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).
Click HERE for the live-stream archive of this Bible Study.
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).
* * * * * * * * * *
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
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on July 1, 2020 under AM Bible Study |
AM Bible Study Group: July 1, 2020 from Luke 8:40-56
Theme: The spread of the gospel to the nations was preceded by the offer of the kingdom to Israel.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
Click HERE for the live-stream archive of this Bible Study.
This morning, we come to the 9th Chapter of the Gospel of Luke. And you might say that it marks the beginning of the end of a very important stage in Jesus’ earthly ministry.
It tells us the events that finish off our Lord’s ministry in Galilee. In verse 22, He told His disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” He repeated this warning in verse 44. And by the end of this chapter—in verse 51—we’re told that He “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem”. But before this all happens, He—the King of the Jews—first makes the offer of the kingdom to His people.
Jesus had ministered for several months in Galilee—by the very edges of the Gentile world. His twelve disciples watched and saw as He demonstrated to them that He was—indeed—the King of the Jews. He proved by His teaching, and His miracles, and by the displays of His great authority, that He was the Son of God in human flesh. And now, He sends His twelve disciples on a mission trip to proclaim to the Jewish people that their King is about to come. Luke 9:1-6 says;
Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere (Luke 9:1-6).
* * * * * * * * * *
A good way to appreciate the importance of what is happening in this morning’s passage is to look far ahead—in Chapter 20—to what our Lord had to say while in Jerusalem. As the leaders of the Jewish people were in the process of rejecting Him as their King, He told a parable:
“A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!” Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?
Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them (Luke 20:9-19).
The Lord Jesus is the King of the Jews. And He first offers that kingdom to His people. They will reject Him and His kingdom offer; and as a result, the King and the blessings of His rule will be offered instead to the Gentiles.
Now; it’s important to remember that God does not completely reject His chosen Jewish people. The Bible tells us that, in a future date, the Jewish people will repent and receive Jesus as their King. As we’re told in Romans 11:25-26, “blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved …”
We’re living today in the times in which the blessings of the kingdom are offered to the Gentile nations. But what we find in the first six verses of Luke 9 is the beginnings of the offer of the kingdom first to the Jewish people.
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So; let’s look at this story of the beginnings of the offer of that kingdom. First we see …
1. THE GRANTING OF AUTHORITY.
The preachers of our Lord’s kingdom never go forth on their own. They are sent. And in being sent, they are first given authority by their Master. We’re told in verse, “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.”
For several months now, these twelve disciples had watched as our Lord healed the sick and cast out demons. He had demonstrated the greatness of His authority by these things. And now—in preparing them to be sent out to the people to whom the kingdom rightly belonged—He first gave them the authority to do what He had done. It was by doing what He did that they would be able to verify that they were truly going forth in His name.
Now; though their task was different from ours today, we—in this age of grace to the Gentile world—still go forth under His authority and power. On the night before He went to the cross, He promised the coming of the Holy Spirit as the “Helper” of His people; and He said,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:12-14).
When the Lord Jesus sends His workers out into the world, we can be sure that He sends them with His authority. We can be assured of that authority in our part of His work.
Second, notice …
2. THE COMMISSION OF THE WORKERS.
Verse 2 tells us; “He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” At the very beginning, John the Baptist announced Jesus’ coming into the world to the Jewish people by saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). And after John was put into prison, Jesus took up the proclamation; saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel!” (Mark 1:15). And now, these twelve disciples—who have been eyewitnesses to Jesus’ identity and authority—are to go forth and proclaim the same message before Him as He prepares to make His way to Jerusalem. In the account of this story as Matthew gives it, we find in Matthew 10:5-7 that He tells them;
“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:5-8).
Their commission was different than ours. They were to go to the Jewish people only. We are to go to all nations. They were to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. We are to proclaim the good news that He has died on the cross for us, has been raised from the dead, will one day return, and that now all who believe on Him—Jews and Gentiles—will be saved.
