THE KING’S BUSINESS
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was speaking. Jesus indeed claimed author ity above that of Moses and all the ancient men who spoke from God (Matt. 5:21, 22, 33, 34; Luke 11:32; John 3:3; Heb. 1:1, 2). We too, ought to teach with authority, but we can only do it when we speak “as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11).
a man (Rev. 12:12), The people were “all amazed” at this display of Divine power on Jesus’ part. Earlier in the day they had been “astonished” that He taught with au thority, flow they are “amazed” that with authority He commanded even the mighty demons and they obeyed Him. But neither astonishment nor amazement are conver sion. Later we shall see the winds and the sea obeying Him (ch. 8:25).
Wednesday, October 20. Luke 4:33-36.
There was one man in the synagogue who especially needed help, a man who had come under the power of an unseen but real person, “a spirit of an unclean demon.” Demon possession was a fact in that day and it is a fact today. It is very common in China and other heathen lands. It is not unknown in our own land, in certain forms of lunacy, and some forms of clairvoyance and spiritualism. The presence of Jesus filled the demon with terror. He recognized Jesus as “the Holy One of God,” and he knew his own doom must soon come, and he feared that the hour had come now: “Art thou come to destroy us?” he shrieks in terror. The presence of Jesus always stirs up the Devil' and his minions. It is not a bad sign to have the Devil rage in a community or a church. The terror of this demon at the approach of Christ may sug gest to us, how evil men will feel when Jesus comes again. “Let us alone,” he cried. The Devil and every form of evil always wants to be let alone. But Christ will not let them alone (1 John 3:8; Heb, 2:14). The demon had the most correct and extensive knowledge about Jesus of any one in the synagogue. So it is evi dent that orthodoxy is not salvation (Jas. 2:19; Rom, 10:9, 10; Gal. 5 :6). Jesus’ an swer to the orthodox confession of the demon was very brief, “Be muzzled and come out of him.” Jesus never accepted the testimony of demons (cf. ch. 3:11, 12; Acts 16:16-18). The demon did not wish to come out, but he had.to. But he made a last struggle and gave his victim a part ing blow. It is the Devil’s way to make a last struggle before giving up his hold upon
Thursday, October 21. Luke 4 :37-39.
The report of Jesus’ mighty power spread like wildfire in the surrounding country: the people were not accustomed to real miracles. Now we see Jesus exercising His miraculous gift of healing in the home. His presence and His power to heal and bless are for the home as truly as for the synagogue or church. Those in Simon’s home did for their sick one just what we should do for all of our sick ones, “they besought Him for her” (cf. Jas. 5:14, 15). Oh how much sickness, both physical and moral, there is in- our homes that might be banished if we would only beseech .Jesus for our sick ones. Jesus simply “rebuked the fever” ; He did not deny its reality; in deed He implied its reality by rebuking it; He did not rebuke the sick one for enter taining the delusion (mortal thought) that she was sick, “he rebuked the fever,” and “it left her.” Then He did not charge her a dollar or any other sum for the treatment. How utterly unlike “Mother Eddy” and all her greedy horde of Christian Science prac titioners. Furthermore, the cure was in stantaneous, not the result of the long study of a book, or listening to a teacher and thus coming to a knowledge of the truth. He spoke, that was all, and it was done. Sick ness, like the demons, was subject to His word. And she used the strength He had given, by ministering “unto them”—Jesus and the rest. So should we use the strength He gives us, not in ministering unto self, but unto Him and others.
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