Opening the Door to Spiritual Needs
Luke • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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After coming down with them, he stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.
After coming down with them - Who?
The Disciples, whom he just appointed as Apostles.
He stood on a level place
This is what is commonly called the Sermon on the mount. But you notice here that Luke records it being a level place. Does this mean there is some discrepancy in the Word of God? Absolutely not!
See we just learned last week that they went out to the Mountain to pray. So they went up on this mountain to pray, and Jesus summoned the 12, whom he named apostles. Then the Word of God says they came down. Now, mountains tend to be steep, and tall. Along the side of the mountain there is usually some places to rest. They may not be that big, but there are flatter spots.
So what Matthew says is that they were on this mountain.
Luke says they were on a flat spot on the mountain.
They were no longer on the top, but they were still ON IT.
If that does not make sense, then understand this:
When you attempt to climb a Mountain, Say Everest, you spend a LOT of time on the mountain. A lot of people spend a lot of time on Mt Everest, yet FEW SUMMIT!
Now this would not have been a mountain anything like Everest, Fuji or Denali.
The Mountains around Israel are there for certain, by they are rolling hills on tip of high cliffs.
(Picture of possible Sermon on Mount Sites)
(Picture of possible Sermon on Mount Sites)
There are steep hillsides surrounding valleys.
So Jesus comes down from the top, accompanied by His Apostles. They stop at a level place and there is a large crowd of His disciples and a great number of people from all over.
Sometimes we get this image of Jesus always being alone with only 12 Disciples. The reality is that the Bible provides us a picture of Jesus with a large number of Disciples, 12 whom would be closer and named Apostles, and even a smaller inner circle of 3 whom were especially dear to Jesus.
On this day, and like many others, there were also a great number of people. From all over.
Judea, Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.
(MAP Tyre and Sidon)
(MAP Tyre and Sidon)
There were people from all over Israel following Jesus.
They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well.
The Gospel of Matthew recounts this as well:
Now Jesus began to go all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Then the news about him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And he healed them. Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.
Jesus did heal people with unclean spirits, and power was coming out of him and healing them ALL.
Jesus heals them, and then they listen to His teachings.
Next week we will start covering the BeAttitudes.
But i don’t want to overlook this powerful portion of Scripture. Because If the Bible says, then IT IS IMPORTANT!
How did Jesus open the door to meeting people’s TRUE needs?
How did Jesus open the door to meeting people’s TRUE needs?
Jesus met a physical need, then met their spiritual need.
When we meet the physical need, the door is open to meet the spiritual need.
They wanted to push in and TOUCH Jesus. Why? So that they may be healed. SO that the unclean spirits may be removed.
They were focused on what they thought their need was. Singular focus.
Jesus was focused on their true need.
So what do we do?
We meet needs.
feed, money, helping, roof, time, clothing - whatever
SO WE CAN
share the Gospel.
