And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
– Luke 3:3 ESV

GREEK
μετανοίας/metanoias: of a reversal of one’s direction or decision

CONSIDER
Who doesn’t love a good turnaround story? Before he became a star, Sylvester Stallone had to pawn his wife’s jewelry and sell his pet dog just to make ends meet. Today, Stallone’s net worth is around $400 million. Colonel Sanders retired at age 65 with $105 to his name. By the time he was 88, Kentucky Fried Chicken was a multi-billion dollar company. But for all the turnaround stories we hear of financial or career success, nothing compares to the miraculous spiritual turnaround that is available for all of us.
Baptism did not start out as a uniquely Christian act. Several religions, including Judaism, were known to have participated in it as a rite of spiritual cleansing. But Jewish baptism wasn’t for everyone. Jews believed that only Gentiles needed to be washed from their uncleanness because Jews were already God’s chosen people. John’s baptism was unique in that it was designed to show that everyone – regardless of background – was guilty before a perfect God! Because our poor choices and sinful decisions have distanced us from our Creator, he proclaimed “a baptism metanoias (of a reversal of one’s direction or decision) for the forgiveness of sins.” The act of being baptized, then, wasn’t a ritual to make someone more like a special group of privileged people. John’s baptism metanoias was a way to show that, because our sins have been forgiven, our lives have completely changed course. This reversal doesn’t happen because of baptism, but as a result of Christ’s incredible love and kindness to us (Romans 2:4). It’s his love that empowers us to turn away from anything that could stand in the way of the Lord as we actively turn toward him.

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What will I turn away from in order to turn toward the Lord?

Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
– Luke 3:8 ESV

GREEK
ποιήσατε/poiēsate: put all your efforts into cultivating

CONSIDER
One of the 16 fundamental truths of the Assemblies of God is the importance and meaning of the ordinances of the church. Water baptism is one such ordinance, and the statement on it reads in part like this: All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. As John proclaimed a baptism of repentance (a reversal of one’s direction or decision), he envisioned that the newness of life we are to walk in would be productive. He commanded the crowds that came to hear him “poiēsate (put all your efforts into cultivating) fruits in keeping with repentance.” This imperative verb is connected to what follows repentance, not to being saved from the coming wrath (see v.7). In other words, John isn’t telling us to work toward our salvation, but rather to invest our efforts into things that will put our “newness of life” on display. When we do, our lives testify against the lie that John’s original hearers believed. These people were convinced that their spiritual family pedigree meant that they were exempt from the need to repent in order to be justified by God. Today, that attitude might show up in someone who believes they have appeased God through their political affiliation or their church attendance. Water baptism serves as a public declaration that only through the death and resurrection of Jesus can we be made right with God; a justification that empowers us to poiēsate fruit for his glory!

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What will I turn away from in order to turn toward the Lord?

Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
– Luke 3:14 ESV

GREEK
ἀρκεῖσθε/arkeisthe: find sufficient and adequate

CONSIDER
What will I turn away from in order to turn toward the Lord? For a soldier living in perpetual risk of war, the answer could get a little complicated. In the Mediterranean first century, a person serving in the military was entitled to a variety of official – and unofficial – perks of the job. Some of those perks included ordering civilians to carry equipment, enjoying a free meal (regardless of whether it was intended to be or not), and demanding citizens provide goods and services at a moment’s notice. In their minds, these actions were completely justified; these were the populous they risked life and limb to provide peace and order for, and at the time, this occupation did not come with a significant paycheck. Extortion, then, was an ugly but tolerated part of the soldier’s compensation package.
It’s interesting that when John was approached by military personnel regarding what repentance looked like, he didn’t demand they quit their job and pour their energy into something more suitable for a faithful follower of God. Instead, he urged them to show integrity in their actions “and arkeisthe (find sufficient and adequate) your wages.” To a person who has committed to such a dangerous profession, fringe benefits could easily be seen as a minor issue. However, John is appealing to a much larger matter by connecting repentance with contentment. When our discontentment leads to a place of entitlement, it’s an indicator that we’ve removed God from his rightful position in our lives and placed our ego front and center. We begin to buy into the notion that we deserve more than the gifts that he has given us, and we end up dissatisfied with the life he died to save. And while discontentment with anything contrary to God’s will is a positive emotion, John exhorts us to arkeisthe every good gift that he provides. May we turn away from an entitled attitude that demands others serve us and turn toward the One who came not to be served but to serve.

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What will I turn away from in order to turn toward the Lord?