Third, notice …
3. THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE WORK.
Again, because their commission was different from ours, the instructions for fulfilling their commission were also different. Verses 3-5 tell us; “And He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
Notice that they were to take no provisions for themselves. Not staff (probably meaning the staff that is used to carry a bag), not a bag (in which to carry goods for the journey), not bread (in order to feed themselves), not money (in order to buy things that they needed), and not even an extra jacket. In Matthew 10:10, Jesus explained, “for a worker is worthy of his food”. They were not going to the Gentiles. They were going to the Jewish people to preach the coming of their King to them. The kingdom was rightly theirs. It was being offered to them. Therefore, the heralds of the King had a right to expect support from the King’s people.
Notice also that they were to stay put. When they came to a town, they weren’t to move from house to house—as if they were looking for better accommodations. Instead, they were to stay in whatever home welcomed them; and they were to bless it. Matthew’s Gospel tells us;
“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you” (Matthew 10:12-13).
And notice that, if any town did not welcome them, they were not to stay. The offer of the kingdom to the Jewish people—at this time of their history—was not to be forced upon those who did not want it. To reject it was a cause of judgment. Matthew tells us that He said;
“And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” (Matthew 10:14-15).
And finally, notice …
4. THE FULFILLMENT OF THE TASK.
Verse 6 says; “So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” The healings happened; but the preaching was paramount. And they faithfully did what they were sent out to do. Verse 10 says;
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 (v. 10).
* * * * * * * * * * *
Now; sadly, the Jewish people did not receive their King. They rejected Him and crucified Him. Later He would say;
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Luke 13:34-35).
But their rejection of King Jesus has resulted in the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus the Savior around the world. And just as the commission of the twelve involved the authority of Jesus, the commission to proclaim, and the instructions for fulfillment, so does ours. As Jesus has put it in Matthew 20:18-20;
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).
EA
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on June 24, 2020 under AM Bible Study |
AM Bible Study Group: June 24, 2020 from Luke 8:40-56
Theme: When it comes to matters of sickness or death, Jesus tells us not to be afraid—but to only believe on Him.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
Click HERE for the live-stream archive of this Bible Study.
This morning, we will look at what seems like two separate stories in the Gospel of Luke. We could, in fact, treat them as two events and give two separate study times to each—and we would be blessed by both stories independently.
But the fact is that they were meant to go together. All three of the synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—contain these two stories; and all three combine these two stories together in the same way. One story surrounds another; and the story in the middle is meant to give significance and meaning to the story that surrounds it. So they are meant to go together, and to be read and studied in just the way they are presented to us—and in just the relationship they are shown to have to each other.
The first story is the story of how our Lord raised the twelve-year-old daughter of a synagogue ruler from the dead; and the second story—the one found within the first—is the story of how a woman was healed of a sickness that she had for twelve years just by touching the hem of our Lord’s garment. Both are meant to show us the power of our Lord over sickness and death—and our need to have faith in Him in the face of those two dreaded realities of life.
And I believe the significance of it all is found in what our Lord said that combined those two stories together. You find His words in Luke 8:50; “Do not be afraid; only believe …”
* * * * * * * * * *
Now; let’s remember the context in which these two stories are found. We find them in a section of Luke’s Gospel in which he was teaching us about the authority of our Lord. In verses 22-25, he showed us the authority of Jesus Christ—the Son of God—over the natural forces of this world and over the circumstances of life. He showed us this by how He stood up in the boat in the midst of the storm and commanded the wind and the waves to be still. Then, in verses 26-39, he showed us the authority of Jesus over the spiritual realms and over the kingdom of the devil. He showed us this in how Jesus cast the multitude of demons out of the man who dwelt among the tombs.
And now—in the two combined stories that are before us in verses 40-56, we see how Jesus demonstrates His authority over sickness; and even over death. Luke tells us;
So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened (Luke 8:40-56).
Now; it might be that you hear those two stories, and then hear me suggest to you that they display our Lord’s authority over sickness and death, and then wonder to yourself, “Well then; why is there still so much sickness and death in the world?” You might even remember that some people have used this passage to suggest that if you are sick—and if you have enough faith—you can be healed; and then wonder to yourself, “So then; is my problem that I just don’t have enough faith?” If a loved one became sick and died, was it because they didn’t believe enough—or because I didn’t believe enough?
