INDUCING THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on July 8, 2020 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: July 8, 2020 from Luke 9:7-20

Theme: The works that Jesus did confirm to us that He is the Son of God.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

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The different writers of the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—all tell us accurately the same basic stories of what Jesus did and taught. But the Holy Spirit led each of those writers to tell these stories in ways that were unique to who they were, and to arrange them in ways that were consistent with their particular purpose of writing. And so, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, these different writers arranged the events they reported in such a way as to bring particular emphasis to particular truths about our Savior.

This morning, in Luke 9:7-20, we come to some stories about the Lord Jesus that are told to us in most of the other Gospels. But Luke recorded his account of these stories in such a way—and grouped them together in such a manner—so as to teach us an important lesson about our Lord. By putting the pieces together in the particular manner that Luke has given them to us, we arrive at an ‘inductive’ conclusion about Jesus’ identity.

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Now; let me explain that word “induction”. There are two main types of direction that we can go into developing a reasoned argument. One way is ‘inductively’, and the other is ‘deductively’. Inductive reasoning is when we gather the evidence together—make careful observations about it all—and then come to a conclusion. Deductive reasoning takes the opposite course. It states a conclusion at the beginning, and then gathers the evidence together to prove that the conclusion is correct and accurate. (A handy way of remembering this is that a deductive argument is like a rhinoceros, because it makes its point at the beginning; and that an inductive argument is like a bumble-bee, because it makes its point at the end.)

In Luke 9, we find both kinds of arguments being used to think about Jesus. In the first case, King Herod had some conclusions about Jesus that he had arrived at ‘deductively’. He had an idea about Jesus that he formed at the very beginning—mostly by deriving his opinion from other people. His idea about Jesus happened to be wrong, because he had not developed it by examining the facts—but rather by listening to what other people had to say. And in the second case, the disciples came to a conclusion about the Lord Jesus that they made ‘inductively’. They had observed the things that He did, and came to a conclusion about who He is. And in their case, their conclusion was correct. And the thing that Luke places between those two different conclusions is the story of a great miracle that Jesus performed—something that the disciples looked at, but that Herod never saw.

And when we put the pieces together—as Luke has arranged them for us—we learn an important spiritual principle. Many people think about Jesus with conclusions that they have already set in place for themselves. They heard from someone—perhaps through tradition, or through a lecture they heard in college, or through popular opinion—that He was this or that He was that. And then, they simply view Him from the standpoint of the conclusions they have already made. They thus see Him incorrectly. But it is by carefully observing the works of our Lord—and believing those works—that we come ‘inductively’ to an accurate conclusion about who He is.

We know that this is the way to do learn about Him, because Jesus Himself said,

“The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me” (John 10:25).

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So; let’s begin by looking at the first story; the story of

1. THE CONCLUSION OF HEROD (vv. 7-9).

This story is told to us right after the story of how the Lord Jesus had sent His disciples out to the ‘lost sheep of the house of Israel’ to preach the kingdom and to testify of Him. And while they were away in their mission, we’re told this about King Herod:

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” So he sought to see Him (Luke 9:7-9).

Herod, whose full name was Herod Antipater, is called ‘the tetrarch’. That meant that he was a ruler over a quarter of the land of Israel. After his father Herod the Great had died, Caesar Augustus put this man—nicknamed Antipas; which means “In Place of Dad”—in charge of the regions of Galilee and Perea. This man Herod had heard about the things that Jesus was doing in his region; but we’re told that he was ‘perplexed’ about Him. That’s really a mild way of putting it; because the word itself suggests that he was thoroughly at a loss over Jesus.

And the reason why he was so perplexed was because he was listening to the talk that was going around about Jesus. Some folks were saying that—because He was preaching the same message that John the Baptist preached—He must be the reincarnation of John. Others were saying that this man Jesus—because He performed the sort of miracles that Elijah had performed—must be the reappearance of Elijah. Others still were saying that He must be one of the Old Testament prophets who had risen and was ministering on the earth again. You might remember that folks were saying some of the same sorts of things about John as he baptized and ministered.

