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GOOD PREACHING GONE BAD
Luke 4:14-30 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas February 26, 2017 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away. — Luke 4:14-30, ESV Throughout His public ministry, Jesus was primarily a preacher. Our Lord did other things, to be sure, cool things, like heal the sick and raise the dead, but mostly He just preached. Christ’s sermons fulfilled the Old Testament and inspired the New Testament. They pointed people to Himself as the promised Messiah. They offered the kingdom of God to all who would repent, believe, and follow Him. But, instead of a megachurch or a best selling book contract, Jesus’ sermons earned for Him rebuke, rejection, and ultimately death. Jesus’ first preaching gig in His hometown of Nazareth is a prime example of His overall ministry. It began well with expectation, promise, and truth. It ended, however, with insult, aggression, and an attempt at Jesus’ life. It is a classic case of what happens when good preaching goes bad. The Setting The setting for this sermon by Jesus is a typical synagogue worship service in Nazareth. Remember that Christ’s ministry is both redemptive and exemplary, and one of the finest examples Jesus set during His earthly journey was His commitment to public worship. If anyone was too good, too busy, or deserved to be too critical of the church, Jesus was and is. Yet He attended regularly, and still does, whenever two or more gather in His name. Public worship from the synagogue period through the current church era has not changed much (with the exception of some of our so-called seeker-sensitive churches). God’s requirements seldom do. There is to be prayer and praise, offerings and sacraments, and primarily the reading and preaching of the word of God. On this stellar occasion in Nazareth, the word was preached by the Word Himself. The Sermon A scroll containing the words of the prophet Isaiah has always been a best-seller in Israel. A complete copy dating back to the fourth century before Christ was among the first and foremost discoveries among the Dead Sea scrolls. Isaiah is perhaps the most messianic and gospel-oriented book in the Old Testament. It is fitting, therefore, that as the Messiah launched His gospel and made His first appearance in His hometown synagogue, He selected a scripture from Isaiah for the service. We now refer to the passage as Isaiah 61:1-2, which is also quoted here in Luke 4:18-19. It is a prophetic prediction and graphic description of the ministry of the Messiah. Jesus’ exposition was quite simple and pointed. He said in essence, this is who the Messiah is, this is what the Messiah does, and I am the Messiah. He elaborated of course, with words not recorded by Luke, as He sat down in typical rabbinical fashion to discuss the text with the congregation. By the time Jesus' circuit brought Him back around to Nazareth, He had built a reputation. At first the Nazarites “marveled” and “spoke well of Him.” Jesus had indeed preached the gospel primarily to the poor, offered a true freedom to folks suffocating from the iron fists of Roman politics and Pharisaical religion, healed blind eyes and other infirmities, and pronounced emphatically that the favor of the Lord, the grace of God, has arrived through the person and work of Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s one thing to preach a great sermon. It is quite another to be a great sermon. Jesus is both preacher and the one preached, God and man, man and Messiah, Lord and Christ. On this occasion, there He sat in the synagogue, in the midst of people who had known Him nearly from birth. Perhaps familiarity was the problem that caused the good preaching to go bad, as the sermon soured into sarcasm. The Sarcasm The worm turned on the words of an unnamed Nazarene who said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” Was this a friendly familiar reference? Was this some kind of compliment, since Joseph, although believed to be deceased by this point, was known to be a righteous and just man? Or, was this bitter sarcasm? Remember the context of Luke and the Gospel writer’s emphasis in the early stories. Gabriel’s promise to Mary is that she would give birth to the “Son of God.” The genealogy provided by Luke traces to Jesus, “the Son of God.” The voice of the Father in Heaven at Christ’s baptism proclaimed Jesus to be “My Son.” Even the devil in the wilderness addressed Him with the proposition, “If (or since) you are the ‘Son of God.’” What this mean-spirited man meant in the synagogue that day was a declaration of disrespect and unbelief. Jesus knew it. Christ heard his words and read his mind, along with the many other small minds in the synagogue that day. According to their pea brains and tiny hearts, Jesus could not be the Son of God, God incarnate, the Messiah. He could only be the son of Joseph, a common man, one of them, who had no authority to preach to them or to suggest that He was their leader and Lord. To be fair, Jesus was quite sarcastic to them in return. The pithy proverb He quoted painted them as the unbelievers and hypocrites that they were. The mentions of the ministries of Elijah and Elisha exposed the racism in them as well. The sermon was rejected and the Lord was ready to leave, even before they showed Him the door. That was fine with them. They decided they did not want to hear Him ever again. They decided He needed