Luke

So Much Better Than…

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

A dozen sweet, freshly baked donuts that beg to be eaten… Items collected in an online “wishlist” quickly ordered with only a few keystrokes… Exciting, binge-worthy television shows ready to be watched for hours… We all have our little temptations. They often take the form of food, stuff, and comfort. And while those previously suggested temptations may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, they nevertheless can become major problems for health, finances, or relationships. Moreover, when it comes to serious temptations, the stakes are even higher. The dangerous deception of a temptation is not simply that it causes us to question God’s character, but scarier still, that it leads us to respond in selfish disobedience. Yet, in Luke 4:1-13, God’s beloved Son provides us with a wonderful example of how to live a victorious Christian life.

In its surrounding context, the temptation of Jesus confirms that the Father’s approval expressed at Jesus’ baptism was warranted and properly placed in His beloved Son. When the Father exclaimed, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Lk 3:22), it was an expression that demonstrated Jesus’ readiness to defeat sin and begin His undaunted, submissive journey that would lead Him to the cross and fulfill His Father’s redemptive plan.

So, as the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days, Luke’s account brings to mind another temptation account that took place approximately 1500 years earlier, when Israel grumbled their way through the wilderness after their flight from Egypt. Yet, Jesus’ submissive faith stands in stark contrast to Israel’s repeated failure. He is better than Israel!

Furthermore, He is better than Adam (Lk 3:38; Rom 5:12-19). Jesus experienced the full force of Satan’s assaults and responded to each with undaunted trust in God, His character, and in His written Word. Every temptation our Savior experienced – from the three Luke records, the others that constituted His time in the wilderness, as well as the many that He would face on His way to Golgotha – were as real as every temptation that we face. They were powerfully custom designed by the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:1-3) to entice Jesus to seek comfort, pursue fulfillment, and find care outside of God’s will. So, as the incarnate Son of God, Jesus was fully human, a high priest “who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). This is a big deal! In short, because He is both the perfect, eternal high priest and the once-and-for-all sacrifice (Heb 7:26-28). He is the only means for salvation. There is no other!

But there is also a very practical, daily application of Jesus’ victory, because His wilderness encounter gives us a model for success in the midst of a sinfully seductive world that aims to win our affections (1 Jn 2:15-16). When the enemy dangles the shiny lures of this world in front of our noses in an effort to coax us from the protective shadow of our Hiding Place, let’s draw upon the stored-up Word (Ps 46:1-11; 91:1-2; 121:1-8) and trust in our Sustainer, Shepherd, and All in All. In other words, we can “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).

Psalm 91:1-2 (ESV) – “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”

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Well Pleased

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

Words are unbelievably powerful! Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” I am sure most of us were told to respond to a verbal insult during our childhood with the following retort: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Certainly, the idiom was well-intentioned, but sadly misleading for most of us. Words do hurt, and while they may not break bones, they certainly cut deeply, bruise our soul, and leave our heart in pieces. On the flipside, carefully chosen and well-intentioned words have the power to build up and give grace to those who hear (Eph 4:29). One person who knew this well and communicated accordingly was Mister Fred Rogers, famous children’s TV personality and ordained Presbyterian minister. Besides his most recognizable quip, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”, Mr. Rogers consistently told his audience of children that he was proud of them.

In Luke 3:21-22, a voice resounds from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” As Jesus rises from the waters of the Jordan River in prayer, God, the Holy Spirit anoints Him for ministry and God, the Father declares His pleasure in His treasured Son. God’s declaration is the primary point of the text. Fixed in the midst of three significant events that launched His public ministry – John’s message of repentance, Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ temptation – the proclamation serves as a confirmation of kingship and a declaration of delight. It confirms that Jesus is the Messiah who has come to suffer and declares that the Father rejoices in Jesus’ present holy conduct and future glorious work. The phrases “beloved Son” and “well pleased” bring to mind Old Testament passages like Psalm 2 and Isaiah 42.

As The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you… Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Ps 2:7-12)

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:1-4)

These passages brim with an invitation to love and adore Jesus for who He is (King) and what He has done (come to save). The Father is out front, inviting us to join Him in celebrating and rejoicing over the suffering servant, Jesus. In John’s Gospel, Jesus describes the Father’s response to His Son’s redemptive role in the following manner: “… I lay down my life for the sheep… For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again” (Jn 10:15, 17).

