October 5: Matthew 4, Luke 4-5, John 1:15-51

October 5, Matthew 4, Luke 4-5, John 1:15-51

Matthew, Luke & John continued…

Matthew 4 The temptations from Satan to Jesus. Jesus was led by the Spirit to the wilderness and fasted for 40 days - he was obviously hungry. We get a glimpse of the humanness of Christ here. Satan is the tempter. He came and tempted Jesus and Jesus wasn't having any of it. We get more detail in Luke, so see below for that. Basically though, Matthew records that Jesus rebuked Satan with Scripture, which is what we are supposed to do as well. Satan twisted Scripture. It also shows us that Satan knows Scripture - so be guarded against his schemes. When Jesus was done fasting and rebuked Satan away, angels came to ministered to Him. Boom!

Jesus then began His public ministry. He heard that John had been arrested and he withdrew to Galilee and began preaching repentance for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…

Jesus then called His 1st disciples. He recruits Peter, Andrews, James & John. All fishermen who immediately followed Jesus. He then went throughout Galilee teaching in the Jewish Synagogues and healing people. He was becoming quite famous in all the region. 

Luke 4 Similar to a red out of Matthew four, Jesus was sent by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to fast for 40 days. It was there that he was tempted by Satan. The big Picture stuff here is that Jesus dealt with all the temptations that are common to man except on a larger scale. Satan was trying to appeal to the flesh, pride and lust of the eyes. Not much is changed in Satan's tactics… just look at today. After Jesus was done fasting and being tempted by Satan, he began his public ministry. He taught in Jewish synagogues and was being glorified by all. He went back to his hometown, Nazareth and went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. They handed him a scroll to read and it was from the prophet Isaiah. Jesus was aware of his anointing from God and a text that he read from Isaiah was about the anointing from God. Jesus told those at the synagogue that the scripture had just been fulfilled! The people were in awe and marveled at his words, yes they questioned the fact that he came from the home of Joseph. Jesus knew what they were thinking and Jesus told them that a prophet is not welcome in his hometown. He gave some examples of the ministry of Elijah and Elisha and how they two rejected God’s prophets. When this happened, got typically sent them elsewhere. The people did not like this and they wanted to kill Jesus by throwing him off a cliff. Jesus escaped them. 

Then Jesus went to Capernaum and was teaching on the Sabbath. They were all astonished at his teaching with authority. Encountered a man with a demon and that demon new that he was Jesus Christ. Jesus rebuked the demon and silence him. The people were amazed at the authority of Jesus Christ and the fact that demons obeyed Him. Jesus healed many including Simon's mother-in-law…

Luke 5 Jesus begins calling his first disciples. We're told of how he called Peter and Andrew and James and John. He got into Simons boat and went a little bit from shore and he sat and taught the people. After that he told Simon to go put his nets out into the deep water. Simon explained that he had been fishing all night and caught nothing but obeyed what Jesus told him to do anyway. He caught so much fish their nets were beginning to break and so they called in another boats to help them. After that Simon Peter fell to his knees asking Jesus to leave because he was a sinful man. Jesus explained that from that point forward Simon would be a fisher of men instead of fish. They left everything and followed him. 

Jesus then met a man filled with leprosy. The man asked if Jesus was willing to heal him. Jesus was willing & did heal him. Jesus told him to go to the priest and make an offering as Moses had commanded and give proof to them of what Jesus had done. Instead he went told everybody what you said done & Jesus became more popular. He still would go find desolate places and pray, which was probably becoming more challenging! 

Then we hear the story of Jesus healing a paralytic. There was a man who is paralyzed and his friends were trying to bring him to Jesus to be healed. They could not get to him because the house that he was in was packed with people. So the friends went up to the rough cut out part of it, and lowered this guy into the house so that he could be near Jesus. Jesus told the man that is since were forgiven. The Pharisees were furious because how could a “man” forgive sins? Jesus was revealing to them that he was not just a man, but the Son of Man with the authority to forgive sins. 

Then Jesus meets Levi, a tax collector (back in those days most tax collectors were scandalous) & Jesus told him to follow Jesus. Levi left his business and followed Jesus. Then leave I through a big feast in this house and all the Pharisees we're upset again because Jesus was hanging out with tax collectors and sinners. Back in those days, people reclined around a table and hung out… “And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” This is right, Jesus came for the sick. They also questioned him on why his disciples not fast yet they continue to eat and drink. Jesus explains that his disciples will fast when he goes away. For now, Jesus is there! 

John 1: 15-51 back to John… Jesus, being the Word, came in the flesh and dwelt among men. As we talked about earlier, and is restated here, John the Baptist was a forerunner of Jesus and told everybody that he was coming. Another part of the message is with Jesus we receive grace upon grace… “for the law was given through Moses, Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Thank God for Jesus! John also openly confessed that he is not the Christ but he was simply a “Voice of one crying out the wilderness to make straight the way of the Lord.” John knew his purpose and live it to its fullest. Also prophecy fulfilled:) 

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and he exclaimed this is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John explained to everybody that this is who he was talking about! John was a witness that this was the son of God. Some of John's disciples follow Jesus and they wanted to know where he was staying. He told them follow him… 

We then learn about the calling of Andrew and Simon. Andrew was ecstatic because they had found the Messiah, Which means Christ. This is also where Jesus changed Simon name to Cephas, which means Peter. 

The next day they decided to go to Galilee and this is where Jesus called Philip and Nathanael. And Jesus amaze them because he knew Nathanael's name and Jesus explained to him that he will see greater things than just Jesus knowing somebody's name…

To sum it all up: 

• I love the story from Luke 5. when we try to do things on our own we will not succeed. When we do what Jesus asks us to, We will succeed His way. Simon had already fished all those waters and caught nothing, but Jesus had set it up for him to catch it with Jesus to learn to trust him.
• What lengths of faith would you go to to have people or yourself be close to Jesus?
• The Jesus that we are reading about here is as real as anything in this world has ever been. Regardless of what you are going through or what you have been through, Jesus saves. Jesus redeems. Jesus restores. If these crazy old fisherman dropped their livelihoods for Him - literally - then we are on to something. For last 2000 years lives have been changed because of this man. There is nothing worth living for apart from Christ.