Luke 4:14-30

 

Today we’re going to start to cover the period between when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert and his Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew, the description of events is quite briefly covered in 14 verses, but Luke gives more detail.

Luke 4:14-15

Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Jesus came out of the desert after his victory over Satan, in the power of the Holy Spirit and the crowds soon began to build listening to his message to repent just as John had preached. 

Luke 4:16-22

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord .” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

Jesus makes an announcement about his ministry from Isaiah. His ministry would be to the least in the society, to heal them, to set them free. That would mean people who could not repay him, who would not be able to support a comfortable lifestyle for Jesus. That would mean going to places that were poor, without many comforts like hot water and a warm place to sleep. 

With the benefit of hindsight, we know there was both a physical and a spiritual dimension to what Jesus was saying. His audience may not have understood both sides. The physically blind would be able to see, the spiritually blind would also be able to see. Churches today need to operate in both the physical and spiritual. Operating in only one dimension is not the full ministry of Jesus. Jesus has been given full authority and he has charged us with going out in his name.

So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

They expected Jesus to be just like Joseph who they knew. In Australia and New Zealand, we have tall poppy syndrome. It describe those who deliberately criticise other people for their success and achievements. They want to bring people back to their level. They don’t want people to get too big for their boots so they try to bring them down a notch or two with their criticism. They preferred Jesus to remain a carpenter, they did not want someone showing them up by doing amazing work for the Lord. Helping the poor would make them feel guilty for not.

But everywhere Jesus went, crowds were building at his message and his miracles, except in Nazareth, his home town. Remember Nazareth was a very poor town. It was exactly the sort of town which fit the ministry of Jesus but the people of Nazareth, those he’d grown up with, on the whole rejected his message. What an opportunity they missed ! 

People who have grown up with us and know us well think they have us all worked out. When we start down a different road to their expectations, they can become suspicious and critical. Everyone from Nazareth expected Jesus to be just like his father Joseph, be a carpenter and follow in his footsteps. But God the Father had called Jesus to ministry and had a different future planned for him. It can be very difficult for those who know us to deal with this. It challenges their comfort in being in control.

Luke 4:23-24

He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ” Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

The statement “no prophet is accepted in his own country” is one every believer should take to heart. We might wonder how his family, friends and neighbours rejected Jesus but overlook how our familiarity with a brother or sister in Christ might be breeding contempt in our own hearts. Do we presume to know another Christian so well that we can’t hear God’s message in his words or recognize God’s presence in his ministry? Are we rejecting the very servant God has sent to do a mighty work in our lives? Are we limiting God’s plan because of our unbelief?

Mark’s record of this same incident says, 

Mark 6:5

“Now he could do no mighty work there except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them” 

Imagine how sad and disappointed Jesus must have felt to find so little faith among His closest loved ones and he couldn’t help them because of their unbelief.

Luke 4:25-30

But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Jesus gives them an early indication that God was overlooking them in favour of people who weren’t Jews, who were Old Testament figures like Naaman from Syria and the widow from Zarephath is in Sidon, were despised Gentiles. 

It says that all those in the synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath. It was basic jealousy at the thought of losing love to someone else. Religious people can be just as bad at being jealous, sometimes worse because they have the belief that they are the chosen ones. But God loves the World.  Love is not jealous. The second child does not diminish the love the parent has for the first. 

Would we be offended today if Jesus overlooked us Christians in favour of people, we consider to be outside God’s Kingdom? I’m sure many would be offended! We are going to see many people come to Christ who we wouldn’t expect in these last days. They may be the immoral, the atheist, the people of another religion and God may do this without doing the same miracles in the recognised Churches.

However, me mustn’t get offended by God working like this. We should not be offended if people outside of the Church receive miracles from Jesus. Instead, we should rejoice that others are being brought into God’s Kingdom. We need to keep generosity in our hearts. These people will come onto the Churches, and they won’t yet have their lives sorted out in the way we expect. It doesn’t mean we change our doctrine, it just means we need to be generous with grace especially in the early days of them becoming believers. I look at Russell Brand and I know he still has beliefs that are not yet fully aligned with our expectations, yet I see someone who has been changed and truly believes in Jesus. We must be generous, patient and kind. In the end, we need changing too!

I found myself reflecting on this paradox. God is a jealous God. He wants our love, and he doesn’t want us to share our love with idols. Love is devoted like that. You can’t have a happy marriage with a third person in the marriage as Princess Diana so aptly put. We have been made in the image of God, so we also have the capacity for jealousy. But 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love is not jealous. 

