Jesus: The Preacher
Bible Study
The Critical Questions... And More
Three Pre-Easter Bible Studies
Object:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Lesson Objective: At the end of this lesson, each of the participants will have a greater understanding of Jesus' preaching ministry and how it was viewed in his day.
Prayer Focus: Pray that each one in the group will see in a clearer way who Jesus is and that he was called to preach the kingdom of God.
Lesson
A little girl came home from Sunday school and announced to her father, "Dad, I know what BIBLE means." He said, "Oh, you do? What does it mean?" She smiled and said, "It is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." Sometimes wisdom comes from the mouths of babes.
Preaching is an interesting vehicle to dispense God's eternal truth. As you look at the church throughout history, you will find many changes. The way churches are built today is different than it was years ago. The way churches are governed has been altered. Music has evolved throughout the church's history. There has been one constant, though. As the apostle Paul wrote, "God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." The primary way to reach people for God continues to be preaching. Our look at the different aspects of Jesus continues today by looking at him as a preacher.
The event for today occurs early in Jesus' ministry. He has just endured the temptations of Satan in the desert. Jesus is beginning his public ministry. He is back in Nazareth, the place where he grew up. Notice that Jesus went to the synagogue as was his custom. He regularly attended the synagogue and worshiped. He took his turn to stand and read from the holy scriptures. This was common practice in the synagogues. What happens next, though, is anything but common. He is handed the scroll of Isaiah the prophet. He unrolls it and begins to read. The reading is from Isaiah 61:1-2.
Jesus was anointed to preach
He reads, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach...." At the onset of this text we find that Jesus' ministry and preaching is different than any other. A good comparison would be that of John the Baptist. He was characterized by the spirit of Elijah the prophet. Jesus, though, is anointed by the Holy Spirit of God. What does it mean to be anointed? The reference here is to the anointing oil mentioned in Exodus 30. There they anointed the equipment of the tabernacle for God's service with oil. In this text, Jesus is noting that he is set apart by the Holy Spirit for God's use.
Why is this significant? This "anointing" gives Jesus' words authority and impact. He was called by God's Holy Spirit to preach. There is more. Each one who enters a relationship with Jesus Christ is also called to his service. You have a calling today. Will you be used and set apart for his service?
Each role matters in what God has planned. In the Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey finds out that there are no unimportant roles. He stands at the grave of his younger brother who died at the age of nine. George is there with his guardian angel, Clarence, who is revealing to him what might have happened had George never lived. He tells Clarence that it is a lie that Harry drowned. Harry was a war hero who saved the lives of 100 men on an army transport. Clarence tells him those 100 men died. Harry wasn't there to save them because George wasn't there to save Harry.
There are no tasks that are insignificant in God's kingdom. Jesus was anointed to preach.
His message was deliverance and restoration
The message of Jesus' preaching is found in Isaiah's prophecy. He is sent to "preach the good news to the poor. He is to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind." He is to "release the oppressed" and "proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Jesus' message is one of hope and promise to the downtrodden and hopeless of the world. It is a message of deliverance and restoration. The "year of the Lord's favor" is connected with the Old Testament concept of the year of Jubilee when all debts were forgiven and people could "start over."
That is the message he has for you today, as well. He provides hope for the hopeless, help for the helpless, love for the unloved, and eternal life for the lost. In a world where children shoot other children at school, Jesus speaks a message of life. In a world where sin is called "choice" and people are enslaved to depravity, Jesus preaches freedom. In a world where hatred is strong and self-centeredness is prevalent, Jesus speaks of love. His message seems to be drowned out by the cacophony of noise, but it remains.
Beth Arbogast and her family heard Jesus' voice. When she was a little girl, every Sunday she and her family of six would put on their best clothes and go to Sunday school and church. One Easter Sunday, all the children arrived with big eyes and big stories about what the Easter bunny had brought. While all the children shared their stories, one boy, Bobby, sat quietly. One of the teachers noticed and asked, "What did the Easter bunny bring you, Bobby?" "My mom locked the door on accident, so he couldn't come." This sounded reasonable to the children, so they kept on with the stories. Beth's mom heard about it, though, and she knew what had happened. In Beth's words: "Bobby's mom was a single parent and my mom suspected that she couldn't afford the Easter bunny. After Sunday school that morning, everyone went off to church. When my dad came, Mom told him we had to go home first. At home, she explained to us that we need to make Bobby feel better. We were going to pretend to be the Easter bunny and make a basket of goodies for him. We all donated some of our candy for the basket. We then headed back to church. When we got there, Mom found Bobby's coat, hung the basket over the hanger with the note attached, 'Bobby, sorry to miss your house last night. Happy Easter -- the Easter bunny.' "
Jesus said, "What you do for the least of these my brothers, you do for me." They heard Jesus' message. Will you?