Why would the Father love His Son and be “well pleased” with Him for suffering and dying, not for something the Son had done, but for the trespasses of others? The answer is found in the surrounding context of God’s declaration, particularly in Jesus’ genealogy. For here and in His temptation (Lk 3:23-4:13), Jesus is presented as the second, true, and better Adam. Whereas the first Adam failed, the second Adam succeeded. Whereas the first Adam lost everything, the second Adam provides an eternal inheritance. Whereas the first Adam lost his bride through age and death, the second Adam will never be separated from His Bride. Whereas the first Adam’s death brought death, the second Adam’s death brought life.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Rom 5:18-19)

In His sinless humanity, Jesus became our perfect substitute. This should give us great assurance, because “the free gift is not like the trespass” (Rom 5:15-17). It succeeds and supplants the failure of the first Adam. Paul put it this way: “… where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom 5:20, KJV). Everyone who has abandoned self-effort and works, and instead has placed their personal trust in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus, now stands righteous, accepted, and loved. God is well pleased with you! A new relationship has begun and new heavenly affections have been ignited. As Mr. Rogers said on one occasion, “We are all longing for perfection, but that doesn’t mean you have to be ‘perfect’ to be loved.” We simply need to be “in the Beloved.”

Ephesians 1:6-7 (ESV) – “… he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace …”

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Baptism: Water, Spirit, and Fire

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

Everything about John the Baptist is captivating! First, John was born in a most unusual and miraculous way, fulfilling prophecies dating back 700 and 430 years before his birth (see Is 40:1-5 and Mal 3:1; 4:5). Also, his times were filled with turmoil and tumult, led by volatile and villainous people hungering for political and religious power. Furthermore, his appearance was overtly prophetic. With long, matted hair and an unkept beard, he dressed in garments made of camel hair, and sustained himself on a diet consisting of locusts and honey. Even his message was different. It was singular, direct, and repetitive. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it was simply, “Repent!” (Lk 3:3; Mk 1:4; Matt 3:2).

Which leads to the most captivating aspect of this larger-than-life biblical personality: his purpose. One of the most profound things about John’s ministry was that it pointed to something greater than himself and his ministry. He was the forerunner, whose role was to prepare the way for the arrival of royalty. This royal figure – the Christ or Messiah (Anointed One) – was of such significance that John was to level and straighten the paths for this King’s arrival. Through John’s ministry, “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low” for the entrance of this singular King and His glorious kingdom (Lk 3:4-6).

In Luke 3:15-17, John the Baptist describes his ministry in the following fashion:

As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

It is clear that John utilized the practice of water baptism in preparation for Jesus’s ministry. Similarly, it is important to note that there is a difference between John’s ministry and Jesus’s ministry. This is evident in John’s deferential description, placing him at the feet of Jesus, not even worthy to untie his sandals. What incredible self-awareness, humility, and reverence of the Messiah from a man who Jesus says “among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matt 11:11). So, what is the difference between John’s baptism and Jesus’s baptism? What is the difference between the baptisms of water, Holy Spirit, and fire?

Not unlike water baptism today, John immersed those who came to him in the waters of the Jordan River as a symbol of their spiritual posture. To put it another way, John’s baptism was an external sign of a person’s internal repentance. It, therefore, was intertwined with his preparatory purpose: turning the hearts of people back to God for the arrival of the King. John heralded the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2). Put bluntly, John was shouting, “King Jesus and His kingdom are here! So, it’s time to get your heart and life turned around, because He is judge, jury, and executioner!” John expected Jesus to come with great might, power, and justice. He, like many, envisioned the Christ as a victorious military leader, who would separate the wheat from the chaff by crushing the Roman occupation and overthrowing religious corruption.

Yet the hearts of people did not change and eventually rejected the King. The kingdom did not come in the form of a military conquest and ritualistic cleansing as John and others expected (see Lk 7:18-23). Instead, the kingdom came in an unlikely way, with the King’s victory won by means of His sacrificial death, burial, and triumphant resurrection. However, even before these glorious events, Jesus had promised that He – God – would remain with us always by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Jn 14:25-29).

Unlike water baptism, the Spirit’s baptism isn’t simply a symbol of a spiritual reality, it is a spiritual reality! Salvation comes through giving up on your own goodness, works, knowledge, and wisdom and trusting in the finished, perfect work of Christ (Eph 2:8-9). All those who receive salvation or new life in Jesus are baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit takes residence in us, He begins His transformational work. Like fire, He begins to melt our very core. Like a refiner, He heats us up until He is able to skim off our impurities. More and more, our life begins to mirror back Jesus’s reflection. And as the Holy Spirit continues to melt our hearts, skims away the dross, allows us to cool, and repeats the process, the more we begin to look like the Lord Jesus (Gal 5:22-25). The Holy Spirit enables us to do what we could never do on our own by convicting (Jn 16:8), regenerating (Jn 3:5-6), assuring (Rom 8:16), enlightening (Jn 16:13), transforming (2 Cor 3:18), bearing fruit (Gal 5:22-23), gifting (1 Cor 12:7), and empowering (Acts 1:8).

Galatians 5:22-25 (ESV) – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

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Children Change Your Life

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

God always gives good gifts.

In God’s sovereign and providential plan every moment, event, and circumstance – regardless of how it makes us feel – is for our good and for His glory. God is never frivolous or nonchalant with His actions. His ways are steadfast and His intentions are clear. He wants you to know Him and treasure Him, so you might worship Him.

