Living In The Power Of The Spirit
Luke 4:14-30
Introduction
Over the past few weeks, we have been looking at the early life of Jesus. We have looked at his birth, his circumcision, and his bar mitzvah. We then looked at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came upon him. The Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil. Now he returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. Today, we are going to look at what happened next so that we too can live in the power of the Spirit. Notice first that those who live in the power of the Spirit are…
Found With The People Of God
The custom of Jesus
Though Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, he still met with God’s people. Luke 4:16 says, “On the Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue, as was his custom.”
A need for team work
Jesus did not go into the synagogue out of a sense of duty or habit. He did not go because it was the best of his options. He did not attend because of how he felt. Jesus attended because it was the right thing to do. It was his custom. It’s what he did. If it was important for Jesus to be found with the people of God, how much more important is it for us. We may have spiritual gifts, but they are only useful in the Body of Christ. In other words, to live in the power of the Spirit, like Jesus, we need to be found with the people of God.
Spending time with others
This is why Hebrews 10:25 says, “Do not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but rather encourage one another.” Other passages in the New Testament encourage us to admonish one another, to build up one another, to care for one another, be devoted to one another, love one another, serve one another, and submit to one another. To do this, we need to be found with the people of God. We need to be found in one-to-one situations with God’s people, we need to meet in small groups, and we need to gather in larger groups like this. This is how to live in the power of the Spirit, and in this empowered position, we…
Further The Proclamation Of God
Sharing good news
When a baby is born, we share the good news. When someone finds a cure for disease, we like to hear about it. We even tell people about specials at the supermarket! In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news. He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned and oppressed. He has sent me to give sight to the blind. He has sent me to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Anointed to bring good news
Jesus said this in a Jewish synagogue in Nazareth. Luke 4:16 says he stood up to read the Scripture for that day, which was Isaiah 61:1-2. This passage says, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news.” The verb anoint is chrio from which we have Christos or Christ. To anoint a person is to assign them to a specific task with divine sanction and power. Acts 10:38 says, “God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power.” God anointed Jesus to bring good news to the poor in spirit, to proclaim freedom to prisoners, to give sight to the spiritually blind, to free the oppressed, to proclaim the coming of the Lord’s favour. This is the proclamation of God for us all.
Anointed for a purpose
In the Old Testament, God anointed certain people to specific tasks, but in the New Testament, we are all anointed. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 says, “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts.” He has anointed us to proclaim good news to the poor and freedom to those bound up in their circumstances. He has anointed us to give insight to those who are spiritually blind. He has anointed us to set free the oppressed. He has anointed us to proclaim the Lord’s favour. 1 John 2:20 says we have an anointing from the Holy One. We have an anointing in our time, in our context, and in our situation. This leads to a further point. Those who live in the power of the Spirit are found with the people of God, they further the proclamation of God, and they…
Fulfil The Purpose Of God
Jesus the Messiah
Verse 20 says when Jesus had finished reading, he rolled up the scroll gave it back to the attendant and sat down. In the synagogue, a rabbi would stand to read the Scriptures, and then sit to teach. This is why Luke 4:20 says that after Jesus read the Scripture, the eyes of everyone fastened on him. In a moment of high drama, the living word said, “Today this written word is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus said, “I am the word of God, and I am here to fulfil the purpose of God.”
Amazed at his words
Their response is seen in v22. Though all spoke well of him and were amazed at his words, they said rather sceptically, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” The answer is, “No!” As the voice at his baptism announced, as the genealogy affirmed, as the devil acknowledged, as the miracles attested, Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Lord and Saviour of us all.
Verse 23 suggests that they wanted Jesus to perform a miracle to prove himself. In doing this, they treated him like a circus act. Jesus responds by saying that a prophet is not welcome in his hometown. In vs.25-27, Jesus gives two examples of when this happened in the Old Testament and how Gentiles rather than Jews received God’s blessing. At this point, their anger boiled over and they drove Jesus out of town. The intention was to put him to death, but Jesus walked right through the crowd. Now Psalm 91:11-12 is fulfilled in its right setting: “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
Fulfilling the purpose of God
Verse 30 says Jesus went on his way, and as far as we know, he never returned. Sadly, the people of Nazareth were the losers… but what about you? You have also heard about the coming of Christ. How will you respond? Will you run him out of town or will you welcome him. John 1:10-12 says, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to his own people, but they did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Bernard Cartledge