The Heavies For Successful Ministry-I

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.”