John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
– Luke 3:16 ESV

GREEK
ἱκανὸς/hikanos: competent enough, fit

CONSIDER
Every culture has a set of “unwritten rules” that people instinctively adhere to. Parents let their elementary school children beat them in arm wrestling. Sports teams take their starters out during a blowout. In Jewish antiquity, one such rule became so widely accepted that it was eventually codified by Rabbis. A bondservant was expected to do just about anything their master told them to do. Their work could be physical, menial, technical, and tedious. But culture drew the line at stooping down at the master’s feet. The act of untying someone else’s sandals was so humiliating that the Talmud (collected Rabbinic teachings) forbids it. A servant was deserving of far more respect than that.
John the Baptist understood this principle, and he chose his words thoughtfully when asked if he was the Messiah their culture had been expecting. Not only did he assure the crowd that he wasn’t, but he also shared that “he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not hikanos (competent enough, fit) to untie.” John goes far beyond the expected line of support for his master, teaching that Jesus was so worthy of honor that even untying his sandals was a job he wasn’t qualified for! In a world that drew the line at the feet of the master, John’s response to the gospel was to joyfully cross that line to showcase the glory of Christ Jesus. May our response to the gospel bring us to the feet of our Master, and, like John, be active participants in pointing to His glory with our actions.

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How will I respond to the Gospel?

His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
– Luke 3:17 ESV

GREEK
ἀσβέστῳ/asbestō: unextinguishable

CONSIDER
Today, we know asbestos as a carcinogenic material to stay away from. Before that, it was considered a miracle substance that was virtually fireproof. But oddly enough, one of the first cultural uses of asbestos was designed to encourage, not discourage the flame! Ancient Greeks and Romans would twist strands of asbestos into a wick, and use it to burn an “inextinguishable” candle. The fibrous strands were perfect for soaking up oil or fat, and their incombustible properties allowed the wick to burn for an incredibly long time. Asbestos has been used to both repel and attract fire, but the naturally occurring mineral’s properties have never had to be altered.
Luke records John’s warning to his hearers as a frightening and cautionary tale. The Messiah was poised to separate the wheat from the chaff and burn the useless husks with asbestō (unextinguishable) fire. Without a living relationship with the Lord of all creation, our lives will be as fit to use as chaff that will be gathered together and set aflame. John’s admonishment is to repent! To turn away from sin and self and to turn toward the hope that Jesus brings. Interestingly, Exodus 34:6 speaks of the love of God in a surprisingly similar fashion to the asbestō fire of judgment. When the Lord described himself to Moses on Mount Sinai, he said he was slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. That Hebrew word denotes the idea of permanence; nothing is able to extinguish his loyal love for humanity! The fire of judgment may be asbestō, but thank God his inextinguishable love is available to all who place their trust in him.

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How will I respond to the Gospel?

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.”
– Luke 3:22 ESV

GREEK
ἀγαπητός/agapētos: highly cherished

CONSIDER
He was days away from returning home from war when a grenade hit him in the chest. In 2006, petty officer (SEAL) Michael Monsoor was tasked with providing machine gun cover for two snipers on the rooftop of a building during The Battle of Ramadi. The grenade hit Monsoor, then rolled onto the deck with only seconds before detonation. Without hesitation, Monsoor yelled “grenade” to alert his brothers in arms and immediately leaped onto the explosive to save the lives of the two SEAL snipers around him. According to the U.S. Navy’s Summary of Action, “Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped. Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life.” When it mattered most, Michael Monsoor chose to act with compassion in the most practical and sacrificial way imaginable.
There are moments when it’s necessary that love be expressed in action instead of language. If we claim to love others and yet hesitate to act in their time of need, our words will sound hollow. When Jesus was baptized, the crowd heard a voice from Heaven say, “You are my agapētos (highly cherished) Son; with you I am well pleased.” This Greek adjective isn’t used to simply describe someone’s feelings for another; agapētos carries with it the concept of action. It’s derived from a word for such extravagant love that is expressed in an act of the will, rather than the emotions. God the Father was declaring that he loved Jesus so much that it would manifest itself in action on behalf of his Son. And as the Son is the exact representation of the Father’s nature (see Hebrews 1:3), Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection made clear that we are agapētos as well! Responding to the Gospel may prove to be a difficult task, but when it’s anchored in the deep love of God, we can trust that the effort will be worth it every time.

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How will I respond to the Gospel?

Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, – Luke 3:23 ESV

GREEK
ἐνομίζετο/enomizeto: was assumed, was expected to be true

CONSIDER
If we were to look at the life of Jesus through the lens of a devout Jewish person, it would be easy to think of him simply as a revolutionary. The One who claimed the Messianic title “Son of Man” also said and did many things that seemed to oppose the Law. Case in point: Jesus would often heal people on the Sabbath and even allowed his disciples to pick the heads of grain on this day to satiate their hunger, an act that appeared to contradict the letter of the law. However, upon closer examination we see that Jesus was really utilizing the sabbath to bless others – the way it was designed to be (See Mark 2:27). In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his devout Jewish audience, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
When Luke wrote his genealogy of Jesus, he began by referring to him as “the son (as enomizeto {was assumed, was expected to be true}) of Joseph, the son of Heli.” Luke uses a verb that carries with it the idea of something so obvious that believing it is akin to believing a law of nature. In this case, a human father is required for a human son to arrive on the scene. But Jesus again breaks with expectations, and Luke shows us how the reality of the virgin birth fulfilled Messianic prophecy. It would seem obvious that Jesus would need a biological father, but what enomizeto of Joseph actually served to point to the Messiah. An angel appeared to Joseph to inform him of Jesus’ true identity, which led Joseph to change his mind about calling off his engagement with Mary and to care for Jesus as his own flesh and blood. Today, although we won’t be faced with the same choices Joseph had to make, we, too, will have the opportunity to allow the truth of the virgin birth to inform our decisions. May those decisions strengthen our spiritual legacy and cause those closest to us to challenge their false assumptions about who God is!

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What will I do this week to strengthen my spiritual legacy?

the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, – Luke 3:32 ESV

GREEK
Ἰωβὴδ/Iōbēd: servant, worshiper

CONSIDER
You might expect someone like Jesus to have a lineage full of extremes. It makes sense that the Son of God would have heroes and legends counted among his ancestors, like David, Abraham, and Noah. And it would also be right to have notorious sinners like Rahab (Matt. 1:5) included to show that God can graft anyone into his family of faith. But embedded in the genealogy of Jesus is story after story of ordinary, faithful people who may otherwise be overlooked. Case in point: Iōbēd, a man whose name means servant, or worshiper. Iōbēd was the son of Boaz, who features prominently in the Book of Ruth, and grandson of King David. It might be easy to feel forgotten or unimportant among these champions, but this unassuming servant is seen as integral in the story of Jesus.
It’s highly likely that each of us knows what it’s like to go unnoticed or feel excluded. Those moments often make it easier to believe the lie that our lives don’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. But Jesus reminds us – both through his life and through his lineage – that a simple servant’s heart is all it takes to leave a significant spiritual legacy. When we are bold enough to bring our “yes” to God, he will graciously use even the seemingly ordinary aspects of our lives to impact those closest to us.

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What will I do this week to strengthen my spiritual legacy?

the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. – Luke 3:38 ESV

GREEK
τοῦ Θεοῦ/tou Theou: the one that comes directly from God

CONSIDER
The genealogy of Jesus is intentionally nestled between two stories that highlight his divinity. Earlier in chapter 3, John the Baptist proclaimed that his role was to prepare the way for the Messiah. In chapter 4, Jesus overcame the temptation to bypass the cross and complete his mission by submitting to Satan’s authority. These stories point to the reality that Jesus himself was sent by God to fulfill prophecy, establish his kingdom, and redeem his people. By tracing Jesus’ lineage back to Adam, tou Theou (the one that comes directly from God), Luke is expressing something significant. There’s a sense that we can all trace our ancestry back to Adam, the first man and only human to be directly created by God’s hand from the dust of the earth. But by embedding this genealogy where he did, Luke meant to portray Jesus as the Second Adam – the One who came from God and accomplished what the first Adam could not! Even though Adam was created by God and placed in the idyllic setting of the Garden of Eden, he still succumbed to the temptation of Satan. But Jesus not only resisted his temptation in the wilderness but also overcame every other temptation toward compromise that was thrown his way. Tou Theou, who was born of a virgin and was prophesied of for generations, had finally arrived on the stage of history to undo the fall of man and restore the peace that comes from intimacy with God. His faithfulness to the Father’s plan means that we will benefit from his spiritual legacy.

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What will I do this week to strengthen my spiritual legacy?

