Pulling Back the Kingdom Curtain

Jesus's ministry would've healed everybody on the plan you want to feel a few lovers he would've cleaned out the leper colonies but you didn't do this is the credentials of the chain. It's a little prelude to having it because what's missing and have sickness, disability, pain when the king is on his throne.

All of that is banished from his route.

Let me Jesus effectively says give you a little taste of that will tell the comes from Luke chapter 6 earlier in Luke, Jesus had chosen his 12 closest followers. Now he begins to teach the multitudes proclaiming the kingdom of God. Even though Jesus chose an exclusive group of inner friends is teaching his miracles and his ministry were given freely to thousands of people who came to see him in his invitation is just as open today as it was your Stephen with a message called pulling back the kingdom we've been working our way through the gospel by Luke and most recently, we completed a study of the 12 in Luke chapter 6, so let's go back there and get a running start. Jesus has just finished an all night prayer meeting with his father and were told here in verse 13. The next morning. That is when day came, he called his disciples and chose not to notice this from them from among them. 12 whom he names apostles the Lord more than likely at this point in his ministry, which is now about a year old that is in his ministry he has several hundred disciples. Men and women following him.

According to the gospel accounts. But now, at this juncture of the Lord selects 12 men from among this rather large crowd of disciples and names them apostles, that word simply means send what they're going to be uniquely commission to establish the church in days ahead. They're gonna be used by the Lord to many of them to write much of the New Testament Scriptures that we have today and at this point. Here there to become really is closest companions, traveling along with him again to get extra tutoring by the Lord of this special designation and and of course you know it goes straight to their heads.net because at this point to begin arguing by Jesus is back which one among them is the greatest so I have a lot to learn and a lot to learn as their transitioning now from the classroom to the platform joining him in his public ministry. The Lord does next were told were now in verse 17 comes down this mountainous region to a level place he came down with them and stood on a level place you could translate that to a plateau and now you can begin ministering to three categories of people all mention briefly but is preach what is traditionally called the sermon on the Mount. More technically, Luke specifies and in this parallel account to Matthew chapter 5. This is really the sermon on the plateau sermon on the level I like what author who said Jesus is preaching on the level and is get a level with them all in a very brief period of time before we get to the sermon I went to the notice or verse 17 this this these three categories. First you have the 12 these newly appointed them. These apostles then Luke mentions this great crowd of disciples. These individuals who been following Jesus and by the way, all of them are true believers.

The curious many of them there associating with him right now it's just it's it's at the way in the writing in Jesus is famous. There are religious leaders who are happy with them about the population is enamored by having a big and I still like rush hour.

They're rushing out here to see to touch you to to hear him later on. Jesus is preaching is going to so disturb this large crowd of disciples is going to so disappoint them. The John chapter 6 says not turn away from him and not come back again, but fear that that's that's the nature of the church in our generation. Many are curious to gather there listening to some point in the way disappoints them and they take off and this is the crowded disciples will be preaching to primarily then you have this third category this great crowd. This mass of people that are gathering Luke specifies from all Judea and Jerusalem and these coastal cities tires there there just massing out here on this plateau to have Jesus do what he will do. Verse 18 is to teach them heal them and deliver them now. What you get that sort of sets of time setting the stage because Jesus is what you doing here is revealing his credentials of kingly authority. His his right to rule. It's it's one thing for us to sing as we just saw that he's king we get that this is new to them. He's establishing that he is indeed king has the right to rule the throne of David is here. I he has the credentials as the son of God and and and the true Messiah. They don't get the full picture like we get now with the full account of Scripture. They will understand the Messiah is gonna before he wears a crown of gold where a crown of thorns to be the suffering servant. Isaiah 53, which is not. It is this ministry hears can be shocking to them.

His teaching alone is stunning and not just because these interesting not just because he is delivering new material. Not just because these creative, but because he speaking from inherent authority. Nobody did this then describes quote each other. So when I got the preacher was a will.

Scribes also says this in scrubs of this is that and Jesus says it this way. Remember you're over the faith.

Jesus was that you have heard it said, but I say unto you, let me let me level with you these quotations bluntly deliver the truth. The 2000 he's the teacher that the sermons can be so credible that when he finishes told him Matthew's gospel that the crowds were so astonished at his teaching lives, teaching them as one who had inherent authority, and not like the scribes just ran around quoting each of now.

Secondly, what you notice in verse 19 that Jesus not only teaches the heel their diseases again. Don't miss this point this is this is Jesus's way of fulfilling messianic prophecy proving his messianic authority is not just doing this to show off using this because her sick. If you if you think of it that when you miss the point Jesus is really beginning to pull back the curtain, as it were, on who he really is and what the coming kingdom is gonna look like one day.

So somebody's doing around the plateau is fulfilling the text of Scripture by the way we look at chapter 4 where he begins his ministry in the synagogue officially by reading. He reads Isaiah 61 verse one.

