Friday, April 24, 2020

2020.04.24 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 4:31–44

Questions from the Scripture text: Where did Jesus go in Luke 4:31? What was He doing on what occasions? How did they respond to His teaching (Luke 4:32)? Why? What kind of man did He meet at church (Luke 4:33)? What was the man calling Him and asking Him (Luke 4:34)? What did Jesus command the demon to do (Luke 4:35)? Now what were they amazed at (Luke 4:36)? What was the result of these things (Luke 4:37)? Where did Jesus go after church (Luke 4:38)? What was happening with Simon’s wife’s mother? Of Whom did they make request concerning her? What did Jesus do in Luke 4:39, and with what result? What did she do when she was healed? What time of day was it in Luke 4:40? Now who came, and what did Jesus do? What else happened to many (Luke 4:41)? What were the demons saying, and how did Jesus respond? What did Jesus do, when, at the beginning of Luke 4:42? Where did the crowd go? What were they trying to do? What did Jesus say that He had come to do instead (Luke 4:43)? And what was He doing where (Luke 4:44)?
The Lord Jesus came with victorious power to defeat Satan and his kingdom, which is what the demons themselves focus upon in Luke 4:34Luke 4:41. But Christ’s focus is elsewhere, silencing their acknowledgments of Him and refusing to answer their questions (Luke 4:35Luke 4:41).

The Lord Jesus came with healing power to undo the effects of the curse in people’s lives. And this is what the people eventually focus upon, as we see them there in Luke 4:40, coming the moment Sabbath is over to get healed, and in Luke 4:42 trying to prevent Jesus from leaving. But Christ’s focus is elsewhere, insisting that He depart to other cities to focus on another thing.

And what was His focus in His earthly ministry? Preaching the kingdom of God in their churches on the Sabbaths. Indeed, they were amazed at this preaching, not guessing but declaring, not the opinions of a man but the authoritative Word of God (Luke 4:32). Probably Luke 4:18-21, from the previous passage, is a good example of this kingdom preaching—declaring Himself to be the promised King and Savior.

This is the way of the Lord—to honor His Word. He declares His great works beforehand through His prophets (cf. Amos 3:7). He created all things by His Word (cf. Psalm 33:6–9). He upholds all things by His Word (cf. Hebrews 1:3). He works faith by His Word (cf. Romans 10:14–17). And it is by His Word that He works effectively in those whom He has brought to faith (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:13).

And so it comes as no surprise that when the Word became flesh in order to redeem us by His blood, He preceded that atoning work by that preaching ministry that Isaiah 61 had prophesied. During His ministry on earth, Jesus went to church on Sabbath and preached His gospel of salvation. And even now, in His ministry from heaven, Jesus preaches in the churches on His Lord’s Day Sabbath, proclaiming His gospel of salvation (cf. Hebrews 2:1–4Hebrews 2:12, Hebrews 4:2–9, Hebrews 12:22–26).

The Lord Jesus is a glorious Healer, a victorious King, and an atoning Redeemer! And He places great emphasis upon His own preaching as a means by which He applies all of these benefits to us. Let us be disciples who follow Him by being taught and keeping all that He has commanded!
In which activity, especially, does Jesus preach to you? When/how else do you get His Word?
Suggested songs: ARP119W “Lord, Let My Cry before You Come” or TPH172 “Speak, O Lord”

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