A thousand times no! This passages is not meant to teach us that—in this present age—we can expect our Lord to heal every sickness and prevent every death; any more than the previous passages are meant to teach us that, if we have enough faith, there will never again be bad weather or trying circumstances, or that the devil and all forces of evil will all be cast out and will never again trouble the world. The thing that this passage is meant to show us is that our Lord has complete authority over those things that human beings can have no control over—even over sickness and death; and that we need to trust Him and wait on Him whenever we face such things. We can know that He can heal all sickness and raise the dead; but it is not a promise that He will do so every time we ask. In fact, we have stories in the Bible where godly people asked—but did not receive a healing; and were instead told by God that His grace is sufficient for them. We certainly should ask; but much more than that—we should trust Him do be perfectly able to do what is right and what is best for us.
That’s the significance of His words, “Do not be afraid; only believe …” These two stories—with those words of our Lord in the center of it all—are meant to show us that, when facing sickness or death, Jesus tells us not to be afraid—but to only believe on Him.
* * * * * * * * * *
We can break this combined story up into three parts. So then; let’s look at the first part. It’s where we’re told of …
1. HOW JESUS WAS CALLED TO HEAL THE SICK GIRL (vv. 40-42).
Luke tells us in verse 40 of what happened after Jesus made the trip across the Sea of Galilee back to the town of Capernaum—after having cast the demonic spirits out of the man of the Gadarenes. We’re told, “So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.” They were all eager to hear more from Him and to see His miracles. Perhaps many were waiting for Him in hopes of being healed by Him. And among them was a particular man—a very important man in the community. Verses 41 tells us, “And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue.“
Did you know that if you go to the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee today, you can still see this synagogue? It was a synagogue that was built by a God-fearing Roman centurion out of love for the Jewish people. We read about his story at the beginning of Luke 7. This man Jairus was a Jewish leader among his people who was a superintendent of that very synagogue. We’re told in verses 41-42, “And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.”
It would be hard to imagine the anguish of this man and his wife. The original language of this passage tells us that the young girl was—right then—in the process of dying. And perhaps as soon as this man Jairus heard that Jesus had return to Capernaum, he ran to Him and pleaded with Him—knowing that He had the power to save his daughter’s life. Now; you’ll remember that our Lord had been meeting with some fierce opposition in the synagogue. Pharisees and scribes were accusing Him and testing Him there. And yet, at the humble appeal of the synagogue ruler, our Lord went. It’s a wonderful thing to notice that our Lord always went whenever He was humbly appealed to for help.
Now; at the end of verse 42, we read these words: “But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.” And you can almost picture the crowds that were pressing in on our Lord as He walked the roads of Capernaum—wanting to be near Him—hoping to see Him perform a miracle—perhaps even seeking something from Him. It would have been noisy and hard to get around. You can just imagine in your mind a vast number of people moving slowly along the road with Jesus pressed in at the center—and with everyone reaching out to touch Him.
It’s intentional that we’re told about this pressing crowd; because it’s the context in which we find the second story. It tells us of …
2. HOW JESUS HEALED THE SICK WOMAN ALONG THE WAY (vv. 43-48).
Verses 43-44 tells us about a very tragic person within that crowd—perhaps just barely able to keep up with the throng—perhaps giving every bit of energy she had to draw close to Jesus—most likely being unnoticed or even ignored by everyone else. We’re told, “Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.”
Now; what the nature of this woman’s illness was is not told to us. Not even Luke—the physician—elaborated on it. It may be that it was a very private nature. The phrase that she “had spent all of her livelihood on physicians” isn’t in the best texts of the Gospel of Luke—and so, you might not see it in other translations than the one I’m using. But it is spoken of in the other Gospels. She had run out of resources trying to get well—and no one could help her. It may be that she was not only exhausted financially, but also physically. We’re told that she sought to touch the border or hem of His garment; and this may be because she could not reach any higher than that. And there’s more. In the Jewish law found in the Scriptures, this woman’s situation would have been such that she was rendered ceremonially ‘unclean’. She could not have gone to the temple and worship during all of this time of her illness. She was basically ‘shut out’ by the law. Her situation was a desperate one—and spiritually like many of us. We too are unclean because of our sin, and have no resources of our own by which to be right with God. All that we can do is what she herself did—reach out to Jesus by faith.