The births of John the Baptist and Jesus are extraordinary – miracles that invite an elderly barren woman and a young virgin girl to be part of God’s plan. He meets them in their disappointment and innocence, interrupts their lives, and goes so far as to name their boys before they are born (Lk 1:5-2:7). The two “baby blessings” will ultimately make God’s glorious name known among the nations. While they bring physical life into the homes of Elizabeth and Mary, they will eventually bring spiritual life to mankind (Lk 1:76-79).

It is breathtaking how much wonder these two boys bring to all who are privileged to witness their births. The text is flooded with expressions of praise and joy! The parents, the neighbors, the shepherds, and many others marvel at God’s grace and mercy as they hear and see about God’s plan for John and Jesus.

Which brings us back to my opening statement: “God always gives good gifts” and children are one of the greatest of these. You don’t need to be a parent to appreciate this and to value them accordingly. Why? Because children come in both physical and spiritual form. The first is obvious to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and so on, because they were happy participants in the pregnancy announcement, the gender reveal, the snapshots of the newborn, and the celebration of many exciting “firsts”. The latter pertains to those who are a part of the family of God – the church. Followers of Jesus are children of God “born not of natural descent, … but born of God” (Jn 1:12-13). It is a thrill to be involved in the spiritual rebirth, spiritual growth, and spiritual journey of the sons and daughters of God – our brothers and sisters in Christ! Furthermore, it is a tremendous responsibility to be taken seriously (Matt 18:6). You and I have the privilege to love God’s children, encourage and edify them patiently, and model Jesus clearly. Just as parents are stewards of the hearts of their own children, so we are shepherds of the souls of children at our church. Regardless of age, they are God’s children, bought with a price (1 Cor 6:20)!

Your actions and words matter eternally. By God’s grace, they have the potential to spur children on to deeper faith, greater love, and more faithful service. It was Charles H. Spurgeon who quipped about the impact we have on the children in our care:

You may speak but a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart which shall stir the Christian Church in years to come.

Rejoice in having the remarkable opportunity to participate in God’s life changing Gospel plan! Your participation will flood you with great joy… It may even change your life!

Psalm 127:3-5 (NIV) – “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”

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The Prelude to the Gospel of Luke

Matt Otto D-Groups , , ,

Are you familiar with these opening lines from five classic literary works?

“Call me Ishmael.”[1]

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”[2]

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”[3]

“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”[4]

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”[5]

Recently, I have begun to re-read many of the classics I was required to read for my high school English classes. I must admit it is much more enjoyable now than it was then, during my mid-to-late teens. Further, I must admit that some of the literary works like The Ilead, Beowulf, and Great Expectations demanded some additional help to understand their challenging poetry or underlying plot themes. So, I turned to what many students did – I purchased a small yellow and black booklet to help get a better understanding of what I was reading. Yes, you guessed it, I purchased a copy of Cliffs Notes for every book in question.

Now, I am not advocating purchasing Cliffs Notes for the Gospel of Luke – I am not even sure they are available or how helpful they would be, but I am suggesting you take a few minutes to read and ponder the first four verses of his account of Jesus’ life to identify the purpose and motivation for its writing. Similar to the memorable opening lines or paragraphs in classics, the first few verses of Luke’s gospel are familiar, captivating, and revealing.

In the case of the beloved physician and travel companion of Paul, Luke didn’t launch into his Jesus-account haphazardly or casually. On the contrary. Being a fellow worker of the Apostle Paul (Philemon 24), Luke accompanied the missionary and church planter on several of his travels and surely gleaned much from his efforts and passion for the Gospel. In turn, these shared experiences surely influenced his account of Jesus’ life and ministry. Through carefully recorded eyewitness reports, Luke wrote an orderly account so his readers might “know the certainty of the things [they] had been taught” (Lk:1:4) and furthermore, have their faith make a difference in the world and for the one to come.

Finally, Luke 19:10 provides us with the central theme of the Lukan account, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” It is a gospel account that shows Jesus came for sinners – specifically, humans who are broken, troubled, wayward, weak, and helpless. To use Luke’s word, “lost”. Again, Jesus says, “I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness]” (Luke 5:32, Amplified).

Jesus, makes all the difference! He becomes one of us, the Son of Man. He comes (Lk 1-4), He seeks (Lk 4-23), and He saves (Lk 23-24). Luke proclaims that Jesus invites sinners to His table and His invitation is for everybody. It is for you, for me, and for all those lost and longing. Have you accepted the invitation? Will you bring someone with you? That is the challenge that Luke lays before us.

Luke 1:1-4 (ESV) – “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”

[1] Moby-Dick, Herman Melville, 1851

[2] Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austin, 1813

[3] A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens, 1859

[4] The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, 1952

[5] The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien, 1932

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