Jesus' preaching wasn't always accepted
When he finished reading, Jesus announced, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." The people were stunned. How could this be? Jesus told them that a prophet has no honor in his own country. They were furious. They drove him out of town to the brow of a hill. They had every intention of throwing him off. Jesus, though, walked through the crowd and continued his ministry. How could this town miss Jesus? They weren't willing to concede that he was special. They had already figured him out and put him in a box. When he claimed to be different, they couldn't accept it.
What does this mean for you? First, recognize that Jesus does not force himself on people. He was rejected in his hometown. Second, note that if Jesus can be rejected, so can you. Not everyone will think it wonderful that you are a Christian. Not everyone will believe it is possible that you can change. Some will say, "It is only a passing fad." Others will say, "It won't last." You cannot listen to the detractors. Not everyone will respond positively, but that doesn't change what you must do.
Conclusion
Jesus was a preacher of truth and righteousness. He preached deliverance and forgiveness. He knew of the bondage of sin and oppression. He wanted to deliver people. He still does. Will you come to him?
In a letter to Dear Abby by a little girl named Linda, after her grandmother's funeral, she wrote: "Mom, you always said Grandma walked with God. What I think happened is that one day God and Grandma went on an extra long walk. They walked and talked on and on until God said to Grandma, 'You're a long way from home and are so tired. Why don't you come home with me to stay?' And Grandma went."
Suggested Songs And Hymns
"I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say"
"O Holy Spirit, Enter In"
"Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus"
Thought/Discussion Questions
1. What is it about preaching that is so significant? Why, in your opinion, did God choose such a means to convey his truth?
2. What was the substance of Jesus' message and how does it relate to you?
3. Why was Jesus rejected in his hometown? What expectations did the people there have? Is that a risk for people today? In what way?
Lesson Objective: At the end of this lesson, each of the participants will have a greater understanding of Jesus' preaching ministry and how it was viewed in his day.
Prayer Focus: Pray that each one in the group will see in a clearer way who Jesus is and that he was called to preach the kingdom of God.
Lesson
A little girl came home from Sunday school and announced to her father, "Dad, I know what BIBLE means." He said, "Oh, you do? What does it mean?" She smiled and said, "It is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." Sometimes wisdom comes from the mouths of babes.
Preaching is an interesting vehicle to dispense God's eternal truth. As you look at the church throughout history, you will find many changes. The way churches are built today is different than it was years ago. The way churches are governed has been altered. Music has evolved throughout the church's history. There has been one constant, though. As the apostle Paul wrote, "God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." The primary way to reach people for God continues to be preaching. Our look at the different aspects of Jesus continues today by looking at him as a preacher.
The event for today occurs early in Jesus' ministry. He has just endured the temptations of Satan in the desert. Jesus is beginning his public ministry. He is back in Nazareth, the place where he grew up. Notice that Jesus went to the synagogue as was his custom. He regularly attended the synagogue and worshiped. He took his turn to stand and read from the holy scriptures. This was common practice in the synagogues. What happens next, though, is anything but common. He is handed the scroll of Isaiah the prophet. He unrolls it and begins to read. The reading is from Isaiah 61:1-2.
Jesus was anointed to preach
He reads, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach...." At the onset of this text we find that Jesus' ministry and preaching is different than any other. A good comparison would be that of John the Baptist. He was characterized by the spirit of Elijah the prophet. Jesus, though, is anointed by the Holy Spirit of God. What does it mean to be anointed? The reference here is to the anointing oil mentioned in Exodus 30. There they anointed the equipment of the tabernacle for God's service with oil. In this text, Jesus is noting that he is set apart by the Holy Spirit for God's use.
Why is this significant? This "anointing" gives Jesus' words authority and impact. He was called by God's Holy Spirit to preach. There is more. Each one who enters a relationship with Jesus Christ is also called to his service. You have a calling today. Will you be used and set apart for his service?