And she did so. Verse 44 tells us that immediately, her flow of blood stopped. But then, another very remarkable thing happened. We’re told in verses 45-46, “And Jesus said, ‘Who touched Me?’ When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, ‘Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, “Who touched Me?”’ But Jesus said, ‘Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.’” We shouldn’t interpret this to mean that the power of Jesus is somehow distinct from Himself—as if the power of healing could go out from Him without His being in control of it. What He was doing was showing us that whenever someone reaches out to touch Him by faith, He knows about it. That faith is important to Him—and it gets His attention.
The poor woman was terrified. She was afraid that she did something wrong. Verse 47 tells us, “Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.” But she did nothing wrong. Far from it! Our Lord praised her faith. In verse 48, we’re told, “And He said to her, ‘Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.’” It wasn’t the hem of our Lord’s garment that brought about the healing. It was faith in Him. This woman went home healed—no doubt praising God for the rest of her life.
Now; the huge crowd pressing in on our Lord would have seen this while He was on His way to heal the girl. Jairus himself would have seen it as he was leading Jesus to his home. And do you notice that the number of years of this woman’s illness was the same as the number of years that this girl was alive? The story in the middle is meant to teach us a great truth about the power of our Lord—and it goes on to enhance the story that surrounded it. We read on to see …
3. HOW JESUS RAISED THE YOUNG GIRL FROM THE DEAD (vv. 49-56).
Luke goes on to tell us in verse 49, “While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, ‘Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.’” What tragic words. And you can just imagine the grief that would have suddenly appeared on Jairus’ face. “But when Jesus heard it,” as Luke goes on to tell us in verse 50, “He answered him”—that is to say, Jesus responded directly to the fear that had now overcome Jairus—“saying, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.’” And He would have just then had given Jairus reason to not be afraid and to believe; because he would have seen what Jesus had done for the woman. When in the face of the horrors of sickness and death, our Lord—who is the Resurrection and the Life—says, “Do not be afraid; only believe …”
We’re told that when Jesus got to the house, He would not let the crowd come in to watch. He only brought in Peter, James and John—and also the girl’s mother and father. As was the custom of the day, the house was filled with mourners. But we’re told in verse 52 that our Lord said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” And we’re told that—in an amazing irony—the mourners all laughed Him to mocking scorn. They knew that she was dead. But as far as the Lord was concerned—who is the Lord of Life—she was only sleeping; and He was about to awaken her. That’s what death is for those of us who know the Lord—only a ‘sleep’ that awaits the great ‘waking-up morning’.
Verses 54-55 tell us, “But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, ‘Little girl, arise.’ Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.” What healthy, living, growing twelve-year-old child isn’t always hungry? And this proved to her mother and father—and to all who saw it—that she was indeed alive and well. “Immediately”—just as was true of the healing of the woman.
We’re told in verse 56 that her parents were astonished—which can be translated ‘amazed out of their minds’. They had just been taken from a state of overwhelming grief to overwhelming joy in a moment’s time. But our Lord, we’re told, “charged them to tell no one what had happened.” If they had, no doubt people would have been bringing their dead from all over the world to be raised by Him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Our Lord could raise everyone. But He doesn’t. He could heal all sickness. But He doesn’t. But in an ultimate sense, by His death on the cross for us—and His resurrection from the dead—He has conquered all the consequences of sin. Among those consequences are sickness and death. And one day, they will be completely removed from us by Him. As we’re told in Revelation 21:2-4 concerning the new heaven and the new earth—and the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven;
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).
This is what the Lord Jesus has secured for us at the cross. No wonder then, in the face of such dreaded realities as sickness and death, He tells us, “Do not be afraid; only believe …”
EA
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on June 17, 2020 under AM Bible Study |
AM Bible Study Group: June 17, 2020 from Luke 8:26-39
Theme: Jesus’ authority over the spiritual realms provokes either fearful rejection or faithful service.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
Click HERE for the live-stream archive of this Bible Study.
There is a man in heaven that I look forward to meeting. There are—of course—many people I look forward to meeting when I get to heaven; but among them will be one man in particular.