Luke records for us.

Jesus, he gets up it in the synagogue is that the prophets had and then refers to this messianic prophecy that he will bring good news to the poor.

He will bind up the broken hearted. He will proclaim liberty to the captives, he will give sight to the blind you will deliver those who are bound in Jesus is basically genocide now want to be doing fulfilling this prophecy on the Messiah team know what I want you to notice here that's easy to miss is that Jesus doesn't just do miracles of healing, his very presence is healing.

Notice verse 19 all the crowd sought to touch him for power came out from him what author says if I got like the mist in the wind from a fountain, and in the Texas and he healed them. Get this all know the implication here the taxes that are all seeking him they're all attempting to touch, but they all can't thousands of people are here by Jesus heals them all. Just just sort of pulls back the curtain of divine power a little bit that the show them what is like to be in the presence of the king.

By the way, would you notice or the Jesus didn't ask any of them or they have enough faith in and ask any of them if they gave your seed money is not putting his hand on her head is not shouting or shaking as an organ music. How different is this than the demonstration supposedly of phony healers today gather people in arenas and to heal only a few. Those who make it to the platform.

Those who are single. Those who have enough faith, which is by the way the perfect fall back because of eating it healed. Guess what, you didn't have enough faith you can approach God right you didn't give enough money you didn't come the right way than say the right way didn't get the platform into God still heals, but not through the Charlotte remember reading the testimony of Johnny Erickson totter. She wrote a one such visit earlier in her teenage years when she was so discouraged, having become a paraplegic to that accident. She convince her parents to take her to a healer who is doing these massive rallies in arenas and California world renowned healer place she writes was packed hours would go by with anticipation.

She said when she arrived there at the parking deck. She said she had a long line of other people in their wheelchairs.

She said they were like charioteers lined up waiting for the elevator to take them down to the floor of the arena. She writes hours later, after only a few were supposedly healed was that same long line of people in wheelchairs, waiting for the elevators to take them back up to the parking. Imagine if this will imagine it if Jesus had been there all would have been healed simply by getting into the arena just in the presence of his power would've been enough begin what's taking place here is in some kind of theology of sicknesses is really dealing with that of the primary issue had sickness been the issue in Jesus's ministry he would've healed everybody on the planet, which you didn't do it would've healed a few lepers he would've cleaned out the leper colonies which you didn't do it would've healed one man at the pool of salami he would've healed them all, he would've just by the way, death is the issue. He would just raise Lazarus from the dead.

Did the cemetery we missed the point. This is the credentials of the king is proving who he is and what this future kingdom is like back into it's a little prelude to having it because what's missing in heaven sickness, disability, sorrow and pain when the king is on his throne. All of that is banished from his round. Let me Jesus effectively says give you a little taste of that right now this is all not just because were to be perfected in heaven better this way. On a deeper level were to be in his presence. We can be in the arena and in his presence.

None of that 10 coexist to Dragon to get a sore knee. One day in heaven at Sam line with the clinic to have him touch your in his presence forever. Which means you are forever healed. Jesus is demonstrating an errant divine power to be delegated in the early days of the church to the apostolic community to authenticate that they are indeed his true sent one is true message now. Thirdly, Jesus isn't just teaching and healing. He's delivering back in verse 18 we read and those who are troubled with unclean spirits, demons, but is there a cure. The Greek word for it sure is therapeutic always gives us our word therapy, Jesus is delivering them from demons doing what Isaiah said he would do releasing those who are bound spiritually and it is healing.

There's this there's this divine therapy, healing them emotionally. Mental I get on a deeper level.

What Jesus is doing is showing this crowd. He is able to exercise authority over the demonic world, Satan and and his demons cannot resist Jesus and I need a holy water in candles and and and smoke in his presence is demonstrating their God, and again the implication here is in the Jesus as a one-on-one encounter with every demonized person implication of this just shows up from here now. He will move into his sermon. Now if you're familiar with Matthew's account of the sermon.

You'll soon see that in Luke's sermon notes are much shorter runs at anchor referred certainly inspired getting Matthew records nine Beatitudes Luke records for Matthew records a lot of interaction with the audience. Luke records. None of Matthew gives us three chapters and Luke gives us 29 verses, you name it is a Matthew gives us the entire sermon series on a thumb drive and Luke puts up a video clip on Instagram. He gives us he gives us the cliff notes that was for you older people to get these cutting to the chase. He's he wants Theophilus remember is writing this to a man.

He wants Theophilus to have an account of the gospel and and and he just sort of abridges the content before we dive into this sermon and and you're looking at the clock right now rolling in one verse so relax.

But before we get to that one verse your Bible may have outlined for you in this passage. With that, that categorical heading the Beatitudes Beatitudes Beatitudes are.

That's a Latin word that simply means a blessing for blessings Jesus is going to deliver a sermon that essentially describes the profound blessing of being a citizen in his kingdom. He's going to show the profound difference between his kingdom and the kingdoms of the world.

