The Compassionate King.

If you were to look at history, time would reveal that everyone who gains power and authority over people abuses it at some point time. You have Pharaoh who enslaved Israel. Hagar who served under King Xerxes in the book of Esther issuing a decree for the destruction of the Jews. David committing adultery with Bathsheba and putting her husband Uriah the Hittite to death. King Herod putting to death all infant boys. Hitler was responsible for over 11 million non combatant deaths. Stalin over 6 million and Mao an astronomical 42.5 million.

But nothing compares to the leaders of the world promoting the murder of babies in the womb. According to the UN Abortion statistics between 2010-2014 an average of 56 million “legal” abortions were done each year globally. So...in just those 5 years over a 1/4 billion lives were murdered. Genocide of epic proportions. (PAUSE)

The problem of this world is rooted in sinful nature. Right from conception, the sinful nature is already growing. By nature, it does not take long for us to see in children this nature to sin growing. Only by God’s common grace is the world not more evil than it already is.

What the world needed was a Saviour. One who would conquer Satan and the sin nature that holds every human in bondage. A true King whose authority and power would not be corrupted. One who would use his authority as Sovereign King to love and be compassionate to his people. One who would lay down his life for people instead of taking them. Someone, who truly cared.

This is what Luke wants the reader to know about Jesus through his gospel. This Jesus is the Messiah. Starting in , Jesus was revealed as the High Priest, Ralph covered him as Prophet, now we see his office of Kingship revealed.

So, the question I would like us to ponder is whether this King truly is powerful and does he really care about us?

Out passage teaches us 4 truths about the Word. It has authority, and this authoritative word casts out demons, heals the sick, and heals the soul.

Point #1 - His Word has authority.

If you recall from last week, Jesus has been driven out of his hometown in Nazareth where already his Jewish kin wanted to kill him. He now arrives in Capernaum which would serve as his ministry HQ. He goes into the synagogue on the Sabbath and starts teaching the worshippers.

The Rabbis of the day would teach from their opinions about a certain idea and set out a kind of listing where truth was simply a matter of establishing a precedent for whatever his ideas were. In our day, many preachers try to look for a felt need like being poor or sick and try to massage a text from Scripture to tell you what it doesn’t really say. For many churches, post modernism has infiltrated the camp like a disease. Their teaching is that there is no absolute truth. Your opinion is your truth, my opinion is my truth and now let’s just get along and not be dogmatic about anything.

Jesus did not teach this way at all. Where the prophets of God said “Thus says the Lord.” Jesus says “Now I say unto you.” This is the Word of God speaking the word of truth to you. Now listen and obey what I say.”

Jesus, anointed by the Spirit with power teaches the people truth with clarity. He proclaims and explains the word without leaving you wondering what is the point of what he just said.

There was holy unction, power and authority to what he said so that the people in the synagogue were under conviction and were struck with awe. Luke says they were astonished at his teaching for his word possessed authority. The power of God in the spoken word. This is why the Lord has given teachers, preachers and evangelists to the church. They are to be a herald of the good news of Jesus. God’s way has always been to work in power through the word spoken. Think creation “Let there be light!” Think new creation “Repent and believe in Jesus as Saviour!”

God uses our words of truth and through them the Spirit applies it as it penetrates the stony heart and brings sinners to their knees. God sovereignly has decreed that through his word it has authority and power to save sinners.

Point #2 - His Word casts out demons.

Now, we see how that authoritative word changes lives. These fine folks that have been awestruck by the teaching of Jesus are in for a real eye opener. In the synagogue, maybe while Jesus is speaking, a demon possessed man shouts with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God.”

Did you catch that? In the synagogue, a demon possessed man is amongst the people. Satan’s mission is to make havoc in the church even today. Tares among the wheat, wolves among the sheep. While he is already defeated, he uses guerrilla warfare to create division in the church. Lead people astray with strange doctrines of demons, pit people against each other, be critical of one another.

Satan is fine with people thinking they are Christian when they are not. Being blind and deceived so that they really speak to others with conviction. Example of this is using the world’s wisdom that you should always be tolerant. Now it makes it most difficult to conduct church discipline because that is not nice to say that I am sinning. That hurts my feelings and thats not fair. This is why we as a leadership have been spending much time in prayer and teaching about the doctrine of the church. We look at Scripture and desire to help each other understand better what it means to be children of God.

This isn’t a social club that you pay yearly dues for your membership. This is the church, the blood bought bride of Christ and our Lord has given careful instructions for how to treat his beloved bride. Our desire is to be faithful and obedient servants.

