Introduction: When we get a new boss at work, when we hear the
speeches of candidates running for public office, we listen to
see what they say they will do. After the boss has been
running the office for some time, or the candidate is elected,
we compare what they promised with what they actually have
done. Why? We want to know if they are honest. But, another
reason is to determine whether we understood the original
promise. Our Lord is honest. He is trustworthy. This week we
will compare the “promises” about what He did for the least of
these with what He did, to be sure we understand what He
meant. Let’s dive into our study of the Bible and learn more!
- Promises
- Read Luke 4:16-19. Who is Isaiah writing about?
- Read Luke 4:20-22. Who does Jesus say that Isaiah is
writing about? (Jesus says this is about Him. Not
only is it about Him, but what it describes is being
presently fulfilled.) - How do the people react? (Some, at least, are
skeptical.) - Are you skeptical? (I am not.)
- In our series on how we treat the poor and needy, we
have been testing some of the popular claims to see
if they can withstand a Bible-based, intelligent
appraisal. Let’s look at Luke 4:18-19 again and list
what Jesus says is being fulfilled through Him. What
are those things? (The poor get good news. Captives
are freed. The blind can see. The oppressed are set
free. The time of God’s favor is proclaimed.) - Read Luke 7:20-22. What is at issue here? (Whether
Jesus is the promised Messiah. Whether He fulfills
what was promised in Isaiah.) - Compare what Isaiah promised ( Luke 4:18-19) with
what Jesus says fulfills that promise (Luke
7:22)? Would you be convinced? - Because this is critical to a correct understanding
of how we should treat the least of these, let’s go
through each of these to understand what Jesus has
in mind for us. - “Good news to the poor.” Can you name a single
place in the gospels (or anywhere else in the
Bible) where Jesus spoke only to the poor? He
had a “keep out” sign for the rich? (No! In
fact, the only example is just the opposite,
Jesus gave a private audience to Nicodemus, a
very rich and powerful man. See John 3.) - If Jesus was not discriminating in favor of
the poor, how should we understand this
promise? (The Old Testament is filled with
stories (think Job and Abraham) and
promises (Deuteronomy 28) that being
faithful to God makes you wealthy. Being
poor or disabled was a sign for all to see
that you were unfaithful to God. See John
9:2. Jesus brought the “good news” that the
poor could also be saved. Jesus shared the
gospel with the rich and poor alike.) - “Freedom for the captives.” Can you name a
single incident in which Jesus released an
incarcerated person? Did He visit a prisoner in
jail? (No! The irony of the interpretation that
Jesus is referring to prisoners is that our Luke
7 story has the disciples of imprisoned John the
Baptist going to Jesus. Jesus did not go to
visit John the Baptist in prison. We know from
the stories in Acts that jails and prisons
existed.) - If Jesus was not visiting prison inmates,
much less releasing them, how should we
understand this promise? (Look again at
Luke 7:22. Being disabled is a restriction
on your freedom. Being enslaved to sin is a
restriction on your freedom. Jesus’ actions
show this is what He meant by freeing
“captives.”) - “Recovery of sight for the blind.” Can you name
a single incident in which Jesus restored sight
to a blind person? (Yes! There are many accounts
of this.) - Read Matthew 15:11-14. How does Jesus use
the term “blind” here? (People who have a
wrong understanding of God’s will.) - “Set the oppressed free.” When the “oppressed”
are mentioned in my country, the argument has to
do with financial or political inequality,
despite the fact that everyone here has
financial and political freedom from government
restraints. Did Jesus free anyone from
government limits on political or economic
freedom? (Look again at Luke 7:22. When Jesus
describes His work, we see that His freedom has
to do with freedom from evil spirits, disease,
and disability.) - “Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” What
aspect of Jesus’ life reflects this? (Read Luke
7:22, the last part. Jesus came to live with
humans, to obey God perfectly, to pay the
penalty for our sins, and to rise to eternal
life. That is both good news and the greatest
example of God’s favor.) - Contemplate what we have just discussed. If you
truly wanted to be like Jesus in terms of helping
“the least of these,” if you wanted to be like Jesus
in the promise and the fulfillment of His work, what
would you do? (Preach the gospel to everyone! Ask
the Holy Spirit to give you the power to heal and
cast out demons. Promote Biblically correct
teaching.) - Action
- Read John 2:13-14. Why would these merchants and
money-changers be in the temple? (The Popular New
Testament commentary gives two reasons. First, the
animal brought as a sacrifice must be “without
blemish” ( Leviticus 22:19-20). This gave the priests
authority over what animals were acceptable.
Second, the temple tax had to be paid in a sanctuary
coin. Thus, men had to change their money to the
sanctuary currency to pay this tax. This marketplace
could have been outside the temple, but the obvious
concern is that the priests made money from allowing
it to be in the temple.) - What problems do you think could have arisen
with this situation? (You would have all the
noise and mess connected with barn in the temple
area. The financial aspect of all of this could
lead to corruption.) - Read John 2:15-16. Is Jesus against trading? (The
problem was doing it in the temple, a place where
people came to meet God.) - Does Jesus’ approach seem sinful to you? Does He
seem to have lost his temper? (Jesus did not
sin, so this cannot be sinful.) - If this is not sinful, what lesson does
this teach us today? (Sometimes strong
actions and words are acceptable to
confront wrong-doing.) - Read John 2:18. What challenge to Jesus’ actions do
the Jewish leaders raise? (They challenge His
authority. What sign from God can Jesus show to
prove His authority.) - Is this a reasonable question?
- If this is precedent for those who find
wrongdoing in church? Who has authority to take
actions like this? Anyone who disagrees? - Over the years, I have been surprised at those
who think they have this kind of authority. For
much of my adult life I have taught the main
adult Sabbath School class in the sanctuary. I
recall one first-time visitor who stood up and
challenged my teaching because I was not using
the King James version of the Bible. Another
stood up and challenged that a Christmas tree
was on the platform. Do visitors have authority
to make these challenges? (Look again at John
2:16. Jesus refers to His “Father’s house.”) - We are all children of God! Does that mean
we have this authority as His children? - Read John 2:18-19. What does this say about our
authority as children of God? (Jesus is not claiming
the authority that all of us have. Rather, He is
claiming authority as God, part of the Trinity. He
says that He has authority to rise from the dead. I
think visitors need to be concerned about the sins
of arrogance and presumption when they stand up to
condemn people they do not know.) - Friend, consider what your church is doing for the
“least of these.” The churches of which I have been
a part have given out clothing, helped with homeless
shelters or soup kitchens, and organized prison
ministries. This kind of kindness is good and
mentioned positively in Matthew 25:34-40. But, our
study this week shows that those programs are not
the gold standard for our work. What if we asked the
Holy Spirit for power to heal the disabled, cast out
demons, and preach the good news with power? Will
you do that? - Next week: “The Least of These.”