to be put out of the synagogue. They even decided that Jesus needed to be put out of this present world, and ushered Him out in order to through Jesus off a cliff and stone Him to death. The Stoning A cliff is nothing but a big stone, and capital punishment in Jewish custom often included a toss off a big rock, followed by a shower of smaller rocks. This was their conclusion to a wonderful worship service featuring a sermon from the very Savior of the world. Luke is not specific about the steps Jesus took to escape. It would not have been difficult for the omniscient God to outsmart a dimwitted mob. And though the shadow of the cross loomed large over the episode, the time for the cross had not yet come. Jesus would continue to preach for another two years or more, but hardly, if ever, in His hometown of Nazareth. When people let good preaching go bad, the bad news is that they often never get to hear good preaching again. To put this story into a modern context is relatively easy, even though the times have changed. While synagogue attendance was virtually compulsory for first century Jews, only about a quarter of confessing Christians attend public worship with any regularity in our day. Most of these hardened hypocrites never get the chance to hate a sermon, for they hardly ever hear one in the first place. Good preaching goes bad when it is never heard. Good preaching goes bad, too, just as it does in this text when the hearers don’t like the message and attack the messenger. I can personally attest to the fact that biblical preaching does indeed stir up hatred among many church members. If it had been legal and acceptable, I would have been lynched a hundred times over by bands of Nazarenes in Baptist churches where I have preached. Don’t let good preaching go bad. Ask yourself what you would honestly do if Jesus showed up in your church today? What if He came and told you who He is, what He has done, and what that demands of you? What would you do? You’d better decide, for He is here. Christ inhabits the praise of His people. He hears and answers our prayers. The offering is for Him. He is the bread and the wine. And remember, Jesus is a preacher. When the word of God and the gospel is heard, it tells us who Jesus is and what Jesus has done and what it requires of us. This is the way, even today, God truly speaks to you. So don’t let good preaching, the preaching of Jesus, go bad. Don't pick up a rock and put it in your hand. Put your life in God’s hands as you listen to the gospel. God will make you rich in faith. The Lord will make you see and set you free. Don’t throw Jesus off a cliff, but remember His walk to the cross. Listen to the Lord and He will preach into your life grace, mercy, peace, and love. Copyright © 2017 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
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TRICK OR TRUTH
Luke 4:1-13 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas February 12, 2017 1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,“‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” 9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ 11 and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. — Luke 4:1-13, ESV The synoptic Gospels tell of the great confrontation between the Prince of Peace and the prince of darkness at the outset of Jesus’ public ministry. Mark majors on brevity, but Matthew and Luke give the full details, albeit in slightly different order. Only Luke includes the poisonous promise of the devil’s return. In one corner stands Jesus, freshly baptized and on the heels of a forty day fast. Forty days is a period of preparation in the Bible, as is fasting, for an important spiritual journey or task. Christ’s task is monumental in both a redemptive and exemplary way. He has to remain sinless in order to redeem us from our sin, and He has to set an example for believers to follow. He accomplishes both perfectly in this episode, as one might expect from the Lord. In the other corner stands the veritable enemy of God and the saints. Simply called “the devil” by Luke, he has aliases such as Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Slew Foot, and so on. Famous authors have noted the greatest lie the devil ever told is that he does not exist. But, here he is, fighting against Christ. He and his allies return time and time again to carry on the fight against Christians and the church. Jesus, being God, has a perfect understanding of His enemy, while the devil cannot completely comprehend the Christ. The devil attacks at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, as he did mine and probably yours, for to stop Jesus in His tracks would be to stop the salvific plan of God and keep people captive to do the devil’s will. The devil’s weapon is a bag of tricks. Jesus strikes back with absolute truth. For the devil’s trick of lust, God’s truth is faith. Lust, or strong desire, is not always a bad word. Yet almost always it speaks of something we want but don't need, something pleasurable that ultimately causes pain, or the satisfying of a rightful desire in the wrong way. The latter trick came out of Satan’s bag and was offered to Jesus. Jesus certainly had a strong desire, a lust, for food. After all, He had not eaten in forty days. I lust for food after not eating for forty minutes. There is nothing sinful about satisfying your appetite for food after you've been denied it for a long period of