Luke 3 & 4 ... where we see Jesus is a BOSS... & demons are all around us?

I'm going to try & get on the same day now

... so doubling up from yesterday's reading & today's.

Luke 3

2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

* OK - I mentioned this before back in Luke 1... Here we are again with John in the wilderness.  & still my questions stick with me. Was he out there for years?  Because he's an adult now & finally the word of God comes.  Talk about being patient & waiting to hear God calling you - Whew!

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19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

* Gotta give it to John. He was preaching the truth, preparing that way for Jesus, dropping hints of truth on how to act when you really are a God follower ... & he didnt lighten the message to anyone - even the ones in charge.  There's something to be said for that. I think a lot of times, the truth of God's word gets softened because we dont want to offend someone in this highly touchy world we live in... its where we get preachers that only like to preach the "Good News" - the blessings form God - & not the other things - the hard things that we come against.  John gave no cares.  You in charge here? You're still sinning dude.

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21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

* This whole thing. Can you even imagine?  Skies opening up??? Voices from heaven??? Seeing a dove-like form descending upon this man named Jesus?  ... this is Steven Spielberg stuff right here!

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23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.

* 30 years old when he BEGAN his ministry.  So 29 years that He knew who He was & sat back... waiting for the right moment.  The divine appointed time. Can you imagine how he waited for the time for him to finally share all He had built up inside of Him - the TRUTH of who He was? I wonder if He ever really acknowledged it throughout His lifetime, little comments or little miracles done. 

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38 the son of Enosh,

the son of Seth, the son of Adam,

the son of God.

* so yeah, we get a whole page of geneology - which CONFESSION - i always skip these things. I dont even care about my own family past 3 generations... but I do love that it all comes back to this.  Adam - the son of God. God at one end of this / Jesus at the other.  One in the same.  How cool is that?

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Luke 4

 2 where for forty days he was tempted[a] by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

* Dude... I can't make it over 4 hours...

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6 And he (the devil) said to him (Jesus), “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

* Look at this sneaky liar.... That stupid devil has no authority & splendor that was given to him ... & yet, he's trying to sell it.  Trying to make promises he can't keep.  What is he selling you today?  What promises are you hearing that aren't from God?  He knows where to hit & what you'll be willing to bite at, so keep those guards up.

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13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

* Always coming back, isn't he?  Waiting for the opportune time.  Man, I hate that devil.  We know he's prowling & waiting.  Watching for the best time to jump in & steer you off course. To shake that faith. To snatch away any hope.  To cause that unbelief to grow in your heart.  Take Jesus's example - use God's Word to fight him off... send him on his sneaky way. BYE DEVIL!

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28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

* Going back to what John did - TRUTH TELLER - Jesus infuriates people for putting a mirror up to their face & they get so furious with him. Mad enough to THROW HIM OFF A CLIFF? WHAT?  OK - anger issues much Nazareth? Geez....

But come on man - HOW STINKIN' COOL IS THAT ... Jesus just walks right through the crowd. & went on his way.  That is so funny to me. Cant be bothered with this nonsense. I'm outta here! I got important things to do.

Dont you wonder what the heck these people wondered?  Did he just sort of disappear?  Did He calm them down with His words?  How did it happen? ... However it worked, I just love it!

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38 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. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

* now that's some healing!  I get over a cold or sickness & it takes me a good week to recover to feel like myself to get back to cleaning the house or doing laundry.  This woman gets healed & turns into Martha Stewart!

I guess when you feel so bad & someone instantly makes you feel back to normal, you're going to do whatever you can to make them feel at home.

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40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 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 Messiah.
* This sort of thing just freaks me out.  Demons coming out of many people - MANY!  MULTIPLE! Where they there for awhile?  Just like hanging out in these people?  That's terrifying!!!

But I love that Jesus has so much power over them, they weren't even allowed to speak!

Even cooler?  They knew who He was.  Here is Jesus - keeping their mouths shut, their voices quiet - they are FEELING the power of our Lord.  Shut on up ugly demons!

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42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

* & he kept on preaching.
Isn't it something how people wanted to keep him from leaving.  I mean, I get it. This guy is driving out sickness, getting the demons out of their town (EWW!!!) & he has to just be the Go-To guy to get everything done they wanted.

But didnt they want to share Him with others?  Let the next town get this same sort of joy & healing?  Nope. They wanted Him for themselves.  We are such a selfish people, aren't we?

But Jesus... he kept on....

& He keeps on preaching even today. AMEN!

So what did you see in yesterday & today's reading?