Luke lesson 10

    We will begin this lesson in Luke 4:16  "And he came to Nazareth,
where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the
synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read."

    Hebrew children were allowed to go to synagogue at 5 years old.
Hebrew boys, after completing Bar Mitzva at 12, were expected to
attend as an adult would. In the synagogue, it was the custom to stand
and read from the Holy books. Jesus had already been attending, and
his fame as a preacher had spread; so it was natural for Him to be the
one to read. Nazareth was the town Jesus had lived in as a boy and was
well known in this area.

    Luke 4:17 "And there was delivered unto him the book of the
prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place
where it was written,"

    This is the book of Isaiah. The head of the synagogue would bring
the book out to be read. It appears that it was not turned to the
Scripture Jesus intended to give, so He (Jesus) found the place He
wanted to read from. The Scripture He was about to read was in Isaiah
61:1 "The spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;" Isaiah 61:2 "To
proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of
our God; to comfort all that mourn;"

    Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal
the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised," Luke 4:19 "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

    Jesus, in this reading of the Scripture from Isaiah, is showing
that this Scripture is fulfilled. Jesus, in just a few words, tells
what His ministry on this earth will be. Jesus is filled to
overflowing with the Spirit. He has the fullness of God. We know that
Jesus was not a respecter of persons, but truly brings the gospel
message to the poor; to those rejected by the world. He laid His hands
on the sick and they recovered, He opened blind eyes, He raised the
dead, He even went into hell itself and preached and brought those
held captive out with Him. His miracles were so numerous and so great,
all the books in the world could not contain them. He truly fulfilled
this Scripture in Isaiah to the fullest.

    Luke 4:20 "And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the
minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the
synagogue were fastened on him."

    When Jesus spoke, people marveled. He spoke with such authority.
It was as if there was a supernatural drawing when the Lord Jesus
spoke.
    Luke 4:21 "And he began to say unto them, This day is this
scripture fulfilled in your ears."

    Jesus very boldly tells them that He is the fulfillment of this
Scripture.

    Luke 4:22 "And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious
words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this
Joseph's son?"

    We see, here, that Jesus' Words were so overwhelming that these
people could not believe their own ears. Suddenly, they ask each
other. "Isn't this the carpenter's son that lives down the road here?
We saw Him grow up like our own children. How could He be the
fulfillment of this Scripture?" They are still believing that Joseph
is Jesus' Father. They are looking at the flesh, and not the Spirit.
Even today, nearly 2000 years later, the world still says, "This
cannot be God, He was just a man".  Jesus was in fact.  God the Son.

    Luke 4:23 "And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this
proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in
Capernaum, do also here in thy country."

    We see people here who truly believe they know this carpenter's
son and believe that this (by the wildest stretch of imagination)
could not possibly be Messiah. They believe Him to be mad. Jesus will
later on say that a prophet is not without honor save in his own
country and in His own house. Those around Him, who knew Him, instead
of asking Him for their healing will say heal yourself. Capernaum.
also, was too close to home. Many did not believe there either, even
though He did many miracles.

    Luke 4:24 "And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is
accepted in his own country." Luke 4:25 "But I tell you of a truth,
many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was
shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout
all the land;" Luke 4:26 "But unto none of them was Elias sent, save
unto Sarepta, [a city] of Sidon, unto a woman [that was] a widow."

    Jesus is telling them, here, that just as all those widows in
Elijah's time did not get help because they did not have faith, it
would be that way here. To receive a miracle. you must have faith.
Notice, here, that this drought and famine in Elijah's time lasted 3
1/2 years. This woman of Sarepte received Elijah into her home, and
God miraculously fed them the whole time. Great miracles and great
faith go hand in hand. there is no faith here, and there will be no
great miracles because of it.

    Luke 4:27 "And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus
the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian."

    Naaman came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy, and Elisha told him
to wash in the Jordan River seven times, He did, and his leprosy was
gone. It is a beautiful story in Second Kings 5, beginning with verse
3. read all the way to the end of the chapter. There are many
beautiful lessons. One of the most important of these lessons is that
healing is not for sale.

    Luke 4:28 "And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these
things, were filled with wrath,"

    They were filed with wrath, because Jesus was saying unto them,
"Oh, ye of little faith". Jesus was telling them that they could not
receive anything of God because of their cold hearts. They could not
see Jesus as anything else but Joseph's son.











































                           Luke 10 Questions

1.  Where was Jesus brought up?
2.  What was Jesus' custom on the Sabbath day?
3.  What did He do in the synagogue?
4.  At what early age were Hebrew children allowed to go to synagogue?
5.  At what age were Hebrew boys expected to attend?
6.  We see here 18 years Jesus had been going to the synagogue. What
    had the preacher learned about Jesus in this time?
7.  What book was brought to Jesus to read?
8.  What chapter and verse did Jesus turn to?
9.  In the Scripture. What had Jesus been anointed to do?
10. What special thing did Jesus say was now upon Him?
11. What was Jesus to preach?
12. Name 3 types of miracles Jesus did.
13. When He finished reading. Who was looking at Him?
14. Why were they staring at Jesus?
15. In verse 21. what does Jesus call Himself?
16. Who did these people believe Jesus to be?
17. After 2000 years. what do people believe about Jesus?
18. What proverb did Jesus say they would say unto Him?
19. What other city, besides Nazareth, would not believe?
20. They thought by the wildest stretch of imagination He could not be
    _____________.
21. Where is a prophet without honor?
22. How many years was there famine in the land in Elijah's time?
23. Where did Elijah stay during that time?
24. Why was the woman of Sarepta chosen?
25. Why did the other widows round about not get help?
26. What goes hand in hand with great miracles?
27. Who was brought to Elisha to be healed of leprosy?
28. What did Elisha tell him to do?
29. What is one of the most important lessons to be learned in this
    account in 2nd Kings?
30. How did the people accept this message?
31. What was Jesus actually saying to them?