Anyway, this man enslaved by this demon is rebuked by the word of Jesus. “Be silent and come out of him!” The demon tries to injure the man by throwing him down but comes out of him doing him no harm.

This demon was terrified and knew in whose presence he was in. The King of kings was here. When their leader Satan couldn’t resist the power of Christ, no demon will either.

The people had now witnessed two truly remarkable acts of authority. They had never seen something so amazing as this. They said to one another “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” Jesus wasn’t doing these miracles just so it could be entertainment. These works of Jesus were revealing to the world just who was in their midst…the Son of God.

Well, when you have never seen such a thing as these people had heard and seen, as soon as the service is over, they are telling everyone in town what they just experienced. Maybe, if we were to examine ourselves, do a spiritual inspection, have we become so familiar with these accounts that they have lost their shock and awe? Maybe we need to fall at the feet of Jesus and beg for him to revitalize us once more with hunger and thirst for more of Jesus.

Point #3 - The Word heals the sick.

Jesus now goes to Simon’s house for faspa after church. His mother-in-law is desperately sick with a high fever. They know what he had done with the demon, maybe he could help her illness. Jesus stands over her and rebukes the fever, it leaves her and immediately she gets up and makes lunch to serve them out of gratitude.

What power is in this word? The people in the synagogue hear the authority in the teaching, the demon hears the command to get out of the man, but now even sickness hears and flees at his rebuke?

Since this is the Sabbath and days are measured sunset to sunset, the law now freed the people to bring their sick and demon possessed to Jesus. Due to what had happened in the synagogue earlier that day news spread fast about this true healer. He laid his hands on every one of them. Not one did he turn away because of his caring and merciful character. Jesus is a King like no other!

We see another instance of Jesus’ power as the Light over darkness. Many were possessed and were crying out “You are the Son of God!” but Jesus silenced them because they knew who he was as the Christ or Messiah. Why would Jesus do this? Wasn’t this a good testimony so that all the people would know who he truly was?

Not at all. Jesus wanted no association with darkness. Plus, I believe he did not want the people to get all excited and make Jesus the King of the Jews for the earthly realm. Jesus was going to bring about the spiritual kingdom which we will see in the next verses.

Well that was a full day in Capernaum. Now, Jesus gets some rest and when he wakes up he goes to get alone with God.

Point #4 - His word heals the sin sick soul.

While we are not told where this desolate place was, throughout his ministry Jesus often got alone to pray to God for strength and grace. To commune with his Father in doing his will.

Word had gone out even further about this Jesus whose authority and power captivated the people. The people of the city sought out Jesus and tried to persuade him to stay. Jesus responds “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

While every culture and age will have the poor and the sick, Jesus came ultimately to heal the sinner’s eternal state. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (). This destruction meant freeing sinners from their bondage to Satan in his evil orphanage. Jesus purpose was to preach good news of the kingdom. God’s kingdom where Jesus is the King. A King who welcomes sinners into his kingdom to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. A King who cares for his people as his own family. Not like the kings and presidents of our age that use their power to abuse and feed their own fleshly desires.

Even though there were many who wanted to be healed of their sickness and demonic possession, the will of God is for Jesus to preach! The miracles served as signs of his divine authority, that he is the King, the Messiah, the eternal Son of God who would reverse Satan’s power as the prince of this world.

While you and I do want to be healed of our infirmities, God’s primary will is for us to have new glorified bodies as sons and daughters who for eternity will not suffer the afflictions of this world. No more sorrow, pain, bondage, hatred.

As believers, we eagerly wait for the new world of light, peace, hope, worship and glory as we forever have Christ Jesus. Do you desire to be well? Come to Jesus for healing of your soul. Perhaps his will is for you to be healed physically and mentally but even if that is your thorn in the flesh, know this. Jesus loves you and says “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls.”

Luke reveals for us that Jesus as King with all authority and power is a compassionate King. A generous, gracious and merciful Messiah. He has come to to heal the mind with truth, to heal the sinner of bondage to demonic influence, to heal the sick according to his will, but ultimately to heal sinners from condemnation that their sin deserves. He came to give himself for you. To heal your soul and grant eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Application: How can we model compassion today towards others? For who knows how long, you have been generous and kind with the community. Keep it up. Where there is needs for funds, helping a neighbour with cattle, or building a house for them. For those struggling with grief, guilt, anger and hopelessness may we seek to give solid biblical counselling. Gospel saturated truth given with grace and patience. As a Christian, we oppose abortion as an abomination, maybe we should consider adoption to help pregnant women with another option.