Hands free: Luke 6:17-49

Scripture:  ¹⁹And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.  ²⁰And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Observation:  What strikes me in this passage is the shift in Jesus’ attention from the crowds to the disciples.  His instruction becomes focused on those He would count on to continue His ministry.  His interaction with the crowds became hands free.  All they had to do was touch Him and they would be healed.

Jesus did not allow His popularity with the crowds to distract Him from the real task at hand.  Popularity did not enamor Him.  Instead He instructed His disciples on the character and behaviors of those who belonged to the Kingdom of God.  These characteristics and behaviors were counter culture and counter intuitive – loving your enemies, doing good to those who hate you, do not condemn, but forgive, etc.  Actions of this sort come from a heart that has been transformed and changed (verse 45).

Give it a rest: Luke 6:1-16

Scripture: “And Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good  or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?’” 6:9

Observation:  The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had lost sight of the purpose for Sabbath rest.  They focused on the “not do any work” of Exodus 20:10 and seemed to ignore the rest and blessing that Exodus 20:11 defines as Sabbath purpose.  God designed the Sabbath, not because He needed rest (He neither sleeps nor slumbers, Psalm 121:3, 4), but because He wanted to bless His creation with a time to remember the Creator, and a time for rest and re-creation.  Sabbath is a time to cease from labors and re-focus on God.

Jesus condemns the man-made rules of Sabbath keeping that would prevent men from helping others.  They had rules that would allow them to get their sheep out of a ditch on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:11), but they would not permit the healing of a man.  Their hypocrisy was astounding.  Jesus restores the meaning of Sabbath by healing a person and legitimizing the gathering of food.  Both acts are restorative and demonstrative of that which is good and right.

One more try: Luke 5:1-38

Scirpture:  ⁵Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” ⁶When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;

Observation:  Jesus’ ministry now underway, He begins calling disciples to Himself.  He teaches them that He is Lord of the Catch, or Harvest when talking in agrarian terms.  Jesus would make the discples fishers of men.  Their labors produced nothing.  At His word the nets broke.  Peter responds in repentance and humility.  He came to grips with his own sin.  Amazement siezed the others.  Jesus responds, “From now on you will be catching men.”  The rest of the chapter illustrates what that means with the cleansing of the leper and the healing of the paralytic.

In Word and Deed: Luke 4:31-44

Scripture: ⁴² And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, ⁴³but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” ⁴⁴And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.” ESV

Observation:  In the earlier part of Luke 4, we read the announcement of Jesus’ Messianic ministry as He quotes from Isaiah 61:1-2.  His promises of spiritual healing and liberation to the outcast and downtrodden sound very noble at first.  But as the religious establishment understood the implications of His claims (that God’s grace and mercy were to be shown to those outside the nation of Israel, verse 27), they promptly attempted to stone Him to death.

Verses 31-44 become the application of His ministry claims issued earlier in 18-27.  Notice that the meeting of human need is never separated from the proclamation of truth.

Power Play: Luke 4:1-30

Scripture: “And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit . . .” verse 14

Observation:  God is on the move.  Like an awakening from a deep sleep, or a period of barrenness, Jesus, God in human flesh, confronts His spiritual arch-enemy, Satan.  Satan’s attempts to have Jesus give in to his offers of power and prominence fail.  The result:  Jesus launches His ministry in the power of the Spirit.  Soon after He confronts the religious establishment with the glaring truth that Messiah has come and that His message of liberation is for Jews and Gentiles alike.  He deliberately chooses two examples of faith in the Old Testament that represent the enemies of the Jewish nation.  Even though  they tried to kill Him at that point, He passed through their midst untouched.

Spiritual Coattails: Luke 3:1-38

Scripture: “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’” verse 8

Observation: John the Baptist is preparing the way for Messiah’s ministry.  His job appears to be that of helping people wrestle with their sin and their need for forgiveness.  Some believed they could ride on the coattails of their religious heritage, their relationship to Abraham.  But John says that is not the case.  Salvation belongs to those whose hearts have come to grips with their sin, who understand and accepts God’s forgiveness offered in the One coming after John.  Those who have truly repented, who have changed their mind about their spiritual condition, who have turned from sin and turned to God, those are the ones who will be part of God’s Kingdom.

Application: We easily fall into the trap of thinking that just because we were raised a certain way, or that we went to church all of our lives, that somehow we have a ticket into the Kingdom of God. 

I can hardly believe my eyes: Luke 2:21-52

 Scripture:
²⁵And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. . .

³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed – ³⁵and a sword will pierce even your own soul–to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

 ³⁶And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. ³⁸At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Observation:  Two of God’s faithful servants persevered for decades in their service for God, waiting expectantly for the coming of the Lord’s Christ.  Their waiting paid off as they became a part of ushering in God’s Kingdom.  They did not have a prominent role, but they had a crucial role that God bestowed upon them for their faithful service.  When Christ came on the scene they could hardly believe their eyes as Simeon declares: ^“29“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; ³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Good news! Luke 2:1-20

Scripture:  ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

Observation: Luke shifts his focus from John to Jesus in chapter 2.  God is on the move.  Mary’s baby, the Savior of the world, enters the scene, not in a palace, but in a dirty, lowly, smelly manager.  Angels announce the news, not to society’s dignitaries, but to humble shepherds.  And this is Good News!  A Savior is born!  The angels tell the shepherds where the baby can be found.  Fear not!  They can approach Him without fear. 

Will wonders never cease?: Luke 1:39-80

Scripture: Verse ⁶⁶All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Observation: Chapter 1 continues to focus on the mirculous birth of John the Bpatist with a parathetical glimpse of the angelic visitation given to Mary.  People take note of Zacharias’ testimony and the powerful things that God was going to do through Mesiah and His forerunner, John.  “For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people.” Verse 67. 

Application:  Will wonders never cease?  Very powerful movements of God emerge from the most unlikely sources.  God loves to use His faithful and perservering servants.  When God seems silent and life mundane, I will perserve and be faithful to Him by seeking and obeying Him every moment of my life.

God is on the move: Luke 1:1-38

Scripture:  verses 5-11
⁵In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  ⁶They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.  ⁷But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
⁸Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, ⁹according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.  ¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.  ¹¹And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

Observation: Zecharias and Elizabeth stood as God’s faithful servants of God in spite of God’s silence and personal barrenness.  But here they are on the eve of God doing something amazing in their personal lives, the life of the nation of Israel and the world.  “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his [John's] birth.” verse 14.