Luke 4:31-44 NIV
31 Then he went down to
Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They
were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was
a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his
voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with
us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you
are—the Holy One of God!”
35 “Be quiet!” Jesus
said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then
the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36 All the people were
amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With
authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And
the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
38 Jesus left the synagogue
and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a
high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So
he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at
once and began to wait on them.
40 At sunset, the people
brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on
each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons
came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he
rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he
was the Messiah.
42 At daybreak, Jesus went
out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to
where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But
he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of
God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And
he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
How Well Do You Know Him?
Well? How well do you really know Jesus? Tell me from your
heart.
Here is Jesus once again, do what was the usual for Him. In
today’s language; Jesus was going to church, just like he loved to do. Yes,
Jesus was in church with the people. What an example for us. We, too, need to
attend church… no excuses. Jesus set the example for us to follow.
Jesus’ main activity was teaching and worship on the
Sabbath. The message from this passage of Scripture is brief and to the point.
So, let’s learn, listen and see. Let’s at least see and acknowledge the Power
of God in Jesus as much as the demons do here and now.
Jesus silenced the demons. Jesus wanted the people of His
day then and His day now to learn for themselves, what the demons already knew…
Jesus IS God.
On this Sabbath, when Jesus taught the people, the people
were amazed at Jesus’ words and authority. Jesus main task, at this time, and
forever, was to tell the Gospel or Good News to the people present with Him in
the synagogue. The result of Jesus telling this Gospel, spreads beyond His time
then, to our time today, thanks to the recording of Jesus’ actions in the
Bible. But, for this passage of Scripture, Jesus was reaching out to the Jews.
So, what’s the big deal, when we read about a demon
possessed man? Notice how the man was possessed by a demon. One demon it seems.
But as the demon speaks to Jesus, it changes to the plural. And, notice how the
demon or demons know Jesus. Even the demons know Jesus as the “Holy One of God.”
Pronouncing an opponent’s name, in this case, for the
demons, Jesus, was an attempt to gain advantage over the opponent… Jesus.
But Jesus is possessed as well. Yes, Jesus is possessed by something
way more powerful than just some name calling demons. Jesus has Power in His
Word. In fact, Jesus is the Word from the very beginning of time. And in Jesus
Word is All power.
And Jesus’ Word is simple. “Come out of him!” And that’s
exactly what happens, right then and there. Amazing, to the people then and
amazing as well today. At the Word of Jesus come forth the Power to heal
everything from God. Not just to heal in the physical, present sense; but to
heal for all time and into eternity.
But this eternal healing of Jesus, doesn’t just stop at
this point. Jesus goes on from here, laying His hands on the sick, showing that
Jesus was God in power. Even power to heal the mother-in-law of Jesus’ own
disciple, Simon.
But what about today? Does Jesus heal today?
Sure, but it’s more than what we expect. We may see people
healed physically. We may see people healed spiritually. But this passage of
Scripture points us beyond all of this as well. This is a testament to the
power of Jesus that goes beyond the ordinary. This is a testament to the
authority and power of how Jesus comes to us in the midst of our evil, sinful
selves and brings eternal healing. Healing beyond the physical needs of this
world in illness and death, to a healing that draws us to believe in the God in
Jesus. Healing that draws us into His arms, falling from our sinful lives, into
Jesus own perfection and sanctified life in and with God.
How’s that?
God sent Jesus into this sinful world for you and me and
all. Jesus came to do what we can’t possibly do ourselves. We can’t make
ourself holy before God. But… God can make us holy and He does. Through Jesus coming
to us with all healing, we are given everything. We are given faith to believe
in what God has done. We are forgiven, as we turn to God. God wants us! God
wants to be in relationship with us and as He is One with Jesus and the Holy
Spirit, God, calls us, enlightens us, and gives Himself to us through our
baptism and the body and blood of Jesus, as Jesus has done all that needs to be
done, for us and to us.
So, how could we not believe? How could we not follow?
But there are some who won’t believe, there are some who
won’t follow. But, the free gift of eternal life with God, still stands open
and before each sinful person. God wants us and comes to us to give us life.
So… How well do you know Him? Even the demons know God when
they see and hear Him.
Likewise, realize, how well God knows you. God knows you
and loves you so much that the Father sent the Son into this world to make us
One with Him. Turn around and look, see, and listen to the Powerful Word of God…
today… tomorrow… and forever.
Rest assured that you can lean on God for all time. God
knows you even before you knew you could be known. Yes, there is a day when we
will see clearly that face of Jesus and fall into His arms free from pain,
tears and death, and into eternal life with God and all those who couldn’t help
but to believe and place all their hope in our Savior, Jesus. Thanks be to God!
I leave you with this YouTube Music Video that spoke to me
while I was reflecting on this passage of Scripture. At this time in my life,
it strikes very close to my heart.
“Arms of Jesus”
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