The HEAVIES For SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY-I—Luke 4:14-15
Attention:
Our Chrysler MiniVans(we’ve had 3! & currently have 2). Comparison of vehicles for transporting our 4 kids comfortably. GMC Yukon/Very large—8 cyl—could seat 7—but the rear seat was veeeery uncomfortable....Not for long distances at all!
The beauty of the Mini-van is its people heavy design. It is design as a people hauler. It successfully does that for which it was made.
Need:
Luke ensures his audience that Jesus returned to Galilee with a vigorous/robust/solid ministry.
Jesus’ ministry is vigorous/robust/solid.
How is Jesus’ ministry vigorous/robust/solid?
Why is Jesus’ ministry vigorous/robust/solid?
Why is the vigor/robustness/solidity of Jesus’ ministry important?
Who has a vigorous/robust/solid ministry?
4 factors ensuring successful ministry.
1—Successful ministry is...
JESUS Heavy(:14a)
Explanation: (:14a)
:14—“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, & news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.”
After having completed & experienced victory in His time of testing—without sin(Heb. 4:15)— in the wilderness, Jesus then “returned to Galilee.”
Upon returning from the Jordan(baptism by John @ 4:1), Jesus had been led into the wilderness rather than back into His home region of “Galilee”—& possibly from an initial Judean ministry(See #3 ‘FAME heavy’)—Jesus does not specifically return to Nazareth(His home town in Galilee) until :16.
“Returned”—upostrefw—1) To turn back—1a) To turn about; 2) To return. Strong—To turn under (behind), i.e. To return(literally or figuratively).
“Galilee”—Galilaia—= "Circuit, District"—From—hlylg gaw-lee-law’—Strong—A circle (with the article); Galil (as a special circuit) in the North of Palestine. Thayer—1) A territory in Naphtali largely occupied by heathen; a circuit of towns around Kedesh-Naphtali, in which were situated the 20 towns given by Solomon to Hiram king of Tyre as payment for his work in conveying timber from Lebanon to Jerusalem.
Argumentation:
Rom. 3:21-26—“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed[1Jn. 1:1-4;Jn. 1:18], being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just & the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Col 1:13-15—“He has delivered us from the power of darkness & conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”
1Jn. 1:1-4—“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, & our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- the life was manifested, & we have seen, & bear witness, & declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father & was manifested to us-- that which we have seen & heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; & truly our fellowship is with the Father & with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”
Heb. 4:15—“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Heb. 2:17-18—“Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful & faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”
Heb. 7:24-28—“But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, & has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins & then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.”
2Cor. 5:21—“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1Pet. 2:18 -24—“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good & gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good & suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously[Isa. 53:7]; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.”[Isa. 53:5]
1Jn. 3:5—“And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, & in Him there is no sin.”
Php. 2:5-13—“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, & coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself & became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him & given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, & of those on earth, & of those under the earth, & that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure.”
Col. 2:1-3—“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you & those in Laodicea, & for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, & attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father & of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom & knowledge.”
Col. 1:17—“And He is before all things, & in Him all things consist.”
Illustration:
Decisions made by people/If we had an opportunity to look into hell, no one would want to go/The Lost would come away from the experience certain that they do not want hell, yet being ignorant of the real means of its avoidance, they look around to others for assurance!/However, If our deciding factors are influenced by Jesus, then we look up to Jesus by whom comes salvation/JESUS Heavy
Like a person who has fallen into a well & is seeking the wherewithall to escape on their own power/When they finally realize their efforts are futile, then they look beyond themselves to God/They must look beyond their current distant relationship with God to take seriously His only-begotten Son & our Savior Jesus/JESUS Heavy
Application:
?Our/Your Ministry JESUS Heavy?
?Our/Your Ministry hold the potential for Success?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Mini-van design is people heavy.
Action:
Successful ministry is...
1. JESUS Heavy(:14a)
Presented 08/19/2012pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
