Seeing as God Sees – Luke Chapters 3-4
Icebreaker: If the proverbial Genie offered you one wish, what would be that wish and why?
Read Luke 3:1-23 – The Ministry of John the Baptist
1. What are the two main objectives of John the Baptist’s ministry? (Luke 3:3-6)
Note: Greek meaning of repentance: μετάνοιας (metanoias): to change one’s way of life as the result of
a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness. The focal semantic
feature of this term is clearly behavioral rather than intellectual. (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert
Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996 : 509. Print.)
2. What does repentance mean? Why does John say repentance is important at that time? (Luke
3:7-9)
3. What do you think John meant by “produce fruit in keeping with repentance”? (Luke 3:8) How
does John define fruitful behavior for the crowd, tax collectors and soldiers? (Luke 3:11-14)
4. How would he define fruitful behavior for your context?
5. Describe the difference between John’s ministry and “the one more powerful than (him)”?
(Luke 3:15-18)
6. How did John’s ministry culminate and prepare the way for the Lord? (Luke 3:4, 19-22)
Note: Baptism was a common ceremonial practice in the middle east. John’s baptism was used to
identify with cleansing themselves through repentance. As John notes in verse 16, his baptism was
ceremonial, and one would come later who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 3:23b-38 The Legal Genealogy of Jesus through Joseph
Note: The genealogy that Luke chose to include in his account must have had a special purpose because
every human being can be traced back to Adam. But perhaps that was just the point. The genealogy
allowed Jesus to take his place in and identify with the human race. Also, Adam provided a universal link
with Jesus and God for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. As Adam was a son of God, Jesus was the Son of
God. As the sin of Adam destroyed the human race, Jesus would open up the way for its redemption.
The genealogy was inserted at this point because Jewish literature often placed the genealogy before
the start of a man’s ministry (see for example, Exod. 6:14–27). (Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney.
Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001. Print. The Tyndale
Reference Library.)
Luke 4 – Mission over Agenda
Read Luke 4:1-13 – Jesus is Tested in the Wilderness
Note: The Holy Spirit guided Jesus in his earthly life, providing a pattern for Jesus’ followers to be
empowered and led by the Holy Spirit. (Gal. 5:16- 5:18) The Greek for tempted (peirazō) can also mean
“test.” While God clearly never tempts anyone to do evil (James 1:13), he does use circumstances to test
a person’s character (Heb. 11:17). (Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible
Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001. Print. The Tyndale Reference Library.)
7. What do you think being led by the Holy Spirit means practically for the believer? (Gal 5:16-18,
22-25)
Galatians 5:16–25 (NIV) 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are
in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the
Spirit, you are not under the law. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step
with the Spirit.
8. Why do you think it was important for Jesus to be tested in the wilderness by the Devil? (Heb
2:17-18)
Hebrews 2:17–18 (NIV) 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in
order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make
atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to
help those who are being tempted.
9. What was the devil’s agenda by trying to tempt Jesus? How did Jesus respond to the
temptation? What can we learn from this pattern?
10. How do you respond to tempting situations? What strategies can you employ to respond
appropriately?
Read Luke 4:14-30 and refer to sermon notes.
11. What was Jesus trying to convey to the people in his hometown by saying “Today this
scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”? Did they understand? (Luke 4:22, See also John 6:42 for
a similar reaction)
John 6:42 (NIV) 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we
know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
12. What was the agenda of the people of Nazareth for Jesus? (Luke 4:23, refer also to sermon
notes)
Sermon Notes:
• Entitlement says, “I Deserve.”
• Jesus rejects the narrow nationalism of his own community. Christ followers embrace -the
Kingdom of God above national agendas.
13. How does Jesus challenge their understanding of what they deserve? (Luke 4:24-27) In what
way do people today try to use Jesus to get what they want or feel they deserve?
Jesus Ministers in Capernaum
14. How is the reaction to Jesus in the Synagogue in Capernaum different to the reaction in Nazareth? (Luke 4:16-30, 31-37) Why do you think the outcomes were different?
15. How does trusting Jesus’ authority help the circumstance when we approach Him? (James 5:16) (Further study of Jesus’ authority in Chapter 5-9)
James 5:16 (NIV) 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
16. Why did the people come to Jesus and try to keep Him from leaving? (Luke 4:40-42) How do we try to keep Jesus to ourselves? Why did Jesus need to leave them? (Luke 4:42-44)
From Sermon Notes and today’s study:
- Those who resist entitlement go from demanding help to delivering help. They get ON mission and breathe in grace.
- Those who go from “I Deserve” to “I Serve” find that their joy increases.
Application Questions:
17. The Devil, the people of Nazareth and the people of Capernaum had their own agenda for Jesus based on their own self-interest. How do we sometimes try to use Jesus to conform to our agenda, rather than like John the Baptist conform our agenda to God’s mission?
18. What was the ministry of Jesus from today’s study? (Luke 3:16-17; 4: 18-19, 43) John the Baptist helped Jesus fulfill his ministry by doing his part to Prepare the way for the Lord. How can we do our part help Jesus fulfill His on-going ministry?