A Word for Today | Luke 4:31-41
The record of Jesus’ miracles in Luke’s Gospel begins in the town of Capernaum. While Jesus was speaking in the synagogue, a demon-possessed man cried: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” (Lk. 4:34). Jesus responded by rebuking the demon: “Be silent and come out of him!” and the demon fled (Lk. 4:35). Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon Peter’s house, where the disciple’s mother was sick with a high fever. Jesus “stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her” (Lk. 4:39). Later that evening, people with all kinds of maladies came to Jesus “and he laid hands on every one of them and healed them” (Lk. 4:40).
These miracles highlight the link between Christ’s miracles and His teaching. In fact, the primary purpose of the miracles was to validate and illustrate Jesus’ teaching of the gospel. All through this chapter, Jesus is described as a teacher: “He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all” (Lk. 4:15). Notice as well that these miracles took place by Jesus’ Word. He rebuked not only the demons but he also “rebuked the fever” threatening Peter’s mother-in-law (Lk. 4:39). Later in the chapter, when people wanted Jesus’ healing to crowd out His teaching, He left them, saying: “ “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” What was true then is still true now: the greatest miracles that Jesus performs occur through His Word!
We should further notice that the miracles offer as a foretaste and display of Jesus’ saving work. Casting out of demons showed that Christ came to overthrow Satan’s power in this world (1 Jn. 3:8). Jesus also came to overthrow the effects of Satan’s rule through sin, including sickness and death. We look at the world today and wonder if anything is able to overcome the sheer mass of hatred and deceit around us. The miracles of Jesus answer Yes! The casting out of demons was a foretaste of His great work on the cross, as well as of what is yet to come, the complete expulsion of Satan and all his works from God’s new creation when Jesus returns. Like David before Him, Jesus is the champion who strikes down the Goliath before whom His people cower; He strikes down our enemy and sets the captives free.
Jesus’ miracles finally display His compassionate ministry of salvation to all who receive Him as Savior and Lord. We see Jesus receiving the many sick and burdened who came to Him, healing them all by His Word. This is an invitation for you to come to Jesus with your weakness and sickness of body and soul, finding Him able and willing to help and to heal, to save and restore. As Jesus said that He came to bring blessings to you if only you will come: He was sent “to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Lk. 4:18-19).
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Phillips
