The Good News according to Luke, chapter 5
To: 36,782 subscribers we pray ‘God is making Temples of His Spirit’, 6/23/22, God’s 3rd month, Sivan 24, 5,782, (Day 5 until sunset.)
Let’s review Jesus’ hometown teaching about healings during Elijah’s day. (Luke 4:16-30; Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “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 release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then He began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.” All were speaking well of Him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of His mouth. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Jesus said to them, “No doubt you will quote to Me the proverb, (‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and say, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.’” And he added, “I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years, and there was a great famine over all the land. Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”)
When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, forced 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. But He passed through the crowd and went on His way. (We are natural followers of what seems right to our inherited from Adam fleshly nature. “I’ll, decide for myself is the way most think.” Which is lawless and idolatry, Jesus inspired His apostle John to explain.)
(1John3:4-5; “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.”) (The purpose of God the Father’s revealing Jesus to us, is; “to take away our sins.” That is, “change our inherited nature.”) From our Genesis study, we should have learned all except those God reveals Himself to, practices the way that seemed right.” That record is clear, “God called, revealed Himself to Noah and descendants of choice.” All others, “practiced the way that seemed right to themselves.” (Later the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to Abraham and made covenant promises that includes followers of Himself, to whom He’s also making binding covenant promise. Pointing followers to His Way, admonishing for lawless practices and blessings for turning to Him.) Review Judges 2:11-14. The historical record of all people groups are; ‘they usually follow the way of their ancestral traditions.’ Traditionally people look to those whose charisma attracts them, which is idolatry and the worldly demonic way!
Earlier we studied Jesus’ prophetic words through Isaiah, recorded in chapter 61, giving understanding “a large portion of that prophecy is for the millennium when Jesus rules as King of Kings with His Saints.” A time when Satan is bound, unable to deceive and divide. Jesus’ gospel through His prophets and apostles will then spread.
After Jesus overcame Satan’s temptations, debating the meaning of God’s word with him, Jesus went to a synagogue and read from Isaiah 61. (Through our inherited nature we can’t understand God “choosing, healing, calling, and granting understanding to whom He will.) Generally, Christendom teaches, “a saved by grace theology but, think people can choose when to obtain or choose His grace!” (The people said to Jesus, “we heard what you did in Capernaum, so do the same for we hometown folks.”) (Review v 23 above.) Jesus explained “God did the choosing through Elijah.” “Physician heal yourself is what Jesus knew He’d hear at His crucifixion.” Now, people of Galilee where Jesus grew up were amazed, saying; “isn’t this Joseph’s son.”
When Jesus related how Elisha was sent to selected people, “true to their inherited nature the people got angry.” Also saying, “this fellow citizen we grew up with is claiming to be a prophet.” (Luke 4:31-37; “So Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee; on the Sabbath and began to teach the people. They were amazed at His teaching because He spoke with authority.
Now in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, (“Ha! Leave us alone, ‘Jesus the Nazarene’, Have you come to destroy us? I, know who you are – the Holy One of God.”) But Jesus rebuked him: “saying” “Silence! Come out of him!” Then, after the demon threw the man down in their midst, the demon came out of him without hurting him. The people were all amazed and began to say to one another, “What’s happening here? For with authority and power Jesus commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” So, the news about Jesus spread into all areas of the region.) (Satan and demons not only recognized The Son of God they recognize people imputed with God’s spirit.) Through Jesus’ presence and His apostles teaching we have a glimpse of the Kingdom of God on earth. A time when all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Study Joel) This present age is likened to when Elijah was God’s prophet, only a few chosen are called.
(Luke 4:38-39; After Jesus left the synagogue, He entered Simon Peter’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So, He stood over her, commanded the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.) Peter was or had been married and blessed with a mother-in-law. Peter was never a pope, nor was he ever assign a successor to himself. The idea of a pope comes from the depth of paganism.
(Luke 4:40-41; As the sun was setting, all those who had any relatives sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus. He placed His hands on every one of them and healed them. Demons also came out of many, crying out, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus rebuked them, and would not allow them to continue speaking, because they knew that He was the Christ.) Professing Christians practicing pagan customs don’t know “the Jesus manifested in the old and new Testaments is The Christ.” Imagining a baby in a manger or an image on a cross isn’t recognizing Jesus the Creator, Re-creator, Healer, Deliverer, Savior, Mediator and coming King of Kings.” One who said, “why call Me Lord, Lord and not obey My Word. The Jesus that’s coming with power to rule. “Demons know Him but the many denominations calling themselves Christian do not.” (The current pope that said he could not judge homosexuals, does not know Jesus!)
Followers of Jesus are also led to recognize sin (from Jesus’ point of view.) We must all turn from what’s sin in His View or be ultimately destroyed. An assembly, individual practicing or condoning what God considers sin should not call themselves Christian.
(Luke 4:42-44; The next morning Jesus departed and went to a deserted place. Yet the crowds were seeking Him, and they came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them. But Jesus said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do.” So, Jesus continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.) The gospel is NONE other than “good news of Jesus’ coming kingdom.” Following Jesus includes being called, ‘fathered by God, repentance, belief in the resurrections, final judgment and New Jerusalem coming down etc.’
(Luke 5:1-11; Now Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, (Sea of Galilee) (See the parallel at Matt 4:18) The crowd was pressing around Him to hear the Word of God. He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. Jesus got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at Your Word I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. So, they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were about to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he, fell-down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” So, when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.) (To the fleshly minded, believing IN what all the holy scriptures teach about Jesus’ activities is foolishness.)