Jesus Models Effective Ministry Luke 4:14-30

Transcription

1 Jesus Models Effective Ministry Luke 4:14-30 The first book of God s Word, the Bible, is called Genesis, the book of beginnings. It opens with the words, in the beginning God created... and describes for us the creation of the world and everything in it. In the New Testament, John s Gospel begins with similar words; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Beginnings are important, and often exciting, points in our human experience. Our first beginning as humans takes place via the miracle of conception. In the normal routine of things this is followed by fetal development and then birth. Then there are the various stages of growth and learning, each stage characterized by new and exciting developments through infancy, and childhood, and on into adult life. Because life is a continuing series of changes on the continuum from birth to death, even as adults, we are constantly facing new beginnings. A new job, a new baby, a new field of service, and new friends are just a few of the things we experience. There are the new beginnings that result from the loss of a loved one, the break-up of a marriage, the loss of a job, or a division in the church. All these experiences create for us an unending variety of new beginnings. Sometimes, beginnings can be stressful. After all, when you ve never done something before, you re not really sure how to well, begin! One thing that I ve appreciated so much in my life is people who were willing to walk with me in a new experience. Their advice and counsel helped calm my fears and gave me confidence that I could, not only begin the process, but master it. In our study of Luke s gospel we have been learning about beginnings: the beginning of John the Baptist and his ministry, the earthly beginning of Jesus life and the prophecies concerning His ministry. Our text this time, Luke 4:14 to 30, records for us the beginning of Jesus earthly ministry. Like much of the Scripture, this text shows us the historical events that surrounded the beginning of Jesus public ministry. But it is so much more than just a historical record! In these verses we will see several evidences of effective ministry that we can benefit from today. So I 1

2 urge you to stay tuned for the teaching titled, Jesus Models Effective Ministry from Luke 4:14 to 30. Listen now as I read that portion of God s Word. Heavenly Father, we bow in your awesome presence, confessing that apart from the blood of Christ we have no right to approach your throne. Thank you for Jesus, your Son, our Savior who shed His life blood, opening the way for us to have a father/child relationship with you. Thank you for reaching out to us in our sinfulness and giving us a path to righteousness. And now Father, as my friend and I open your Word to read and meditate on a portion of it, we ask for the anointing of your Holy Spirit. May He, in His knowledge of you and your Word, greatly expand both our understanding of your Word and our obedience to it. This we ask in the precious name of Jesus, Amen. Luke s gospel record shows us how Jesus Models Effective Ministry. Through this record we discover several EVIDENCES that will lead each of us to effective ministry. The First EVIDENCE is, It is Inaugurated in the Spirit As we begin looking at this text, I want to take you back for a moment to the first verse of this chapter, chapter four. There it says And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. That is, His whole being was permeated by the Holy Spirit and he was directed by the Spirit. That s important for us to remember. Now notice with me, after Jesus temptation, our text says that Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee So, first he was full of the Holy Spirit, then led of the Holy Spirit, and finally He returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. I believe there is something very significant here. He went into the wilderness with the approval of His Father and the promise of His presence. He returned from the wilderness having exercised that power under pressure. The time of testing that Jesus victoriously endured at the hands of Satan in the wilderness gave Him personal experience with the power at His disposal. The power of the Spirit was in Him, not just on Him! If you and I are going to be effective in ministry, whatever our calling, we must have more than just a head knowledge of the Holy Spirit; we must experience His power in the daily circumstances of life. 2

