The Remarkable Authority of God's Word

And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region” (Luke 4: 31-37).

There had been other teachers. They had heard others claim to know and expound truth. But this one was different. When Jesus spoke the crowd was astonished because in word and deed, Christ’s teaching possessed and demonstrated the remarkable authority of God’s word.

When Christ spoke, His word revealed authority. Jesus did not address the demons. As He taught the people, His words provoked the demons. They were compelled to identify themselves because they were confronted by the authority of Christ’s words. Jesus taught that true disciples are known and set free from deception by abiding in His word… “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). He also exhorted true disciples to preach His word because it confronts the world with authority that identifies and defeats spiritual forces… “He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons” (Mark 3:14-15). Are you so immersed in God’s word every day that His sin-confronting authority is revealed through you?

When Christ spoke, His word removed opposition. When the demon revealed his presence and mockingly identified Jesus as “the Holy One of God”, the Master rebuked him and commanded him to leave his host. In truth, Jesus could have agreed with the demon, but the Son of God would not share His glory with an unclean demon. Jesus could have argued with the demon, but the Son of Man would not lend undue credibility to a servant of Satan. Jesus demonstrated His ultimate authority by commanding the demon to leave… “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Through His word, Jesus gives His disciples authority over sickness and demonic forces… “He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:1-2).  Are you exercising the authority of God’s word to remove the enemy from your life and the lives of others?

When Christ spoke His word was reported to others. Jesus words displayed His authority and defeated His enemies so thoroughly that those who saw and heard Him were changed. They could not deny the power of His teaching and they could not contain the impact of His truth within themselves. They spread the news abroad and it reached “every place in the surrounding region”. Eventually, people began bringing the sick and the oppressed to Jesus that He might speak healing and deliverance into their lives… “That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him” (Mark 1:32-34). As the first disciples preached the gospel, the crowds brought the sick and oppressed to be healed and delivered too… “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word… For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed” (Acts 8:4,7). Do the sick and oppressed come to you for help because it is reported that you are living in the authority of God’s word?

As we grow up into Christ we will draw others to Him as we learn to enjoy and employ…

The Remarkable Authority of God’s Word.

The Gospel for the Whole World

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?” 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.” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 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, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 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.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 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. But passing through their midst, he went away (Luke 4: 22-30).

The hometown crowd spoke well of the message of Joseph’s son as He began to share good news with the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed in the Galilean villages of Capernaum and Nazareth. They were thrilled to hear such good news from their native son. But their mood changed abruptly when Jesus revealed that He was to bring good news to people living as far away as Sidon and Syria. The hometown crowd threatened to throw Him over a cliff when He shared examples of God reaching out to a foreign widow and an enemy leper. They were offended that His message and ministry would have no geographical or national boundaries. At the beginning of His work on earth, Jesus made it clear that the mantra and mission of His disciples after Him would be the gospel for the whole world.

The gospel is for those at home. Jesus began His ministry in the region surrounding His hometown. We believe that in His sovereignty, God carefully and intentionally creates relationships between people that can be used for His good purposes. This begins at birth, when God places us in a family. Beyond our immediate family we have ever-increasing relationships all around us. Extended family, church family, neighbors, friends, schoolmates, co-workers, colleagues, casual acquaintances, and more become a network of opportunities graciously crafted by God for us to share the gospel and to initiate and nurture discipleship in others… “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations” (Matthew 24:14).

The gospel is for the helpless. Jesus mentioned the widow of Zarephath, a desperate woman at the end of her own resources who trusted God’s word spoken by the prophet Elijah… “And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days” (1 Kings 17:15). Elijah faithfully followed the Lord’s leading to a foreign, impoverished land in order to bring God’s Word to her… “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you” (1 Kings 17:9). Serious disciples are challenged here to follow the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to be sensitive and responsive to the desperate needs of others, no matter where He leads us… “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16).

The gospel is for the hopeless. Jesus used the illustration of Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria, and enemy of Israel. He was a great man but suffered from leprosy. He had no hope of ever being cured because there was no cure in his homeland. But a young captive shared the good news that there was hope in the Word of God spoken through Elisha, His prophet… “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3). Jesus presented that servant girl as an example for true disciples to imitate by leading others to Christ, the hope of Jews and Gentiles alike… “Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope’” (Romans 15:12).

