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Studies in Luke # 11 Luke 4:31-44 When Jesus Comes Just this week I was speaking to our good friend Mr. Ernie Allen about the late Dr. Oswald J. Smith, pastor of the famous People's Church in Toronto, Canada. He was a gifted Bible teacher, an effective evangelist and a man with a clear missionary vision. He held Evangelistic crusades in Belfast Portadown and Ballymena in which scores of people were converted. Besides all these talents Dr. Smith was also a very accomplished hymn writer who composed some of the best loved and enduring Gospel songs of our time. One of my favourites tells the story of blind Bartimaeus who lived in poverty and darkness until the day Jesus came. The refrain is based on the words "then Jesus came." When Jesus comes the Tempter's power is broken, When Jesus comes the tears are wiped away. He takes the gloom and fills the lift with glory, For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay. Here in Luke four we note that Jesus came to Galilee from Judea. He left Nazareth and we never read again that He returned to that city to minister. Be careful that you do not reject the Saviour to the point of no return. This is a chapter of action – divine action as Jesus swept through Galilee. What a blessing for the Galileans. Glancing through the rest of this chapter we discover Jesus came as the Teacher to instruct them in the right way, as the Holy One to cast out demons from an unclean man in the synagogue, as the Healer who touched multitudes in Peter's home making them whole, as the Intercessor who spent time on the mountain alone with God in spite of His busy ministry. As the sympathizing Saviour preacher through-out Galilee and the Friend of all friends who touched and cleansed the despairing man who had been afflicted with leprosy. Some years ago our family lived near the headquarters of the American Baptist Church which is in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The symbol of their denomination is an ox standing between an altar and a yoke. Beneath is the motto, "Ready for service or ready for sacrifice". Here our Lord Jesus is ox-like in His activities, busy at work filling the hours doing the Father's will, yet His busyness never robbed the time He spent alone with God. This chapter gives us a picture another typical Sabbath in the life of our Lord. On the Sabbath morning He went to the synagogue where he read the Scriptures and cast out demons. After the service He was the guest in Peter's home where He ministered to the family. As the sun set multitudes gathered at the door of Peter's house, and Jesus healed them of various diseases. After such a busy day many would have been exhausted, not so with our Lord; early the next morning He left the house and went to the mountainside to be with His Heavenly Father. This glimpse at the life of our Lord should be a rebuke to lazy Christians. At the hour of the service in the synagogue, Jesus was never absent. We could also learn a lesson from the way Jesus often resorted to the solitary place of communion with His Father in the midst of demanding ministry. A visiting preacher was astonished when he read a note that sat under the reading desk on the preacher side of the pulpit. It read, "What in the world are you doing to these people" The apostle Paul disclosed to the Colossians exactly what he was doing. "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.(Col. 1:28,29) Can I say here today that our message is Jesus Christ. Our methods are making ourselves all things to all men to win some for Him. Our motive is the love of Christ which constrains us. Our Blessed Lord was a busy man 1. The Doctrines Jesus Expounded 4:3, 32 We can learn from our Saviour and the elements of His ministry. The emphasis He laid on biblical teaching. The dependence he showed on the power of God and of course His heart was that of divine compassion. "And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath; and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority". (Luke 4:31-32) When Luke said Jesus was teaching the tense of the verb suggests that Jesus "kept on teaching them". He was consistent. He didn't just arrive, give a message and move on. and go on to the next village. He stayed around so the people could learn and grow. We can also note that He was clear in what He taught . Luke says those who heard Him "were amazed at His teaching". Once Harry Ironside was greeted by a visitor who said he had enjoyed the service, although he did not think Ironside was a great preacher. Ironside replied, "I know I'm not a great preacher. But what was it about my preaching that brought you to that conclusion" The man answered, "I understood everything you said" This was an unwitting confession of one of the reasons for Ironside's greatness. Jesus too, when he preached the Word, was clear and painfully direct in his application, as we see again and again in the Gospels. The conclusion in Capernaum was that "he taught them as one who had authority" When