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness – Luke 4:1 ESV

GREEK
ἐρήμῳ/erēmō: desolate, wasted, or abandoned place

CONSIDER
Today, Botany Bay, Australia is a picturesque seaside area located minutes from downtown Sydney. Apartments sell for upwards of a million dollars, where both big city amenities and an oceanside atmosphere make it an enviable place to live and work. But in the late 1700s, Botany Bay was established as a British penal colony known for its harsh conditions, minimal drinking water, and unproductive soil. It took a couple of centuries of agricultural, technological, and cultural advancements, but humans have transformed a veritable wasteland into one of the most desired zip codes on the continent.
When we trust the Lord to lead our lives, there may be moments when we are unsure of where we are headed or why we are headed there. But God can do in a moment what we might expect would take generations to accomplish. As Luke begins his narrative of Jesus being tempted by the Devil, he states that Jesus was led by the Spirit in the erēmō (desolate, wasted, and abandoned place). This adjective describes the reality that the place the Spirit was leading him into had nothing to offer; it was neither a productive land nor a populated one. In other words, the only things that Jesus had to rely on were the things that only God could provide. It was clearly uncomfortable and difficult, but when engaged in a spiritual battle, Jesus still had everything he needed to overcome. For us, it will be a question of when, not if, we will experience seasons of being in the erēmō. Thankfully, scripture is clear that we can experience the fullness of God’s presence in the midst of those seasons, and his presence is all we need to bring an oasis of hope to the wilderness of life.

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I will memorize this verse:
(In case you missed the message, we ended with a unique application. We encourage you to memorize a scripture – or scriptures, following Jesus’ lead as he used scripture to resist temptation in the wilderness.)

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ” – Luke 4:4 ESV

GREEK
μόνῳ/monō: merely, exclusively

CONSIDER
Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, their leader, Moses, gathered the people together to prepare them for what was to come. Although Moses himself would not set foot there, he understood what the Lord expected from him and his people alike. One of the most poignant lessons from this speech is found in Deuteronomy chapter 8. Moses implores the Israelites to remember the way the Lord led them through 40 years in the wilderness, emphasizing God’s formative work through trials and challenges that left them humble and reliant on the grace of God. His provision was on display in one of the most difficult places in the world, and although they weren’t always comfortable there, they discovered they were always sustained by his goodness.
Just over 1,000 years later, another wilderness experience would provide the stage for a very similar lesson. In Luke 4, Jesus had just completed a 40-day fast when the devil approached him with a suggestion: prove you are the Son of God by turning some stones into bread. It’s likely no coincidence that the devil approached Jesus at this moment; health experts have determined that a person’s concentration and focus are impacted when they‘ve gone without food for a few short hours. But although he was hungry, Jesus resolutely quoted Moses to tell his adversary that “man shall not live by bread monō (merely, exclusively).” Jesus referenced the Hebrew scriptures as a declaration that as critical as eating food is, it’s secondary to the plans and purposes of the Father. In another context, performing a miracle to satisfy his hunger would certainly not constitute a sinful act. Jesus needed to overcome the temptation to shortcut the will of God and reveal his Sonship apart from the cross. Thankfully, Jesus showed that he was sustained not by food but by doing the will of the One who sent him (see John 4:34). The enemy’s tactics often include tempting God’s people with a shortcut to seeing their desires fulfilled. Knowing this, we can engage with Scripture to properly identify his lies and declare the truth that God’s way is always better.

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I will memorize this verse:
(In case you missed the message, we ended with a unique application. We encourage you to memorize a scripture – or scriptures, following Jesus’ lead as he used scripture to resist temptation in the wilderness.)

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.’ ” – Luke 4:10-11 ESV

GREEK
ἀροῦσίν/arousin: remove you, carry you away

CONSIDER
Once upon a time, there was a teenager who was seeking the Lord’s will for her life after high school. Her parents were aware that the Bible could address her questions, and as a family they trusted God to speak directly to her needs. As a result, the teen was urged to open her Bible, point to a random spot on the page, and take that verse as a clear sign for her future. Imagine her parent’s surprise when her finger landed on Ecclesiastes 10:19, which says “A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.” It turns out that there were two lessons learned that day: we need to rethink our parenting strategies and context counts!
As Centerway, we believe that Biblical literacy matters. It is critical that those who follow Jesus know his Word and understand its implications. But if we are not aware of why a verse was written or the context within which it is found, we run the risk of engaging in one of the devil’s favorite activities. When Jesus used scripture to combat his temptations, satan countered with scripture knowledge of his own. He quoted Psalm 91 to coax Jesus into jumping off the roof of the temple in Jerusalem, reminding him that angels would “arousin (remove you, carry you away), lest you strike your foot against a stone.” And while he may have gotten the words to this passage right, the devil twisted their meaning to fit his own will and plan. Psalm 91 is about trusting God’s protection and resting in his nearness, not brazenly executing your own plans in the expectation that He will help you carry them out. Thankfully, the more we engage with scripture and revel in the joy found therein, the easier it will be to recognize the tactics of our enemy. May we take seriously the call to memorize God’s word, and spend time embedding its proper meaning in our hearts.

APPLY
I will memorize this verse:
(In case you missed the message, we ended with a unique application. We encourage you to memorize a scripture – or scriptures, following Jesus’ lead as he used scripture to resist temptation n the wilderness.)