time. The problem here is who was offering the food and giving instructions on how to get it. We humans lust for food. We lust for sex. We lust for money. We have many strong desires, and they are not necessarily evil. Many of them are quite holy and acceptable to God. The question is, how will we fulfill them? Will we take directions from the world, the flesh, or the devil; or, is there a truth that will keep us from falling for the devil’s tricks? For Christ, the truth is faith. Faith is primarily a desire to please God. The primary way to please the Lord is by trusting and obeying His word. Jesus, in spite of His great hunger and fatigue, had a stronger desire for the pure word of God that He did for a shortcut to get food or a platform to perform miracles. Yes, He could have easily turned a rock into a sandwich, but then He would have been taking advice from the word of the devil, rather than patiently waiting on the word of God. You've got to ask yourself, when your body craves food or sex or any other thing, is this a righteous or wrong desire? If it is good, will I fulfill it by godly or sinful means? How will you know the difference and how will you know what to do? By cultivating a deep, abiding desire for the word of God and satisfying it in personal Bible reading, small group studies with God’s people, and participation in worship in a Bible-soaked church. Like the Christ, a true Christian’s desire for faith and faithful obedience to the word of God will be stronger than the temptation to give in to the devil, a temptation often aided by the misquoting or mishandling of the Bible. Quote Scripture accurately and contextually at the devil like Jesus did, like the great Martin Luther was known to do. It will give you heavenly joy and it will make the devil madder than Hell. For the devil’s trick of power, God’s truth is worship. Not to be daunted by his first failure, the devil comes at Jesus again with another trick, one that prevails against most people. He promises Him power, raw political power, in order to detour the Son of God from doing the will of God. To examine this trick further, and to prove that Satan is liar-in-chief, no where in God’s word nor anywhere in the history of God’s dealings with angels and men did the sovereign God ever give dominion to the devil. This is my Father’s world! And, so it will be forever. Nevertheless, the devil tried to trick Jesus into surrendering His ties to God in exchange for a temporal, devilish coalition of power over people. The devil provokes people to this very day to grasp political power for the wrong reasons, which is why Washington D.C. reeks with the stench of corruption. The devil likes to corrupt churches even more than governments. He often pokes the people in the pews, telling them how much smarter they are than the pastors or elders, and sparks fly in the church business meeting. The devil wants control over other people, and so people tempted with this devilish desire in his bag of tricks. But, not Jesus. His ultimate answer? Worship God alone. People who abuse power essentially worship themselves, or their cadre, or their party, or their power group in the church. But if you worship God alone, your motive in politics will be to honor God and bless people, not ignore God and use people. If you gather with the church to see God rather than be seen, to worship rather than to politic for power, God is glorified and people are blessed. The next time the devil tries to tell you that you need to be in charge, remind him of Who is, namely the Lord, then go out and do something to serve someone else. Worship and service is a double-edged sword, like the word of God. It will cut the devil’s tricks to pieces. For the devil’s trick of sovereignty over God, God’s truth is submission to God’s sovereignty. Luke’s last temptation, and the manner in which Christ overcomes it, is my personal favorite, for one of my personal favorite doctrines is the sovereignty of God. This is the truth that the devil hates the most. The devil tries to push Jesus off a cliff, literally, as a means to force God’s hand. Let the last part of that statement sink in, force God’s hand. God is sovereign, which means, in the words of an old preacher I heard a long time ago, God can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, to whomever He wants. He is God. We are not. No one can force God’s hand, make demands upon the Lord, or put Him to the test. The devil tells Jesus to jump, to name it and claim it. God will be forced to act. Isn’t that what the televangelist says, when he tells people to send him seed money and then claim wealth for themselves from God? Isn’t that what the revivalist says, when he tells people to take the first step and God will take the rest? Isn’t that what the nominal Christians says before diving into sin and thinking God wants them to be happy and will have to forgive their sin? Aren’t they all saying the same thing as Satan, “Jump, and God will be forced to catch you!”