Jesus Laid His Hands on Each One
Luke 4:31-44
Key Verse 4:40
When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.
In the last passage, Jesus taught in his hometown of Nazareth; in today’s passage Jesus teaches in Capernaum. Luke places the acceptance in Capernaum after the rejection in Nazareth to show contrast. In both towns, Jesus’ message initially caused amazement, but their final responses were opposite: the Capernaumites accepted Jesus authority, but the Nazarenes rejected his authority, only seeing him as the son of Joseph, and demanding miracles.
Whenever Jesus spoke, he always spoke with authority! Why then was he rejected in one place and accepted in another? The difference was in the hearts of the listeners. What kind of listener will you be today? The issue is not whether my message has authority, but whether Jesus’ message has authority. Let’s open our hearts to welcome Jesus like the Capernaumites do in today’s passage. Let’s learn about Jesus authority, compassion, and mission.
Part 1 Jesus’ message has authority
Let’s read verses 31-32
Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.
Mt 7:28-29 adds a little more information: “the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”
Every Sabbath went synagogue expecting same old message. And expecting to go home the same each week. It was not that the Pharisees were boring to listen too. It was that their message had no authority. I have heard a preacher who is quite interesting to listen to, but there is no gospel in what he says. Such a message has no authority. Teaching without authority is best summarized by Isaiah 29:13: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” Teaching without authority is lip-service – the Pharisees told others to do something but they could not do it themselves. Since their hearts were far from God, they could not understand his Bible. Instead they taught rules that men had made up, about washing hands and about exactly how much one could carry on the Sabbath.
But when the people heard Jesus’ message they were amazed! Jesus’ message had authority.
If we want to understand how Jesus’ message has authority, we only have to look in the Bible, and we can read his teaching for ourselves. When I was a young Bible student, what most struck me about Jesus was that his message had authority. I was not convinced whether the miracles that the Bible describes really had happened, but I could not deny the authority of Jesus’ teaching. His words have the ring of truth and the wisdom and authority.
For instance, we can read the sermon on the mount in Mt 5-7. In Mt 5, Jesus’ preaching follows this pattern “you have heard it said … but I tell you …” Such as “you have heard it said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy” But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Jesus’ teaching was new. He did not interpret the Bible the way the Pharisees did, but he interpreted it correctly. Where did he get this authority? Jesus is the author; he can speak authoritatively about the Bible. When Jesus says, “I tell you the truth” he is not guessing or quoting religious scholars. He is speaking to what he has seen and what he knows. Of all men, only Jesus could speak of heaven as one who had come from heaven and knew what he spoke of.
When we consider the response at Capernaum, we see that a message with authority can move the hearts of sinners. When we share the gospel with others, and when we teach the Bible, how can our message have authority like Jesus’? The answer is that it comes from Jesus. When he sent out his disciples two-by-two in Luke 9, he gave then authority to preach and drive out demons. In Mt 28 he proclaims, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus gives authority to those he sends. We must know that we have been sent with the message and are authorized to preach. Someone who may not speak well, can with the Holy Spirit, teach with authority about Christ.
But even when the message has authority, it does not always cause people to repent (as we can see from the people in Nazareth from last week) but it has the power to – then it is up to the listener. It’s up to you. Many young people are in rebellion to authority. This does not just mean that they don’t like to be told what to do; it also means that they don’t like to be told what to think. They want to be their own boss. We must acknowledge Jesus as the authority in our lives, and submit to him. This is what some people in the synagogue were starting to do, when suddenly a disruption threatened to ruin the message. Let’s read verse 33-34.
In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
You can imagine if someone in this room stood up and started shouting at the top of their voice during the message, “have you come to destroy us?” It would be very disruptive. In this case, it was the work of a demon. Sitting among the pews was a man with an evil spirit – but no one knew it until he began shouting like a demon-possessed man. Looking at various demons in the Bible it seems that many of them like to shout. Here was this demon, sitting in the middle of the synagogue service, when suddenly Jesus stood up to preach, and his message had authority. The demon had to act quickly before people repented and accepted the message. Even this man whom he had taken prisoner; even his heart was warming to the message and the demon’s grip was weakening; so he had to take drastic action and stop this preaching. He cried out at the top of his voice, "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
First, what was a demon possessed man doing in the synagogue service? If I ask you to picture a demon possessed man, many of us may think of the Gerasene man of Mark 5. He had thousands of demons. They turned him into a wild man who ran around naked, cutting himself and crying out day and night. This demoniac man would not have been allowed into the synagogue, nor would he have wanted to go. But in Lk 4, we find a demon possessed man in the synagogue. He was not like the demon possessed man. He did not have thousands of demons, but only one. Even the Gerasene man must have started with one demon. This demon chose to remain hidden, so that no one knew the man’s problem. It is very possible that the demon wanted to be inside the synagogue, because there he could cause the most trouble and sow dissension and cause arguments to break up the fellowship. In the Bible, we can see that Satan loves to work inside of churches. The epistles are full of warnings about dissension, and false teachers within the church.
