September 9 Bible Study
72 Steps from Glory to Glory
Step 28: From Nain to the Second Galilean Preaching Tour
Back at step 21, in Luke 5, Jesus started his first preaching tour from Peter’s boat. This was early in His ministry and was an introductory tour. This was also a time when He called most of His disciples.
Step 28 begins His second preaching tour. This will be a time of some controversy. The sermons will be parable-based and what I call nuts-and-bolts preaching. By that, I mean Jesus will teach how to please Him with your life.
Tonight’s Scripture
Luke 8:1-31; Mark 3:19-3; 4:1-3; Matt.12:46-50: 13:1-52
- Luke 8:1-3 On this tour, He will be followed by His Disciples and some godly women.
(Mary Magdalene, Joanna (the wife of Herod’s steward), and Suzanna.
- Mark 3:21 His own people are embarrassed by Him and call Him Crazy.
- Mark 3:22-30 The parable of overcoming a strong man.
- V.22 Jesus is accused of being controlled by Beelzebub. (Bal-zebub was a Philistine pagan deity) They were accusing Jesus of being a Prince of Demons.
- V.23 Jesus points out the stupidity of that accusation.
- V.24 A divided house cannot stand.
- V. 25-27 A strong man defeated. Jesus is saying that Satan is a strong man, but I have entered his house, bound him, and plundered him.
- V.28-30 Accusing Jesus of having an unclean spirit was unpardonable.
- Mark 3:31-35; Matt.12:46-50; Luke 8:19-21. Who are my brothers?
Jesus was not denying His family. He was pointing out that you became part of His family when you heard and obeyed the word of God
- Matt.13:1-35; Mark 4:1-34, Luke 8:4-18; 13:18-21
Sermon about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Throughout the Bible, the term Kingdom of Heaven often had two different meanings.
a.The general rule of the Father over the affairs of men from creation to the millennium. Both the saved and unsaved belong to this kingdom. See Daniel 4:17,32
This is the idea in this sermon.
b. The specific rule of the Son from Jerusalem over the affairs of men during the millennium. Only saved people will enter this kingdom. Matt.6:10
- Matt.13:1-9,18-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15 The Parable of the sower
- ( The earthly story) A farmer goes out to sow seeds.
- Some fall on the roadside and are trampled and devoured.
- Some fall on shallow soil; they sprout but soon wilt.
- Some fall on thorn-infested soil and are soon choked to death.
- Some fall on fertile soil and produce abundantly.
- (The spiritual meaning) The sower represents Christ or His Followers. The seed is the word of God. The soil represents the human heart and its condition.
- The roadside soil represents a person who receives the Word but does not really understand it. This seed is soon stolen by Satan, using the world and false teachers.
- The shallow soil represents a person who receives the Word but does not act fully on it. When persecutions and trials arise, he falls away.
- The thorn-infested soil represents the person who receives the Word but tries to mix it with worldly teachings and pleasures. Worldly things soon choke him spiritually.
- The fertile soil represents someone who receives the Word with an open, sincere heart. This is the only one who will bear abundant fruit.
- Matt.13:10-17; Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10 Why Parables?
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”
Matthew 7:6 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.7.6.NKJV
- The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are facts about the rule of God that were once secret but are now revealed to the ones who worship Jesus.
- Jesus wants His people to exercise critical thinking skills.
- Jesus would use earthly examples to teach spiritual principles. Jesus was not one to make acquiring knowledge come easy or fast. He knew that the experience of learning is often just as important as the knowledge itself.
If you have a math problem to solve, you can use pencil and paper or a calculator. With the calculator, you can find the answer, but with pencil and paper you will understand the answer. In the same way, when you are traveling, a GPS will get you to your destination. But if you use a map, you will know how you got there.
When Jesus taught his disciples using parables, the parable was like solving a math problem with pen and paper. He wanted His students to gain understanding more than knowledge.
Next week we will continue in Step 28 as we look at more parables.
Douglas Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
