say at first because they simply thought the time had come…
But then Jesus said something they didn’t expect… “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearting.”
What… Jesus, your the son of Joseph the carpenter. Sure you’re a good teacher; in fact you are great, the best we’ve heard. But do not try to tell us that you are the guy… you are the Messiah! In you’re Joseph’s son, the carpenter.
29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”
It is evident throughout scripture that there was a debate as to who the Messiah was as well as his role.
What became clear that day and should to us today, is that Jesus is the messiah. When I say clear… it is something we can study and reflect upon the Scriptures, both OT and NT to see prophecy fulfilled… of which I’ve only touch briefly upon today.
But what was a problem then as it is today is that Jesus came to save NOT JUST Isreal, but all who would believe. That means, those who are now blind spiritually; those who are in bondage of habitual habits that cause then to see dimly; those who are poor in spirit because they have not yet been able to discover their true purpose in life as a child of God.
What Jesus said that day, angered people, because he spoke of truth. To illustrate his truth to be the Messiah and that he had come to save all people, not just the Jews, he used two illustrations...
One of Elijah, who was so unpopular in Israel during the 3 1/2 years of drought that he had to seek refuge in the home of a widow in a gentile community. The second was of Elisha who skipped over all the lepers of Israel in his time and only healed Naaman, the Syrian who was a gentile General.
The crowd was enraged because Jesus example implied God’s acceptance of Gentiles and His rejection of Israel because of their unbelief.
Their anger drove him to a cliff where they intended to hurl him over… they were so angry they wanted to physically pick him up and throw him off the cliff. But a miracle happened in their very presence, his time had not yet come and he walked right through the mob and no one touched him.
Is Jesus the person you thought he was? Most, if not all of us, have placed our faith and trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord; we believe He is the Messiah, “The Anointed One” from God who will come again.
The issue is that sometime God tells us things we do not want to hear, so we rebel. That’s been humanities problem from the beginning of time.
Satan (The accuser) is always waiting for an appropriate time to attack us again, as we read in
When we hear things that we don’t want to hear… Satan will try to influence us against what God wants.
As we have looked at this passage we can acknowledge that Jesus Ministry was empowered by the Holy Spirit. It was a ministry that was widely heard; it was a ministry that was Synagogue Centered; that it was a ministry that was popular and praised at first, but when things weren’t as people expected they turned from Jesus.
May we never turn away from Jesus.
Even when things are hard in life or when things happen that we do not understand or can’t explain, may we always want to hold on to the claim and hope Jesus gave us, by stating that he is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Him.
When Jesus said, he came to Preach the Good News of God to the poor, he was saying, I am the Good News… Trust me.
When he said, “I came to proclaim freedom and to set the captive free, look to him to free you from the quilt, shame, and burden of sin;
When he said, I came to free the oppressed, know that Jesus is the anointed one, He has the power to help you overcome sinful habits and addictions. No one plans to get addicted, but it happens.
Life happens… Life can be shattering … but Jesus can put us back together again. It requires faith; asking Jesus for his help; for his presence and power.
If you will seek him, he will show you the way out.
This past week I received a instagram post from one of my Nephews who Just turned 40 this year. He received a letter when he was a sophomore in High School. It said, “As a Christian Athlete you will now be asked to carry a large responsibility. You and others like you will be sorely tested in many ways… I have seen you fail and come up short in some areas… but you have maintained an honorable and Godly demeanor.”
I’ve seen this young man face the failure of a business adventure, i’ve seen him in the loss of a brother, i’ve seen him struggle to find his place in life’s ministry. But today I can say he has land where God wants him to be. in fact, in every area of his life he has landed where God wanted him to be because he trusts God in the good and the bad.
When you follow Jesus, the way will not be without difficulty, but it will be worth it. Why? Because Jesus is who he said he is. He is the one who invites us to come to him
May everything that you read in the Bible become a reality to you and for you. May our eyes be opened to his truth every day; may we be willing to change where we need to change; to accept the things we cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.
The prophet Malachi wrote, “To you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (, NKJV).
Jesus said the path to eternal life is