Luke 3:21-38

The Ministry of Jesus

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Luke 3:23a Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age…

Pray

Intro

√ The ministry of Jesus

As you’ve probably already observed in the first few chapters of our study Luke was fascinated with the parallel events that marked the lives of John and Jesus…

Gabriel’s announcement to the parents of John & Jesus

Birth of John & Jesus

Boyhoods of John & Jesus

Beginning of the ministry of John…and now the record of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

And, once more Luke’s careful research provides us some additional details of Jesus’ life that the other Gospel writers do not include.

His Commission (vs. 21-23a)

Luke 3:21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.

Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:23a Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age…

√ His commission

The last time we met Jesus in Luke’s Gospel was back in chapter 2 when He was only 12 years old ~ the age that Hebrew boys began to learn their father’s business.

Well here in vs. 23 Luke tells us that Jesus was now “about 30 years old” when He began His public ministry.

It’s not that Luke was confused about Jesus’ age; rather his point is that Jesus was now prepared to begin His public ministry.

In the Hebrew culture 30 marks the age at which a man was entitled to receive his share of his father’s inheritance and enter the family business as a full partner.

Ex. 30 ~ the time to begin

It’s interesting to note that many of God’s servants began their public ministry at 30…

Joseph exalted to Pharaoh’s side at 30

David began to reign as king at 30

Ezekiel called to be a prophet at 30

Priests begin their service at 30

Luke’s point then is that Jesus had spent the previous 18 years learning His Father’s business and was now prepared to begin working in the family business…

…not the work of a carpenter, rather the work of His Heavenly Father to save the world!

Ap. 30 years of preparation for 3 years of ministry

Don’t despise the time of preparation ~ we must all be prepared before we’re commissioned!

√ Prayer

Look at vs. 21 again…

“When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.”

First of all while all the Gospels include the record of Jesus’ baptism only Luke tells us that Jesus prayed!

The reason is that Luke’s emphasis is to present Jesus in His Humanity.

And that while He was indeed God, that during His earthly ministry He lived His life as a human being with the same limitations that we have.

Thus, when Jesus wanted to communicate with His Father He prayed just like we do!

Luke’s point is that Jesus lived His life during His earthly ministry just as we do, dependent upon the Father for…

Direction in life & ministry

Physical, emotional and spiritual power & endurance

Supernatural gifting to do the Father’s will

Thus, He prayed!

√ Power

Note that when Jesus was praying heaven opened and the Holy Spirit came upon Him to equip Him for ministry!

Once again Luke’s point is that as a human being Jesus required the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to do the work of the Father.

Remember, Jesus laid aside His independent use of His power (Phil. 2).

So, even though the Holy Spirit already lived within Him (He is God after all) He had to rely on the Father and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for all that He would need to complete His ministry on earth.

So, as He stepped forward to begin His public ministry He was baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit and received the blessing of His Father to do the work for which He was sent.

Ap. He equips the called

Jesus’ example reminds us that we cannot hope to serve the Lord without His blessing and enabling power! Thus we find that Jesus promised us the same power that He received to do the work of the Father…

Ex. Our commission

Jesus told the disciples to “go” in Matthew 28, and to “wait” in Acts 1…

That is, the disciples were to “wait” for the power of the Holy Spirit before they tried to “go” into the world to preach the Gospel.

Jesus said…

“for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ~ Acts 1:5

And…

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ~ Acts 1:8

Remember, Jesus had already given the disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit after His resurrection…

“And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

John 20:22

So, the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was something different, it was the same experience that Jesus had at His water baptism…

…in which the Holy Spirit comes upon us to empower us to do His work.

Ap. Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit?

His Credentials (vs. 23b-38)

√ His credentials

God commissions every servant of God to the unique work for which he/she has been called.

While each of us has a unique calling nonetheless many of us have the same type of ministry.

For example, Peter was sent by God to minister primarily to the Jews, while Paul was sent to the Gentiles, however both were apostles.

But only one Person was sent to save the World!

There is only one Savior, one Messiah, one Lord, and that is the God/Man Jesus of Nazareth! (ref. Acts 4:12)

However, many people throughout history, including during the time of Jesus’ life on earth, have claimed to be the Messiah!

Naturally Luke’s readers would want to check Jesus’ credentials to see if in fact He met the Biblical qualifications for Messiah.

So, Luke provides Jesus’ actual family tree traced through his mother’s side of the family to show that Jesus…

Had a legal right to the throne of David

Was of the tribe of Judah

He was God in human flesh

That He was real Person ~ not a phantom

Let’s check it out…

1) Messiah ~ the son of God

Luke 3:23b Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,

√ Messiah ~ the son of God

Did you catch Luke’s reference to the Virgin Birth?

“being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph”

That is, Luke reminds us that Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father as was supposed (assumed) by the people of Nazareth.

