Holy Spirit, be our teacher and lead us into truth. Show us Jesus in a new and real way. Let us understand the Word with spiritual understanding. And shed God's love abroad in our hearts we pray in Jesus Name.

Welcome to Bible Study, as we continue our study of the Gospel of Luke. Last time we were discussing the beginning of Jesus' ministry, after His baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist. Jesus began his ministry in Galilee IN THE POWER of the SPIRIT, and his teachings were highly praised. Then he returns to his "hometown" Nazareth and attends the synagogue, "as was His custom".

We discussed at some length the benefits of attending worship regularly, and I hope that all of you attend a local, Bible believing church at least once a week! Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah a prophecy of the Messiah, and then said something very startling.

They could not seem to reconcile the fact that Jesus was (apparently) Joseph's son with Isaiah's prophecy. It seems quite evident that the villagers did not know about His divine origin. "THIS" in v. 22 has a hint of contempt. This fellow is not a great rabbi. We know his family. How can a carpenter's son make such claims? They had never heard such words from Him in the 30 years He had lived among them.

Jesus knew what they were thinking: They were thinking, "OK, show us your stuff!" But instead of gratifying their desire to see miracles, what did Jesus say?

Luke 4:24 "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

Jesus said that no prophet is accepted in his own country. Jesus never performed miracles to satisfy skeptics. He gave His power to those in need who opened their hearts to Him, not to doubters who dared Him to do something.

We are told in another passage that He couldn't do great miracles in Nazareth because of their unbelief. Isn't this amazing? His own hometown couldn't see him as anything but a carpenter! Nor was Jesus the first prophet to be rejected by his own people. Jesus continued to state that Elijah and Elisha found more faith in Gentiles than they did in Israelites.

Exodus - It is amazing OleTimer and sad

Luke 4:25-25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.

Luke 4:27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed--only Naaman the Syrian."

Why were those in the synagogue now filled with wrath?

OlePappy - They were because Jesus said that they were not as faithful to God as some of the gentiles

In fact, they became so enraged they were going to kill Jesus! Throw him off a cliff! People can become more angry over religion than anything else I know! Is this godly?

NO, the anger of man does not bring about the kind of righteous life that God desires according to the Bible. You'll never win a soul to Christ by arguing and fighting over beliefs.

They rose up in rage and rebellion and drove him out of the city and brought him as a criminal to the brow of the hill or edge of a cliff. Nazareth is built on the lower slopes of a hill, overlooking a green upland plain The hill rises immediately behind the houses in abrupt cliffs some of them 20 to 40 ft. high. Apparently Jesus offered them no resistance as they pushed Him along. There was no legal basis for their actions, and neither were there any proper judicial proceedings. They were a "lynch mob". They were going to throw Him over the cliff.

This is amazing to me. You've all heard about "mob violence" and seen riots on TV. For their intended victim to walk away unhurt is miraculous.

Exodus - Hallelujah!

But Jesus "walked right through the crowd and went on His way". It was not yet time for His death and not the right way. Whether the people came to themselves, ashamedly, and realized what they were doing, or if some miracle occured to protect Jesus, we are not told.

What a homecoming for a hero that was! Not only to be rejected, but to nearly get murdered! How would you have felt if you were Jesus?

OlePappy - This passage does not suggest that He used Supernatural power to excape..just that His Commanding presence got Him out

This must have been a heartbreaking experience for Jesus - rejected by those who knew Him best and should have loved Him most. Familiarity did indeed "breed contempt". But Jesus' anguish over His rejection was matched by their loss. Other towns in the area knew the excitement of Jesus' miracles and the blessing of His teaching, but not Nazareth, Jesus home town. Why could Jesus not do miracles in Nazareth?

Right. Mark 6: 5-6 He could not do any miracles there [Nazareth], except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

I think it is so sad that Nazareth rejected one of their own! Lord help us lift up those around us in your service, not put them down and refuse to let YOU work in their lives! Lord give us more carpenters like Jesus! Hallelujah.

Athie - I would have left home too

So Jesus could not work miracles in Nazareth because of their unbelief. Unbelief is the only force that can stop the power of God from working in your life! Isn't this amazing - that unbelief can actually BLOCK God's power in your life? Let's set our hearts to be full of faith so that God can do miracles in us and through us! AMEN

Savior's Servant - Is that why they didn't have peace, because of lack of faith?

Yes, unbelief brings all kinds of ugly things "home to roost": unrest, doubt, depression, fear, etc.