3 In my understanding of the Scripture, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to every Believer at the time of his or her conversion. However, the exercise of the Spirit s power in my life or in your life is controlled by the level of our obedience. Scripture warns us not to quench or grieve the Holy Spirit by our disobedience. You know, the greatest hindrance to the power of the Holy Spirit is NOT something it is someone it is self. Because Jesus emptied Himself and became fully obedient to the Father, the Holy Spirit had full control in His life. When Jesus came into Galilee in the power of the Spirit people immediately noticed that He was different than other men. A report went out in the entire region about this unusual teacher. As He taught in the synagogues, He was praised and honored by all who heard Him. When the power of the Spirit is in us, and flowing through us, other people will take note. Too often, there is a temptation for us to use our ministry as a platform to gain the attention of other people. That is not pleasing to the Lord. Rather, we must concentrate on fulfilling our ministry in the power of the Spirit and God will bring recognition, praise, honor, or whatever according to His schedule. This reminds me of Proverbs 15:33 which states; The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility. Here at Heralds of Hope we get numerous letters from young men in Africa who want to become a pastor or start a ministry. In our counsel to them we caution them not to start anything based on their desires, but rather wait for God s calling and provision. Any ministry that is inaugurated in the power of the flesh is doomed to failure. Oh, I know, it may look successful on the surface, for awhile, maybe you could even give me some examples of seeing that happen, but eventually its true nature will be revealed. This first evidence of effective ministry is - it is inaugurated in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Second EVIDENCE is, It is Authenticated by the Word There are many things in life today that are counterfeit; things that are not genuine. They lack authenticity. I remember years ago when I was a teenager, I was on the street in Philadelphia or Baltimore and a man came up to me with a watch he wanted me to buy. I was not 3

4 very street-smart and so I showed some interest. He told me it was a Bulova, a well-known brand that s been around for decades, and that he would sell it to me at a bargain price. After I made the transaction I was pretty proud of myself. Later on, I showed the watch to my brother and told him what a good deal I d gotten. He informed me that it was either hot or counterfeit. Sure enough, when we examined it closely the name on the face was not Bulova. It was close, only one letter different. But it wasn t the genuine article. It wasn t very long before it quit working and was just a piece of junk. Ministry can be like that too lacking in authenticity. What makes a ministry authentic, the real thing? It must be authenticated by the Word of God. A ministry that is not authenticated by the Word will at best be ineffective and at worst will be harmful to those it touches. Verse 15 already informed us that Jesus was teaching in the synagogues in the region around Galilee. And what do you suppose He was teaching? He was teaching the Word of God! Our text informs us that during His travels He came to Nazareth, His home town. As usual, He showed up at the local synagogue. All of this highlights the centrality of the Word in the life and ministry of Jesus. This will only be reinforced as we move farther into this text. I realize that you and I will never be equal to Jesus; He was unique in that He was fully human, and He was also fully divine. But we can learn from the example of His life and ministry the importance and value of the Word. It seems that Dr. Luke, keeping his Gentile audience in mind, attributes Jesus effectiveness in ministry more to His orientation to the Holy Spirit than to His essential deity. He presented Jesus as an example all Believers should copy. So Jesus shows up in the Nazareth synagogue on the Sabbath Day just like any good Jewish man. Regarding His example, Warren Wiersbe writes; "It was our Lord's custom to attend public worship, a custom His followers should imitate today (according to Hebrews 10:24-25). He might have argued that the 'religious system' was corrupt or that He didn't need the instruction; but instead, He made His way on the Sabbath to the place of prayer." Because He was well-known and well-spoken of in the region, it is not surprising that He was invited to read the Scriptures. As was the custom of the day, He demonstrated respect for God s Word by standing up to read it. Some churches engage in that practice today; and it is a good practice if it is not just an empty formality but is followed by obedience to what is written. 4

5 And Jesus chose a particular place in the prophet Isaiah to identify Himself and to authenticate His ministry. In our copies of the Scripture today it is Isaiah 61: 1 and part of verse 2. Let s take a closer look at what Jesus read. This text from Isaiah defines the ministry of Jesus during His first advent. As you and I read through the Gospels we can see how this definition informed all that He did! He brought the good news of salvation to the poor those who were poor in possessions and also poor in spirit. He ministered to those who were brokenhearted. The literal meaning of the word is crushed the down-trodden and defeated. He came to proclaim deliverance to the captives; those who were imprisoned by sin. To the blind, both physically and spiritually, He offered the restoration of sight. To those bruised by the stones and arrows of life, He promised freedom and hope. And then He summed this all up by saying, To proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. This whole passage Jesus quoted is most likely a reference to the biblical year of Jubilee when debts were cancelled, slaves were set free, and property reverted to its original ownership. Did you notice that there is nothing in this text about personal gain, or prestige, or popularity? No, it s all about serving others! That s what ministry is. Jesus said in Matthew 20:26 to 28; Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. But there is an interesting detail here we must not miss. Jesus did not finish the quote from Isaiah 61:2 which reads; and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn. You see, His first coming was not about vengeance; that is still in the future. His first coming was about mercy. But for those who reject His mercy now, the only alternative later is vengeance! And Romans 12:19 reminds us that God keeps accurate records. After reading the Scripture, Jesus sat down. Our text says that the eyes of everyone who was in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Why? Because it was customary for the one who did the reading to give remarks or teaching on the portion he had just read. As the people waited expectantly, Jesus began to speak. This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Wow! What would ve gone through your mind if you had been sitting in that audience? This man was claiming to be the Messiah! Well, we know what the people were 5

