Sunday
Morning Bible Study
September
19, 2015
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid
to die? Does it speak to the broken
hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision
Is the church loved? Regular: 2900
words Communion: 2500 words Video=75wpm
If you have an electronic device (phone, ipad, etc), you can download notes
from the church website
Luke was a doctor and a travelling companion of the apostle Paul.
He wrote this book while Paul was in prison.
In writing his book, Luke made use of other older documents like the Gospel
of Mark, as well as extensive eyewitness accounts.
Jesus’ ministry has begun, and the people have been amazed not just at the
things He’s been teaching, but the things He’s been doing.
8:19-21 Family
:19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him
because of the crowd.
:19 approach – suntugchano
– to meet with, come
:19 His mother and brothers
(Matthew 13:55–56 NKJV) —55 Is this
not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James,
Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His
sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these
things?”
Jesus had brothers and sisters
Matthew records that Jesus had sisters as well (Mat. 13:56)
The Roman Catholic Church teaches the “perpetual virginity” of Mary, that
Mary was not only a virgin when Jesus was born, but that she remained a virgin
for the rest of her life.
They claim that these “brothers” were either sons of Joseph from a previous
wife before he married Mary, or they were some sort of “cousins”.
There is no reference to this in the Bible.
When Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem, there are no mention of other
children.
When Jesus is born there is no mention of other children.
When Joseph took Jesus and Mary to Egypt, there is no mention of other
children.
A simpler answer to this observation is that Mary did not remain a virgin
after Jesus was born. Joseph and Mary
had other kids after Jesus was born.
Lesson
From Skeptic to Believer
It is interesting to note that during His ministry, Jesus’ brothers didn’t
believe in Him.
Just before Mark records the same event with Jesus’ family, he writes,
(Mark
3:20–21 NKJV) —20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so
much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to
lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
“His own people” might refer to the neighbors next door,
but most think this is Jesus’ family (most likely his brothers).
They thought Jesus was maybe a just little crazy.
John records that at one point in His ministry, Jesus’ brothers were even
taunting Him.
(John
7:2–5 NLT) —2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus’
brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see
your miracles! 4
You
can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things,
show yourself to the world!” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
In our passage Jesus’ family couldn’t even get close to
Jesus because of the crowd.
Perhaps Jesus’ brothers just thought that Jesus was just trying
to get attention.
His brothers didn’t believe that He was actually the
Messiah.
James was one of those brothers who didn’t believe in Him, but that
changed.
After Jesus was raised from the dead and before He ascended into heaven, He
told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Look who was in the group waiting for the Holy Spirit along with the other
disciples:
(Acts
1:14 NKJV) These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,
with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
What happened to James and his brothers?
How did they come to believe that their brother Jesus was actually the
Messiah?
Paul writes,
(1
Corinthians 15:3–8 NKJV) —3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I
also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He
was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Paul’s testimony about the resurrection in 1Corinthians 15
is itself quite amazing. It was actually
one of the first accounts written down (about 55 AD), before the Gospels were
written, and Paul said that what he shared had been handed down to him. The language suggests (“which I received”) an
oral tradition that had been passed on in the early church, and scholars
believe that Paul had first heard this himself about 35 AD from the apostles in
Jerusalem (Acts 9:28). The resurrection
story wasn’t something dreamed up by some disciples 50 years after the event
like skeptics claim. It dates back to
the time of the resurrection itself.
Paul’s record goes on to say …
5 and that He
was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of
whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
In other words, as Paul is writing around 55 AD, many of
the witnesses of the resurrection were still alive and you could have asked any
of them of what they saw.
7 After that
He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me
also, as by one born out of due time.
This James was the half-brother of Jesus.
James would one day die a horrible, painful martyr’s death.
Tradition tells us that at the age of 94 James was stoned
by the Jews and had his head bashed in with a club.
James, as well as the apostles went to his gave claiming
one specific truth – that Jesus had rose from the dead.
They were given chances to change their story. Rather than change their story, they all
chose rather to die.
Perhaps you are one of those skeptics.
Maybe you think this Jesus stuff is kind of crazy.
There are many pieces of evidence supporting the historical truths that
Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead. Here are just two of the many
things you’ll find if you do your homework.
Video: The
Case for Christ – Resurrection Evidence (53:40 – 58:00)
No made up story would have a woman as the first
resurrection witness.
The story about the body being stolen in itself is
testimony that the tomb was empty.
I would challenge you to look at the historical evidence of the truth that
Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
Jesus is someone you can trust your life too.
:20 And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your
brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”
:20 told – apaggello
– to bring tidings (from a person or a thing), bring word, report
Jesus didn’t notice what was going
on. Somebody passes on the word that
Jesus’ family wants to see Him.
:20 desiring – thelo
– to will, have in mind, intend; to be resolved or determined, to purpose;
to desire, to wish
:20 to see – horao
– to see with the eyes; to see with the mind, to perceive, know
What kind of people do you think are important enough to interrupt this
meeting that Jesus is having?
Certainly His family would be pretty important.