Exodus - unbelief also points a finger

Good point, Exodus, why do you think that is?

Exodus - because ppl don't know who Jesus is.....still to this day they don't see him for who he REALLY is .....and therefore ppl point fingers and live in bondage....just like in this scripture passage
ASH - I find it amazing how unbelief stops the power and flow of God in our lives.

Right, and unbelief causes us to resent those who DO believe and will make us try to blame THEM for OUR lack of faith.

Why did Jesus use Elijah and Elisha as examples in His sermon at Nazareth? Let's look into this a little deeper...

Remember Elijah was the prophet who had the SHOWDOWN on Mt. Carmel with King Ahab and the prophets of Baal, a pagan fertility God? The people of Israel had been led astray by false prophets, and there had been no rain for 3 years. So Elijah and the Baal prophets gathered on Mt. Carmel, and Elijah said, "The God who answers by fire, He is the true God"! Who can tell me what happened next?

The prophets of Baal offered a sacrifice on an altar and begged their false god to burn it up. They danced, and cried and prayed, even cutting themselves for hours but baal didn't answer.

Athie - 400 prophets of Baal were slain
Savior's Servant - God called a big pillar of fire down and burned up everything on the altar to a crisp
Exodus - well....he told them to basically show their stuff

Now Elijah had them pour 12 buckets of water over his altar and sacrifice to show that it was impossible to burn by man's means. Right! And Who answered by FIRE? Our God did! And then Elijah prayed, and God sent an amazing rain storm to stop the drought.

OlePappy - now THAT'S faith

Well, Jesus listeners were familiar with this story and many others about Elijah. But Jesus didn't mention this story, he talked about another one that was not flattering to the Jews.

The widow of Zarephath in Sidon was a Gentile; although she recognized Elijah and his God (I Kings 17:12). She obeyed him, and not only did the cruise of oil and the jar of flour not fail, but she received her son back from the dead. Elijah was sent to her, whom God had already commanded to take care of him, for sustenance during the drought Elijah had prophesied would come on Israel.

ASH - Elijah believed what God said no matter what it looked like. Circumstances didn't move him

So here Jesus mentions that the prophet of God was not welcome in Israel, but was cared for by a Gentile! The King of Israel - Ahab - typified the heart-attitude of his nation then and also in Jesus' day - because he made trouble for Israel (v 18) by abandoning the Lord's commands and follwing the Baals. When Jesus referred to Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, it was also a subtle allusion to Israel's spiritual idolatry that brought God's judgement.

Herod and Herodias, the current king and queen of Israel, like Ahab and Jezebel were courting the favor of false gods (those of Rome) - and the pharisees had substituted human tradition for God's commands. So Jesus choice of illustrations was no accident!

How about us today? Almost daily we have wiccans and satanists that crash our rooms - their religion is almost identical to that of the baals! There are many today in our country courting the favor of false gods. Will the favor of the true God continue to rest upon us unless we repent?

Athie - We need to repent as one, family and nation
Exodus - Oh OT.....God have mercy on us, huh?

Elijah also rebuked them for their double mindedness (V. 21). "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." Of course, the pious Jews felt that they were following God, especially the scribes and pharisees, and here was this upstart "home town boy" who inferred that they weren't!

How about us today? Are we single minded in serving God, or are we tempted to follow the false gods of our culture? Is our goal in life to be rich or righteous? Do we have a "star" that we idolize instead of worshipping Jesus? Do we care more about "keeping up with the Joneses" or keeping in step with the Holy Spirit? It's time to take a STAND for Jesus, my friends! If we don't we will be flooded by the tide of wickedness that idolatry brings! God have mercy on us, YES!

Exodus - I see so much of it lately OT....and I know it grieves the Holy Spirit
OlePappy - God does have mercy on us...it is the US that falls short
k - OT how would you define doublemindedness I don't think it is doubting

Doubting is being unsure of your faith - you can have some faith but still have some doubts too. Doubting can be a positive force to make you examine your faith and seek answers in the Word.

Doublemindedness is trying to live two lives at once, trying to live for the Lord and the world at the same time. Doublemindedness makes you unstable, it's straddling the fence so to speak. You are always unsure of what to do next. It can cause you to be defeated, because often you will let the negative forces drag you down. Doublemindedness means you are trying to serve two masters - you are always being pulled two ways. Not a pleasant feeling! The cure for doublemindedness is CHOICE - Choose this day whom you will serve! Then serve the one you choose, and him only. Does this help?

k - yes it does a child of light has to walk in light not play games

Right k, playing games is dangerous when it comes to your eternal destiny!

