33rd Sermon in Series Series on the Book of Luke October 12, 2014 ...
33rd Sermon in Series
Series on the Book of Luke “When God Does Things His Way!” Luke 7:18-35 – Part 2
October 12, 2014
SERMON-BASED STUDY GUIDE **Since this week is a Part 2 message on the passage it would be good to spend a significant amount of time reviewing last week’s sermon and study guide. Make sure you are familiar with the flow of the passage and the main points. Look over the outline and make sure you understand how PTK has reflected the flow of the passage – at least his perspective of the flow of thought in this passage. As you can see from the outline and the passage itself, John the Baptist and his ministry of being the prophesied OT MESSENGER is one of the key focuses of the passage. But, as you progress through the passage, Jesus carefully and skillfully changes the focus from John to the Pharisees/Lawyers and their response to John’s ministry/message. Identify where the change comes and why as you overview the passage and the message on the passage. Introduction 1. QUESTION – From John to Jesus – Lk. 7:18-20 2. ACTION – By Jesus for John - & Others – Lk. 7: 21 3. ANSWER – By Jesus to John – Lk. 7:22-23 **Here in Verses 24-28 there are several very important things said. Jesus was so masterful in His speaking – so much to ‘appreciate’ about Him and His teaching. In asking the same question three times, He certainly caused the people listening to ‘get the point’ that He was making – namely – WHO IS JOHN THE BAPTIST!!! John was the LAST of the OT PROPHETS. John was GREATER THAN ALL THE PROPHETS. John and his ministry was PROPHESIED in the OT. John was the greatest human being ever born. AND THEN: the one who is “least” in the Kingdom of God is greater than John. WOW! What an amazing set of things to say in so few words. But in order to “get” what Jesus was saying, you need to know several things. PTK tried to give all that as succinctly as possible in his message. You may need to stop and discuss each of these subpoints under this main point in detail. Share together what you recall him saying. Make sure you take enough to understand to everyone’s satisfaction what Jesus was teaching here. **Take some time to make sure everyone understands that BOTH JOHN and ELIJAH are coming as “MESSENGER” before Jesus comes – John before His first coming and Elijah before His second coming. BUT REMEMBER, NO ONE KNEW at that point that there were going to be TWO COMINGS – separated by an enormous amount of time. Remember what everyone was expecting Messiah to do – i.e. SET UP AN EARTHLY KINGDOM which would have required Him to overthrow the Roman Empire. But that is what they expected. IF the Jews had been willing to accept Jesus as their Messiah apparently that would have happened. BUT NO, that couldn’t have happened because all of the OT prophecies about the suffering of the Messiah (i.e. Isa. 53 and many others) had already been written. SO, while Jesus was making a legitimate offer of Himself as their KING/MESSIAH and His Kingdom, it was already clearly known in the mind of God and already clearly prophesied in the OT that they would not accept Him and the Kingdom would be POSTPONED! Make sure you all understand these concepts in the course of your study of this passage. **Discuss Verse 28, especially the last part of the verse. How does this comment by Jesus enlighten you with regard to life in the Kingdom? What do you think/imagine Jesus meant by saying that the “least is the Kingdom would be “greater” than John. Obviously Jesus doesn’t define exactly what He meant but are there any other passages of the NT that would inform that comment a bit? 4. MESSAGE – About John by Jesus – Lk. 7:24-28 -Question: “What did you go out to see?” A Reed, A Well-Clad man, or a Prophet?? -Answer: “Yes, A Prophet, & MORE! - The Messenger (Mal. 3:1, Isa. 40:3) 1
33rd Sermon in Series Series on the Book of Luke October 12, 2014 -John the Baptist, was he Elijah? (Mt. 11:14, Jn. 1:19-23, and Malachi 4:5-6) -John the Baptist was the greatest Prophet -greatest human being ever born -The “Least” in the Kingdom is greater than he **This section just provides us with Luke’s insertion about what took place in terms of peoples’ reaction to what Jesus said about John the Baptist. Those who had ‘believed God’ by believing John and his message had been baptized by John. Those who were ‘put off’ by John and his manner and message were at the same time ‘rejecting God’s Word through His Messenger, John. Thus they had not identified with John and his message and had not submitted themselves to his baptism. Ironically, it