:21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these
who hear the word of God and do it.”
:21 hear – akouo
– to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf; to hear; a thing
comes to one’s ears, to find out, learn; to comprehend, to understand. Present active participle.
:21 do – poieo
– to make; to do. Present active
participle.
:21 My mother and My brothers are …
Lesson
God’s Family DNA
If you are going to be in God’s family, then God needs to be your Father.
We call this being “born again”.
The Bible says that when each of us were born into this world, we were born
in sin, separated from God.
So how can we be reconnected to God?
(John
3:3 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
When we get to the point where we realize that we are sinners and that Jesus
bridged the gap between us and God when He paid for our sins by dying on the
cross, we are ready to be born again.
Yet knowing about this isn’t enough.
You must put your life in Jesus’ hands.
Jesus said,
(John
3:16 NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
When you trust in Jesus, God gives us a new start. He becomes our Father. We have become “born again”.
Jesus gives us two characteristics of those who are now a part of Jesus’
Family (like mothers and brothers)
Hearing God’s Word
If you are God’s child, then you will hear His voice.
Jesus said,
(John
10:27 NKJV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Sometimes God will speak to us directly, but sometimes it’s hard to know
when God has spoken to me and when it’s just the pepperoni pizza from last
night.
The clearest way that God will speak to us is through the Bible.
Paul wrote,
(2
Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV) —16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every
good work.
The word translated “inspiration” means literally “God
breathed”.
It’s the clearest way that God speaks to us.
To hear God’s Word, you actually need to spend time listening for God to
speak, and not just interrupting Him all the time.
Video: The
guy who listens by interrupting all the time
Give God time to speak. Stop
interrupting Him.
I can’t encourage you enough to learn to spend time every
day reading God’s Word.
Obeying God’s Word
If you are God’s child, you will also learn to obey God’s Word.
When you learn that there are things you are doing that God considers sin,
then you work at changing your ways.
Jesus told a story about two men who would go through a great storm. These two men built two houses.
(Matthew
7:24–27 NKJV) —24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I
will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain
descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it
did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these
sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his
house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and
beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Jesus said that both men were like people who “hear” His
word.
The man whose house survived the storm was the man who
didn’t just hear the word, but obeyed the word.
James wrote,
(James
1:22 NKJV) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves.
You are deceiving yourself if you think all God wants is
for you to read your Bible.
God wants you to learn to do what it says.
This is what God wants to be doing as He lives in you:
(Philippians
2:13 NKJV) for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His
good pleasure.
God works to help us understand His “will”, His “desires”
for us.
God is also working to help us actually obey Him, “to do”
His will.
8:22-25 Handling the storm
:22 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His
disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the
lake.” And they launched out.
:22 got into – embaino
– to go into, step into
:22 a boat – ploion
– a ship
:22 let us cross over – dierchomai
– to go through, pass through; to go, walk, journey, pass through a place;
to travel the road which leads through a place, go, pass, travel through a
region
Notice whose idea it is to go to
“the other side”. It’s Jesus’ idea.
:22 the other side – peran
– beyond, on the other side
:22 they launched – anago
– to lead up, to lead or bring into a higher place; of navigators: launch
out, set sail, put to sea
:22 let us cross over
Note that Jesus did NOT say, “let us cross under” to the other side.
:22 to the other side
You don’t usually notice this phrase, but it appears 15 times in the New
Testament, all in the four gospels, and is usually carries the same idea.
In Jesus’ day, the western shore of the Sea of Galilee was the Jewish side,
while the eastern shore was the side where the Gentile cities were.
Those on the east were considered “the other side”.
Good Jewish boys and girls didn’t typically
spend much time on “the other side”.
:23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the
lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.
:23 as they sailed He fell asleep
they sailed – pleo
– to sail, navigate, travel by ship
He fell asleep – aphupnoo
– to awaken from sleep; to fall asleep, to fall off to sleep
Jesus falls asleep as they set sail, but He’s still asleep when the storm
begins to form.
:23 came down – katabaino
– to go down, come down, descend
:23 a windstorm came down on the lake
There are two Greek words that combine to translate “windstorm”
lailaps – a violent attack of
wind; a storm breaking forth from black thunder clouds in furious gusts
anemos – wind, a violent
agitation and stream of air; a very strong tempestuous wind
The Sea of Galilee is 600 feet
below sea level, and surrounded by mountains on the east and on the west. To the west around 30 miles away is the
Mediterranean Sea.
Every afternoon there’s a wind that
blows from the east. When a storm comes
over the hills from the Mediterranean and clashes with this eastern wind, watch
out.
Back in 2007 we were up on Mount Arbel looking over the Sea of Galilee when
a storm started to approach…
:23 they were filling with water
they were filling – sumpleroo
– to fill completely; of the hold of a ship; to complete entirely, be
fulfilled: of time
The boat was filling with water, not the disciples
:23 and were in jeopardy
jeopardy – kinduneuo
– to be in jeopardy, to be in danger, to put in peril
In a way, the disciples are being “tested”.
How are they going to respond?