Elijah then went to the "duel" at Mt. Carmel that we've mentioned: (V. 24) "The God who answers by fire - he is God". This was more than just a manifestation of God - it was a revelation of man's inability to control God or to force Him to act. The prophets of Baal tried everything in their religious bag of tricks to coerce or cajole the being that they thought was God to act. Well, he didn't.

But notice what Elijah requested they do - fill 4 large jars with water and pour it on his offering and wood three times. That was one jar for each tribe -12. in all. Why did he do this? Not only to prove God's power and sovreignty - but to show that man's best efforts cannot stop God when He is ready to act. All Elijah offered was a simple prayer - and God answered by fire - not only consuming the sacrifice, but the wood, stones, soil and even the water in the trench! The rest, as they say, is history: The false prophets were killed and God sent rain.

The forces arrayed against us seem mighty and fierce, BUT "simple" prayer and trust in God will defeat every Goliath that comes our way! Have faith in God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And read the Word and do it! Be a witness for Christ and walk in love.

OlePappy - repent as a nation, turn to Jesus! Fight the fight against the evil one
Athie - We need to be prayer warriors for our nation,family and our churches
Exodus - amen OT.....but sometimes it is easy to say....I know we have to walk in love in spite of others around us....but sometimes it is discouraging and a person wonders if anybody is listiening to God at all.

Exodus, it might surprise you that Elijah became discouraged after this mighty victory on Mt. Carmel, and sat down under a juniper bush having a MAJOR pity party! He was human after all! BUT God told him that he was NOT alone, that there were 3,000 that had not worshipped baal in Israel! So be encouraged, ;you are NOT alone! There are true believers in America and around the world. Our enemy tries to discourage and confuse us. Tell him to SHUT UP! Hallelujah!

Now Elijah was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and Elisha was the prophet God selected to follow Elijah. The story of Elisha is found in II KIngs 5:1-27: In the same way, Elisha was not acknowledged in his own country. A Gentile, Naaman the Syrian, was a leper, and had been told by a Jewish maid that he could be healed in Israel The king, distraught knowing he could not heal this Syrian, as a last resort sent for Elisha. (II KIngs 5:8)

Notice the king sent for Elisha as a LAST resort! It seems our leaders are like that. Seeking the Lord is the LAST thing they seem to be interested in doing..

ASH - 1 TIM. SAYS THAT WE NEED TO PRAY FOR ALL THAT IN AUTHORITY

Elisha replied "Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel". Elisha had Naaman dip 7 times in the Jordan, and he was cleansed. The result: Naaman became a believer in God, and asked for as much earth as a pair of mules could carry "for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other God but the Lord." Naaman knew he would have to enter the temple of Rimmon, a false god, with his king and bow down, but he asked God's forgiveness for this. Elisha said, "Go in peace." Wouldn't this rub the pharisees the wrong way!

Savior's Servant - Why did Elisha have naaman dip 7 times?

7 is a perfect number in the Bible, and it showed Naaman's willingness to obey. And the Jordan is a muddy river, so dipping 7 times was NOT a pleasant thing to do! But Naaman was willing, obedient and full of faith, so he received what he had believed and expected to happen when he obeyed God.

ASH - God's only looking for obedience....thank you Jesus....that you look at our hearts

Elijah was the prophet connected with the coming of the Messiah. As he was rejected during his lifetime, so was John the Baptist rejected by the religious elite (Since John the Baptist was Jesus 'kinsman, it is possible that Nazareth knew about him and his claims to be forerunner of Messiah and rejected him as well.) Every time the Jews celebrate passover, they set a chair for Elijah, who they believe would come and announce the Messiah!

As Elijah is symbolic of the Messiah's forerunner, so Elisha typifies the ministry of Christ. Both Elijah and Elisha ministered to the Gentiles when they were rejected by their own. Both Sidon and Syria were north of Israel, where invaders and conquerors usually came from. Although John the Baptist did baptize soldiers and was unafraid to confront Herod, who was only part Jewish, we really aren't told if he ministered to the Gentiles, but we do know that Jesus came to be a light to the Gentiles.

Now the Jews in Nazareth didn't care for these comments at all! Jesus had brought up two instances where great men of God were rejected by Israel, but accepted by Gentiles, who received great miracles by FAITH alone (without following the Jewish laws). This is why they became so enraged. And this is why they received nothing from Jesus!