Each role matters in what God has planned. In the Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey finds out that there are no unimportant roles. He stands at the grave of his younger brother who died at the age of nine. George is there with his guardian angel, Clarence, who is revealing to him what might have happened had George never lived. He tells Clarence that it is a lie that Harry drowned. Harry was a war hero who saved the lives of 100 men on an army transport. Clarence tells him those 100 men died. Harry wasn't there to save them because George wasn't there to save Harry.
There are no tasks that are insignificant in God's kingdom. Jesus was anointed to preach.
His message was deliverance and restoration
The message of Jesus' preaching is found in Isaiah's prophecy. He is sent to "preach the good news to the poor. He is to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind." He is to "release the oppressed" and "proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Jesus' message is one of hope and promise to the downtrodden and hopeless of the world. It is a message of deliverance and restoration. The "year of the Lord's favor" is connected with the Old Testament concept of the year of Jubilee when all debts were forgiven and people could "start over."
That is the message he has for you today, as well. He provides hope for the hopeless, help for the helpless, love for the unloved, and eternal life for the lost. In a world where children shoot other children at school, Jesus speaks a message of life. In a world where sin is called "choice" and people are enslaved to depravity, Jesus preaches freedom. In a world where hatred is strong and self-centeredness is prevalent, Jesus speaks of love. His message seems to be drowned out by the cacophony of noise, but it remains.
Beth Arbogast and her family heard Jesus' voice. When she was a little girl, every Sunday she and her family of six would put on their best clothes and go to Sunday school and church. One Easter Sunday, all the children arrived with big eyes and big stories about what the Easter bunny had brought. While all the children shared their stories, one boy, Bobby, sat quietly. One of the teachers noticed and asked, "What did the Easter bunny bring you, Bobby?" "My mom locked the door on accident, so he couldn't come." This sounded reasonable to the children, so they kept on with the stories. Beth's mom heard about it, though, and she knew what had happened. In Beth's words: "Bobby's mom was a single parent and my mom suspected that she couldn't afford the Easter bunny. After Sunday school that morning, everyone went off to church. When my dad came, Mom told him we had to go home first. At home, she explained to us that we need to make Bobby feel better. We were going to pretend to be the Easter bunny and make a basket of goodies for him. We all donated some of our candy for the basket. We then headed back to church. When we got there, Mom found Bobby's coat, hung the basket over the hanger with the note attached, 'Bobby, sorry to miss your house last night. Happy Easter -- the Easter bunny.' "
Jesus said, "What you do for the least of these my brothers, you do for me." They heard Jesus' message. Will you?
Jesus' preaching wasn't always accepted
When he finished reading, Jesus announced, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." The people were stunned. How could this be? Jesus told them that a prophet has no honor in his own country. They were furious. They drove him out of town to the brow of a hill. They had every intention of throwing him off. Jesus, though, walked through the crowd and continued his ministry. How could this town miss Jesus? They weren't willing to concede that he was special. They had already figured him out and put him in a box. When he claimed to be different, they couldn't accept it.
What does this mean for you? First, recognize that Jesus does not force himself on people. He was rejected in his hometown. Second, note that if Jesus can be rejected, so can you. Not everyone will think it wonderful that you are a Christian. Not everyone will believe it is possible that you can change. Some will say, "It is only a passing fad." Others will say, "It won't last." You cannot listen to the detractors. Not everyone will respond positively, but that doesn't change what you must do.
Conclusion
Jesus was a preacher of truth and righteousness. He preached deliverance and forgiveness. He knew of the bondage of sin and oppression. He wanted to deliver people. He still does. Will you come to him?
In a letter to Dear Abby by a little girl named Linda, after her grandmother's funeral, she wrote: "Mom, you always said Grandma walked with God. What I think happened is that one day God and Grandma went on an extra long walk. They walked and talked on and on until God said to Grandma, 'You're a long way from home and are so tired. Why don't you come home with me to stay?' And Grandma went."
Suggested Songs And Hymns
"I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say"
"O Holy Spirit, Enter In"
"Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus"
Thought/Discussion Questions
1. What is it about preaching that is so significant? Why, in your opinion, did God choose such a means to convey his truth?
2. What was the substance of Jesus' message and how does it relate to you?
3. Why was Jesus rejected in his hometown? What expectations did the people there have? Is that a risk for people today? In what way?
