Bible Stories for Adults

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

Luke 4:16-30

Next Week - Peter's Catch of Fish (Luke 5:1-11)
Bible Words to Remember:
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

What are the first stories we have of Jesus after the shepherds visit Him on His birthday?
Luke 2:21-26, 36a = Circumcised (8d), named, dedicated (40d), blessed by Simeon & Anna
What do we learn next of this child? = Before He was 2 yrs old, Don't know how many Magi
Matthew 2:1, 11 = Magi followed star from east and gave gifts (Epiphany to Gentiles)
What happened then?
Matthew 2:13, 16 = Joseph took Mary & Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod's command
How long did they stay in Egypt? = Didn't return to Bethlehem because of Archelaus (H's son)
Matthew 2:19-23 = Moved to Nazareth after Herod died, ~4BC (3 mo to 1-2 yrs tops)

What details do we have of Jesus' childhood in Nazareth?
Luke 2:40 = Grew physically (strong), mentally (filled with wisdom) & spiritually (grace of God)
Do we have any stories to give us an idea of how Jesus was as a boy?
Luke 2:42-43, 48-49 = Stayed behind in Jerusalem to be in temple when He was 12
Did this change Jesus' relationship with His parents? = No, He was obedient
Luke 2:51-52 = Grew intellectually, physically, spiritually & socially
How old is Jesus when we learn about Him next? = Joseph likely died, eldest Jesus worked
Luke 3:21-23a = He was about 30 when He was baptized

After receiving the Spirit and the Father's commendation at His baptism, what did Jesus do?
Matthew 4:1,11 = Spent 40 days in wilderness resisting Satan's temptations
Where did He then go to begin His ministry? = Galilee was 50 mi (N-S) by 25 mi (E-W)
Matthew 4:12-16 = Galilee (Hebrew galil is circle) area encircled by Gentile nations
What did He do there?
Matthew 4:23-25 = Taught in synagogues, preached the good news, healed

John tells us the most stories of Jesus' early days in Galilee. How does Luke summarize them?
Luke 4:14-15 = Traveled in Spirit's power, news spread, taught in synagogues
Synagogue (Greek for called together place) - The local house of worship and teaching
Rabbis (not priests) taught the people, much more informal than temple
Began during exile in Babylon, synagogues built anywhere there were at least 10 families

What is one of the towns where we see Jesus going to the synagogue?
Luke 4:16 = His hometown of Nazareth, was invited to read
Synagogue Sabbath service had 3 parts: worship, reading and teaching

Worship - Began with words of thanksgiving and reciting of the Jewish creed, the Shema:
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 = The Lord is one, love Him with all your heart, soul & might
After the Shema, an adult male was invited to say the Tefillah, a prayer of petitions
Each petition was ended with a response like Blessed art thou, O Lord

Reading - A prescribed section from the Pentateuch (Law) was followed by a prophet reading
Any congregation member could read; Levites and priests were given precedence
Pentateuch divided into sections so it would be read completely over one year
Chazzan (synagogue care-taker) selected prophet book, reader selected passage
Scripture verses were read in Hebrew, then freely translated in Aramaic

Teaching - Synagogue ruler would invite any competent worshipper to bring the sermon
Many quoted heavily from writings of the rabbis
Visiting rabbis were especially welcomed for this task
Resulted in effective spread of the gospel for Jesus, Paul & others
While readings were made standing up, the sermon was given while seated
Worship concluded with a blessing by a priest, or a prayer by a worshipper

Which reading was Jesus invited to give as the hometown boy made good?
Luke 4:17 = The prophet message, He unrolled the scroll to Isaiah 61
What text did He read that foretold the work of the Messiah (The Anointed One)?
Luke 4:18-19 = Told of preaching good news, freedom, healing, Year of Jubilee
Who do we then see was welcomed to give the sermon?
Luke 4:20 = Jesus, He sat down to begin teaching, everyone was anxious to hear Him
How did He begin His sermon? = Luke doesn't record Jesus' sermon, only His first few words
Luke 4:21 = Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing - I am this Messiah

What five things does Isaiah say the Messiah would do? = Write on board
Luke 4:18-19 = preach Good News, proclaim freedom, heal blind, liberate oppressed, proclaim yr of Lord

Did Jesus preach good news to the poor?
Matthew 5:1-3 = It was a major part of His ministry
How important did Jesus feel it was for Him to preach God's good news?
Luke 4:42-43 = That is why I was sent - left places where He was popular

Who does Paul tell us are the prisoners for whom Jesus was sent to proclaim freedom?
Galatians 3:22-25; 5:1 = Whole world is a prisoner of sin, set free by faith in Christ
How does Jesus tell us we can be set free?
John 8:31-32 = Hold to His teaching, this truth will set us free
Will all prisoners of sin be freed?
John 3:18 = No, only those who believe are acquitted, those who don't are convicted

What is one example of Jesus giving recovery of sight for the blind?
John 9:1, 6-7 = Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath, Pharisees got very upset
What blindness in this same story was Jesus most concerned about?
John 9:39-41 = Spiritual blindness
What did Jesus' healing ministry show besides God's compassion on His people of faith?
Luke 7:20-22 = That He was the Messiah, fulfilled prophesies of healing & preaching

How did Jesus release the oppressed?
Matthew 5:10-12 = Revealed reward waiting for those who were persecuted for faith
How will the oppressed and persecuted be vindicated?
2 Thessalonians 1:4-9 = The oppressors will be punished in hell, relief to faithful
Are we to thank God for this vindication and the punishment our enemies will get?
Matthew 5:44 = Be comforted in your reward, but pray for those who persecute you

How did Jesus come to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor?
Matthew 4:17 = Jesus preached that the kingdom of heaven is near, now
When did this year of the Lord's favor begin?
Galatians 4:4-5 = When the time had fully come, God sent His Son

Did the people understand what Jesus said in His sermon?
Luke 4:22 = No, they were too focused on His eloquence to hear His message
Did Jesus recognize that the people were watching a show and not hearing His message?
Luke 4:23 = Yes, He said, "You've come to see Me do a miracle like you've heard"

What did Jesus think about those who just came to see Him do a miracle?
Matthew 12:38-39 = They were wicked and adulterous by missing the hand of God
What was this sign of Jonah that He agreed to show them?
Matthew 12:40 = He would lie three days in the heart of the earth
What other analogy did He make about this miracle that was later used to convict Him?
John 2:18-19 = Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days

What was needed for Jesus to do a miracle?
Matthew 9:22 = Faith - your faith has healed you
What resulted from low expectations by acquaintances during His only other visit to Nazareth?
Matthew 13:54-58 = He was unable to do many miracles because of their lack of faith
Did Jesus feel His problem was unique?
Luke 4:24 = No prophet is accepted in His hometown

What example could Jesus have used to prove that no prophet is accepted in His hometown?
Jeremiah 1:1; 11:21-22 = Jeremiah's hometown (Anathoth) wanted to kill him
What examples did He give instead?
Luke 4:25-27 = Elijah & Elisha did God's work among Gentiles after rejection by Jews
What was He saying?
Acts 28:25-28 = The Jews rejected God's salvation and it will be given to the Gentiles
How do we see this in Paul's work?
Acts 18:4-6 = Paul started with the Jews, they rejected, he went to the Gentiles

Did the people understand any of Jesus' sermon?
Luke 4:28 = They heard His last point on the Gentiles being saved and were furious
How upset were they? = Lynch mobs were illegal
Luke 4:29 = They were ready to kill Him for blasphemy, even on the Sabbath
How far did they get?
Luke 4:30 = Not far, God protected Him and he just walked through the crowd
Why were they unable to kill Him?
John 2:4b = My time has not yet come