was the Pharisees/Lawyers who were the primary group who rejected God’s Word 5. REACTION – By Tax Collectors & by Pharisees/Lawyers – Lk. 7:29-30 -Common people – even Tax Collectors believed John’s message – God’s message thru John and were baptized by him -The Pharisees/Lawyers rejected God’s message – refused to be baptized by John **Jesus is the MASTER-TEACHER! His story about the bratty, complaining, spoiled children is a CLASSIC. He skillfully put His finger on the spirit and the attitudes of the Pharisees/Lawyers. If anyone in Israel should have been cognizant of the OT prophecies and understood that John was God’s Messenger, they should have been the ones. BUT their arrogance and sophistication blinded them to the TRUTH and they missed and rejected both John and JESUS. 6. RESPONSE – By Jesus about the Pharisees/Lawyers – Lk. 7:31-35 -“To what will I liken this generation?” -Story of “bratty children in the marketplace” demanding all play their game by their rules -Pharisees/Lawyers rejected John (because of his austere lifestyle) and Jesus (because of His lifestyle) just like bratty children who can’t have it their way -Wisdom (God’s Truth) is vindicated by all her children (those who believe God’s Truth) **Take time to discuss this TIMELESS TRUTH and this LIVING LESSON. Certainly you and the people in your group could add other timeless truths this passage teaches as well. Also there are many living lessons here and it would be good to encourage everyone in your group to ‘weigh in’ on these that PTK wrote but the ones that God may have given to them as well. This is an important aspect of good Bible study that should not be rushed or dismissed as unimportant. TIMELESS TRUTH: God makes His TRUTH available to every generation but forces no one at any time to believe and/or to receive Him and His Truth. It is eternal wisdom and salvation to humbly believe God’s Truth & His Son. It is arrogant foolishness and eternal destruction to reject the TRUTH and God’s Son. LIVING LESSON We live in a day when we have more access to GOD’S TRUTH/GOD’S WORD than at any time in all of human history. MAKE SURE that you are one of those whom Jesus called “Wisdom’s Children”. Read & Study God’s Word daily. Humbly respond to God’s Truth and encourage others to do the same.
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Series on the Book of Luke “When God Does Things His Way!” Luke 7:18-35 – Part 2
October 12, 2014
SERMON-BASED STUDY GUIDE **Since this week is a Part 2 message on the passage it would be good to spend a significant amount of time reviewing last week’s sermon and study guide. Make sure you are familiar with the flow of the passage and the main points. Look over the outline and make sure you understand how PTK has reflected the flow of the passage – at least his perspective of the flow of thought in this passage. As you can see from the outline and the passage itself, John the Baptist and his ministry of being the prophesied OT MESSENGER is one of the key focuses of the passage. But, as you progress through the passage, Jesus carefully and skillfully changes the focus from John to the Pharisees/Lawyers and their response to John’s ministry/message. Identify where the change comes and why as you overview the passage and the message on the passage. Introduction 1. QUESTION – From John to Jesus – Lk. 7:18-20 2. ACTION – By Jesus for John - & Others – Lk. 7: 21 3. ANSWER – By Jesus to John – Lk. 7:22-23 **Here in Verses 24-28 there are several very important things said. Jesus was so masterful in His speaking – so much to ‘appreciate’ about Him and His teaching. In asking the same question three times, He certainly caused the people listening to ‘get the point’ that He was making – namely – WHO IS JOHN THE BAPTIST!!! John was the LAST of the OT PROPHETS. John was GREATER THAN ALL THE PROPHETS. John and his ministry was PROPHESIED in the OT. John was the greatest human being ever born. AND THEN: the one who is “least” in the Kingdom of God is greater than John. WOW! What an amazing set of things to say in so few words. But in order to “get” what Jesus was saying, you need to know several things. PTK tried to give all that as succinctly as possible in his message. You may need to stop and discuss each of these subpoints under this main point in detail. Share together what you recall him saying. Make sure you take enough to understand to everyone’s satisfaction what Jesus was teaching here. **Take some time to make sure everyone understands that BOTH JOHN and ELIJAH are coming as “MESSENGER” before Jesus comes – John before His first coming