As we grow up into Christ we are to proclaim to the helpless and the hurting at home and abroad…

The Gospel for the Whole World.

The Anointing to Proclaim Good News

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. 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 liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 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. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4: 16-21).

After the wilderness temptation, the Holy Spirit empowered and led Jesus to teach throughout Galilee. Soon He came to Nazareth, His hometown. He followed the customary and familiar pattern of going to the synagogue on the Sabbath and He took His turn at reading from the scriptures that were handed to Him. The Spirit, who inspired the prophet Isaiah to write about the Christ, led the Christ to the words written about Him. Diligent disciples recognize here an important exhortation. Because Christ lives in us (see Colossians 1:27) we also have the anointing to proclaim good news.

The good news is for the poor. The Greek word translated poor here is ptōchos and it means beggar or pauper. It is an accurate description of everyone’s life without hope beyond this material world… “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17). The good news is that in Christ we have an eternal inheritance… “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

The good news is for the captives. The Greek word translated captives here is aichmalōtos and it means prisoner of war. It is an accurate description of everyone who is controlled by sin… “I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members” (Romans 7:23). The good news is that we can be set free through faith in Christ… “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

The good news is for the blind. The Greek word translated blind here is typhlos and it means physical, mental, or spiritual opaqueness, smokiness, or inability to see clearly. It is an accurate description of everyone who cannot understand spiritual truth… “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The good news is that the grace of Christ enables us to see and respond to the gospel’s soul-saving truth… “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind’” (John 9:39).

The good news is for the oppressed. The Greek word translated oppressed here is thrauō and it means bruised or crushed. It is an accurate description of everyone afflicted by sickness and death that are consequences of sin… “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The good news is Christ offers us a new, eternal life… “But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The good news is all about the Lord’s favor. The Greek word translated favor here is dektos and it means acceptance, approval, endorsement, and support. Everyone has sinned against God… “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The good news is that we can draw near to God and know we are favored by Him through Jesus Christ… “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

As we grow up into Christ we will impact the world around us for Christ through…

The Anointing to Proclaim Good News.

The Father of Deception

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, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all (Luke 4: 9-15).

As the devil continues his temptation of Christ, the Spirit of Truth gives us some amazing revelation here. The tempter’s primary weapon has always been and will always be deception. He failed to get Jesus to exercise His power for selfish and fleshly purposes… “Command this stone to become bread” (Luke 4:3). He failed to get Jesus to worship someone other than God… “If you, then, will worship me” (Luke 4:7). Today we see that he failed to get Jesus to test God’s faithfulness to His Word… “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test”. In this final temptation, the Spirit shows us that though he relies on deception as his primary weapon in tempting us, it is the devil himself that is truly and thoroughly deceived. He was so humiliated that he abruptly departed, to return for one more miserable and failed effort to tempt Christ at what he thought was a more opportune time, Calvary’s cross. Truly, the Spirit inspired Luke to record here the revelation of Satan, the father of deception.

God’s Son is the pinnacle of our life. Satan was deceived when he thought he could install Christ on the highest point of the temple. God had already ordained that Christ was to be the head of God’s temple, the church… “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent” (Colossians 1:18). The Spirit teaches that true believers are God’s temple today… “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Diligent disciples who make Christ the head of their lives and local churches that focus their efforts on making disciples while trusting Christ to build His church will experience victory over the father of deception.

God’s Word is the point of our faith. Satan’s selfish corruption of God’s Word in tempting God’s Son is a warning to earnest disciples to diligently seek the whole truth of God’s Word in order to recognize and resist deception. Like the devil, there are teachers and preachers who selectively teach and preach parts of God’s Word for corrupt and selfish purposes… “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Timothy 4:1-2). Earnest disciples who love and abide in the whole truth of God’s word will enjoy victory over the father of deception.

God’s Spirit is the power of our victory over temptation. When the devil suddenly departed, Jesus was left clinging to the pinnacle of the temple. In the next sentence we see that Jesus… “Returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee”. The same Spirit that led Him into the wilderness had never left Him throughout His confrontation with the devil, and now carefully carried Him down from the highest point of the temple and empowered Him to begin His ministry in Galilee. Effective disciples are not only immersed in the truth of God’s Word, we are also immersed in the power of God’s Spirit… “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Productive disciples do not operate in their own strength, but we wait patiently and expectantly for the power of the Holy Spirit… “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Prevailing disciples who trust in the power of the Spirit will encounter victory over the father of deception.