Today we still need to be careful not to let "religion" get in the way of our walk with Jesus! And not to get in the way of us ministering to the lost! And not to get in the way of our faith in God!

ASH - Religion is what keeps us from Him...it strips us of any of the power to do the work He has called us to
Athie - We need faith in the right things . Trust in God
Savior's Servant - The difference is that we have a RELATIONSHIP with our God, Jesus! :-D

Right, having the form of godliness but denying the power thereof! Jesus' rejection was prophesied in the Old Testament, so this incident, as painful as it was, fulfilled more prophecy of the Messiah. And if Jesus was rejected by his own, does it surprise you that at times you are also rejected for your stand for Christ?

Rejection - Jesus knows what that means! Do you feel lonely, dejected, unloved, unwanted? Jesus knows how that feels! He was rejected by his townspeople and relatives. He was rejected by the religious rulers. He was rejected by the governmental authorities! He's been there, done that!

ASH - Because he has suffered rejection....we can walk free from effects of it....tribulation will come,.....thank jesus that you have already overcome the world

Our society as a whole has rejected Jesus. The media is constantly making a mockery of Christianity and Christian evangelists. Sometimes this rejection is subtle, sometimes overt, but it is something we need to constantly be aware of. The world's skepticism can infect us as well, for we are continually being exposed to its destroying virus. How can we keep ourselves innoculated against it? Only by daily exposure to the Word of God. Prophecy tells us that it will get worse, and satan's deceptions will become more clever as the end time approaches. Now is not the time to become overconfident, we must constantly be on the alert to keep our hearts tender before God.

ASH - thank God.....That even through rejection....we can stay in peace and the devil can't control us....peace is the foundation for hearing god

Athie - OT God revealed to me I need to HEAR the Word, so I am now reading it out loud to myself.

Right mom, faith comes by HEARING the Word! Read it out loud, get some tapes, let your ears hear what your heart needs!

Windy - You know OT with that encouraging admonition, there would be no time to get depressed but keep pressing forward to what God calls us to do.

Notice that Jesus didn't throw a big "pity party" because his hometown rejected Him. THEN he went down to Capernaum... When someone rejects your testimony, go to Capernaum... go to the next place God calls you to!

Capernaum was a seaside fishing village in Gallilee that Jesus chose to be the center or headquarters of his ministry. It was also the town that most of his apostles came from, such as Peter, James and John. This town was a densely populated region and its name was Kephar Nahum, which meant village of the prophet Nahum. Capernaum had both Jewish elements, such as the synagogue in which Jesus preached, and Gentile ones, being a center of the Gentiles as well, with their pagan customs and lifestyle. Archaeological discoveries in Capernaum have found a first century synagogue, and a site which is perhaps the home of Simon Peter himself!

I don't know how interested you all are in archaeology, but I think it's fascinating how it keeps confirming the Bible, especially since MODERN archaeologists are not trying to PROVE the Bible at all! yet they do! I'd love to go to Capernaum today and stand in the ruins of the synagoge where Jesus taught, and in Peter's home. AWESOME

ASH - the more they try to prove it wrong....the more ignorant theyappear hahahahaha

But I don't have to go there to feel the presence of Jesus - cause He's in my heart right here, right now! AMEN ASH

ASH - Amen...but sometimes torment can be so strong that you need to stand on his work whether or not you can feel Him.....He doesn't change and His word is forever settled in the heavens....He holds it above His own name
k - we always have to stand on God's promises in the BIBLE

Why were the people amazed at Jesus teaching? Because His message had authority. Jesus did not quote human authorites, as the Pharisees and other teachers did. The scribes hesitated to assert anything on their own, preferring to quote other's opinions to bolster their own standing. They also got involved in ponderous debates about issues quite removed from the real world. They would say, Rabbi Ben Gamaliel, blessed be he, saith... and then ramble on and on with references to all kinds of obscure writings. The people had NO idea what they were talking about.

Athie - The people were looking at Jesus as one of them

Right mom, and Jesus identified with the everyday people and taught "on their level"! On the other hand, Jesus' authority came directly from God and He often quoted the Word of God directly. And Jesus teaching also touched on the heartfelt needs of his listeners. And His Word touches our hearts today at the level of our need.

ASH - Mans opinion will never set you free...but will put you into bondage....teaching opinion as the "WORD"
Windy - I think having watched Jesus grow up with them and the need to identify with each other, caused them to reject him. They could not see him as the son of God.