There are different types of love. The love a parent has for their child is different to the love a husband has for his wife. But both types of love are very fierce and that’s where the problem arises and why jealousy can be provoked.

Why was Jesus going to the Gentiles and not to the Jews? The Israelites had not loved God in return to the same way he loved them. They had found other lovers. It seems to me that lines can be crossed in love. It does say in Romans about the Jews. 

Romans 11:11-12

I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

The love of God has an end game in sight. His love never fails. He wants the Jews back. But he loves the whole world. He wants us all back.

When we find ourselves provoked to jealousy, it’s a signal that something needs to change. Because love is not jealous.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Cain was provoked to kill Abel because he was jealous that God had accepted Abel’s offering and not his. The people of Nazareth, his hometown, would have thrown Jesus off the cliff because of their jealousy that God would favour another race over them. The closest of relationships can be provoked to anger by jealousy. But that’s not the final end game. God is trying to make the Jews jealous so they will come back to him by giving salvation to the stupid Gentiles who live wild and undeserving lives. This is because God loves his whole family not just the eldest. 

That’s why God anointed his Son to preach the gospel to the poor; To heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed. Has the ministry of Jesus changed 2000 years later? This might be an uncomfortable question for our Churches today. 

Luke 4: 1-13

 

Let's go back to the start of Jesus' ministry and examine what happened from the time he was baptised by John to right after.

What a moment in Jesus' life when John declared who Jesus was and God spoke from heaven! Wouldn't that make you feel good to know there was a great purpose for your life acknowledged by some words of encouragement from man and from the Lord in heaven above? Starting out on a journey begins with a sense of purpose. 

Then comes chapter 4 which starts with the temptation of Jesus. Note how the baptism preceded testing. Suddenly instead of the great vision you have for your future and God's clear movement in your life, you find yourself in the wilderness with nothing but the Lord's promise to keep you going. You're hungry and facing temptation to give in and quit or worse... 

Luke 4:1-2 

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness which is Satan’s domain. This echoed exactly what had happened to Moses and the Israelites when they were led into the desert by God right after all those great miracles. They had been mightily delivered from Egypt and were now going to the Promised Land in a hurry! But when they realised it wasn't going to work out as they had imagined, it wasn't too long before the rumbling of complaints started.

Jesus had fasted for 40 days and being severely weakened, found himself in a great spiritual battle with the Devil himself. What a terrible predicament to be in. 

Satan sure knows how to pick his moments. There would be 3 great temptations – 3 tactical traps that would have spelled indescribable disaser if Jesus failed to overcome them. Where do you go when you have nothing left to give, when all your strength is gone and the thoughts you're having are overwhelming you? You hear that voice saying it would be so much easier to give in even though you know in your heart the disaster that would follow. More than that, this moment in Jesus' life was more important than the immediate. It was preparation for an even Greater Battle ahead at the Cross. God will never allow trials and temptations to come into your life without a greater purpose in mind. And he will give you the deeper strength you need to win the struggle in those moments.

Luke 4:3-4

And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

The first thing to notice here is Jesus did not enter into a conversation with the Devil. He gives a short, sharp response instead. Too many people are allowing the Devil to have a conversation with them, a back and forth. No, this is not the way to deal with the Devil. One short response from Scripture is enough. This is why you must learn Scripture! 

The 1st Temptation was to turn stones to bread so that Jesus could eat and satisfy his hunger. What was the trap in this? It was a seemingly innocuous question from Satan, but Jesus spotted the danger immediately. Jesus recognised he was hungry like Esau was. Esau had given away his inheritance for some soup and bread. Jesus responded to Satan from Deuteronomy 8:2-3.

Satan's way of trying to trick Jesus had 3 strategies.

– Cast doubt with the words “If you really are God’s Son”. Jesus had heard God's voice at his baptism and he didn't forget those wonderful words. Maybe you need to remind yourself of those great moments in your life when you heard God speak to you. Never forget them! 

– Try to get Jesus to disobey what the Holy Spirit had asked Jesus to do. It was the Holy Spirit who had asked Jesus to fast and Jesus was waiting for the all clear from him. It is only following after the Holy Spirit that will give us life. Following our own nature leads to death.

– To cause Jesus to be discontentment with God’s provision. Remember God will always provide what you need which might be less than you think. You can trust him with less. You don't live on bread alone.

