Who Needs a Doctor?

Luke 5:27–32

Sermon Notes

  1. The One Who Follows Jesus, vv. 27–28
  2. The Ones Who Feast with Jesus, v. 29
  3. The Ones Who Frown at Jesus, v.30
  4. The Ones Who Need a Physician Like Jesus, vv. 31–32

Reflection questions

  1. Compare vv.30–32 to Luke 18:9–14. What attitude does Jesus condemn in both stories? Should we be on the lookout for this attitude in our own hearts? (See 1 Cor. 10:12) Should we only have a negative view of ourselves; is this glorifying to God? Consider I Cor. 15:9–10a.
  2. Read vv. 28–29. What attitude did Levi have towards his wealth? What else does the Bible say about our relationship to our money in this life? See 1 Tim. 6:17–19.
  3. How would you react if your son had wasted your money, lived a wild life and then came home, penniless, and asked for your help? Would you grumble (Lk 5:30) or throw a party? Read Luke 15:1–2, 11–32 and ask how you think Jesus would want us to react?

Blasphemy or Bare Facts?

Luke 5:12–26

Sermon Notes

  1. A great compassion and a crowd avoidance, vv. 12–16
  2. A great crowd and a great controversy, vv. 17–21
  3. A convincing proof and a consuming awe, vv. 22–27

Reflection questions:

  1. Would your instinct have been the same as Jesus in vv. 14–16? Would you have withdrawn from the crowds who wanted more of what you had to offer (in Jesus’s case it was the ability to heal) in order to restore yourself through prayer and meditation? Do our actions sometimes indicate that we think we don’t need regular prayer?
  2. Compare the determination of the friends (and the paralytic) to see Jesus (see vv. 18–20) with the story of Matthew 13:44–46? What does the determination of these friends (as well as the men who sell all that they have) tell us about what we should seek in this life? (Also see Matthew 6:32–33)
  3. What is this passage trying to show us when Jesus chose to touch the leper? Some other passages to consider: Ps 22:24; Isaiah 52:13–53:12 (especially 52:14; 53:2–3, 5, 7, 10); Leviticus 13:45–46; Hebrews 13:11–13.

Peter’s Come to Jesus Moment

Luke 5:1–11

Sermon Notes

  1. The Mission Jesus Displays, vv. 1–3
  2. The Wisdom Jesus Challenges, vv. 4–7
  3. The Sin Jesus Exposes, vv. 8–10a
  4. The Comfort AS Jesus Calls, v10b
  5. The Freedom Jesus Provides, v.11

Reflection questions

  1. Whether you can’t remember when you weren’t a Christian or whether you have a dramatic conversion story, how is God’s gift of salvation an act of rescuing you from your sin? Consider the following passages: 2 Tim 2:24–26; Gal 6:1–2; Eph 2:1- 5; Col. 1:13–14.
  2. Read Isaiah 6:1–8; what parallels do you see to Peter’s experience in Luke 5:1–11?
  3. Read 2 Tim. 4:1–5; focus especially on v.2. Compare this passage to Jesus’s actions in Luke 4:42–5:3. Now ask yourself: Are you ready “in season and out of season”? Are you “always prepared” (1 Peter 3:15–16) to testify about what God has done in your life? If not, think of at least one way to share with others about how God has given you hope.

Messianic Healing, Messianic Secret, Messianic Mission

Luke 4:38–44

Sermon Notes

  1. The Messianic Healing, vv. 38–39
  2. The Messianic Secret, vv. 40–41
  3. The Messianic Mission, vv. 42–44

Reflection questions

  1. Read vv.38–39; also read Revelation 21:4–5. Now consider – How should we consider Jesus’s miracles in light of our future resurrection and eternal home? And what do you think of the following statement? “They [the miracles] are all intended to fasten in our minds the great truth that Christ is the appointed Healer of every evil which sin has brought into the world.” (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thought on the Gospels: Luke, 1:97)
  2. Why did Jesus not want the demons to tell others about His identity? Compare John 6:15.
  3. What was Jesus’s mission? What is our mission? (Consider Matthew 28:18–20) How can did Jesus stay focused on His mission (v.42; compare Mark 1:35ff)? How did He avoid distractions? Was Jesus afraid to say, “No,” to the expectations and requests of others that interfered with His mission? What lessons can we learn from His practices?

Messianic Power: The Word Spreads

Luke 4:31–37

Sermon Notes

The word is:

  1. Astonishing, vv. 31–32
  2. Authoritative, vv. 32–36
  3. Alive, vv. 36–37

Reflection questions

  1. When is the last time you read something in God’s Word that astonished you? When is the last time you prayed the words of Psalm 139:23-24? Should there be any connection between those two questions?
  2. Have you ever experienced a time in life where your knowledge of God was increasing but your love for God and others did not? Read 1 Cor. 13:1-7 (esp. v.2). In which aspect of love (from I Cor. 13) do you need to grow the most right now?
  3. We often focus on evangelism as an act of obedience (as it should be), but do we also make it a regular item of prayer? Consider Paul’s prayer requests in Ephesians 6:18-20 and Colossians 4:3-4.