“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,
– Luke 4:18 ESV

GREEK
τεθραυσμένους/tethrausmenous: shattered, crushed

CONSIDER
In 2009, Susannah Calahan thought she had developed a new talent. Calahan believed that she could age people using just her mind. She also believed she had a unique insight into unsolved murders and that an army of bed bugs had intentionally invaded her apartment. Susannah eventually understood that something was wrong with her mind and that she needed medical attention, but her self-diagnosis proved to be inaccurate. Doctors discovered she had a rarely diagnosed disease that caused her body to attack her brain. They focused not on correcting her mind but the physical culprit within her immune system. Had she insisted on treatment that dealt only with clearing the fog of her intellect, the disease would have irreversibly destroyed her mental capacity and would likely have resulted in death.
Isn’t it good to know that we have a trusted Savior who is both our Good Shepherd and our Great Physician? He knows the source of our brokenness and has nailed its effects to the cross (Col. 2:14). When Jesus took the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth, the passage he read expressed this idea perfectly. In foretelling the coming of the Messiah, Luke records Jesus quoting Isaiah’s words: “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are tethrausmenous (shattered, crushed).” This verb specifically refers to something that is shattered to pieces or broken down and no longer in its original condition. And if that describes us, we might be easily tempted to look for healing in places and things apart from Christ. But as we allow him to diagnose and treat that which seems irreparable, our loving Lord will apply his restorative work directly to the tethrausmenous areas that need it most. Those areas may not be the ones that we think he should begin with, but resting in his sovereignty requires that we trust his diagnosis over our own.

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How will I rest in His sovereignty?

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.
– Luke 4:20 ESV

GREEK
ἀτενίζοντες/atenizontes: intently directed toward

CONSIDER
What would you do if the person you loved most suddenly ascended into the sky? After confirming that your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you, you would likely remain in a transfixed stare at their position for as long as possible. Luke records that this scenario played out with Jesus and his disciples in Acts chapter 1, and he uses a Greek verb to describe their gaze that means to stretch out one’s attention to its fullest capacity.
But this wasn’t the first time Luke used this verb to describe a crowd looking at Jesus. In Luke 4, as Jesus finished reading from the scroll of Isaiah, he remarked that “the eyes of all in the synagogue were atenizontes (intently directed toward) him.” It’s clear that this group of people had heard of the power of Jesus’ ministry and his ability to change situations. Sadly, the rapt attention given by the crowd was short lived, and their eyes stopped being atenizontes him when his words contradicted their presuppositions. Once Jesus began talking about bringing Gentiles and other unclean, marginalized outcasts of society into his kingdom, the people redirected their attention to a local cliff in order to throw him over. They didn’t recognize that, because of their sin, they were outsiders, too, and therefore included in Jesus’ circle of care. Our attention is typically directed toward things and people that we believe will benefit us on our terms. So as tough as it is to admit, we can see much of ourselves in the people of Nazareth. Thankfully, Jesus chose to reveal himself to his hometown crowd despite their narcissistic attitudes. He paid the ultimate price to rescue humanity, even when we were at our worst. May this truth indelibly transform not only what we stretch out our attention toward, but our very being as well!

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How will I rest in His sovereignty?

When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.
– Luke 4:28 ESV

GREEK
θυμοῦ/thymou: an outburst of irate passion

CONSIDER
How will I rest in His sovereignty? For much of humanity, this question is far easier to wrestle with when the seas of life are smooth. However, when things don’t seem to be going our way, and we’re sailing through choppy waters, we may find ourselves working a bit harder to find an answer we are satisfied with. Evidence suggests that this isn’t merely a result of being in a tough situation; challenges often stir up a series of thoughts and emotions that can be hard for us to identify. Sociologists have found that anger and fear can be tricky to differentiate. For example, when a person gets startled by another person, the fear they experience might cause them to take physical action like a punch in the arm, even after the threat has been identified. Sound familiar?
Luke gives us the sense that this same phenomenon may have happened in Nazareth as Jesus taught in their synagogue. After he read from the scroll of Isaiah and explained that God cared for people who were traditionally known as “outsiders,” verse 28 says that “all in the synagogue were filled with thymou (an outburst of irate passion).” This Greek noun is filled with imagery. It is derived from a word meaning to breathe hard and carries with it the idea of happening quickly. Were the people of Nazareth filled with thymou because they were angry that Jesus refused to perform in line with their expectations, or was it because they were fearful that his words implied they were in danger of missing the point of why he came? Either way, this emotion led them to reject the One who was sent to provide the world with hope. Yet in God’s sovereignty, Jesus not only didn’t punish them for trying to throw him off a cliff, but he climbed a hill while carrying a cross and died in the place of these people. Can you identify why you sometimes find it difficult to rest in His sovereignty? Regardless of fear, anger, or any other emotion, Jesus is longing to spend time connecting with you.

