Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/RDH-pxz3D_A?t=1783

Jesus and the Spirit; Part 2

Text: Luke 4:14-32 (see Luke 5-8 for more on teaching-listening relationship)

Introduction: Our Spirit Empowered Teacher and Mentor

We want to consider the role of the HS in the Ministry of Jesus as He trains his disciples to be engaged in the work of the Kingdom with Him.
Today we see Jesus led by the Spirit with the power to teach and preach the good news of the Kingdom so that people’s lives might be changed.

Explore the Text: Jesus Speaks with Power and Addresses People Like Us

The Spirit-Empowered Teaching of Jesus 4:14-32 (see Is 11:2; 42:1; 61:1)

Jesus goes to Galilee in the Power of the Spirit and begins preaching and teaching in the synagogues. (see Lk. 23:5)
- Teaching & preaching—the two are not clearly distinguished in the ministry of Jesus (Mt. 4:17 [preach] Lk. 4:14-32 [teach])
- The Kingdom of God: the time of God’s rule & reign. God is initiating the new creation that He will bring to its fulfillment.
In the Synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus explains his Spirit-filled Purpose.
- Jesus uses Is. 61, to describe what he is doing & what it means.
  - The Spirit-filled Servant of the Lord: prophecy fulfilled.
  - Jn 3:34 “For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.” (Acts 10:36-38)
- The Kingdom of God is good news to those who live at the margins of society in a fallen world.
  - The Reversal of life as defined in a world apart from God.
  - The Focus: Not the successful ones. Not the wise ones. Not the sophisticated religious rulers. See the blessings and woes in Luke 6:20-26 also Mt. 5:1-16.
- The radical choice: We either accept or reject Jesus. Lk. 4:28-30
  - Initial acceptance became rejection when they did not like what Jesus said. (Contrast 4:14 with 4:20-22 and then vs. 28-30)
    - Friendly listeners turn dangerous.
    - The crowd is ready to throw Jesus off a cliff!
    - Satan had urged Jesus to leap off a high point of the temple.
  - Jesus walked through the angry crowd and went on his way!
    - He honors their decision about him and his teaching.
    - I think this is Luke’s warning to his reader!

Spirit-filled Jesus Did not Aspire to Be a Popular Motivational Speaker!

Jesus Trains Disciples for Life in the Kingdom (5:1-11; 6:12-49)
- Calling/Appointing apprentices to serve in the Kingdom. (5:11)
  - A Catch of Fish, a Sinful Fisherman, & a Promise
  - Three years of training that transforms and prepares them to receive the gift of the Spirit.
- Jesus Trains Listeners to Live an Abundant Life in the Kingdom:
  1. Discover the beauty and power of a Spirit-filled life as they listen and watch Jesus closely.
  2. Create a desire for the abundant life of the Kingdom where God’s will is done on earth as in heaven.
  3. Commit to become a person who enjoys life in the Kingdom.
- Jesus Warns His Listeners: Mind Your Heart! (Lk. 8:3-18)
  - Parable of the four soils: A good heart nurtures the word.
    - Jesus Model of Education: More like learning to play an instrument or repair a car than passing a test in school.
  - Jesus’ message was not “God’s word for Dummies.”
    - He invites the listener to pay close attention and respond.
    - I grew up listening to preaching-as-motivation.
    - The speaker often missed the point of Scripture to inspire people.
  - Jesus’ Warning: Consider carefully how you listen! 8:16-21
    - Jesus’ True Family Hears the Word & Practices Lk. 8:19-21
    - Luke uses the story of Jesus Calming the Obedient Storm Lk. 8:22-25
  - Listening Obedience as Faith (see John 15:9-11)
    - To remain in his love, Jesus’ disciples are to live as he lived!

Conclusion: The NT describes the possibility of the Spirit-enabled listener who can be transformed.

The Choice: Will I yield my life to the Authority of Jesus as my Mentor?

The World Apart from God Constantly Trains You to Be Successful & Gain the Best the World Offers.
- The allure of the media specialists and entertainers.
The NT invites us to discover a life of interactive involvement with Jesus.
- How serious are you about Jesus as the One who trains you?
- Like a person who sees potential, hires teachers and coaches, and does the work when no one is watching because I want to change?
- Like a reluctant spouse enduring hours of expensive counseling but refusing to put things into practice?
  - Gottman book on Marriage: Read or Practice?
  - It is not enough to have the book and place it on my shelf. It is not adequate to read it and mark sections I think my spouse should read. It is not even enough to mark those key sections that offer ideas about how I can improve. The key is to commit to putting into practice those ideas that could make a difference. And the power comes as I pray that God through the Holy Spirit would transform my heart so that I become the kind of person who does such practices in love.
- Spiritual Herd Immunity: Immune from Hearing Jesus
  - I thought I was hearing Jesus for many years, but the lack of change in my life made it clear that I was not listening to him.
  - Instead, I kept finding people who assured me that what I wanted to hear Jesus say was exactly what he was saying or at least what he meant.
- No longer protecting what I want to believe but deciding that I need to change my life—seeing Jesus in a fresh and alluring way.
  - I do not ever want to turn back.

Notes

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[^a^]
²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 11:1-4

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
²The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
³and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
⁴but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Isaiah 42:1-9

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
²He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
³A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
⁴ he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

⁵This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
⁶“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
⁷to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

⁸“I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
⁹See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”