? God is not a fireman following you around with a net. God is not a genie in a bottle meant to grant you wishes. God is not an ATM to supply you with cash. God does not exist to make you happy. And in the most important transaction of all, eternal salvation, God is not waiting anxiously to enter you heart if you will just ask Him to come in. God is infinitely stronger than that, God is absolutely sovereign, and Jesus in this episode proves it. Did Jesus listen to the devil, did Jesus do whatever His tired, hungry physical body urged Him to do, or did Jesus steadfastly do the will of God based on the word of God? When the devil faced the Lord, his bag of tricks might as well have been filled with holes. Jesus triumphed over every trick with spiritual truth. Child of God, so can you. But you have to be prepared. We must be armed with faith, we must have a mind to worship, and we must surrender to the sovereignty of God. Take the time to read, meditate, and memorize Holy Scripture. It is the greatest source of direct truth that will help you deflect the tricks of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Make sure the worship of God is the number one priority of your life, publicly and privately. It will engrain in you a servant spirit, profitable for God and for man. Consider your relationship with God. Who is in charge? Who is sovereign? Who is Lord? Do you live life on your own terms and expect God to bless it, or do you bless God by digging into the Bible, showing up regularly for worship, and submitting to His will in your life? Did the devil trick Jesus? Heavens, no. But he has tricked some pretty good people on earth. He tricked Adam and Eve in the perfect environment, Moses during an exodus pit stop, David and Bathsheba in an upstairs room, Peter at least three times, Paul before he exited off the road to Damascus, and he will trick you and me if we are not prayerful and careful. Our only defense against the devil’s tricks is God’s truth. Copyright © 2017 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. TURN THE SPOTLIGHT ON JESUS
Luke 3:21-38 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas February 5, 2017 21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. — Luke 3:21-38, ESV Luke's cast of characters, in order of their appearance so far, include Theophilus, Zechariah and Elizabeth, the angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph, the babies John and Jesus, Simeon and Anna, Jesus as an adolescent, and big bad John the Baptist as an adult. Now it is time for the Star of stars, the King of Kings, and the Lord of lords to take center stage. Jesus, “at about thirty years of age,” walks in and never leaves the Gospel spotlight again, except for a carefully calculated three days near the grand finale. Jesus’ entrance is epic, with a big baptismal service, the sky splitting open, a dove falling down, and a holy voice from Heaven. After recording this tremendous excitement, Luke goes on to give us a not so thrilling genealogy containing seventy-seven names, most of which are hard to pronounce. What began with a terrific bang ends a bit tedious, but in the telling of baptisms and bloodlines we find the greatest story ever told about the greatest person who ever lived. He is Jesus, born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth of Galilee, baptized by John in Judaea, Savior of the world, Son of God, Son of Man. Prelude: Baptism and Prayer The grand introduction of Jesus Christ begins with the simple services of baptism and prayer. Baptism is the beginning of the Christian experience and prayer sustains it. Since nothing is accidental or incidental with God, it is neither an accident nor an unimportant incident that Jesus begins His public ministry in this way. Christianity is much more than a religion but it is not less. Religions have rituals that are important, and baptism is our rite and responsibility. If it is important to the Jesus story, it should be a part of our story. Baptism is a beginning, whether it is parents practicing paedobaptism on their newborn child or a newly reborn child of God walking through the waters of credobaptism. We all wonder which one God prefers, but the fact of the matter is that Jesus experienced both. He was circumcised as a child, according to the Old Covenant ritual, of which paedobaptism is the New Covenant replacement. Then, as a fully cognizant adult about to publicly confess God before man, He demonstrated His faith in baptism. That ought to be enough to make every denomination happy! But, whatever your method or mode of baptism, no practice of Christianity is proper without baptism at the beginning. Furthermore, as Luke begins to tell the Jesus story in earnest, he begins with Jesus earnestly in prayer. Luke will capture many such moments as he majors on the prayer life of the Lord. Like the principal of baptism, if Jesus felt the need to do it, so must we. If Jesus disciplined Himself to pray often and unceasingly, how much more do we need to consciously and constantly commune with God in prayer. Prayer communicates with headquarters, prayer calls for help, prayer listens for instructions. It keeps the church and the Christian, as it did the Christ and the Almighty God, in step with the blessings and orders of the Lord. Now the spotlight shines on this baptized, praying person. Who is Jesus? The answer is given in a two-act play. Jesus is the Son of God and Jesus is the Son of Man. Act 1: Jesus is the Son of God The first act revealing the very nature of Jesus includes a divine cast of three persons who is a solo artist. This is totally contradictory but absolutely true. Of the three-in-one, there is one you can hear but cannot see, one you can see but cannot hear, and one you can see, hear, feel, follow, and love beyond measure. Further revelation identifies the voice you hear but cannot see is God the Father. The dove-like being you can see but has