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How will I rest in His sovereignty?

and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. – Luke 4:32 ESV

GREEK
ἐξουσίᾳ/exousia: power to [its] fullest capacity

CONSIDER
“Let me speak to your manager.” Whether it’s used at a store, a restaurant, or on a customer service phone call, just about all of us understand what is really implied by this phrase. More often than not, people make this request when they sense they are at an impasse with an employee and want to make their case with someone who is better positioned to give them what they want. When someone asks to speak with another person’s manager, it serves as a reminder that the employee is simply part of a chain of command and that there is someone in the organization with greater jurisdiction that can be appealed to. Simply put, the employee is not the final authority on the matter.
The truth is, most of us don’t need to hear a trite, self-centered phrase like this to recognize that our authority is limited at work. Unless we own the company (and often not even then) every employee has a boss that they answer to. So to witness an exercise of autonomous authority is extremely rare. That is why those in Capernaum were utterly astonished at Jesus’ teaching because his word possessed exousia (power to [its] fullest capacity). Back in verse 23, Jesus referenced the fact that previously, in Capernaum, he had performed miracles and displayed his power to heal. Now, as they heard the Good News Jesus taught in their synagogue, they were blown away because they recognized that the words he spoke were coming from the most superior being possible. Jesus didn’t need to clear anything with his boss or ask his manager if a deal was available to his audience. The astonishment they felt came from the exousia he wielded. That’s good news for us today as well because that means we can trust Jesus and take him at his word. So when he tells us that we are loved by God (John 3), chosen by God (John 15), and adopted by God (John 1), we don’t have to wonder if someone with more authority is going to change that reality. That is Good News indeed!

APPLY
What area of my life will I submit to the authority of God’s word?

“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.”  – Luke 4:34 ESV

GREEK
ἀπολέσαι/apolesai: completely annihilate

CONSIDER
About 37 miles from the city of Flagstaff, there lies a geographical feature so unique to the area that people from all over the world come to see it. The flat, arid, dusty desert of Northern Arizona is the home of Meteor Crater, an impact crater from an asteroid made of nickel and iron. Conservative estimates suggest that the meteor, roughly the size of a Boeing 747 airplane, hit the ground at 29,000 mph. The force from an impact of that magnitude would be equivalent to 700 nuclear bombs. Needless to say, any form of life near the impact zone would have been instantly vaporized.
As powerful a force as this event was, it pales in comparison to the power that the demonic spirit was afraid of in Luke 4. When Jesus came into proximity with the unclean spirit, it asked him “Have you come to apolesai (completely annihilate) us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” By using this particular active verb, the demon wanted to know if Jesus was there to focus his authoritative power on vaporizing him in an act of destruction so complete that there wouldn’t be a trace of him left! It’s the same word that Jesus would use in John 10:10 to describe how the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy us; the goal is to completely eradicate us from the life God has called us to. It’s telling, then, that Jesus doesn’t need to perform an exorcism to release the man from his demonic oppression. Jesus simply speaks a word, and by the command of his own authority, the demon is forced to leave the man. The gospel of Luke goes on to echo the rest of the New Testament in declaring that Jesus is still speaking with authority today. And as we take the time to listen to his voice through his word and by his Spirit, the very things that our enemy seeks to apolesai can be protected and strengthened as we submit to that authority.

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What area of my life will I submit to the authority of God’s word?

And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. – Luke 4:37 ESV

GREEK
ἐξεπορεύετο/exeporeueto: were being focused outward

CONSIDER
Imagine a scene in which a teen works hard to earn a spot on his school’s lacrosse team, and achieves his goal against all odds. His parents tell him how proud they are and promise to see him in action, but are conspicuously absent from the first three games. After a time of heartfelt pleading, the parents promise that they will attend his very next event. As game time approaches, the athlete scans the crowd and identifies his parents walking to their seats. But the moment they sit down, Dad never once looks up from his phone, and Mom uses the opportunity to work on her tan by turning her back to the game so that she can face the sun. Do you suppose that child will be filled with gratitude that his parents are in the general vicinity of the game? A more likely scenario is that he would be even more disappointed than if they hadn’t made an appearance. The reason is simple: what we focus on reveals our priority. The parents could use their words to tell their child how proud they are of him, but if they would rather direct their attention somewhere else, those words would invariably ring hollow.
In today’s verse, as the power and authority of Jesus started to be displayed, Luke says “reports about him exeporeueto (were being focused outward) into every place in the surrounding region.” His mighty acts caused those who experienced them to be moved in such a way that their focus was on making them known. Not just that, exeporeueto is a verb that implies action that is focused specifically in an outward direction. Those witnesses to his power in Capernaum were so moved by it that they focused on sharing the Good News of Jesus along every route and road possible. May we be so moved by the power and authority of God’s word today, that leveraging every avenue we can to proclaim its truth becomes our priority.

