In spite of the pleas of those who love us,
we must obey the will of the Lord,
who has sent each of us to our own place of ministry or mission.
“At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him, and when they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving. But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Galilee” (Luke 4:42–44).
As I meditate on the passage, I would like to reflect on the lessons given to us through these words.
(1) When Jesus began His public ministry, He returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit and taught in the synagogues (Lk. 4:14–15). In the synagogue at Capernaum He healed a man possessed by an unclean spirit (vv. 31–35). Leaving the synagogue, He entered Simon Peter’s house and healed Peter’s mother-in-law, who was suffering from a severe fever (vv. 38–39). As evening came, people brought to Him every kind of sick person, and He laid hands on each one and healed them (v. 40). He also drove out demons who knew exactly who He was and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” (v. 41).
(a) At daybreak, Jesus slipped away from the town to a solitary place. The people searched for Him, and when they found Him, they tried desperately to keep Him from leaving. But Jesus answered, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God in other towns as well; that is why I was sent.” And so He continued preaching in the synagogues throughout Galilee (vv. 42–44).
(i) When we step back and look at Luke 4:14–44 as a whole, we see what scholars call an inclusio, or a “sandwich structure.” The passage begins with Jesus teaching in the synagogues of Galilee (vv. 14–15) and ends with Him preaching in those same synagogues (v. 44).
· The beginning and the end frame the same central theme: Jesus was sent to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.
- Even though the people wanted to keep Him for themselves, Jesus understood the Father’s will. He had been sent not to remain in one place but to proclaim God’s kingdom everywhere, and He obeyed.
(2) As I meditate on this, I am reminded that we too have been sent, and therefore we must obey the will of the Lord who has placed us in our particular field of service or mission. And that will is the same today as it was then: to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.
(a) The “gospel of the kingdom” is the good news that the reign of God has begun through Jesus Christ, and that belonging to His kingdom is true joy. This message goes beyond personal salvation. It proclaims a comprehensive deliverance—freedom from sin and Satan through the cross, and entrance into a new life as God’s people. Jesus summed it up in His first proclamation: “The time is fulfilled; the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mk. 1:15). To repent is to welcome God’s reign; to believe is to submit to His rule and embrace the life of the kingdom.
(i) Yet Satan continually seeks to make us, like Peter, set our minds not on the things of God but on human concerns (Mt. 16:23).
· Peter fell into this temptation. When Jesus revealed that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer, die, and rise again, Peter rebuked Him: “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (Mt. 16:22). Peter could not accept the path of suffering; he spoke from human sentiment, not divine purpose. But God’s will was that Jesus suffer and bear our sins on the cross. Jesus came precisely to fulfill this will, yet Peter opposed it with human reasoning.
- Satan tempts us in the same way. He works tirelessly to make us choose human desires over God’s call, to abandon the narrow way of the cross for the broad, easy road of the world. He strikes at our most vulnerable point—our love for our families—infecting them and us with a deadly spiritual virus that causes us to prioritize human concerns over the work of God. When infected by this “virus,” we fall into self-pity, fleshly desires, and misdirected loyalty. We begin to place our family above God, even sacrificing God’s work to pursue human aims. In doing so, we ultimately undermine God’s purposes in our lives. Satan seeks to make us fall—and not only us, but also our families and our churches. He watches, waiting for any chance to bring us down.
(ii) To resist Satan’s temptation, we must, like Jesus, seek solitary places (Lk. 4:42; 5:16; Mk. 1:35) and stay awake in prayer so that we do not fall into temptation (Mt. 26:41; Mk. 14:38). And in prayer we must echo the Lord’s own words: “Not my will, but Yours be done” (Mt. 26:39).
· We must also arm ourselves with Scripture. Just as Jesus overcame Satan in the wilderness with the written Word (Mt. 4:4, 7, 10), so we too must fight and overcome with God’s Word.
- Furthermore, we must overcome the well-intentioned discouragement of those around us—family, friends, even fellow believers—who think more in human terms than in God’s terms (cf. Lk. 4:42). By God’s Word and prayer, we must press on to fulfill the Lord’s calling and proclaim the gospel of God’s kingdom.
Hymnal “My Jesus, as Thou Wilt”:
Verse 1
My Jesus, as Thou wilt! Oh, may Thy will be mine! Into Thy hand of love I would my all resign; Through sorrow, or through joy, Conduct me as Thine own, And help me still to say, My Lord, Thy will be done!
Verse 2
My Jesus, as Thou wilt! Though seen through many a tear, Let not my star of hope Grow dim or disappear; Since Thou on earth hast wept, And sorrowed oft alone, If I must weep with Thee, My Lord, Thy will be done!
Verse 3
My Jesus, as Thou wilt! All shall be well for me; Each changing future scene I gladly trust with Thee. Straight to Thy rest above I travel calmly on, And sing, in life or death,
Amen.