These days, many demons hide like this one. So most people don’t believe that demons even exist. They believe that all of our problems are psychological and can be treated with a pill. While there are psychological conditions, we must be aware that there are also demons. It is easy to confuse demon possession for a medical condition, because demons may use their power to cause medical conditions – such as convulsions or deafness (Mk 9:17-26). They do these things to torment their host.
When we do not take the presence of demons seriously, we are not equipped to resist them. Eph 6:12 proclaims, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Demonic possession may be rare, but demonic influence is common. All of us can be tempted by the devil and follow the leading of evil spirits. Evil spirits have been the focus of a number of horror movies – but in reality, we need not react with horror at the presence of evil spirits because we have access to the Holy Spirit. We are engaged in spiritual warfare with Satanic forces, and God has provided us with the armor to overcome the devil. When Jesus sent out the seventy-two, he proclaimed, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” (Lk 10:18).
If the synagogue was an advantageous place for the demon to be, it was also a dangerous place, because, in hearing the word of God, the man might repent. But the demon took a calculated risk – since the message never had any authority, he felt safe. But then, on this Sabbath Jesus stood up and preached a message with authority and power. Jesus then rebuked the spirit and drove him out with this same authority. Let’s read verse 35. "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
When Jesus said, “Be quiet!” the demon’s shout immediately stopped. When Jesus said, “Come out of him!” the demon could not stay one more instant. What power Jesus had, what authority was in his words! Moreover, the demon came out without injuring the man. A demon’s greatest wish is to injure people. But he could do no harm when Jesus rebuked him.
Jesus did not rebuke the man, but the evil spirit. He had mercy on this man, who was a prisoner in his own body. He freed him and gave him hope. Satan intended to disrupt Jesus’ message, but God took Satan’s efforts and worked a good purpose, to provide a demonstration of the authority of Jesus’ words. Let’s read 36-37 “All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.”
The people were amazed. "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" Jesus did not just talk a good talk. When he spoke, the evil spirit came out. He had real power to overcome Satan’s grip on man. They realized that Jesus had power to help them and their sick loved ones, too. When they went home after the service, they told everyone they met. Soon whole town was buzzing, and people began to prepare to come and see Jesus.
Part 2 Jesus Heals Many
As verses 31-37 reveal Jesus authority and power, so do verses 38-41. But in these latter verses we also find Jesus compassion for the sick, not as “the sick”, but understanding and caring for the sorrows of each one, one by one. These verses begin with Jesus making a house call. Lets read verses 38-39. Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
After the synagogue service ended, Jesus went to Simon’s house. Simon is more-well known as Peter, Jesus top disciple. Jesus changed his name from Simon to Peter. Simon had already started to follow Jesus, as recorded in John chapter 1. But he had a problem: his mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. A high fever is a very serious condition, even today, but in those days, without medicine, she could easily have died. Simon must have been worried. He wanted to follow Jesus, but how could he with a sick mother-in-law? Actually, it was Satan’s attack on Simon’s faith, and his mother-in-law’s. Jesus rebuked the fever and it left her. It sounds like more than an infection; it had a spiritual aspect. She may not have been possessed, but Satan was afflicting her.
The first lesson here is that Jesus took care of Simon’s mother-in-law. So many people had the opportunity to follow Jesus, but they held back, because of their family. Simon was a married man – otherwise he could not have a mother-in-law. How could he leave his family, even his sick mother-in-law. When we do such things, our family often does not understand. It looks cold-hearted- don’t we have to take care of our families first?
But Jesus says quite clearly, no. He proclaims, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When Simon left his family, he did not abandon them, but committed them into the Lord’s hand. What if he stayed with his mother? Could he do anything for her, really? But when he followed Jesus, then Jesus took care of her.
In 1Cor 9:5, we read that Peter traveled with his wife in the later years of his wife. So he never abandoned his family, but he made a decision to put God first. Then God blessed his family and healed his mother-in-law.
One woman wanted to go as a missionary, but her family opposed her. Moreover, she worried whether she should go, because her family was not Christian, so if she left, what would become of them? Shouldn’t she stay and preach to them first? But she decided to seek God’s kingdom first and went as a Missionary. After some years, her family became Christian and began to encourage her instead of telling her to come home. Even if we stay, we cannot do much. Rather, those we love, we must commit into Jesus’ hands. And Jesus is faithful and takes better care of them than we can.
When Jesus healed this woman, what did she do? She got up at once and began to wait on them. Fully healed, and she was so happy and thankful. She wanted to serve Jesus who had saved her life. She started to serve him. She started to support his work and support her daughter’s husband in his decision to follow Jesus. We should remember what God has done for us and give thanks.
It had been a long day for Jesus, but it was not over yet. Let’s read verse 40.When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.
As the sun was setting, the front lawn suddenly filled up with people as though they had appointments. The reason is that this was the Sabbath day, and could not work, could not carry the sick. But Sabbath ended at sunset. The fact that they came even as the sun was setting shows their eagerness to get to Jesus at the first opportunity. They had seen what Jesus did at the synagogue, so they went and brought all their sick friends and relatives to be healed by Jesus. It shows their faith and their concern for each other.
Then what did Jesus do? Look at verse 40 again. Laying his hands on each one, he healed them. A special point is made in this verse that he healed them individually. A group healing would have been quicker, but it would not have left the same impact on the sick people. By healing them one by one, Jesus showed his concern for the individual. He did not see a crowd of sick people, but many individuals who’s suffering he personally felt. As he laid his hands on each one, he was inviting each one. He was taking their pain upon himself. The account of this evant in Matthew’s gospel adds an explanation: “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.’” (Mt 8:17)
Jesus healed with a personal touch. In India, the lowest class of people are called untouchables. But Jesus did not hesitate to touch the lowest person. Mark 1:40-41 tells of a leper that illustrates Christ love to lay his hands on the sick: “A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his had and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said, ‘Be clean!’”
Some feel that they are too sinful or to unworthy of Christ. But we find here Jesus who touches the sick one by one. In this age of mass media, and computerized form-letters, personal interaction is lacking. I heard that psychologists have found that millions of Americans need a hug – they are isolated and alone.
We might think that radio or tele-evangelism is the best way to reach the people with the gospel. But one-direction communication cannot. Accomplish discipleship. Jesus taught crowds, but he focused on one to one ministry and care.
Verse 41continues, “Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.” What is surprising is that these demons proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ and he rebuked them. Why? What they said was true, but their motive was false. They only shouted this to cause problems. They knew that the people had a completely wrong idea about the Christ, and that the people would start a revolution if they thought the Christ had come. Jesus, in contrast, knew that the time was not right to reveal himself. He knew that the people had to first meet him for themselves. They had to first find out for themselves what kind of a ministry Jesus lead. They had to learn from Jesus how he came as a spiritual king, not to start a war. They had to meet Jesus for themselves and find out for themselves that he is the Christ.
Part 3 I must preach the good news in the other towns also
Look at the beginning of verse 42. “At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.” Jesus went out early in the morning to pray. He shows the importance of prayer, and of quiet time with God. In particular, Jesus got up early to pray, despite healing the sick late into the night the day before. As a young Christian, I was invited to our Sunday early morning prayer meeting. I sad, “no thanks” For me, 9:00 was early morning – why not have the prayer meeting then? As I grew in my understanding of the Bible, I could appreciate that offering the sweet morning hours to God in prayer is an act of devotion. Moreover, as I learned church history, I could not deny the empirical evidence that, for whatever reason, great men of God were men of early morning prayer. Like Martin Luther or Charles Studd. Especially, like Jesus. Jesus has set the example of prayer life. As we follow his example, we grow closer to God and find God’s strength and direction, and answer to prayer.
Let’s read 42b-43 “The people were looking for him and
when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But
he said, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns
also, because that is why I was sent.’”
The people were eagerly looking for him. They wanted him to stay there. But Jesus told them that he had to go to the other towns also. He could have stayed in Capernaum and enjoyed wide support, and maybe built a mega-church. Instead Jesus chose to travel from town to town, often being rejected, often having no place to lay his head. He demonstrated that he had concern for all towns and all people.
He also knew that he had been sent, and he knew why he had been sent: “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Many people don’t know why they are here, and think of life as an accident. Even Christians, who know that God has a purpose for them, may not really feel like they have been sent. But we have surely been sent as Christ’s ambassadors to follow his example to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. We do not preach whatever ideas that we think are interesting, we preach God’s kingdom. We must pray to plant the good news of the kingdom of God may enter the hearts of those we teach.