He's going to describe what it means to live a life that is blessed compared to a life that is unfulfilled and unfulfilling. Now get this sermon on a deeper level is what theologians call eschatological. You will have to remember that for the quiz, but this is dealing with future eschatology, future events, so, so there are immediate applications, but there is this context. This, in time, the Jesus is referring to the relates to his coming kingdom when he one day returns to set up this thousand year millennial reign were you and I reign with them, which is a staggering thought, describe for us in Revelation chapter 20 so Jesus is describing the core values of what it's like to live as a citizen of his kingdom. What's it like to belong to not just be a curious disciple but a citizen of the kingdom, however, and follow me, or even the Lord is describing the ultimate fulfillment of open call eschatology. This fulfillment of the coming kingdom. He is right here and now inviting them to become citizens just like today, the invitation still stands.

Would you like to become a citizen of the kingdom of God. You can tell you how now again for them.

This will be new there expecting him. This is this is the time to sweep in and overthrow the Roman Empire and set up the kingdom and begin to be slow in learning.

This in fact that three rises from the dead wood of the site of the apostles asking is it now you set up the kingdom so their learning. We have the benefit of a full accounting of of the completed Canon of Scripture. But this this invitation here and now to have a citizenship lot into the coming kingdom is our future will will write. That's us that the staggering invitation. The Bible describes you, beloved, who belong them as future kings and queens. It sounds like a fairytale than reality.

But according to God's word is reality and effect. In his letter, James writes this to the early church listen my 11 brothers and sisters. Did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and get this errors errors of the kingdom which he promised to those who what's it like now to live as a citizen of the kingdom that's coming. What is it like to allow Jesus as King Total Recall right now in your heart was a look like to have this blessing. This beatitude pronounce on our lives will get ready because Jesus is going to turn everything upside down.

As he begins to preach verse 20 and he lifted up his eyes. That's a reference to. He's now seated the rabbis would sit when they taught it to the chair we as a terminology to this day.

Prof. has a share of the leader of the board is the chair so he's taking his chair.

He focuses on the disciples several hundred of them. The rest of the crowd to buy those as well. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God that does this mean that in order to get into the kingdom. I gotta quit my job to live under a bridge. While it is true that the work poor here refers to someone financially needy effect in the first century two different kinds of poor people would be described. Poor day laborers. Those were by far the majority of of the Empire. They worked day by day they got paid at the end of each day so that they could buy their daily bread. Jesus is teaching his disciples to pray. Assuming most of them will be poor so he teaches them to pray for daily bread. Secondly, there are poor people who don't even have a job and money to buy daily bread there there destitute. That's the word. Luke uses here till coy.

He uses that work for people who are entirely get this. This is the point you are entirely dependent on someone else to survive. Now in Matthew's parallel account. He has the words poor in spirit that's helpful.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. So this is more than economic destitution. This is spiritual. This is a reference to spiritual desperation spiritual destitution. She Jesus is preaching here to people who thought they were spiritually well-off, they thought they were good enough to get into heaven you got in that crowd, scribes and Pharisees and religious leaders and and their carefully keeping you know that the very minutia of the law because they are convinced they are holy enough for having they are spiritually desperate. Lord I thank you that I'm not like that other guy over there. Part I'm getting see by my good deeds outweighed my bad. Many people I talked to over the years. I think you're getting 11. That way Jesus drops this bombshell here.

This is not only the spiritually bankrupt get in. Only those who've arrived at this point of destitution and desperation where you realize you have nothing to offer God in order to cross over the threshold into this coming kingdom. Jesus is effectively announcing only those who depend entirely on another him getting the apostle Paul made it clear when he wrote the English standard version translates as wonderful text.

For by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God.

If you missed it when he repeated a different way, not as a result of works, standing should thoughts whether Jesus was surrounded here on this plateau by two kinds of people in this massive audience and you know what the same two kinds of people are in this audience today.

Those who are depending on themselves.

Those who are depending on their own work and those who are depending entirely upon the work of Jesus Christ Thomas Watson appeared in pastor wrote on this text in the 1600s.

This text signifies those who are brought to the sense of their sin and seeing no goodness in themselves despair in themselves and appeal holy to the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. That's how you get saved, that that's how you become a citizen now kingdom of heaven.

This is how you make your reservation, you come to Christ by faith in him allows him nothing to offer you bankrupt because of Christ. This is how you make your way across the threshold.

One day Gloria beyond blessed are the poor, spiritually destitute, depend upon Christ alone for yours is now King King Iran wisdom.

This is the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey Stephen is the pastor of the shepherd's church in Cary, North Carolina. If you're new to our ministry. We have a welcome packet that we send to first-time contacts that will introduce you to our ministry and share more about who we are.

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Well, this was lesson one and Stephen's series called the sermon on the plateau will continue through this series.

Next time.

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