It can be a frightening moment when temptation first arrives in your life. Satan was doing everything he could to keep Jesus in the desert. But there is an opportunity in every temptation to “turn the tables” on Satan. You can frighten him off by making him realise you're going to grow by overcoming what you are facing. Don't be scared of him. Make him scared of you!

Since Jesus had overcome the 1st temptation he would have strength at the Cross when he heard the words from the crowd “Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God”. He did not need to prove he was God's Son. He could remember his Father's beautiful words at his baptism and he also knew he could overcome Satan even in his weakest moment by remembering the Wilderness.

Luke 4:5-8

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

The 2nd temptation was a deal with Satan. Jesus was promised the World in exchange for his worship and loyalty. Oh boy we know this trap, you'd think there would be no way anyone would fall for this. When we were kids, we never thought we would face trouble like that. It would be easy to go the right way! But every day teenagers and adults come to this same crossroads in their life and the promise of power, wealth, fame or happiness lures them down the wrong road. 

If you are standing at the crossroads in your life remind yourself what to do from Jeremiah 6:16. Satan’s Shortcut to obtaining the Kingdoms of the World is the high road to nowhere. It comes with a diabolical condition and a heavy price. “The Wages of Sin is Death!”…always. The Father’s way for Jesus was the Cross…the low road. There is no other way to tell you that this is difficult and involves suffering. Yet it is only for a short time, you'll get through. The first step down the right road is the hardest, once you start you can't even turn and look behind you in the narrow way. Yet the way gets brighter as you go. The other way gets darker. Jesus chose God’s Way and won his battle. Jesus resisted and the Devil went away a while. Finally there was peace and quiet and the trial was over.

At the Cross, Pilate tried to limit Jesus to being the King of the Jews. “So you are the King of Israel are you?” Satan mocked. But with his last breath, Jesus earned the right to be the King of Kings. That's where he sits now.

Luke 4:9-12

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

The 3rd and final Temptation was to Jump. What was the trap? Satan actually misquoted Psalm 91:11-12. I don't believe you'll ever hear a truthful word from Satan. He is the father of lies and can't bear to tell the truth. He will always pervert what God has said. The passage Satan quoted can not be applied to jumping off tall buildings! That is indeed foolish. God sends his angels to protect you from stumbling on your journey so that you won't fall and cut, bruise yourself or break a bone but he may not help you if you do something reckless. He does care for you so don't learn the hard way. Make sure you know not only what God has said, but what he means. Think carefully on his words and put them in context. Be wise.

Jesus referred Satan to Deuteronomy 6:16 and Exodus 17:7. Massah means “tempting Jehovah to slay us”. Why did the Israelites even ask “Is God going to take care of us or not?”. After all even in the desert, they had manna from heaven every day, a cloud to lead them during the day and a pillar of fire at night. It was very clear that God was looking after them so why were they complaining? God does want us to ask him for our daily needs and they needed water, but what he hated was the moaning and questioning of his love that he got instead. I'm sure all parents and anyone who tries to lead can understand where God was coming from! How they were testing his patience!

Instead of complaining, ask your Heavenly Father for your daily needs and trust his provision. In God’s timing, the angels came and cared for Jesus. God will send you strength when you most need it. He loves you.

At the Cross, the religious leaders shouted “Come down from the cross and we’ll believe you”. They mocked Jesus and told him to jump. Quit they screamed at Jesus. “Let God show his approval by delivering you”. Don't let the Devil trick you to jump when you are so close to victory. Keep waiting, angels are coming.

In conclusion, 

In order to win your Battle, learn from Jesus;

• Jesus went where the Holy Spirit led him
• Jesus fasted for 40 days and was prepared. Your enemy is tough so get ready... Ephesians 6:13-17
• Jesus never doubted his relationship with the Father
• Jesus knew the Word of God
• Jesus overcame by obedience to the Word of God
• Jesus knew his life purpose and calling
• Jesus chose the low road…the Father’s Way

Luke 4:13

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

It says the Devil went away until an opportune time. We have to realise this is a lifelong battle that we’re in. He’ll try again when we’re vulnerable. But because Jesus finally defeated the Devil at the Cross, we can have his victory too. We are not fighting this battle alone as Jesus had to. He is with us and promises to always provide a way of escape. 

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

For believers, God’s rescue plan is the person of Jesus Christ. He understands our weaknesses and temptations:

Hebrews 4:15-16

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Which way do you choose as you stand at the Crossroads? Choose Life.