6 seeing and feeling because the text tells us. All bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth. As Jesus began to teach, His words were pleasant and agreeable. That s the meaning of the word, gracious. I believe His words were gracious because He was speaking the truth of God s Word. The apostle Paul reminds us as Believers to always speak the truth in love. It seems that the only time Jesus spoke the truth harshly was to self-righteous people who elevated their faulty understanding of the Word over His teaching! He was the Word made flesh and He was fully acquainted with the things He spoke about. And then, Luke makes a very interesting observation which sets the stage for our next evidence of effective ministry. As what Jesus was saying sank into their consciousness, the people in the synagogue began to say, Isn t this Joseph s son? Don t we know this fellow? Didn t He grow up here in Nazareth? Here was their home-boy claiming to be the Messiah - preposterous! The Next EVIDENCE is, It is Delineated by Application It is right here in verse 23 that Jesus begins to specifically apply what He s just read to His hometown listeners. And it becomes clear from their later response that, in their minds, He s left off preaching and gone to meddling. I realize it is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit to apply the truth to my heart and your heart as we listen to the teaching of God s Word. But it is also appropriate and necessary for those who teach to make practical application of the Truth. Jesus does that here in this text. He delineates, that is, He lays out in detail specific applications to His hearers. Obviously, the people of Nazareth had heard about the things Jesus was doing in Capernaum and the surrounding region. And perhaps they were wondering why He didn t do those things for them? But Jesus, as the Master Teacher, has the advantage of knowing the hearts of His students. He knew what these people in the synagogue were thinking. So He responded with a phrase that here in Luke, and in the other Gospels, always introduces a significant and authoritative comment. He said, Truly I say to you And what is the authoritative statement? No prophet is accepted or welcomed in his own country. There is 6

7 an interesting word-play here. In verse 19 Jesus said He came to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. The same word is used here in verse 24 in the negative. He came to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, but His hometown folks would not accept it. Daryl Bock in his commentary on Luke s Gospel writes; "People are always more ready to see greatness in strangers than in those they know well." Effective ministry can only be achieved when preachers and teachers are willing to make the truth, which is often unpopular, abundantly clear. So, to make sure His hearers understood exactly what He meant; Jesus gave them two illustrations from their history. First, He related the story from First Kings chapter seventeen. As you may recall, the prophet Elijah, by the Word of the Lord, informed King Ahab that there would be neither dew nor rain for three and one-half years! This caused a great famine throughout all the land. When the brook, Cherith, where Elijah was staying, dried up and could no longer sustain him, God sent him to a Gentile widow in Zarephath. God used this woman to miraculously provide for the prophet during this time of drought. Her obedience to Elijah s request also secured the survival of herself and her son. OK, so what is the point of Jesus using this story in this setting? First, God dispenses His benefits where and when He chooses. He has no obligation to ask our opinion or even inform us of what He is doing. These people in Nazareth were wondering why Jesus did not do for them what He was doing in other places. They did not understand that they, like us, are unworthy of the least of God s mercies. They assumed because they were Jews, and especially because they new Jesus personally, that they were better and more deserving of God s benefits than others. Unfortunately, that mindset is a problem for many professing Christians even today. In addition, this incident from Israel s history took place at a time of great spiritual apostasy. The 3 and ½ year drought was an evidence of God s judgment. It seems Jesus was likening the current situation in Israel to one of the least spiritual times in their national history. That kind of comparison was not one that would make Him be voted most popular teacher! In verse 27 He reminds them of the account in Second Kings chapter five. Here, Naaman, the Syrian, and a leper, is healed when he obeys the command of God s prophet, Elisha. Jesus plainly stated that leprosy was a common problem in Israel at the time, but none of the Jewish lepers were cleansed; only Naaman the Syrian, a Gentile and a mortal enemy of the Jews! Yet as 7