As we grow up into Christ as our head and are immersed in His Word and His Spirit we will recognize and resist the temptations of Satan,

The Father of Deception.

The Source of True Authority

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 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. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve’” (Luke 4: 5-8).

The devil tempted Jesus to worship him. His strategy is reminiscent of the way he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. He twisted the Word of God then… “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”’” (Genesis 3:1). God had told Adam “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). The devil tempted Jesus with another corruption of God’s Word when he said all the authority of the kingdoms of the world “has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will”. It’s true that temporary authority was given to the devil when Adam and Eve surrendered to his temptation… “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me” (John 14:30). But Jesus reclaimed ultimate authority through His death and resurrection… “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). Christ’s ultimate act of worship at Calvary ended the devil’s temporary authority and completely disarmed him… “This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:14-15). In His victory over the devil’s temptation, Christ revealed the source of true authority.

Truth seekers learn here that Jesus Christ is the source of true authority. Jesus would conquer the kingdom of this world… “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Jesus would conquer the temporary prince of this age… “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God” (Revelation 12:10). Jesus will humbly surrender all this authority to His Father… “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24).

Diligent disciples discover here that true authority is released through worshipping God. God seeks true worshippers… “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23). True spiritual worship is an offering of all that we are, totally to God… “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). It is only from this posture of complete surrender in worship that we are able to receive and exercise the authority of God for His purposes… “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD” (Isaiah 54:17).

Earnest disciples know that true authority is given to empower us to serve God. Jesus freely offers His authority to genuine disciples that are willing to serve Him… “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19). Jesus bestows His authority upon earnest disciples for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom through making disciples of the nations… “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-19).

As we grow up into Christ worshipping and serving God, we experience victory and share in the advance of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ,

The Source of True Authority.

The Spirit that Overcomes Temptation

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone’” (Luke 4: 1-4).

Eager Christ followers long to be filled with the Holy Spirit. They want the power and glory that the Spirit brings. But diligent disciples want more. They want to be led by the Holy Spirit. Evidence of the new birth and of maturing discipleship is being led by the Holy Spirit. When we truly surrender to the leading of the Spirit He will often lead us to places we might not naturally choose to go. Jesus showed us how to trust the Spirit’s leading as He was “led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days”. While being led there, Jesus was “tempted by the devil”. While being led there, Jesus received no food and he became very hungry. In submitting to the Holy Spirit’s leading and preparation for a face-to-face encounter with the devil, Jesus shows His serious disciples the Spirit that overcomes temptation.

Overcoming temptation begins as the Holy Spirit leads us into the wilderness. The wilderness is a desolate, lonely place that challenges our faith. In the wilderness we miss the familiar comforts of our natural world. Adam and Eve were expelled from the paradise of Eden into a foreboding wilderness in the first step of God’s plan of redemption… “He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24). The Old Testament children of promise spent forty years in the wilderness on their way toward the Promised Land… “And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2). For New Testament children of promise (see Galatians 4:28), our wilderness experiences test and mature our faith, humbling us and making us more like Christ as we journey toward Heaven, our Promised Land… “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). The Spirit gives victory over the wilderness’ temptation.

Overcoming temptation continues as the Holy Spirit leads us away from the world. For forty days Jesus’ desire for the world’s food was replaced by trust in the Spirit’s leading… “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). The Spirit gives victory over the world’s temptation.

Overcoming temptation is completed as the Holy Spirit leads us into the truth of God’s Word. As the Spirit led the “Son of God” into a direct encounter with the devil, He also led Jesus deeper into reliance on the Word of God. Here was a divinely orchestrated opportunity to choose God’s truth over the simpler, easier solution offered by the devil. The devil has not changed his approach. He still tempts us by twisting truth. Our overcoming strategy is to imitate Christ’s example by destroying the devil’s temptation with truth from God’s Word… “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:15-17). Jesus promised the Holy Spirit will lead diligent disciples deeper into God’s truth… “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13). The Spirit gives victory through the truth of God’s Word.

As we grow up into Christ our faith is refined and strengthened as we yield to the leading of…

The Spirit that Overcomes Temptation.