Good Entrance

Luke 4:14-30

Good entrance

Why does everyone want to make a good entrance? Do we like getting the attention? Is that why we want to show up at prom fashionably late? So everyone can see how great we look? If we are honest, most of us really like getting the attention. Whether it is the new outfit, new car, the new haircut… we like to get noticed.

In this passage, Jesus had just come from being tempted by the devil. This moment in time was marking the beginning of His public ministry. This is the start, Jesus’ opportunity to let people know who He truly was and for people to notice Him. We can begin to imagine how we would start off; we would want to start with a bang.

On His first stop, Jesus did do some incredible things in Galilee, from healing the sick, to casting out demons (Matthew 4:23-25). But this is where the story shifts: Jesus decides to go home to his hometown, Nazareth.

The people in Nazareth were excited because they had heard all the rumblings about Jesus. They were expecting the same miracles to happen in their town.

Jesus shows up at church in Nazareth to speak to the crowd that had gathered. He read from Isaiah 61:1-2. This passage had long been considered to be prophesying about the coming Messiah. By reading this passage, Jesus was stating that the time of the Messiah had come and that He in fact was the Messiah they had been waiting for. Jesus stated that he had come to proclaim good news to the poor, to set the captives free, and to free those who were oppressed.

At first the people were amazed at Jesus, but then they started to remember, that He was the son of Joseph. Jesus went on to tell two stories about two prophets, Elijah and Elisha and how they didn’t minister to the church people or religious people but they ministered to the Gentiles the people that were “unchurched.” At this point the people were enraged at Jesus, to the point that they began to try to push him off a cliff.

Jesus is just starting off in ministry and He has already offended people to the point they are trying to kill Him? This isn’t how we would have told Jesus to start his ministry. We would have wanted him to build a huge following – “Just get a lot of people attending Church, Jesus!” Then, after He has a much bigger following, He could maybe start offending religious people. But we have to remember that Jesus didn’t come to appease the religious; He came to speak the Gospel to the poor, to the people who didn’t think they had God figured out.

The people of Nazareth had a certain image of God in their mind. This view of God was keeping them from seeing that God was right in front of them. They were making the assumption that because they were “religious” or “church going people” that they knew God. They didn’t realize that Jesus was getting ready to shatter their way of connecting to God.

It is a message of hope that Jesus came to save that which was lost. Many times in our lives we are dealt a bad hand. We feel like we haven’t been given a fair deal - Our parents got divorced, we don’t feel loved, we wished we looked different. But this is the message that Jesus is trying to communicate and this is why He came: to restore what has been broken and to bring life to what is dead.

Who was Jesus trying to please in this passage?

Do you have an incorrect view of God?

Have you lost hope?

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Temptation.

Evil is the opposite of God's will for our lives. But unfortunately, evil is a reality in our world today.

So how do we as Christ followers live in an evil world and handle temptation?

Let's look to Jesus' example in Luke 4.

After being filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days where He ate nothing and was tempted by Satan. Nowhere in Palestine could Jesus have been more isolated or in less comfort. He was completely alone and completely vulnerable. Jesus was being tempted and enticed to do evil and the temptations became progressively worse.

We first see Satan tempting Jesus to turn stones into bread to satisfy His deep hunger. In v.3-4, Satan was trying to get Jesus to distrust God and use his powers to serve Himself and his own desires. But at any point in His ministry did Jesus use His powers to serve Himself or make Himself more comfortable? No. And He didn't give into this temptation in the wilderness either. When it would have made the most sense to give in, and when it would have been the most understandable to use His powers to quench His hunger, Christ didn't. He refused to distrust God. Follow Christ's example - trust in God, not your own desires and wants.

Next, Satan went deeper and appealed to Jesus' supposed rights as the Son of God. In v.5-8, we see Satan taking Jesus and showing Him all the kingdoms of the world and saying that he would give all this authority to Jesus, and if Jesus worshipped him (Satan) then all of the kingdoms of the world would be His. Satan wanted Jesus to bow before him and worship him. So often temptation approaches us the same way - "Look what you could have, look at all this power. Don't wait; take it now!" But Jesus saw through Satan's trap of immediate gratification, and trusted God's plan of eternal purpose.

Lastly, Satan took Jesus to the temple at Jerusalem and set him on the roof and told him, "If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" (v.9-11) So often, we try to test God to see how much He cares or if He's even listening. We demand signs from God that He is there - one more miracle, one more show. But the truth is, to test God is to doubt His presence and existence. God won't reveal to you what He's going to do, but He will reveal to you who He is.

Why did Christ have to go through temptation? Why did God enter the world in flesh, where He experienced hunger, heartbreak, sadness, anger, exhaustion, and pain? Because He knew we would feel those things too.

"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." - Hebrews 2:18

We know we can turn to Christ will all we're dealing with because He's dealt with it too. And not only has he experienced it, He's overcome it.

Every Christ-follower will deal with temptation. But we must respond like Christ. He was prepared - He spent time with the Father, and time in prayer and fasting. And He knew God's word. Every time Satan tempted Him, He responded with God's word. Christ recognized that His mission before Him, the calling to do God's will and to glorify His Father, was much stronger than His desires and comfort and satisfaction.

Do we feel the same way? Do we see our mission from God as more urgent and powerful than our personal wants and desires?

Get into God's word and hide His message in your heart. Recognize the power and glory of God, and get to know Him more and more everyday. The more you know Him and love Him, the easier it will be to put His purpose above your own.

HSM Spring Retreat Signup DUE THIS SUNDAY....

We have had a great response for the spring retreat and want to give you a few more days to signup. We have decided to extend the signup date until this Sunday, February 26th. This will be the final day to signup!!! Don't miss it.

be bold.

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." Ephesians 6:19-20

What is God's purpose for our lives?

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

- Ephesians 4:11-16

God has an individual purpose and plan for each one of us, but as the Body of Christ, and followers of Jesus, we have a calling to grow up into mature faith, to the measure of the stature and fullness of Christ.

We are called to be spiritual adults, not children.

We are called to deepen our knowledge of Him and grow our faith in Him.

And we are called to FEARLESSLY share His truth and love to the nations.

We often think or make excuses that only after we graduate, or we're in college, or have our career path figured out, or have a steady job, or are married with kids, THEN, and only after those things are worked out, God can use us to further His kingdom.

But the truth is, the day you're spiritually raised from the dead, the day you accept Christ as savior and Lord of your life, is the day you start proclaiming the Gospel.

That doesn't mean that your story won't unfold and that God doesn't have a plan for those big milestones and decisions in your life. It just means that you don't have to wait; you can be in His purpose right now.

No more saying, "But I don't know what God's will for me is."

On your prayer list, move above your prayer for comfort this prayer:

"God, every time I open my mouth, You give me the words to say."

That is a powerful and transforming prayer. This prayer will uproot you and put you in a place of flexibility and availability where He can reveal his plan and vision for you, all while using you to further His kingdom.

Don't let the uncertainty of your future hinder you from sharing the love of Christ.

Go do whatever you're wired to do in the name of Jesus.

He's not concerned with what you're doing. He says whatever you're doing, do it to the glory of Christ.

Spread the word of Christ BOLDLY.

Don't value peer acceptance more than bringing glory to our Savior.

The only fear we should have is the fear of living an insignificant life.

Minimize all other fears.

Don't waste your life. Don't waste the talents and spiritual gifts God has given you.

Go, and make disciples.

You will never regret letting God use you to further His kingdom.

Have a blessed weekend, BCSMers! Praying for God to reveal opportunities to share His love with others!

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