Bile Study (1) - All About JESUS - The Mission of JESUS - Luke 3:1-6; 4:14-21 - March 3, 2024

 

Bible Study (1) – All About JESUS – The Mission of JESUS – March 3, 2024

Our focus scripture is Luke 3:1-6; 4:14-21.

JESUS came to earth to deliver the good news of salvation from sin and eternal death for all people who accept JESUS as their Savior. JESUS came to earth as a human to pay, in full, for the sin that came into the world through Adam and Eve. JESUS paid for all sin, but every person must redeem their get out of Hell gift which JESUS secured for all who place their faith in HIM. JESUS’ passion paid forward and backward the redemptive gift for any person to be born-again. Those before JESUS were looking forward to the coming of the promised Messiah and those of us since the life, death, resurrection, ascension, the filling of the Holy Spirit are looking forward to HIS return. Those who lived at the time of JESUS had to deal with HIS humanity, yet GOD.

The miracle of Spiritual birth, through faith in JESUS, is the only path to GOD and eternal life.

As you recall JESUS asked Nicodemus an especially important question in John 3:1-9: There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

⁴ “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. ⁸ The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

⁹ “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.

When a person accepts JESUS as his/her Savior, the Holy Spirit unites with the human spirit and a miracle takes place within that person. It is a Spiritual conception. JESUS was conceived by the same process. The Holy Spirit unites with a person’s human spirit and that person becomes GOD’S eternal Son or Daughter. When a Spirit-born person’s body or earth suit dies his/her born-again Spirit exits the human body and is instantly with JESUS. WOW!!! That is exciting.

The vital question for every living person is, do you accept JESUS as your Savior or not? Only you can make that decision. Your Pastor, Rabbi, Priest, or anyone other than you can make that decision. Please, do not be foolish and put it off or delay because today is the day of salvation. JESUS gave HIS sinless life just for you.

JESUS said it best in John 10:11: ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep [or those who place their faith in ME know I AM the true Son of GOD WHO takes away your sin.]

Our focus scripture is Luke 3:1-6; 4:14-21.

JESUS THE CHRIST – JESUS THE ANOINTED OR CHOSEN ONE by GOD to redeem all who will place their faith in HIM. Our redemption from sin and eternal death required the blood sacrifice of a perfect offering.

In Hebrews 9:11-28 - New Covenant Ministry

¹¹ But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come.^[a] In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), ¹² he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our^[b] consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?

¹⁵ Therefore, he (JESUS) is the mediator of a new covenant,^[c] so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death (JESUS) has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. ¹⁶ Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. ¹⁷ For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. ¹⁹ For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats,^[d] along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.^[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. ²² According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

²³ Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model^[f] of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. ²⁵ He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. ²⁶ Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment— ²⁸ so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but^[g] to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

JESUS willingly came to earth to be born 100% human, subject to sin but HIS mission was to live a sinless life and become the eternal Savior for all humanity who will accept HIM as their Savior. Every person has the freedom to choose. The question is, “How do you choose?”

Got questions? Ask GOD to reveal the answers to you as you read and study GOD’S Word, the Bible. Get a Bible translation you can read and understand. The Holy Spirit is your teacher.

The death of JESUS proved to the world that HE was 100% human. HIS resurrection from the dead by GOD, JESUS’ Heavenly FATHER, proved that JESUS completed GOD’S redemptive plan for all humans who place their faith in JESUS as GOD’S promised Messiah.

JESUS performed many miracles while HE was upon earth. HE only did what HE saw GOD, HIS Heavenly FATHER doing. Nature obeyed HIM, as well as disease, the spirit world and so much more.

What do you believe? If you do not believe, what would it take for you to believe? Before becoming a Spirit-born Christian many years ago, I would think of ways to test GOD but every way I dreamed up failed until I took a step of faith. Then I saw through eyes that had been redeemed by the shed blood of the LAMB, JESUS.

Please take a step of faith and ask JESUS into your heart/life and experience the wonder and joy of being “born-again in your spirit.”

Let’s read Luke 3:1-6: [ Back to our study scripture]

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch^[a] of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, ² during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight!
⁵ Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be made low;^[b]
the crooked will become straight,
the rough ways smooth,
⁶ and everyone will see the salvation of God.^[c]

 

The promised Messiah will be revealed, and John the Baptizer was HIS herald. As you recall, a herald went before a particularly important person, such as a King, announcing to the citizens that the earthly King was coming. In this case, John was announcing the coming of King JESUS, the promised Messiah.

What would be your expectations of GOD’S One and only SON WHO came to earth? Most would expect lots of glitter, bling, amazing power, pomp, and circumstance. Lots of spectacular, shocking, unexplainable things. Guess what HE did? Contrary to expectations, JESUS was born – in a stable and laid in a manger. Surely, the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS born in a stable? Surely, HE cannot be the promised Messiah?

All the people along HIS way should be ecstatic. Why didn’t they rejoice? They were looking for an earthly King!

Simply, JESUS did not fit their expectations for their Messiah.

Often, preconceived notions or expectations rob us of giving out hearts to JESUS through faith. What do we expect?

The Prophet Elijah wanted to know GOD. GOD proved to those who worshipped Baal that HE was greater than Baal and Baal’s prophets. Elijah hightailed it to the Mountain of GOD. He went to sleep in a cave and GOD woke him up.

Let’s read 1 Kings 19:10-

Elijah’s Encounter with the Lord

Suddenly, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”

¹¹ Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.”

At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

GOD told, Elijah, it’s time for you to move on.

That is GOD’S message to us who know the truth. It is time for us to share it with those who are seeking eternal truth.

Let’s read Luke 4:14-19:

Ministry in Galilee

¹⁴ Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity. ¹⁵ He was teaching in their synagogues, being praised^[j] by everyone.

Often praise creates jealousy. JESUS was back in the area where HE had been preaching and teaching. HE came from humble beginnings.

The old saying that “familiarity breeds contempt.”

Rejection at Nazareth

¹⁶ He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up (raised a child). As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. ¹⁷ The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him (JESUS), and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:

¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me^[k]
to proclaim release^[l] to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free the oppressed,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.^[m]

Let’s read Luke 4:20-21:

²⁰ He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”

All eyes and ears were anxiously waiting for JESUS to expound on what HE had just read. HE said to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” WOW! They heard the truth spoken.

Just imagine, if you were in a worship service and the speaker said, “JESUS is returning to earth today. In fact, right now! What would run through your minds? Gee, where are my children? I know so-and-so is not a Christian, can I get to him/her to tell so-and-so about JESUS. My wife told me not to wear this pair of worn-out jeans. I had no idea JESUS would come today.

JESUS tells us to stay ready by being in right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. Only GOD knows when HE will give the nod to JESUS for HIM to return to earth. This will be the rapture when JESUS will take all the Spirit-born Christians to Heaven with HIM.

What follows the rapture? It is the tribulation.

But guess what? I believe Born-again Christians will not experience tribulation because they will be taken up to Heaven with JESUS.

Tribulation will not be a fun time upon earth. If you have not already asked JESUS to come into your heart which is the most secret place in your mind, do so now. Eternity is but a heartbeat away.

Blessings!!!