The Gospel of Luke

This devotional is written by Heidi Watt. Heidi only recently became a Watt and is married to Joseph. She has just discovered the joy of puzzles and spends most evenings doing them.

Luke 4:31-44

Jesus drives out an impure spirit

31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 'Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!'

35 'Be quiet!' Jesus said sternly. 'Come out of him!' Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, 'What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!' 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Jesus heals many

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.

40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of illness, 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.

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.


Reflection

3 things stood out to me from this passage…


  • Authority: Something that is highlighted multiple times in these verses is Jesus' authority and it is made clear in each scenario too.  Everybody was amazed by Jesus' teaching because there was something different about it compared to the way the scribes taught at that time. He spoke with authority.

  • Peters Mother in Law: She was in bed with a fever and they begged Jesus to heal her. Jesus then lays his hands on her and she is instantly healed. Notice, the first thing she does after the fever is broken off of her is to serve.

  • Thirdly: Jesus knows his purpose.  Jesus is being swamped by people wanting him to heal them at sunset at the end of the Sabbath. From what it sounds like, Jesus spends the night healing people, casting out more demons, then as at daybreak comes he finally goes to find a solitary place.
At the end of this passage. these people want Jesus to stay and to be honest it must have been quite appealing  for Jesus to stay with all his new fans especially considering he was rejected by the people of Nazareth previously (verses 14-30). The thing is Jesus knows what he is here to do, to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom.

Like Jesus I think we could all live a life in Jesus' authority, serving and glorifying him whilst also finding that solitary place to get away from the craziness of the world, spending some good quality time with God.

Can you think of times where Jesus' power and authority has been really evident in your life? Or maybe it’s things you see on a daily basis?

How did/do you respond? How do you serve to glorify him for all he does?

It would be easy for us humans to get caught up in the praise and forget for a moment what on earth we are here for, what types of things might stand in the way of you and living out the Gospel or spending time with God?

If you get a chance today, take yourself away to somewhere quiet where you aren't near your phone and make a 'solitary place' with God.

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