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What area of my life will I submit to the authority of God’s word?

And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf.
– Luke 4:38 ESV

GREEK
ἠρώτησαν/ērōtēsan: they asked a personal favor

CONSIDER
In the 11 seasons that the TV show Undercover Boss aired, 136 business owners participated in a covert attempt to interact with their employees. Some employees stood out to the boss for their work ethic, leadership, and ability to do the right thing. Others, however, stood out for the wrong reasons. Employees sometimes exhibited character flaws, negative behavior, and poor attitudes that they would have never let the CEO see had they known who was in their midst. Many episodes of Undercover Boss centered around the idea that knowing one’s position should not change a person’s performance; integrity is the strength of character required to treat everyone with the respect they deserve.
And yet, we as humans are apt to carry differing expectations of people we are in deeper relationships with. Integrity demands that we treat all people well, but those we are in personal relationships with can expect unique treatment that others cannot. Think of it this way: only your closest friends and family can ask you for a favor at 3 a.m. and expect a favorable response. This is the meaning behind Luke’s language in today’s verse. When Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, Luke said of the people there, “ērōtēsan (they asked a personal favor) to him on her behalf.” This Greek verb is used specifically in the context of relationships. The people at this woman’s house boldly asked Jesus to help her on the grounds that they knew him personally. They weren’t simply submitting a formal request to a stranger with authority, they were appealing to their friendship with him. If he were a stranger, we might expect the crowd to be too nervous to approach a leader with as much authority as Jesus. But because of their proximity to – and familiarity with – his character, the people were fearless in making this request of Jesus. Have we believed a lie that God is too powerful, too unconcerned, or too distant to hear our request? Today is a great opportunity to better comprehend the strength of his character and deepen our relationship with him.

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What lie have I believed that needs to be replaced with gospel truth?

And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. – Luke 4:39 ESV

GREEK
ἐπιστὰς ἐπάνω/epistas epanō: drew near to; became present with

CONSIDER
For every example of a leader who uses their position to serve people, there’s a chance we could find an example of a leader who uses people to serve themselves. When people in positions of authority forget that the people they lead matter, abstraction, and aloofness often follow. When Stanley O’Neal became the CEO of Merrill Lynch, he famously leveraged his position to enact an order for his employees to not speak to him when they saw him coming. He exclusively used a private elevator to keep his distance from others and traveled in the corporate helicopter whenever possible. The jury is out regarding whether he was a successful CEO (O’Neal was forced out after a quarter in which Merrill Lynch lost over $2 Billion during the Real Estate Crash), but what isn’t debatable is his lack of proximity to those he led.
When we see a leader who both cares for others and is competent in ability, we recognize that person as an authority figure. This is the message that Luke conveyed by stating of Jesus that “he epistas epanō (drew near to; became present with) her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.” The Gospel writer uses language to convey the fact that this healing involved Jesus moving toward this sick woman. There was never a question for the crowd that Jesus was competent, but if there was ever a doubt that his heart was stirred by broken people, the fact that he epistas epanō her and rebuked the fever erased those doubts. The lie that Jesus will only come into proximity with perfect people is pervasive in our world today. But thank God, the gospel is clear that the Lord loves to draw near to those who need him the most.

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What lie have I believed that needs to be replaced with gospel truth?

Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. – Luke 4:40 ESV

GREEK
ἀσθενοῦντας/asthenountas: weakened, made feeble

CONSIDER
It’s a beautiful picture: as dusk approached, people from all over the region came to Jesus in need of healing, and awash in the golden hues of sunset he performed miracle after miracle. This scene took place shortly after a personal appeal for help was issued by loved ones that Jesus would perform a healing for Simon’s Mother-in-Law. Both moments are lovely in their own way, but the two events certainly have their differences. One was individual and particular, the other was public and varied. One appealed to personal compassion, the other appealed to proven power. A third difference can be seen in the way Luke describes the need for healing in each account. While Peter’s Mother-in-Law was in the grip (synechomenē) of a high fever, in today’s verse, “all those who had any who were asthenountas (weakened, made feeble) with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.” Jesus was able to identify the specific root of what had weakened those who were brought to him. It could have been a physical ailment that impacted them, or as we see in verse 41, the cause could have been spiritual in nature. In this way, we see that every time Jesus restored a person to health, the healing that took place was completely unique to the needs of that individual.
God sees you. He knows you, and He loves you. If you’ve ever been tempted to believe the lie that you’ve gone unnoticed by him, or that your difficult situation isn’t important enough to get God’s attention, allow the truth of this passage to resonate in your spirit. As you cry out to God and perhaps take another step closer to your Creator, he is moved with compassion and desires to address the areas of your life that have left you weakened and feeble.

