Luke 4:30-37
Jesus, Lord Over Sickness and Demons
The ministry of Jesus was fully underway by this time. We noticed
Luke was not giving us all of the details of Jesus’ life. No gospel
writer does. However, this section \\#Luke 1:31-44\\ closely
parallels what Mark wrote \\#Mark 1:21-45\\.
By this time, Jesus had performed a few miracles and news of His
works was spreading across Israel, but he had not aroused the
jealousy of the scribes and Pharisees yet. This left Jesus the
opportunity to move around Israel freely and without danger. We might
call this first year of Jesus’ ministry the Year of Recognition, for
Jesus will be recognized as a public Figure by all and as the Messiah
by many.
Wednesday night is a Bible study time so let’s note some things.
I. Learn some lessons.
A. \\#31\\ Jesus moved to Capernaum early in His ministry.
1. He was in Nazareth and He traveled the 30 miles to
Capernaum.
2. Nazareth is a landlocked city. Capernaum is on the Sea of
Galilee which is not a sea but a lake.
3. Nazareth is on a hill, elevation 1200 feet above sea
level.
4. Capernaum is in the Jordan Valley and is 207 feet below
sea level. (The Jordan River travels on to the Dead Sea
which is 1400 feet below sea level.)
5. Jesus will make His headquarters at Capernaum and will
return to it as He travels across the northern part of
Israel called Galilee \\#44\\.
Luke 1:44 And he preached in the synagogues of
Galilee.
B. The New Testament reveals truths that the Old Testament did
not.
1. That does not mean that these truths were not true in the
Old Testament just not revealed in the Old Testament.
2. For example, the Old Testament did not reveal that God was
a triune Being.
a. The Old Testament did reveal that God was more than
one—not that there is more than one God for there is
not, but that God was of more than one Person.
b. \\#Ge 1:26, 3:22, 11:7\\
c. It is not until the New Testament that we learn that
God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
d. That does not mean that God BECAME a triune Being. He
did not. That truth was simply revealed.
3. We also learn in the New Testament that devils are VERY
active in the lives of people.
a. The Old Testament does teach that there are demons and
that they are involved in our lives.
Le 17:7 And they shall no more offer their
sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have
gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for
ever unto them throughout their generations.
Le 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar
spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be
defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
1Sa 16:15 And Saul’s servants said unto him,
Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth
thee.
b. However, it is not until the New Testament that it is
revealed that demons can cause mental and physical
problems, including violence to others, suicidal
thoughts and attempts, fits or seizures, muteness,
deafness, and blindness.
c. And it is not until the New Testament that we find out
that MANY people can be plagued because of demons.
Luke 4:41 And devils also came out of many….
II. Learn demon’s behavior.
A. \\#31\\ Demons are in people.
1. This is not new revelation but it is deeper revelation.
2. You cannot deny demon possession and believe in the Bible
or Jesus.
3. The Bible clearly and repeatedly teaches that there are
demons and that they do afflict people with mental and
physical maladies.
4. Does the Bible teach that all sickness or mental problems
are caused by demons?
a. NO.
b. \\#40-41\\ Notice that Jesus both HEALED and
CAST OUT demons.
Luke 4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all they
that had any sick with divers diseases brought
them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one
of them, and healed them.
41 And devils also came out of many, crying out,
and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And
he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for
they knew that he was Christ.
5. How do demons take possession of people?
a. The Bible never tells us but it does tell us how to
keep it from happening to us.
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
b. No demon or devil can take control unless a person
allows it.
c. There are three ways you can allow it.
(1) A person can allow in it ignorance.
(2) A person can allow by deception which is about
the same thing.
(3) Or a person can allow it by participation.
B. \\#33\\ Demons are in church.
1. This fellow was in the synagogue.
2. \\#34\\ The demon said "Let US alone" which would
indicated that the man was actually filled with more than
ONE demon.
3. How demons get into a church? They ride in with those who
attend.
4. You can bet this demon-possessed man was not just an
attender to the synagogue. Why would a demon want to
fill a person who just GOES to church? I suggest they
would want to fill people who lead in a church.
C. These demons were not recognized by human senses.
1. Demons seem undetectable to mere humans.
2. The only way we can know they are present is if they
reveal themselves.
a. They work quietly with subterfuge and without human
recognition.
b. They do not care enough for humans to worry about
their recognition.
c. I suspect they have not very many humans get close
enough to Jesus to make them fear or respect us.
3. That makes it difficult for us to know when a person is
sick and when they are afflicted. Our only recourse is
to listen to the Holy Ghost.
D. Demons know who Jesus is.
Luke 4:34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to
do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou
come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the
Holy One of God.
Luke 4:41 And devils also came out of many,
crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son
of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not
to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
1. They referred to Jesus…
a. \\#34\\ By His earthly name - "Jesus."
b. \\#34\\ By His divine nature - "God."
c. \\#41\\ By His earthy designation - "the Son of God."
d. \\#34\\ By His character - "holy."
e. \\#34\\ By His future action - "art thou come to
destroy us?"
2. It is interesting that Jesus was acknowledged as God far
more by demons than He was by people!
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God;
thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble.
a. They recognized Jesus and Jesus recognized them.
b. They feared Jesus.
c. They spoke to Jesus.
(1) Apparently, demons cannot ignore Jesus.
(2) If we were filled with Jesus, I don’t think they
would be able to ignore us either!
E. Demons are subject to Jesus.
Luke 4:41 …And he rebuking them suffered them
not to speak….
Luke 4:35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold
thy peace, and come out of him. And when the
devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out
of him, and hurt him not.
1. I do not know why Luke or the other gospel writers
recorded Jesus doing so many miracles to the unnamed
masses.
2. I am fairly certain it accomplished at least two purposes:
a. To show us that Jesus cares for people, both the named
and the un-named, the known and the unknown.
Luke 4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and
entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s
mother was taken with a great fever; and they
besought him for her.
39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever;
and it left her: and immediately she arose and
ministered unto them.
b. But I also think it is likely that they wanted us to
understand that demons are subject to Jesus.
3. Jesus’ authority over them tells us that Jesus is God for
no other but God could command the demons.
4. However, it also tells us that He is able to help us
no matter whether our affliction is caused by demons
or sickness.
III. Learn Jesus’ purposes.
A. Jesus was not here to fight demons but to help people.
1. Jesus wasn’t in the synagogue looking for demons.
a. He was in there looking for people.
b. There is no fight to be had with the demons.
(1) They have already been judged and they know it.
(2) \\#34\\ "Have you come to destroy us?"
2. The only demon who does not know the fight is over is the
Devil, and he knows it but is just too stubborn to accept
it.
3. I told you about the person who asked me if he should try
to bring persecution on himself? That is like asking if
you should go fight the devils? My answer is, "If you
serve God and help people, persecution and the devil will
find you."
4. Stick to God’s plan. Help people come to know Christ.
B. Jesus’ primary help was not to heal but to preach.
Luke 4:42 And when it was day, he departed and
went into a desert place: and the people sought
him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he
should not depart from them.
43 And he said unto them, I must preach the
kingdom of God to other cities also: for
therefore am I sent.
1. Jesus obviously healed while here but that was not His
main reason in coming.
a. That is obvious by the fact that Jesus has left a
whole lot more preachers than healers in His church.
b. Miracles do not reach everyone and they can only help
deal with surface and superficial problems.
c. The next day, the same crowd will always come back
needing more and a new crowd will always come wanting
what the others got the day before.
2. Jesus’ plan was not to travel to heal the sick in other
cites but to preach the kingdom of God in other cities.
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