Luke’s book starts even before Jesus is born. And when He is born, He brought to the temple to be blessed.
2:25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah). 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29“Now Lord, You releasing Your bond servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; 30 for my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 31a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”
I’ve included this passage for it’s importance in showing the the Holy Spirit had revealed the identity of Jesus as the Son of God without any prior communication with Joseph or Mary. It is also revealing, the wording used, that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. This does not say “the Lord Christ”, but the Lord’s Christ! That is to say, the Christ (Messiah) of the Lord (Father God).
At the age of twelve Jesus went with His parents to Jerusalem as was customary for the Feast of the Passover, but when Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem, they hadn’t realized that Jesus had stayed behind. When they found Him in the temple, they were surprised, and Mary said, 2:48 “….Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
Again, it’s important that Jesus did not say that this was His house, but His Father’s house, again demonstrating the difference between the Father and the Son.
Jesus began His ministry at age 30, after He spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. He came to Galilee and preached in the temples and released a demon from a possessed man. When He was about to leave, the people tried to keep Him from going away from them. 4:43 But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”
It becomes clear that Jesus’ ministry was to lay out a path to enable His followers to enter the kingdom of God, His Father.
After the sermon on the mount, Jesus said 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who had heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation, and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Since I am sharing Jesus’ own words in this journey, I feel it important to also share the value of these words, and to impart that they are NOT my own!
Jesus appointed seventy others, and sent them out in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. There were a few cities that did not receive the seventy well, and Jesus denounced them for He told them, 10:16 “The one who listens to you, listens to Me, and the one who rejects you, rejects Me; and he who rejects Me, rejects the One who sent Me.”
11 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say ‘Father, hallowed be Your name, your Kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us, and lead us not into temptation.’”
Although Matthew and Luke remembered Jesus’ words slightly differently, the general idea is expressed. Again, note, this is only a template of Jesus’ lesson on prayer and was never meant to be constantly just repeated.
Jesus preached many things to the crowd, but one message validating the path to God sticks out; 12:8 “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God. 9 but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. 11 When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Naturally, I am not commenting on every teaching that Jesus made in these passages, I leave that reading up to you if you wish to know more of what Jesus said and taught. Again, I am emphasizing passages that establish a relationship with man, Jesus and God (our Father).
Also Luke recounts the encounter with a rich young ruler; 18:18 A ruler questioned Him saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” The ruler, who said that he had followed the commandments from his youth, was told by Jesus that he must be willing to do 21 “…One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.” But the ruler could not. This was a special invitation of Jesus to ask the ruler to become another disciple, but at the same time suspected that the ruler was not truly earnest about doing whatever it would take to have eternal life. 18:24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle that for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Jesus does not say that it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, but He does imply that a rich man must have a relationship with God that is regarded as worthy in that his wealth is not more important that that relationship with God. Indeed, a strong relationship with God may bring wealth in many forms, including monetarily, but that such a relationship may enable a life without worry or concern.
Luke also recounts Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane; 22:41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
It is extremely obvious at this point how important this time was for Jesus, as now three of the gospels quote the same words at Gethsemane. Jesus’s human side did not want to die in the manner in which He knew it had to happen, but at the same time He knew that His ministry and the salvation of man were at stake. Most importantly, He knew that He must do His Father’s will, and was at least willing to do what was necessary!
After Jesus’ capture, He was lead to the Council of elders blindfolded, and He was stuck many times and He was asked to identify the one who hit Him. 22:67 If you are the Christ, tell us. Be He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask a question, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
Here Jesus acknowledges that He will sit at the right hand of God, which is also to imply that He is not God (the Father)
When He is crucified and about to die He says, 23:46 “…Father, into your hands I commit My Spirit.”
In His final words to His disciples in Luke, 24:48 “You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you, but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The “clothing” of power that Jesus referred to, of course, was the Holy Spirit, because only with the power of the Holy Spirit can anyone teach and share the ministry of Jesus and to be lead to the Father in spirit and in truth!
;
Leave a Reply