One reason that I look forward to meeting him is because he is one of the first urban missionaries of the New Testament. Jesus completely transformed his life, and then sent him back to go on a multiple-city tour of his own region—to his own people—to tell them all about what Jesus had done for him. But another reason I would like to meet him is because of the amazing degree to which Jesus had transformed him. Jesus had made him into a calm, sweet-spirited, dignified witness for himself. But before Jesus had met him, he had been a nightmarish monster. In fact, I think his story is one of the most remarkable transformation stories in the Bible. His transformation was so powerful that it caused the people who witnessed it to be terrified—of Jesus!
We don’t know this man’s name; but we find his story in Luke 8:26-39. And because of what we find there, we might call him the former demon-possessed maniac of the tombs.
* * * * * * * * * *
It’s important to see this man’s story in the context of Luke’s Gospel in which it is found. In the latter half of Chapter 8, Luke was sharing some stories about the authority of the Lord Jesus. In verses 22-25, we were told of Jesus’ authority over circumstances and over natural forces; and this was demonstrated to us in the story of how He commanded the wind and the waves of a storm to be still. Later on, in verses 40-56, we’re told of Jesus’ authority over sickness and death. Jesus raises a young twelve-year-old girl from the dead. And on the way to doing so—He also healed a woman who was plagued with an illness for twelve years. And now, between those two stories, we’re told this one. It’s the story of how Jesus demonstrated absolute authority over the spiritual realms. Even an army of evil spirits is helpless before Him.
Now; the devil is real. The demonic world is real. Jesus spoke of them and treated them as realities. But Jesus also spoke of his authority and power over them. Jesus was once teaching about the devil; and He said;
No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house (Mark 3:27).
Jesus is the stronger one who plunders the goods of the devil. He did this completely at the cross; and we’re told in Colossians 2:15 that He “disarmed principalities and powers” and “made a public spectral of them, triumphing over them in it” And how we respond to His greater authority over the spiritual forces of the demonic realms says a great deal about our own spiritual condition before Him. Will we turn to Him who has such power? Or will we flee from Him in fear because of our unbelief?
This is illustrated to us in this man’s story—who I look forward to meeting one day.
* * * * * * * * * *
Now; let’s go back to the beginning of his story—and to the time when Jesus first met him. Note first …
1. THE PATHETIC CONDITION OF THE MAN (vv. 26-29).
We’re told of what happened after Jesus had calmed the wind and the waves of the storm;
Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee (v. 26).
The name of this place is sometimes translated “the Gerasenes’. I have seen this country. It’s on the far eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee. It is a steep, hill-covered land; and when you see it, you can easily imagine herds feeding upon it. We’re told that Jesus had said to His disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake” (v. 22). And it appears that the only reason Jesus said this was so that He could meet up with this poor man.
And meet him He did. Look at what a condition this man was in. Verses 27-29 tell us;
And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness (vv. 27-29).
It’s hard to think of a more pathetic human being than this. He was demonically possessed and tormented. How he came to be in this tragic condition is something that we’re not told. We’re told that he was “a certain man from the city”; and it may be that something of the life of that city had drawn him down into the depths of spiritual bondage. And because he had dwelt among the tombs, he was—from the standpoint of the law that God had given through Moses—a perpetually unclean man. He had been in this condition for a long time. He lived inhumanly. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that he was ‘exceedingly fierce’ and that people could not safely pass by where he was. And in Mark’s Gospel, we’re told that he frighteningly cried out day and night, and cut himself with stones. He had superhuman strength; so that no one could bind him. He would simply break the chains and shackles apart.
We might look at such a man with horror and great pity. But let’s remember that he was a living illustration of our own condition apart from the grace of Jesus. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2;
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (Ephesians 2:1-3).
Now; no one could deliver us from our spiritual bondage but Jesus. He alone has the power and authority to bind the strong man, and plunder his goods, and deliver us from the kingdom of darkness and make us citizens of His kingdom. When the demonic forces in this man saw Jesus, they cried out in unified terror and said, What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!”
They cried out like this because Jesus was commanding them to come out of the man. And this shows us …
2. THE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY OF THE LORD (vv. 30-33).
Verse 30 tells us,
Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him (v. 30).
It wasn’t just one demon in the man. One would be horrible enough. But this was an army of demons. A Roman legion was composed of 6,000 soldiers; and so it may have been that there were that many demons who had taken possession of this man and who were tormenting him. And notice what they said to Jesus;
And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss (v. 31).