In our lives, sometimes we too are surrounded by storms, and though Jesus
is in our boat, it seems He’s asleep.
Perhaps we too are being tested.
Your answer???
:24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are
perishing!”
:24 they came to – proserchomai
– to come to, approach; draw near to; to assent to
:24 awoke – diegeiro
– to wake up, awaken, arouse (from sleep)
:24 Master – epistates (“upon”
+ “stand”) – any sort of superintendent or overseer.
This is not the typical word for “Lord” (kurios)
Perhaps it’s like us calling someone “Boss”. This is a word that is only found in Luke.
Keep in mind, most of these guys are able seamen. I don’t think they’re waking Jesus up because
they forgot how to sail the boat. They’re
letting Him know that they are sinking.
:24 we are perishing – apollumi
– to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin;
to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed
:24 Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And
they ceased, and there was a calm.
:24 arose – egeiro
– to arouse, cause to rise; to arouse from sleep, to awake
:24 rebuked – epitimao
– to show honour to, to honour; to raise the price of; to adjudge, award,
in the sense of merited penalty; to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke,
reprove, censure severely; to admonish or charge sharply
:24 wind – anemos
– wind, a violent agitation and stream of air; a very strong tempestuous
wind
:24 raging – kludon
– a dashing or surging wave, a surge, a violent agitation of the sea; not a
single surge, but a continuous set of waves, one after the other.
:24 water – hudor
– water
:24 ceased – pauo
– to make to cease or desist; to restrain a thing or person from something
:24 calm – galene
– calmness, stillness of the sea, a calm
:24 He arose and rebuked the wind
Mark records the actual words that Jesus spoke as He rebuked the wind and
the waves,
(Mark 4:39 NKJV) Then He
arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the
wind ceased and there was a great calm.
peace – siopao – to be silent, hold one’s peace
be still – phimoo – to
close the mouth with a muzzle
It’s like He said, “Shut up and put a muzzle on it!”
That’s a serious “rebuke”
:25 But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and
marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the
winds and water, and they obey Him!”
:25 they were afraid – phobeo
– to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away); to put to flight, to
flee; to fear, be afraid; to be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm; of
those startled by strange sights or occurrences; of those struck with amazement
:25 marveled – thaumazo
– to wonder, wonder at, marvel; to be wondered at, to be had in admiration
:25 winds – anemos
– wind, a violent agitation and stream of air; a very strong tempestuous
wind
:25 commands – epitasso
– to enjoin upon, order, command, charge
:25 they obey – hupakouo
– to listen, to harken; of one who on the knock at the door comes to listen
who it is, (the duty of a porter); to harken to a command; to obey, be obedient
to, submit to
:25 Who can this be?
Jesus is being obeyed by what we classify as forces of nature, not things
with personality or will.
We have a peek at the deity of Jesus here.
He as the Creator can command the wind and waves.
We’ve been singing a song lately (It Is Well) where the words in the bridge
goes,
So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His
name
In the storms that you are going through right now, do the waves and wind
still know His name?
:25 Where is your faith?
faith – pistis
– conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or
belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with
the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it
Some people look at this as if Jesus is saying to the disciples that they
ought to have rebuked the wind and the sea too, as if Jesus had enough faith
but the disciples didn’t.
I think the issue is about their faith in Jesus.
They shouldn’t have freaked out because Jesus was on board.
Jesus was the one Who had decided to go to the other side in the first
place. He said, “Let us go over”, not “Let us go under”.
The disciples had even gotten to the place where they felt that Jesus
didn’t care about them anymore.
Again, Mark recorded,
(Mark 4:38 NKJV) But He was
in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher,
do You not care that we are perishing?”
Lesson
Trust Him.
He actually does care.
I have to admit that there are times I get fearful, discouraged, and
depressed, thinking that everything at church is simply going to fall apart, as
if it all depended on me.
I too need a little rebuking for my lack of faith.
What would the situation have looked like if the disciples acted in faith?
Would they still have tried to wake Jesus?
I think so.
But instead of rebuking Jesus for not caring, and instead of assuming that
they were going to perish, they could have simply asked Jesus for help.
Look at another person going through a storm, and see how he responded. The apostle Paul was being transported as a
prisoner to Rome, on a ship in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
(Acts
27:20–25 NKJV) —20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small
tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given
up. 21 But after
long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men,
you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred
this disaster and loss. 22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life
among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I
belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar;
and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 Therefore
take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.
Look what Paul did.
There was a period they didn’t eat. It may have been because of the storm, or
they may have been fasting. That’s one
way of “waking” Him up.
When he says that the God has given Paul the people on
board, it means that Paul has been praying.
He’s been seeking God.
He trusted in God.
The disciples were after all doing what they were supposed to.
Jesus said “Let us go over…”, and that’s what they were doing.
So, what could the disciples have done better?
They could have asked Jesus for help and trusted He would
take care of it.
Peter later wrote,
(1
Peter 5:7 NKJV) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Isaiah wrote,
(Isaiah
12:2a NKJV) Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid