Luke 4:14-15
"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all," Luke 4:14-15. Our text tells us that Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee. Where did He return from? Why would there be a report "fame" of Him through all the region? Was someone spying on Him while He was in the wilderness? Jesus Christ did not receive a great following of people when He was baptized by John the Baptist. Even when John proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," there wasn't initially an uproar of how wonderful this news is. It is also obvious that the people either forgot what John the Baptist said, or did not really take heed to it because they later questioned among themselves who Christ actually was. So how did this early popularity of Jesus Christ in Galilee come about?
Between verses 13 and 14 of Luke 4 there is a gap of about a year. We tend to think that everything in the bible is in chronological order, but that is not the case. We also tend to think that everything is recorded that Jesus Christ did, but that is also not the case. "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen," John 21:24-25. All the Gospels flow together, but all the Gospels do not record all that is written in all the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all record things that the other did not record. This is another reason it is important that we read all four Gospels. How blessed are we to have all four Gospels available to us? What Matthew, Mark, and Luke leave out between verses 13 and 14, John records and fills in the gap. It is an act of God's grace that we have what God ordained that we would have recorded in the Scriptures. Oh that we would love and cherish the Scriptures!
Let us look at some of the events that caused a report to go out through all the region. In John 2:1-11 we see Christ's first miracle. Turning the water into wine was a low key miracle. There would have been just a little talk about it. In John 2:13-20 Jesus really makes a splash when He confronts the religious system of that day. This takes place at the temple when multitudes of people from all over the known world would be there. One of the first things Jesus did at the beginning of His public ministry was to confront the false religious system of His day. Jesus also did this at the end of His public ministry right before He went to the cross as it is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. What Christ did and said was biblical, and it messed up the religious norm. Though He messed up the religious norm, all eyes in Jerusalem were on Him. Jesus Christ did many miracles in Jerusalem during this time (John 2:23-25). It was also during this time that we read about the interaction with Nicodemus in John 3 and John the Baptist's confession, "He must increase, but I must decrease," John 3:30. The last thing recorded in John before Christ returns to Galilee in Luke 4 is Christ's interaction with the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-42). Even at the beginning of Christ's ministry He was reaching out to those who were not Jews. These events is why a report about Him went throughout the country.
At the beginning of Jesus's public ministry He was popular. No one had ever went into the temple and did what He did. No one was raising the dead and healing all manner of diseases. No one ever said what He said and how He said it. We must understand that Jesus was not trying to make a name for Himself, no, He was simply being obedient to the Father's will. All He did was in the power of the Holy Spirit. He was not walking around trying to gather a large following. He was not trying to get rich or start a revolt. Christ came to fulfill the law, and to die on the cross. How do we know He wasn't trying to gather a following? Turn to John 6:15, 60-69. Jesus would not allow the people to make Him king, and when the crowds gathered again, He preached hard truths to them, and they left. Some people want to feel and appear spiritual and are happy to do so until they have to deal with hard truths. Some people like the rut they are in and get very angry when you try to pull them out.
When Jesus returned to Galilee, He was a household name; the talk of the region. Wherever He went, He would teach in the synagogues. There were hundreds of synagogues, and it was custom for the people to meet three times a week to hear the Scriptures read and explained. Christ was faithful to be in a synagogue and to read and explain the Scriptures. What He taught would also increase His fame throughout the region. "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes," Matthew 7:28-29. The pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Jesus, and were angry when the officers came back without Jesus. When asked why they did not arrest Christ, "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man," John 7:46.
Jesus Christ lived what He taught. His words carried weight. They could not catch Him in His words because there was no deceit in Him. What the religious leaders of that day taught brought only condemnation and bondage. That is what dead religion produces. Hearing the words of Jesus was life in place of death; freedom in place of bondage; and truth in place of lies. We see a great illustration of this in John 8:1-11. In these Scriptures we see conviction, compassion, and forgiveness. Can you put yourself in this ladies place? She was standing before the Saviour condemned! She had no one to turn to and no where to go. How wonderful were the words of Jesus, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more,"! Christ had forgiven her of her sins. She was a new creation in Christ Jesus. Christ also took away her guilt. She had a clear conscience. How much do you think she loved Jesus? How much do you love Jesus? It is easy to get caught up in the moment; caught up in something new; caught up in emotionalism; but when we get caught by the grace of Jesus Christ we experience real and lasting forgiveness which produces real and lasting love for the Saviour which produces real and lasting service for Him also.
The early popularity of Jesus wore off. The crowds went from glorifying Him to condemning Him. Out of millions that were in Jerusalem during that time only 120 were gathered together in Acts 1.
Has Christ truly saved your soul? Is your life a testimony of someone who loves the Lord, and knows they have been forgiven of all their sins? If so, praise the Lord, but if not, I beg you to look to Christ alone for salvation.
Soli Deo Gloria.