and Elijah before His second coming. BUT REMEMBER, NO ONE KNEW at that point that there were going to be TWO COMINGS – separated by an enormous amount of time. Remember what everyone was expecting Messiah to do – i.e. SET UP AN EARTHLY KINGDOM which would have required Him to overthrow the Roman Empire. But that is what they expected. IF the Jews had been willing to accept Jesus as their Messiah apparently that would have happened. BUT NO, that couldn’t have happened because all of the OT prophecies about the suffering of the Messiah (i.e. Isa. 53 and many others) had already been written. SO, while Jesus was making a legitimate offer of Himself as their KING/MESSIAH and His Kingdom, it was already clearly known in the mind of God and already clearly prophesied in the OT that they would not accept Him and the Kingdom would be POSTPONED! Make sure you all understand these concepts in the course of your study of this passage. **Discuss Verse 28, especially the last part of the verse. How does this comment by Jesus enlighten you with regard to life in the Kingdom? What do you think/imagine Jesus meant by saying that the “least is the Kingdom would be “greater” than John. Obviously Jesus doesn’t define exactly what He meant but are there any other passages of the NT that would inform that comment a bit? 4. MESSAGE – About John by Jesus – Lk. 7:24-28 -Question: “What did you go out to see?” A Reed, A Well-Clad man, or a Prophet?? -Answer: “Yes, A Prophet, & MORE! - The Messenger (Mal. 3:1, Isa. 40:3) 1
33rd Sermon in Series Series on the Book of Luke October 12, 2014 -John the Baptist, was he Elijah? (Mt. 11:14, Jn. 1:19-23, and Malachi 4:5-6) -John the Baptist was the greatest Prophet -greatest human being ever born -The “Least” in the Kingdom is greater than he **This section just provides us with Luke’s insertion about what took place in terms of peoples’ reaction to what Jesus said about John the Baptist. Those who had ‘believed God’ by believing John and his message had been baptized by John. Those who were ‘put off’ by John and his manner and message were at the same time ‘rejecting God’s Word through His Messenger, John. Thus they had not identified with John and his message and had not submitted themselves to his baptism. Ironically, it was the Pharisees/Lawyers who were the primary group who rejected God’s Word 5. REACTION – By Tax Collectors & by Pharisees/Lawyers – Lk. 7:29-30 -Common people – even Tax Collectors believed John’s message – God’s message thru John and were baptized by him -The Pharisees/Lawyers rejected God’s message – refused to be baptized by John **Jesus is the MASTER-TEACHER! His story about the bratty, complaining, spoiled children is a CLASSIC. He skillfully put His finger on the spirit and the attitudes of the Pharisees/Lawyers. If anyone in Israel should have been cognizant of the OT prophecies and understood that John was God’s Messenger, they should have been the ones. BUT their arrogance and sophistication blinded them to the TRUTH and they missed and rejected both John and JESUS. 6. RESPONSE – By Jesus about the Pharisees/Lawyers – Lk. 7:31-35 -“To what will I liken this generation?” -Story of “bratty children in the marketplace” demanding all play their game by their rules -Pharisees/Lawyers rejected John (because of his austere lifestyle) and Jesus (because of His lifestyle) just like bratty children who can’t have it their way -Wisdom (God’s Truth) is vindicated by all her children (those who believe God’s Truth) **Take time to discuss this TIMELESS TRUTH and this LIVING LESSON. Certainly you and the people in your group could add other timeless truths this passage teaches as well. Also there are many living lessons here and it would be good to encourage everyone in your group to ‘weigh in’ on these that PTK wrote but the ones that God may have given to them as well. This is an important aspect of good Bible study that should not be rushed or dismissed as unimportant. TIMELESS TRUTH: God makes His TRUTH available to every generation but forces no one at any time to believe and/or to receive Him and His Truth. It is eternal wisdom and salvation to humbly believe God’s Truth & His Son. It is arrogant foolishness and eternal destruction to reject the TRUTH and God’s Son. LIVING LESSON We live in a day when we have more access to GOD’S TRUTH/GOD’S WORD than at any time in all of human history. MAKE SURE that you are one of those whom Jesus called “Wisdom’s Children”. Read & Study God’s Word daily. Humbly respond to God’s Truth and encourage others to do the same.
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