8 a result of God s blessing, Naaman became a worshipper of God and took the message of Israel s God back to his pagan homeland! The implication of these two illustrations was that God had sent Jesus to Gentiles as well as to Jews. This would have been especially encouraging to Luke s Gentile readers. We know from Israel s history that the Jewish people misunderstood God s favor and blessing on them. Because they were chosen by God as His special people they assumed they were somehow better or more deserving of God s attention and blessing. But verses like Deuteronomy 7:7 and 8 clearly state the opposite. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people. But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers The result of their misunderstanding was that they looked down on the goyim, the non-jews. I appreciate Adam Clarke s comments on these verses. God dispenses his benefits when, where, and to whom he pleases. No person can complain of his conduct in these respects, because no person deserves any good from his hand. God never punishes any but those who deserve it; but he blesses incessantly those who deserve it not. The reason is evident: justice depends on certain rules; but beneficence is free. Beneficence can bless both the good and the evil; justice can punish the latter only. Those who do not make this distinction must have a very confused notion of the conduct of Divine Providence among men. Jesus teaching here is especially galling to His listeners because it implies at least two things. First, that the people of Nazareth shouldn t expect preferential treatment just because they were acquainted with Jesus and His family. And, that the Gentiles may be more worthy or deserving of ministry than they. This application of biblical truth put the people in a position where they needed to make a decision. They could accept what Jesus said and allow it to change them; or they could reject what He said and try to get rid of Him. Their choice to reject Him leads us to the final evidence of effective ministry. The Final EVIDENCE is, It is Expatriated by Opposition 8

9 What do I mean by that? To be expatriated is to be driven out from your homeland, exiled, declared persona non grata. The people of Nazareth were so incensed at Jesus words that they thrust Him out of the city. The Greek word is ekballo and it means to throw violently. These folks weren t just pushing Jesus out of the synagogue; as the text shows, they had murder in their hearts! How dare this arrogant homeboy of theirs tell them such preposterous things? They didn t have to put up with that! You may ask, is opposition really an evidence of effective ministry? Well, Jesus said, later in Luke 6:26; Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets. And Paul warned us in Second Timothy 3:12; Yes, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. For those who speak the truth, even those who speak the truth in love, the majority of people will react in a negative way. You may ask, Brother Jay Mark, how can you be sure of that statement? I know it s true because Jesus said so. He said that Men love darkness instead of the light because their deeds are evil. They don t want their deeds exposed. He said in the Sermon on the Mount that the path to life is narrow and only a relatively few will choose to walk it. They will be condemned as narrow-minded and bigoted, even by those who claim to be on the same path. And you know something; the greatest opposition often comes, just as it did to Jesus ministry, from religious people! Jesus pronounced woe upon those who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: who neither go in themselves, nor permit others that are entering to go in. The people Jesus was speaking to in the synagogue thought they were God s people, but their actions clearly demonstrated that they were not. So what about you and me? God has called us to be His ministers, His servants. Because He has called us He has equipped us too. As you evaluate the ministry God has called you to fill, whatever it is, can you point to these evidences of effective ministry? Are you serving in the power of the Holy Spirit, or are you motivated by the desires of the flesh? Is you ministry authenticated by the Word of God? Are you living out its principles in your daily choices? Are you willing to take the Word and make application to your life and the lives of those you serve? And finally, are you experiencing opposition from those who do not appreciate the claims the Word makes on their lives? 9

10 Yes, my friend, Jesus models effective ministry for you and me. To follow His example is our highest calling and greatest joy! 10