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What lie have I believed that needs to be replaced with gospel truth?

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them,  – Luke 4:42 ESV

GREEK
ἔρημον τόπον/erēmon topon: wasteland, solitary location

CONSIDER
Monowi, Nebraska, is a lot like the small towns dotted across the Midwest. Located in the middle of nowhere, it’s home to a tavern, a library, and, surprisingly, four street lights. The mayor has lived there for decades and can often be found frequenting the local establishments. But there is something unique that sets Monowi apart from nearly every other town in the world. According to the 2010 US census, the Monowi population was one solitary resident, Elsie Eiler. Since her husband died in 2004, Eiler has served in every capacity possible, even using her mayoral power to grant herself a liquor license for her role as the tavern owner! It may be a lonely existence, but it’s where Elsie Eiler calls home.
Typically, humans steer clear of desolate places. We thrive in community, where infrastructure, resources, and security are easier to find. So when Jesus “departed and went into a erēmon topon (wasteland, solitary location)” the people in town had a difficult time comprehending his logic. Capernaum provided Jesus with security, notoriety, and the support necessary to build a platform from which to spread his influence. But Jesus recognized that Capernaum also could be a distraction from the connection with his Heavenly Father – the ultimate source of his strength. Retreating to an erēmon topon may seem counterintuitive when seeking greater impact in the world around us. But when we remove distractions and connect with God, we realize the wasteland may be exactly where He wants us to be.

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How will I lean in to what God is doing outside of my own world?

but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” – Luke 4:43 ESV

GREEK
δεῖ/dei: am compelled by an overwhelming force [to]

CONSIDER
For many obvious reasons, water is crucial to our survival. More than half of the human body consists of it, and water makes up 75% of our brain. Without consuming water, we would die within a week. And yet, although daily intake is crucial to function at our best, water is also known as the “universal solvent,” capable of dissolving more substances than any other liquid on the planet. Due to its poles being both negatively and positively charged, solids, liquids, and even gases such as carbon dioxide are no match for their power. Water’s capacity to be simultaneously destructive and life-giving is paradoxical. It would be catastrophic if someone were to become so paralyzed with fear by the power of water that they avoided it altogether. It is an overwhelming force that we must have consistent access to.
On an infinitely grander scale, the presence and power of God’s Spirit can be seen in much the same way. His power is incomprehensible and should be held in the highest respect, but without him, life would cease to exist. In Luke 4, Jesus exemplified this reality when he said, “I dei (am compelled by an overwhelming force [to]) preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well.” This active Greek verb points to the truth that Jesus was moved by a force outside of himself, but the force in question was the compassion of God for others to hear the good news of the kingdom of God! Jesus was constrained to leave Capernaum because of the Father’s deep love for humanity. May our motivation for submitting to the will of God be driven by the same force as Jesus, as we follow where he leads.

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How will I lean in to what God is doing outside of my own world?

but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” – Luke 4:43 ESV

GREEK
ἀπεστάλην/apestalēn: I was dispatched for, I was commissioned for

CONSIDER
How will I lean in to what God is doing outside of my own world? Although he wasn’t quoted asking this in so many words, Jesus modeled why our response to this question matters so much. In Luke 4, Jesus was faced with making a decision to stay in a place where he was comfortable and appreciated, or travel an arduous and sometimes treacherous path to work on the behalf of the desperate crowd. After making the decision to leave Capernaum, Jesus explained that he needed to go to the other towns as well, “for apestalēn (I was dispatched for, I was commissioned for) this purpose.” Notice the confidence with which Jesus articulated God’s will for his life. The Greek verb used here is where we get our English word apostle, meaning “one who is sent.” After returning from a journey into the wilderness to connect with his Heavenly Father, Jesus was so attuned to his Father’s voice that there was no doubt in his mind that God had specifically called him to preach the Good News of the kingdom. If the Son of God found it necessary to retreat in order to confirm his assignment, how much more could we benefit from an undistracted period of time listening to the Lord? Those who take time away from life’s hectic pace for a season will be better able to find clarity on the purpose for which God has commissioned them.

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How will I lean in to what God is doing outside of my own world?