THE SEND: Luke & ActsSample

This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry on earth. Has the Savior of the world been received in the way you expected him to be? I don't know about you, but I'm pretty surprised by how hated Jesus is in this chapter!

He's opposed by the devil, who tries to tempt him to doubt his identity, his calling, and even Scripture itself (Luke 4:1-13). He's opposed by crowds from his hometown, who want to throw him off a cliff (Luke 4:14-30)! He's opposed by a demon, who wants to silence him (Luke 4:31-37).

Now I'm sure many of us won't have received this kind of opposition before (I hope no one's tried to push you off a cliff), but maybe you recognise the feeling of being disliked or put down for your faith? I know I have.

Maybe you feel like your friends, classmates, or co-workers might treat you differently if you talked more about Jesus. Maybe you just feel like no one would want to listen. But in this chapter, Jesus' response to opposition is not to run away or even to stay and be quiet.

What we actually see is Jesus choosing to respond to opposition by bringing the Kingdom of God to earth with boldness, anointing, and power. And, as His followers, we are called to do the same thing.

As you read this chapter, pay attention to how Jesus responds to the opposition he receives. Luke tells us that Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit's power, teaches with authority, and that even evil spirits obey him (Luke 4:14, 32, 36). No matter the opposition he faced, Jesus was convinced that he was called to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God, and he chose to be true to his calling.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to live like he did.

What does it look like for you to follow Jesus' example of responding to opposition by preaching the Gospel with boldness, anointing, and power?