Rather, Jesus’ Father is God for Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant by the work of the Holy Spirit as Luke so carefully recorded in the 1^st chapter of his Gospel.

Luke’s point is that the Bible foretold that the Messiah would be God in human flesh…

“For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isa. 9:6

Secondly, Luke follows Mary’s lineage instead of Joseph’s as Matthew does in his Gospel to prove Jesus’ legal right to the throne of David through His human ancestry…

…and His credentials as the Messiah by His supernatural conception proving His divine ancestry!

2) Messiah ~ the son of David

Luke 3:24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph,

Luke 3:25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

Luke 3:26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,

Luke 3:27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

Luke 3:28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,

Luke 3:29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

Luke 3:30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,

Luke 3:31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

√ Messiah ~ the son of David

God promised king David that the future Messiah would be one of his descendants…

Jer. 23:5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,

“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;

A King shall reign and prosper,

And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Jer. 23:6 In His days Judah will be saved,

And Israel will dwell safely;

Now this is His name by which He will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

And…

Isa. 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment & justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

So, anyone who would claim to be the Messiah would have to prove that he is descendant of David.

Jesus met that requirement both through His biological mother, and His adopted stepfather!

Luke’s next point provides the reader with Jesus’ credentials to prove His legal right to the throne of David ~ He is the son of David!

3) King ~ the Son of Judah

Luke 3:32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

Luke 3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

Luke 3:34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

Luke 3:35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

Luke 3:36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

Luke 3:37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,

√ King ~ the son of Judah

On his deathbed Jacob blessed his 12 sons and moved by the Holy Spirit predicted the destiny of the tribes that would arise from each son…

To the children of Judah it was predicted that from their tribe would arise the lineage of kings.

Note…

Gen. 49:10 The scepter (symbol of kingship) shall not depart from Judah,

Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,

Until Shiloh (AKA Messiah) comes;

And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

So, one of the credentials of the Messiah is that he must be a descendant of Judah!

Jesus met both qualifications!

Ergo He has the legal right to the throne of David and the title Messiah!

Ex. Timing of Messiah’s birth

The promise of God in Genesis 49:10 is that Israel would retain the right of self-rule until the coming of Messiah (“Shiloh”, or “He whose right it is”).

From David until the rule of Herod the Great, a prince of Judah was head over Israel (even during the Babylonian captivity).

The promise was that Israel would keep this scepter until Shiloh came.

Even under their foreign masters during this period, Israel had a limited right to self-rule…

…until 7 A.D. when under Herod and the Romans, their right to capital punishment was taken away (that’s why they had to ask Pilate to crucify Jesus).

So, the rabbis considered it a disaster of unfulfilled Scripture. Seemingly, the last vestige of the scepter had passed from Judah, and they did not see the Messiah. Rabbis walked the streets of Jerusalem and said,

“Woe unto us, for the scepter has been taken away from Judah, and Shiloh has not come.”

Yet God’s word had not been broken for Shiloh had come, born in Bethlehem a few years before and now growing to manhood in a tiny out of the village named Nazareth…

…God’s word had not failed!

3) Human ~ the Son of Man

Luke 3:38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

√ Human ~ the Son of Man

In this last verse Luke traces Jesus’ lineage all the way back to the first Man, Adam, and calls Adam the “son of God”.

Don’t misunderstand!

Luke isn’t suggesting that Adam is like Jesus in that he was “the” Son of God.

Rather, he is simply noting the fact that God created Adam in His own image, thus Adam was “a” son of God…

…not “the” Son of God.

Furthermore Luke already hinted at Jesus’ relationship to God back in vs. 23 with reference to His virgin birth.

The more important point here is that Luke traces Jesus’ lineage all the way back to the first human…

Unlike Matthew who only traces Jesus’ lineage to Abraham…

…the first Hebrew.

Why the difference?

Because Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience who would be most concerned with Jesus’ Jewish heritage.

While Luke was writing primarily to Greeks with the intent to present Jesus as both the perfect Man and as a Savior for all people!

So, Luke takes us all the way back to Adam to remind us that Jesus came to save all people, every descendant of Adam, and that Jesus is a real person…

…the Son of Man as well as the Son of God, a Man born into this world, who identified with the needs and problems of mankind.

Ex. Translating Luke for new people group

Ap. Jesus knows what you’re going through

The author of Hebrews reminds that Jesus…

“…understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.”

Heb. 4:15

When Jesus says…

“I know what you’re going through”

It’s not just works, He’s been where you’re at and has the power to get you through.

Close

√ The ministry of Jesus

His commission reminds us that God equips the called!

His Credentials reminds us that Jesus alone fits the Biblical qualifications of Messiah and that though He is God, He lived on this earth as a Man and therefore is able to relate to our human experience with compassion.