Luke 3:23-38

Today we’re going to cover one of the more overlooked passages in Luke – the genealogy of Jesus. I have never heard a sermon on this passage of scripture myself, how about you? But knowing that Luke was a “historian of first rank”, we ignore it to our detriment. There are some gems hidden there.

And knowing where we came from is a basic human desire and genealogy is a very popular type of TV program these days so, it is worth a closer look. Perhaps today was make us want to dig a bit deeper for each one of us.

What I’m sure we can all recall is that Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry not long after John the Baptist started preaching in the wilderness. By the time you are 30, you probably had an education, a job, a good network of friends, maybe a family not to mention a few tough challenges and had acquired a lot of life skills. It’s an age where you should already be quite mature.

By the time Jesus was 30, he was an experienced carpenter, probably his Dad had died so he was carrying on the family business and supporting his Mum by then. He carried a lot of family responsibility being the eldest son. But he was called by his Father to ministry! And not a respectable ministry with a salary and a house. One that would be on the road with no fixed abode. This may not have gone down well with his family particularly his brothers. They would take the extra load and even felt pressure to support his ministry. Who was going to run the family business after Jesus was gone?

These are all valid concerns but they are the Father’s problem if he has called you to ministry. And a longing for the good life we may have once or could have is dangerous.

Luke 9:61-62

And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

If we love the Lord, we will want to press on in spite of any difficulties. And really is there anything to worry about if that’s the case?!

Luke 3:23-38

Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

There are many names in the list that we don’t recognise. The majority of Christians will never be famous in this world. The fruit from their lives may not even be revealed in their lifetimes. But they stayed faithful to the Lord and they did what he said. Every one of the people listed in this genealogy was an important link in the chain, in the fulfilment of God’s promise.

I noticed something in the genealogy of Matthew that is significant. Firstly, Luke lists the genealogy from Adam to Abraham which Matthew didn’t, although this is very clearly laid out in Genesis. And the genealogy from Abraham to David closely matches Matthew except 4 women - Tamar, Ruth, Rahab and Bathsheba are mentioned in Matthew presumably because they are significant women in the Old Testament. It was not because they met the expectation of a godly Jewish woman. Tamar slept with her father in law. Rahab was a prostitute, Ruth was an Arab not a Jew as was Bathsheba who was an adulteress to boot. 

I want you to notice two names highlighted. Heli is the father of Joseph and David is the father of Nathan. My guess is that David named him Nathan as an honour for the prophet Nathan who confronted David about his sin with Bathsheba. Nathan was one of the 4 sons of David (5 if you include the David and Bathsheba’s first child who died before Solomon was born).

Matthew 1:1-6

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.

Matthew lists Solomon as David's son. When it gets to David, there is a breach. What happened? David’s affair with Bathsheba brought about Solomon as follows in Matthew. But David had another legitimate child, Nathan as follows in Luke. So there were 2 royal lines from the same father, that is David. So that would explain the different fathers in the line from David to Jesus in Luke compared to Matthew.

Then why was Joseph’s father in Matthew, Jacob and in Luke, Heli.

Possible Explanation

• Biological father: Jacob was Joseph's biological father, as stated in Matthew 1:16. 
  
• Legal father: Joseph became the legal son of Heli when Heli married Joseph's widowed mother. This was permitted by Jewish law, known as Levirate marriage. Remember, it is likely Joseph also died young so his biological father could have also died young because of the same gene.
  
• Genealogy: Matthew records Joseph's biological genealogy, while Luke records his legal genealogy. 
  

God made King David a promise that his throne would be established forever. David's descendant would be the Messiah. The Messiah would be a direct descendant of King David from the tribe of Judah.  

But there was problem. Jehoiachin was from the line of David and he became one of the last kings of the nation of Judah. He did evil in the sight of the LORD. 2 Kings 24:6-16

Jehoiachin was a bad king and God cursed him because of it. 

Jeremiah 22:30

Thus says the Lord: ‘Write this man down as childless, A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his descendants shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling anymore in Judah.’ ”

And so this prophecy was fulfilled. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captured Jehoiachin and took him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar took all of the treasures of the house of the LORD. 

There was a problem that no man could solve. The Messiah was to come from not only David's lineage (which could have made the gene pool very large), but had to be a legal successor in order to inherit the throne of King David. In other words, the Messiah had to be a legal heir to the kings of Judah. Problem was that cursed Jehoiachin was in that legal lineage. So how could God give a legal King that is not under the curse?