There was something about Him - not physical beauty or great height, but something about the WAY He taught that commanded attention and touched hearts. Lord, let that anointing of the Holy Spirit rest on us today! That each of us in our own places can touch hearts and lead souls to You!

k - Theology and Religion change but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever

They couldn't see it in Nazareth. They could never get over Jesus being the carpenter's son, the hometown boy.

Anna - The reason they could not see who he was, was because they would not beleive.

ASH - It's the anointing that breaks the yoke....the HS has come to enforce what we have become in HIM

Can you imagine having a worship service and someone standing up and screeching this odd thing?

According to Dr. Ed Murphy, "On one occasion we find the unique phrase "having a spirit of an unclean demon," echon pneuma daimonion akatharton (Luke 4:33)", which is a phrase meaning "demon".

Why do you think this demon interrupted the service and cried out to Jesus?

ASH - the demons knew who he was....the authority that He had....

Right ASH. The demon recognized Jesus, a powerful adversary, who was able to destroy the demon. Ha! in the Greek is ea {eh'-ah), an interjection expressive of indignation, or of wonder mixed with fear, ha! ah! Like, just who do you think you are, Jesus, and why are you here????

k - The demons knew Jesus while in heaven before the fall
Athie - Demons tremble before Him so they were afraid

Right mom, even the demons believe and tremble! Destroy in the Greek is apollumi {ap-ol'-loo-mee} to destroy, to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin, render useless, to kill, to declare that one must be put to death,or metaphorically, to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell. The demon KNEW Jesus had this power.

OlePappy - they (the demons) knew what He could do to them

Windy - I wish sometimes, that we could grasp how much our faith causes demons to tremble also. We would pray quite differently, I would think.

What did Jesus tell the demon? SHUT UP! This is what I keep saying, when the devil starts to talk to your head, when he starts to tempt you, when he starts to condemn you and make you feel depressed, tell him to SHUT UP! Jesus didn't waste time dialoging with the enemy. With authority, Jesus said, "SHUT UP!" and "COME OUT OF H IM!" And that was that! The demon threw the man down, and then came out WITHOUT injuring the man. In the Name of Jesus, we do not fear the demons. Jesus has authority over them all and if we believe in Jesus and obey Him, the demons cannot injure us.

k - Pray in authority and go boldly before the throne of Grace
ASH - we don't have to put up with any tormenting demon at any time......sometime I think we get lazy in the spirit and don't take the authority that He purchased for us.....I don't want to dishonor my savior by not taking the authority He has given us

YES ASH, we need to stand up against the demonic forces in the Name of Jesus, keep our armor on, be alert, and take our authority in Jesus Name over their attacks and strategies against us!

Why were the people so amazed at the way Jesus cast the demon out? The people of Jesus day were familiar with "exorcists" who used all sorts of incantations, magic rituals, and mumbo jumbo in an effort to cast out evil spirits. And they were usually NOT successful. But here Jesus speaks a couple of simple commands and the demon is GONE. This is authority and power!

What is a demon? According to Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary: DEMON is another name for the fallen angels who joined the kingdom of Satan in rebellion against God.

ASH - the pharisees were in spiritual darkness...they thought that they were operating in light....this is true deception...when you think that you are in light and you are actually in darkness....this is the greatest darkness

Amen, ASH, and that should scare us off our thrones of complacency and urge us to seek God and study the Word!

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell [Tartarus] putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;

The group that participated in the fall apparently followed one of their own number, SATAN. The fall left Satan and his angels free to contaminate the human race with wickedness (as the temptation and fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3). Hell was not made for man, but for the rebellious angels and satan:

Matthew 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Right k, going to hell is a choice. We choose to go there if we reject Christ.

satan and his followers were cast out of heaven in the sense that the are no longer godly angels and work wickedness on the face of the earth.

Revelation 12:9 The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

But we are told that satan still has access to God and accuses us day and night, while Jesus, our Advocate, pleads His blood on our behalf.

A symbolic view of this "initial" fall appears in Revelation 12:3-4 where the dragon (a symbol for Satan) "drew a third of the stars of heaven" (a symbol for angels) and "threw them to the earth." Thus, Satan has his own angels, the demons.

Jesus has authority and power over all the forces of the enemy, and in Jesus Name we do too! So don't fear or fret - Jesus has won the victory, and if we have received Jesus as our savior, we are victors too! AMEN!