But Herod Antipas had a particular reason for being so perplexed. It was because he had beheaded John. Mark 6:14-29 tells us the gruesome story:

Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” Others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.” But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!” Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb (Mark 6:14-29).

Herod Antipas—a man who was already paranoid and confused because he had wickedly murdered John the Baptist—was becoming a little freaked out by all of these different opinions about Jesus that he was hearing. The other Gospels tell us that he believed that Jesus was—somehow—John risen from the dead. But his conclusions were all based on unbelieving presuppositions and not on observable facts. We’re told that Herod sought to see Jesus—but it was mostly out of curiosity. We’re told in John 19 that, after Jesus was arrested, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod—and so, Herod finally did get to see Him. But it was mostly in the hopes that he could see Jesus perform a miracle for him. Jesus remained silent as He stood before Herod; and so—in unbelieving contempt for Jesus—Herod sent Him back to Pilate to be crucified.

Herod’s approach to Jesus is like a lot of people’s today. They don’t base their conclusions about Him on the things that He actually did or said; but merely on the basis of popular opinions or personal preferences. They approach Jesus—you might say—on the basis of ‘faulty deductions’; and so, they never come to know the truth about Him.

But that leads us to the actual facts about Him. Those facts are shown to us through the report of His works. He did what only the Son of God in human flesh could do. Luke goes on to show us, then, one example of this:

2. THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE (vv. 10-17).

It’s a very familiar story to us. Luke tells us;

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing (vv. 10-11).

Jesus had drawn His disciples away for a time of rest. But when the crowd found out about it, and gathered in great numbers to meet Him, He wasn’t angry with them. Instead, He welcomed them and ministered to their needs.

When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them (vv. 12-17).

I have been to the place where this happened. I even got to open the Bible in that very place and read this story. One woman came up to me afterward and told me that she believed that the way a little boy had given his humble lunch of five loaves and two fish to the Lord was what inspired everyone else to share their food; and that’s how everyone was fed. But I had to remind her that Jesus didn’t tell the disciples, “Let everyone take the food they have and give to one another something to eat.” He told the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” That was because there was nothing else to draw from but those five loaves and two fish.

How did it happen? How did Jesus do this? What did it look like? We’re not told. But everyone—five thousand men; and possibly with many women and children—were all full; and there was an abundance of food left over. Only the Son of God could do this.

And it’s right then that Luke goes on to tell us another story. It is meant to be seen in the light of the wrong conclusions that Herod had come to—wrong because he never looked at the facts or had a heart to believe the works that our Lord did. Luke goes on to show us …

3. THE CONCLUSION OF THE DISCIPLES (vv. 18-20).

We’re told;

And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again” (vv. 18-19).

They were answering Jesus’ question. They were telling Him what they have heard people say about Him. They were reporting the same incorrect conclusions that people had been coming to because of their presuppositions and misguided opinions. Even Herod was saying the same things.

But then Jesus asked them the question that you and I must answer:

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God” (v. 20).

“The Christ of God” is another way of saying ‘the Promised Messiah’. In Matthew 16:16, we’re told that Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus responded to his answer by saying, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (v. 17). Peter, in other words, gave the right answer. He and the others had seen the works that Jesus had done, and they rightly ‘induced’ that He was the Son of God in human flesh—the promised Christ sent from God—because only the Son of God could do what Jesus did.

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Do you have questions about who Jesus is? You should wonder about Him. He’s the most controversial figure in all of human history. He is presented to us in the Bible as the Son of God in human flesh; and what you do with Him will determine the destiny of your soul. He is worth asking about.

But don’t simply believe what everyone else says about Him. Don’t draw your conclusions about Him from the opinions of people who are as in the dark about Him as Herod was. You’ll never come to the truth about Him by just picking and choosing from the smorgasbord of opinions. Instead, go to the Bible and read about His works from those who saw them. Let His works testify of Him.

Luke, at the beginning of His Gospel, wrote;

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed (Luke 1:1-4).

And the apostle John, at the end of His Gospel, wrote;

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:30-31).

Don’t come to your conclusions about Jesus on the basis of the opinions of others. Instead, be ‘inductive’. Go to the Bible and read the eyewitness accounts of His works for yourself. Because as Jesus Himself said, “The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me”

EA