With the Virgin Birth.

As described in Matthew, Joseph descended from King David and he was the legal father of Jesus. Jesus was Joseph's adopted son and therefore Jesus inherited the rights to the throne of David. Jesus is the legal heir of David.

However, in Luke’s gospel, it is widely believed this genealogy traced Jesus' line through His biological mother, Mary. In this genealogy Jesus is shown as the blood descendant of King David through his son, Nathan, and on down to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Nathan is a whole different branch of the family tree!

Mary was not descended from Jehoiachin and was therefore, not under the curse. She was the mother of Jesus who descended from King David and through her, Jesus is the real Son of David.

God can never lie. God was faithful to his promise to David and he will be faithful to his promises to us as well. There are consequences to sin as the life of David shows. But as 1 John 1 tells us

1 John 1:9-10

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

David confessed his sin with Bathsheba and God forgave him for it. Both Solomon and Nathan were born after the Lord had forgiven and blessed David and Bathsheba, this is an example of God’s grace to everyone who repents. And to break the curse over David’s line because of Jehoiachin, God stepped in as the Father of Jesus. And with Mary being a virgin. He didn’t have to do anything on David’s son Nathan’s line as Nathan was never cursed. Jesus is both the legal son of David and the biological son of David. He is truly the Son of David and the Son of God, the true King of Israel.

We see an unsolvable problem in the Middle East today. How can there be a true Abrahamic accord between Judaism, Christianity and Islam ? Donald Trump won’t be able to it. No man will. The Lord will do it !

The genealogy we see in Luke shows the grace of God, the importance of repentance, family and of Mums and Dads following the Lord.

Communion 11.05.25

 I thought to do a Communion from a passage that is often referred to on Mothers Day. This little snippet comes just after the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Luke 10:38-42

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

The fact of the matter is that when visitors come over, there is work to be done to get the house ready. A dirty house or an underdone meal are an unpleasant distraction for guests. They take away from the real reason the guests are there which is all about relationship. So I sympathise with Martha doing all the work while her sister did nothing but sit there and listen to Jesus.

But there’s more to this passage than having guests in the house. 

The focus of the passage is on Mary’s relationship with Jesus and listening to what he said, specifically mentioning « His word ». This is what Jesus called « the good part ».

Listening to Jesus and his Word is the good part. How many times do we sit down to read the Bible and listen to what Jesus says only to be distracted like Martha? A notification on our phone, a thought of the work that needs doing, a problem that needs solving and so on. I find the distractions seem to come especially in those times. The distractions also happen in Church when God is speaking to our hearts - I’ve encountered many times when some random thing happens that takes our minds away from what God is saying. And they also happen when you’re witnessing to someone about Jesus. 

It’s going to help to be aware that the enemy will try to distract us and to pray and equip ourselves with the armour of God for defence. 

Notice how Jesus said Mary had chosen the good part. Listening to Jesus is a choice Mary made. Mary wasn’t being lazy. She put aside the things she would normally do to listen to Jesus because she realised it was more important than doing the housework.

We can minimise the distractions by going to a quiet place to listen. Jesus said shut the door behind you. Mhairi has a very good practice for her quiet time where she leaves her phone in another room.

The focus for Communion is to remember Jesus and what he did for us on the Cross, how he gave his body, his life for us, that is the most important thing and we ought not get distracted. This is all part of a close relationship, to keep important memories close to our hearts and not be distracted by so many things. So it is also good for us as a congregation to be aware and not be the source of any distractions!

Luke 3:1-22

 

Of all the Gospel writers, Luke was described as a historian of first rank because he recorded detail that has since been verified so we know we can rely on what he wrote.

Luke 3:1-2

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 

As we learned on Palm Sunday, Caesar was ultimately ruling over Israel and he made 3 appointments. The Judaean Governor. The so-called King of Israel, who was not the true King from the Royal line and surprisingly the High Priest.

A look at Wikipedia yields the following generally accepted date ranges for key individuals:

1. Tiberius Caesar, Roman emperor—AD 14–37

2. Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea—AD 26–36

3. Herod, tetrarch of Galilee—4 BC–AD 39

4. Annas ben Seth, high priest—AD 6–15

5. Joseph Caiaphas, high priest—AD 18–36

Tiberius became Emperor shortly after the death of Augustus officially on September 18, AD 14.