God's Word speaks directly to us, we can't help but be astounded. Our Lord did not come tickling their ears or giving them philosophies and stories. He taught them the truth of God and about God. What amazes us is clearly seeing how the grand truths of the universe fit into our lives today. Jesus also taught with authority. And Mark added, "not as the scribes" (Mark 1:22). The scribes' job was to divide the Law into detailed rules and regulations based on tradition which were handed down. A scribe would always begin his lecture saying "There is a teaching that . . ". and would then quote all his authorities. If he made a statement he would try to prop it with this, that and the next quotation from the great legal masters of the past. The last thing he ever gave was an independent judgment. How different was Jesus! When he spoke, he spoke as if he needed no authority beyond himself. He spoke with utter independence. He cited no authorities and quoted no experts. He spoke with the finality of the voice of God. To the people it was like a breeze from heaven to hear someone speak like that. Jesus' preaching was not only clear, but convicting because the "Holy Spirit [had] descended on him" at his baptism (3:22), and because he was "full of the Holy Spirit" when be returned from the Jordan (4:1), and because when he began to preach he proclaimed, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me" (4:18; cf. Isaiah 61:1). Jesus' listeners in Capernaum were convicted by his words. As Amy Carmichael, the great missionary, said, "If you have never been hurt by a word from God, it is probable that you have never heard God speak" The people were shocked, thunderstruck, sublimely hurt. Jesus' teaching was authoritative because he proclaimed God's Word clearly and with conviction. We ought to pray for such divine hurt'. 2. The Demons Jesus Expelled 4:33-37 Capernaum was not the most important centre of Judaism, but it was there that Christ centred His Galilean ministry, and it was there He attended the synagogue. Jesus further demonstrated His authority in the synagogue by His action: He cast out demons from an "unclean man". How many services this man must have attended with no one able to help him, then Jesus came, and that man was rejoicing. However it is sad that the authority and action of our blessed Lord was met with an attitude of critical and hypocritical unbelief. These critics of our Lord had heard His word; they had seen His work, but the Word was not mingled with faith. They were so blinded by prejudice, demons recognised more than they did. Casting out the demons was the first of five great miracles Jesus did in Capernaum. This was a greatly favoured town and a greatly favoured time. Special condemnation was reserved for that town because they refused to believe on Jesus Christ in spite of the miracles done there. There are still active demons today and in this province we have been blighted with an onslaught of demonic powers. However, we should not be taken up with the activities of demons to such a point that we eclipse the authority of the Saviour. 3. The Diseases Jesus Cured Peter dared to be different from the unbelieving crowd and took the Saviour home. We all not only need the Lord in our homes, but we should also be sure to take something home from the Lord after we meet around His Word. Peter's home was the home in which God worked. First, the blessing was felt by the family, for the mother-in-law was healed. Second, the blessing of His presence was felt by the friends as multitudes were healed at the door. I love the words, "they brought... He healed". The sufficiency of our blessed Lord Was evident for all to see. (a)The Mother-in law Jesus was no stranger in that home. Jesus was no stranger to sickness. This was a great fever. The severity of a disease was gauged by it being a great or a small fever. This was a very serious illness. Jesus power was greater than the disease. The healing was instant and complete. Jesus was no stranger to service. (b) The Multitudes It was at the end of the day but not the end of His love It was at the end of the day but not the end of His Power 4. The Diverse People Jesus Emancipated There was magnetism about our Lord Jesus. There was a message for the people. People coming to the desert to seek Jesus is a magnificent statement about our Lord. When I read the Scriptures I find that all Sorts of people came to Him. Not only religious people and rich people came, but the ruins of society also found their way to Christ. They came from all sorts of places. Some came from the temple; some came from their businesses; one man came from up a tree, and a thief came while nailed to a tree. They came with all sorts of problems. They had problems with disease and despair; some were possessed of demons, and others were afraid of death. All who came found that Jesus Christ alone was the answer to their every need. All who came to Jesus found He turned their sunsets into sunrises.

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