Sermon notes and Bible citations
Gospel: Luke 4:21-32 [Parallel = Mt 13:54-58 & Mk 6:1-6]
“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” [vs. 21]
“Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” [vs. 24]
- WARNING: the people who think they know Jesus best may not be listening to him. In fact, they (we) may be trying to murder the Message. [vs. 29]
- The people of Nazareth enact what Satan attempted in the wilderness! If you are the Son of God, prove it (by our terms)! [Lk 4.1-13]
2. I will give you the world, if you will worship me (Satan).
3. If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the pinnacle. [vs. 29]
- Are we people of Nazareth? [Israel by analogy] Jesus is amazed by their lack of faith [Mk 6.6]
- Or, are we people of Capernaum? [Gentiles by analogy] Compare the faith of the Centurion [Lk 7.1-9] and the Syrophoenician woman [Mk 7.24-30]
- Are we listening to Jesus, or telling him who we think he ought to be?
- Are we made in the image of God? [Gen 1.26-27]
- Or, do we insist in making God into an image of our choosing, such as the golden calf? [Ex 32.4] Note that a calf is a domesticated animal, used in the service of human needs – subservient to people! Worshiping our own domesticated god, is a foolish and self-destructive endeavor.
- Paul warns: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” [2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV]
- Teachers of the Gospel should challenge us – sometimes even offend us. [vs. 21]
- What is our golden calf? What have we concocted in our faith and worship that is contrary to God’s revelation? [vs. 23]
- Lifelong Christians can sometimes become numb, or inoculated to Jesus. For us Jesus may be the “hometown boy” who receives little or no honor. [vs. 24]
- Is Jesus telling you something that you do not want to hear? [vs 28]
- We need to cultivate listening hearts (ie Capernaum) [vs. 31-32]
- In Capernaum:
2. Numerous Miracles [Mk 1.34]
3. Centurion’s servant healed [Lk 7.1-9]
When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." Luke 7:9
4. Peter’s mother-in-law healed [Mk 1.31]
5. Exorcism of unclean spirit [Lk 4.33]
6. Cursed for unrepentance [Mt 11.23]
- Finally - Will we place our faith in a dumb calf or in the living Lion of Judah?
[CS Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Ch. 8, pp. 74-76]
See also, Aslan’s interaction with Jill in the Silver Chair, Ch. 2, pp. 16-17
Footnotes:
Elijah and the widow of Zarapheth: 1 Kings 17.8
Elisha and Naaman the Syrian: 2 Kings 5.1