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

Luke 4:14–30

Sermon Notes

  1. The Year of the Lord’s Favor, vv. 14–19
  2. The Focus on the Lord’s Sermon, vv. 20–24
  3. The Anger over the Lord’s Rebuke, vv. 23–30

Reflection questions

  1. Jesus’s ministry was both widely acclaimed and angrily rejected. What kind of lesson should that be to us about how our words will be received? (See John 15:18–25)
  2. Does it surprise you that Jesus tells the people he realizes that they don’t believe in Him? Can you think of another time He does this? See John 6:26–29, esp. v.26; notice what story occurs in 6:1–15, as well.
  3. Read Dt. 8:7–8 and Psalm 67:1–5. Why did God bless His people? Was it because of something inherent in them? What was God trying to the world through His chosen people? What was God’s purpose for His chosen people? And what remains the same about that purpose for His people (see Mt. 28:18–20)?

Jesus, son of David, of Abraham, of Adam, of God

Luke 3:23–38

Sermon Notes

Questions to ask of the text:

  • Why is this Genealogy included?
  • Why is it included in this specific part of Luke's Gospel?
  • What are Luke's unique purposes including it (i.e. how is it different than Matthew's list and purposes)?

Conclusion: Luke's main point is to show his audience that Jesus is both the son of Mary and Joseph AND the son of God. He is both God and Man.

Discussion Questions & Further Study

  1. What are some other parts of the Bible that are hard for you to get through when reading?
  2. How can slowing down and asking questions of hard texts help you find meaning from them?
  3. Why was it important that Jesus was born in the lineage of David? Why was it also important that Jesus not be born of "ordinary generation"?
  4. Why is it important that Jesus was fully Divine? Why was it also important that Jesus was fully Human?
  5. Read 1 Corinthians 15:21–22. How does being born of Adam bring death? How does being "in" Christ bring life?
  6. Do any of these questions mean anything (or matter) to you? (Read Hebrews Chapter 2 for help)

He Must Become Greater

Luke 3:15–22

Sermon Notes

  1. The Mightier One, vv. 15–18
  2. The Meek One, vv. 19–20
  3. The Beloved Son, vv. 21–22

Reflection questions

  1. John said he was unworthy to do the work of the lowliest servant (untying someone’s sandals) for Jesus, who was far greater than John. What emotions do you feel when you realize that Jesus did a similar, lowly task for his disciples, by washing their feet? (cf. Phil 2:3–8; John 13)
  2. John’s hellfire and brimstone preaching is called “good news” in Luke 3:18. Is news of judgment good news to you? Is judgment the sum-total of the good news? What other blessings are included in the gospel/good news?
  3. Why was Jesus baptized if He was sinless? (Consider 2 Cor. 5:21)

Repentance Leads to Change

Luke 3:7–17

Sermon Notes

  1. Repentance Changes Us: Through Reconciliation

    • Reconciled to God (Saved from his wrath by Repentance: v.7–9, 17)
    • Reconciled to Others (The Fruit of Repentance is loving others: v.10–14)

  2. Repentance Changes the World: Through us being Salt and Light

    • Salt to the World (What a repentant life looks like at work: v.12–14)
    • Light to the World (How a repentant life affects our witness: v.7, 12–14)

  3. Conclusion (v.15–16)

Questions for Reflection

  1. Do you think of God more in terms of his love or his wrath? How are both true of him?

  2. How would full, honest repentance (open acknowledgment of our sin) lead us to trust more in the work of Christ?

  3. What is an example where you can be outwardly obedient, but inwardly you have the wrong (perhaps selfish) motives?

  4. John the Baptist doesn't call people out of the service of Rome, instead, he tells them to stay and to do their work ethically. As Christians, we have multiple areas of "work" (in our home, with our children, at our church, at our employment). For your particular responsibilities, what would it look like to serve un-ethically? What would it look like to serve sacrificially for the good of others in that area?

  5. Why should Christians be people who are the most comfortable with receiving criticism?

Further Thought: John the Baptist preaches a message of Repentance, that others needed to be honest about admitting their sin, even publicly through baptism. God uses others to reveal to us our sin. Being scared to receive criticism can sometimes reveal we don't fully believe that we are completely forgiven in Christ. If you are willing, ask someone you trust to be honest about your sin, and how it has hurt them. As those feelings of condemnation, guilt, and defensiveness come, remember that, if you are in Christ, you don't need to defend, you're free to acknowledge the sin, safely resting in Christ's record and not your own.