DBG - October 27 - Luke 4-5

In this chapter Christ begins His public ministry in Galilee.

vs. 1-13 – This parallels Matthew 4:1-11 and Mark 1:12-13.  Christ’s earthly ministry begins with 40 days of fasting in the Judean wilderness.  Weakened in body but strong in the Spirit, Satan tempts Him.  This testing is further proof that Christ truly was the Son of God.  Satan appealed to the lust of the flesh in tempting Him to made bread out of stones, to the lust of the eyes in tempting Him with the kingdoms of the world, and to the pride of life by tempting Him to let angels dramatically rescue Him.  All three instances are countered by Christ quoting Scripture (Deuteronomy 8:3, Exodus 17:2, and Deuteronomy 6:13-14).

vs. 14-15 – This parallels Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:14-15, and John 4:43-45.  Christ returns to Galilee and begins publicly preaching and working miracles.

vs. 16-30 – This parallels Matthew 4:13-16.  Christ goes to the Synagogue in Nazareth which He had attended for so many years.  He stands to read from Isaiah 61:1-2.  He stops midway through verse 2.  The section He read applies to the Messiah’s first advent and from the point He stopped applies to the second advent.  His sermon is simple: He was the fulfillment of that text.  The people refuse to believe this.  They riot and attempt to kill Christ by throwing Him off a nearby cliff.  It was not yet His time to die and He walks through the mob and departs for Capernaum.

vs. 31-37 – This parallels Mark 1:21-28. Here is Christ’s first recorded encounter with demons.  James 2:9 tells us that such know who Christ is yet refuse to humble themselves before Him.  Christ casts the devil out of the man.  The fame of the event increased interest in Him.

vs. 38-41 – This parallels Matthew 8:14-17 and Mark 1:29-34.  Christ continues performing miracles in Capernaum, and with each His popularity grows.  He heals Peter’s mother-in-law and many others.  He casts out demons but silences their attempts to identify Him.  He did not want darkness to be the witness that moved men’s hearts.

vs. 42-44 – This parallels Matthew 4:23-25 and Mark 1:35-39.  After the initial flurry of activity in Capernaum, Christ retreats for a season of rest.  The people follow Him and He begins a preaching tour throughout Galilee.

In this chapter begins to confront the Pharisees.

vs. 1-11 – This parallels Matthew 4:18-22 and Mark 1:16-20.  Christ calls disciples to follow Him, and here the full story of Peter’s call is given.  To preach to the crowd, Christ uses Peter’s boat to speak from a little way for shore.  He then commands Peter to go out and cast his nets.  Simon, a professional fisherman, says that they had caught nothing all night but would do as Christ said.  The catch is so massive that he must call for help, and even then, the boats are almost overwhelmed in hauling in the haul of fish.  Christ calls these fishermen to follow Him and become fishers of men.

vs. 12-16 – This parallels Matthew 8:2-4 and Mark 1:40-45.  Christ heals a man from the dreaded disease of leprosy.  There is much written in the Law about this, including Leviticus 13:44-46 and Numbers 5:2-3.  Lepers were outcasts from society and there were many restrictions to curb the spread of leprosy.  Christ touching a leper would be a shocking sight.  He tells the man to go and offer the requisite sacrifices for his ritual purification (Leviticus 14:1-32).  Christ’s popularity explodes.

vs. 17-26 – This parallels Matthew 9:2-8 and Mark 2:1-12.  A group of men attempt to bring their crippled friend to Christ for healing, but the mass of people trying to hear Christ block them from reaching Him.  They resort to climbing on the roof, which was usually made of thatch, mud, and maybe tiles.  They open a hole in the roof (which would easily be repaired) and lower their friend down in front of Christ.  Christ shocks the Pharisees by not only forgiving the man’s sins but also healing His body.  Both were acts of divinity that could not be otherwise explained. 

vs. 27-28 – This parallels Matthew 9:9 and Mark 2:13-14.  Matthew, also called Levi, is called to be a disciple.  He was publican that worked with the Roman authorities to collect taxes and tariffs.  He would have been extremely unpopular with the general population.

vs. 29-32 – This parallels Matthew 9:10-13 and Mark 2:15-17.  Matthew hosts a dinner party to introduce Christ to His publican friends.   The scribes and Pharisees object that Christ should not be associating with such sinners.  Christ’s response is that those who are sick with sin are the most in need of His aid. 

vs. 33-39 – This parallels Matthew 9:14-17 and Mark 2:18-22.  Christ is questioned as to why He did not fast like the Pharisees or even John the Baptist’s disciples.  His behavior in eating with sinners went against their notions of piety.  Christ responds that there should be rejoicing that He was now with them.  He then comments on the incompatibility of His way and the ways of the Pharisees.

Christ calls all men to follow Him.  First, for salvation.  Second, for service.  If you heed the first call, you should also heed the second.  This does not mean that you have to be a preacher or work full-time in the ministry.  We all have opportunities to serve Christ in our daily lives.  We all have souls that we can reach.

Our hymn today is “Follow Me, the Master Said,” written by William Stevenson in 1880.

Follow Me, the Master said;
We will follow Jesus:
By His Word and Spirit led,
We will follow Jesus.
Still for us He lives to plead,
At the throne doth intercede,
Offers help in time of need:
We will follow Jesus.

Should the world and sin oppose,
We will follow Jesus:
He is greater than our foes,
We will follow Jesus.
On His promise we depend;
He will succor and defend,
Help and keep us to the end:
We will follow Jesus.

Tho’ the way may dark appear,
We will follow Jesus:
He will make our pathway clear,
We will follow Jesus.
In our daily round of care,
As we plead with God in prayer,
With the cross which we must bear,
We will follow Jesus.

Ever keep the end in view;
We will follow Jesus:
All His promises are true:
We will follow Jesus.
When this earthly course is run,
And the Master says, Well done!
Life eternal we’ll have won!
We will follow Jesus.