The abyss is a place of temporal judgment for those spiritual beings who are destined to be cast into the lake of fire. It is spiritual ‘Alcatraz’—but with no ‘Escape From’. It is a place of torment for the demonic world; because, in Matthew’s Gospel, we’re told that they were afraid Jesus was going to ‘torment them before the time’.
Apparently, demons would prefer to be almost anywhere than in this dreadful place called the abyss—even in pigs. And so, Luke tells us;
Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them (v. 32).
Swine were unclean animals to the Jewish people. And the fact that the demons asked to be sent into them is an illustration of just how unclean these demonic beings were. They’d prefer to be in pigs rather than in the abyss. But note that they couldn’t go into the pigs without the permission of our Lord. And so, Jesus—showing the greatness of His authority—gave them that permission.
Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned (v. 33).
What a sight! The pigs had been calmly feeding along the fields when—suddenly—the whole herd stampeded madly down the hillside, over the steep hill, and into the water! There have been people who have suggested that the man was not really demon-possessed. They say that he was only psychologically demented. But the sudden rush of the pigs into the lake was proof that this was not so. What a shocking scene it must have been—particularly to the herdsmen. We’re told in verse 34;
When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country (v. 34).
Now; all of this would have demonstrated the greatness of Jesus’ authority. It would have shown His power to mercifully deliver anyone who is oppressed by the devil. And you would have thought that people would have rejoiced in Him.
But no. It’s then that we encounter …
3. THE DISTORTED FEAR OF THE PEOPLE (vv. 34-37).
I say “distorted” because the people—because of a heart of unbelief—were suddenly afraid of the wrong thing. We’re told;
Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed (vv. 35-36).
The sight of seeing this formerly-terrifying man now sitting calmly at the feet of Jesus—and knowing that it was by Jesus’ command that the demons all left him and entered into the herd of pigs—made them even more terrified than they were before. They ceased being afraid of the man, and were now terrified of Jesus.
Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned (v. 37).
Jesus will not stay where He is not welcomed. And I think this is one of the most remarkable parts of this story! Even today, people can talk about all of their ideas about Jesus. They can put Him in a manageable box. But when they encounter Him as He really is—when they read about the greatness of His power and authority as it is declared to us in the Bible and shown to us in the transformation of the lives He has touched—when they realize that He is powerfully able to deliver even them from their sin if they will just trust Him—they realize that He is not who they thought He was. Some will fall before Him in worship. But others will flee from Him in terror.
Perhaps this is because of what it says in John 3:18-21;
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:18-21).
Well; the former demoniac didn’t flee. He was grateful. And as we go on to see, he became …
4. THE FAITHFUL WITNESS TO THE CITY (vv. 38-39).
He wanted to become one of Jesus’ disciples and travel along with Him. Luke tells us;
Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him (vv. 38-39).
Jesus had a better calling for him; and sent him back to the place he came from—from the ten cities that were together called ‘the Decapolis’—and made him a missionary to his own people. He proved to be a very faithful witness too. We’re told in Matthew 15 of a time when Jesus came back—later on in His ministry—to that region;
Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel (Matthew 15:29-31).
And do you notice this man’s own testimony to the greatness of Jesus’ authority? Jesus told him to go back to his people and tell them of what great things God did for him. And we’re told that he went and proclaimed throughout the whole city “what great things Jesus had done for him.”
He knew who Jesus was.
* * * * * * * * * *
When we encounter the enemy of our souls, we encounter someone who has greater power than we do. But when we encounter Jesus, we encounter Someone who’s power and authority causes even the devil and the demons of hell to tremble in fear.
Let’s not you or I fear Him, though. Let’s not hold back from coming to Him. Let’s let Him deliver us from the clutches of the enemy of our soul.
EA
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on June 10, 2020 under AM Bible Study |
AM Bible Study Group: June 10, 2020 from Luke 8:22-25
Theme: We can bear up joyfully under the storms of life because of what Jesus is to us in them.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
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Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on June 3, 2020 under AM Bible Study |
AM Bible Study Group: June 3, 2020 from Luke 8:19-21
Theme: Those who hear and keep the word of His Father are those who Jesus counts as His truest family.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
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