Session 3: Luke Chapters 5-6 Salvation Power of Jesus (Part 2)
Session 3: Luke Chapters 5-6 Salvation Power of Jesus (Part 2)
This 12-session study looks at the heart of Jesus for all people, as seen in the book of Luke. It is in Luke’s gospel that we see the breadth of Jesus’ ministry to reach all people, to bring all into his arms and show them his heart for them personally. Since Christ and the Father are one (John 10:30), Luke provides the opportunity to see for ourselves how God interacts with his beloved, how he showers his beloved with goodness and mercy all of our days (Ps 23:6). And the good news is that you are his beloved! He delights in you (Zeph 3:17)!
This post is the second part of session three of the study, with each session opening with warm-up introductory questions, going on to a reading from Luke and questions related to the passage. Then the study goes to the comparative or referenced Old Testament passages found in the assigned reading with accompanying questions. Each study session ends with considerations for personal application. The study is appropriate for individual or small group application. Feel free to share the response to an application question or just comment on the study itself below.
Old Testament Links
Consider Lev. 14:1-7. Since Jesus came to fulfill the law and not abolish it, how does his instruction to the healed leprous man fulfill the law (Luke 5:14)? Since Jesus is doing this in a new way (6:33-35), why didn’t he send the man on his way instead of sending him to the synagogue?
The Sabbath is defined as a day for rest, modelled after God’s rest from creation (Exodus 20:8-10). How does Jesus fulfill this command even while healing a man?
Compare Luke 6:29-34 with Deut. 7:11-15 and Prov. 19:17. Why would Jesus leave out the rewards of following these teachings?
Jesus began his ministry reciting Isaiah 61:1-2. How has he demonstrated that he fulfills these verses in Luke 5-6?
In the Old Testament, we find a leprous man cleansed (2 Kings 5:10-17), a withered hand restored (1 Kings 13:6) and food multiplied (1 Kings 17:16 and 2 Kings 4:42-44). Why would Jesus repeat these miracles in his ministry?
Application
In Luke 5:14, Jesus tells the man to present himself to the priest, bringing birds to fulfill the law of sacrifice following healing. Today we do not present ourselves to the priest with birds for sacrifice when we experience healing. How can we today carry out the law when we are healed?
Jesus is called out for eating with sinners, perhaps because of Bible verses about friendship like Proverbs 13:20, ‘Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.’ Yet Jesus spends time with sinners, those who need healing (Luke 5:31-32). How do we balance the need for biblical friendship and the need to be a light in the world without being fools? What does Jesus model through these chapters to balance ‘sinner’s’ influence?