no voice is God the Spirit. And, the man from Galilee who walks and talks among us is God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Apocalyptic Jews rightly believed that the manifestation of the Messiah, or Christ, would be something exactly like this scene. The heavens are ripped open and the anointing of God’s Spirit falls on the man marked as the Messiah, son of King David and son of Father Abraham, come to set God’s people free. Jesus is all of this and much, much more. The voice from Heaven and the witness of Scripture tells us Jesus is the beloved and only begotten Son of God. The identification of Jesus as the Son of God means at least two things crucial to Christianity: God is triune and Jesus Christ is God. Teaching on the Trinity is a little like talking to your child about sex, it is the most wonderful thing in the world but it is a bit awkward to explain. How can one God be three persons? How can a historical person be the everlasting God? Embracing the Trinity takes into account the Bible’s testimony about God. It is fully monotheistic, establishing the fact that there is only one true and living God. The great “Shema” of the Old Testament is absolutely affirmed in the New Testament. Yet biblical teaching also reveals God on stage acting in three distinct persons, sometimes simultaneously, as in this text in Luke. Systematically and theologically put, “God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God” (Wayne Grudem). Perhaps the primary purposes of God’s triune nature are creation and recreation, both of which are ordained by the Father, carried out by the Son, empowered by the Spirit. Perhaps it is embodied by redeemed humanity made in and restored to God’s image, as body and soul and spirit. Perhaps the perfect God enjoys spending time with Himself, as every healthy human should. Perhaps it is an enigma wrapped in a mystery to be beholden by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Certainly it is part and parcel of the gospel, for there is no Christianity apart from belief in the Trinity, and the related subject of the deity of Jesus Christ. If God is triune, and if the Son of God is God, then Jesus is Lord. No one can be saved apart from this confession. The far right and the far left are all wrong. The gospel is not the God Jesus plus good works, and the gospel is not a merely human Jesus followed in faith. The proper response to the gospel is calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ, God and Savior, in repentance and faith. Luke gives us the opportunity in this wonderful testimony of the baptism of Jesus, which proves Him to be the Son of God. And, Luke writes out a genealogy of the Son of God to prove Jesus is also the Son of Man. Act 2: Jesus is the Son of Man As high and lofty as the baptism scene is, the genealogy that follows can get mired deeply in the mud. It is long and unfamiliar, except for the names of a few superstars. It is inconsistent when compared with the genealogy given in the Gospel of Matthew, giving higher critics of the Bible some usable but misfiring ammunition. So why is it here? It is written to prove that the Lord Jesus Christ, God of very God, is also man from very man, and very woman. Many believe this is Mary’s genealogy, while Matthew gives Joseph’s. We know from extra-biblical sources that Mary's father was Eli (which makes “Heli” Joseph’s father, in-law). But most importantly, it shows Jesus descended from these human beings, as if He were not God at all. Yet He was born of a virgin, perfect and without sin as other men, as if He were not a man at all. Jesus is the Creator, God, who so loved the apex of His creation that He stepped down into creation to become on of us. He was not a slob like some of us, nor a stranger on a bus, but indeed, God became one of us. Why? For the sake of the gospel. For only God could be who Jesus is, and only a man who is God could do what Jesus did. Postlude: The Gospel The gospel is the person and work of Jesus Christ. The first three chapters of the Gospel of Luke are devoted to showing us who Jesus is, and in the rest of the Gospel we will read about what Jesus has done. The spotlight will shine on Jesus and follow Him from the river to the wilderness to the world and beyond. The spotlight shines upon Christianity, too. Christianity is the only way to worship God, for a person cannot worship a God he does not know. Christianity is the only way to know God, through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Christianity is the only way to serve God, for spiritual service requires the Holy Spirit. Hence the Trinity is on display again. But for now, just focus on the Son. Walk with Jesus through the rest of this Gospel and for the rest of your life. Put your spotlight on Him and never take it off. Christ will save you and use you to lead others to salvation. When all is said and done, we will bask in the spotlight of Jesus forever and ever. Copyright © 2017 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. |
AuthorDr. Charles F. "Chuck" DeVane, Jr., is the Pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His weekly sermon article, "The Gospel Truth," has been published in newspapers in Arkansas and Georgia. Dr. DeVane is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and has served in the pastorate for over 20 years. Contact Pastor Chuck at PastorChuck@lakehamiltonbaptistchurch.org
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