Life and Ministry of Jesus Part 4

His Preaching: He taught them on the sabbath with authority

Sunday is a ‘day’ of worship

Sunday is a ‘day’ of learning

Sunday is a ‘day’ of experiencing the power and authority of God

Jesus has control over Satan

Jesus is conqueror over Satan

(Matthew Henry)

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1996 One Thing God Can’t Do

1996 One Thing God Can’t Do

A Sunday school teacher was examining her pupils after a series of lessons on God’s omnipotence. She asked, “Is there anything God can’t do?”

There was silence. Finally, one lad held up his hand. The teacher, disappointed that the lesson’s point had been missed, asked resignedly, “Well, just what is it that God can’t do?”

“Well,” replied the boy, “He can’t please everybody.”

—Together

today we want to continue our series in the Life and Ministry of Jesus, Looking at what Jesus did and what He can do. Our text is from

Luke 4:31–37 NIV

31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Intro: The city of Capernaum was on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was a fishing village and along the major route about 200 miles from the city of Jordan. It is of great significance to us because of two things. One it was the hometown of several of the early Disciples like Andrew and James and John, and Matthew, and also the home of the Apostle Peter.

Jesus was in the synagogue. He was teaching. A few weeks ago we talked about the passage from Isaiah and how Jesus said, “He was the fulfillment of that passage. look again at what it says and what Jesus taught.

No I don’t know if Jesus spoke on the same thing in the Synagogue, but let’s say he did. Look at the response of the people.

He spoke with such authority that the people were amazed. The English Standard version useds the word “Astonished’ Why? Because His words possessed aughority.

Jesus’ preaching was clear. He understood that people needed real answers for real problems.

In one of the Discipleship gatherings, we were talking about ‘Maturity’ and how we can know God’s will. The simple statement was made, “Read God’s Word.”

Jesus taught the Word of God. The Bible tells us that His “Word” will not return to him empty or void.

The Bible also tells us that the word of God will endure

While Jesus was preaching to the people a man came walking down the aisle. The man does not say, “I have an unclean spirit in me and I am trying to deal with it.” But Jesus knew what an evil spirit was like. Evil can be in different shapes and forms of self destructive habits, addictions, dysfunctional conflicts, patterns of negative thoughts and behaviors, temptations, divisive and destructive actions.

God’s Power

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1258 A World-Shaking God

1258 A World-Shaking God

During an earthquake, a few years ago, the inhabitants of a small village were very much alarmed.

One old woman, whom they all knew, was surprisingly calm and joyous.

At length, one of them said to her, “Mother, are you not afraid?”

“No, I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world.”

—New Century Leader

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1973 Matter into Energy

In northern Alabama some of our electricity comes from the Brown’s Ferry nuclear plant near Decatur, Alabama. This is the world’s largest nuclear energy plant. Its fuel is uranium. When just one gram of Uranium 235 fissions, it creates energy equivalent to 20 tons of TNT. One gram is about what a small birthday candle weighs. The candle, if burned, could hardly warm a cup of coffee.

This little one-gram candle, however, if converted 100% into energy, according to Einstein’s equation, could produce the energy of 20,000 tons of TNT or 26.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1973 Matter into Energy

This one-gram candle, then, if transformed totally to energy is equivalent to the enormous power that a city of 40,000 people would use in one day. All of this when one gram of matter is changed into energy! God’s creation pulsates with His might.

—The Bible Friend

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2232 Greatest Unused Power

2232 Greatest Unused Power

An American with an English gentleman was viewing the Niagara whirlpool rapids, when he said to his friend: “Come, and I’ll show you the greatest unused power in the world.” And taking him to the foot of Niagara Falls, “there,” he said, “is the greatest unused power in the world!” “Ah, no my brother, not so!” was the reply. “The greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the living God.

—A. J. Gordon

My Favorite Illustrations Staying Connected to the Power Source

Staying Connected to the Power Source

An automobile has a battery, which is simply stored-up energy, that enables the machine to function. The motor, lights, radio, and so on draw energy out of the battery.

However an automobile also has a generator that replaces the energy drawn from the battery. If the generator does not function properly, the battery will soon be dead. Then when you need power to start the automobile, you will find that you have none. Nothing is wrong with the rest of the mechanical equipment. It simply has no power by which to function.

An automobile has a cable connecting the battery to the car’s mechanisms. If that cable is removed, the battery still has some power to spare. However, the power is not transmitted to the working parts of the automobile, so the car itself is powerless.

Christians are like that. We expend spiritual energy in ministry. For us to remain spiritually strong that energy needs to be replenished. If not, in a crisis moment we will discover the power is gone.

One the one hand, Jesus said that prayer is the generator that keeps our spiritual power constant. On the other hand, prayer is the cable that connects us to the omnipotence of God.