However, Co-princeps power with Augustus Caesar was already granted him in the first half of AD 13 as Augustus reached the end of his life. This would assign the 15th year of Tiberius, when the ministry of John the Baptist began, to AD 27. This would be the year when, in Autumn, John baptised Jesus. Then the early events laying the groundwork for His public ministry take place, leading into His first Passover in the spring of AD 28. The second Passover of His ministry cited in John 6:4 took place in the spring of AD 29. Finally, the third Passover, when Jesus was crucified, by this calculation would have been on April 7, AD 30.

Luke 3:3-6

And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ 

John was preaching baptism for the remission of sins. This was different to the sacrifices and circumcision required under Mosaic law.

John's baptism was a sign of personal, individual repentance, not a sign of birth into a covenant family. It is hard to overstate how radical this was in John's day. The Jews already had a sign of the covenant, circumcision. John came calling for repentance and offering a new sign, baptism.

Baptism remains relevant today. It's a symbolic act that represents a believer's union with Christ in his death and resurrection, a public declaration of faith, and a commitment to Christian discipleship.

Jesus death on the Cross is remission for our sins, not baptism as it was in John’s day. Faith unites us to Christ; baptism portrays the union with Christ. Baptism is considered very important in the life of a Christian because it symbolises us being tied to Christ, the one who was innocent and didn’t need to repent.

An analogy would be saying something like this: When you’re standing before the pastor getting married and you say, “With this ring, I thee wed,” what do you mean when you say that? When we say that, we don’t mean that the ring, putting on the ring, creates the marriage, makes us married. No, no, no. It shows the covenant; it symbolizes the covenant. But the covenant, the actual marriage moment and event and union, was the covenant vows that we made to each other in marriage. That would be a comparison of the vows being faith in Christ, and the putting on the ring being baptism.

Luke 3:7-9

” Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 

Fruit grows naturally but good fruit comes as a result of tending to the tree. Where we are planted, who our friends are, the places we frequent, are they congussive to good growth. Watering is important. Is what we drink healthy, is it the living water from Jesus, the Holy Spirit or are we drinking something from the World to quench our spiritual thirst, music, or some other spiritual source. Fertiliser is important. What is the extra nutrition we take on. Is it fellowship with other Christians, or Christian books or are we getting our extra boost from TV, movies and so on. This is a relaxed question to ask ourselves. Fruit trees produce good fruit without fertiliser, we’ll just want to make sure we’re not poisoning the tree !

Luke 3:10-11

So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” 

Repenting means giving what we have in excess to those who lack.

Luke 3:12-13

Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” 

Repenting means treating people fairly and with kindness.

Luke 3:14

Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.” 

Repenting means not using our position as a weapon to get what we want, to enjoy having power over or take advantage of someone else. What John was preaching to the crowds was effectively the same message the Lord gave through the prophet Micah.

Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

These are not very hard are they really ? The Lord speaks fairly to each one of us with simple requirements to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with him. 

Repentance can mean different things for different people, it is about our heart, what’s in there. But it is a simple, humble act, nothing complicated. Is there anything we need to change our heart and minds about today ?

John’s message of repentance was highly effective because he preached the truth that everyone could relate to and most of all, he lived it. No luxury mansion or car for him. The people knew that John was the real deal. Remember, John was special from birth because of the word given to his father Zacharias at his birth and the special circumstances under which John had been born, and the people all knew it.

Luke 3:15-17

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” 

There is something more than food and drink, more than water baptism and church life that we need. John could baptise with water but only Jesus can baptise with the Holy Spirit, only he can make us be born again. Nothing we can do, it is a gift of God. But if we resist the Holy Spirit we will bear no fruit, we are chaff, of no use to God and will be judged with unquenchable fire. 

Luke 3:18-20

And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison. 

John the Baptist’s ministry was very short, maybe only 6 months before he was arrested. Repentance is a hated message. Preach it well to the wicked and your head ends up on a platter. Once John preached against the ruling authority he was ultimately coming against Satan.

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

But we know that to those God is saving, it points them the right way.

Luke 3:21-22

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

I came to realise that the Bible passages that previously I may have related to myself, are actually about Jesus and not me. The writer of Hebrews had this to say about Psalm 8 which Keith Green sings in « How Majestic is Your Name » which previously I saw only from my perspective but now see that is true only for me if I’m attached to Jesus, who the Psalm is really about.

Hebrews 2:5-9

For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.