DISABLING JESUS-IV—Luke 4:22-30
Attention:
CASE IN POINT—UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM:
From: http://www.uua.org/beliefs/principles/index.shtml
Our Unitarian Universalist Principles:
There are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm & promote:
The inherent worth & dignity of every person;
Justice, equity & compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another & encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free & responsible search for truth & meaning;
The right of conscience & the use of the democratic process within our congregations & in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, & justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Unitarian Universalism (UU) draws from many sources:
Direct experience of that transcending mystery & wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit & an openness to the forces which create & uphold life;
Words & deeds of prophetic women & men which challenge us to confront powers & structures of evil with justice, compassion, & the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical & spiritual life;
Jewish & Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason & the results of science, & warn us against idolatries of the mind & spirit;
Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life & instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
These principles & sources of faith are the backbone of our religious community.
The Unitarian tradition, which is an integral part of our Unitarian Universalist heritage, was borne out of a new interpretation of a Christian sacred text, the Bible.
*Many Unitarian Universalists trace their Unitarian roots back to 16th century Europeans Michael Servetus & Francis David. In separate instances, both men sought proof of the existence of the Holy Trinity in the Bible. When they found none, they adopted the view of a 'unity of God,' which led to founding Unitarianism.
These early heretics initiated a tradition of religious tolerance that is central to modern-day Unitarian Universalism. Many Unitarian Universalists capture this sense of tolerance in a quote attributed to Francis David:
"We need not think alike to love alike."
*In addition to holding different beliefs on spiritual topics, individual Unitarian Universalists may also identify with & draw inspiration from Atheism & Agnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, Humanism, Judaism, Paganism, & other religious or philosophical traditions.
Religious Spiritualism(vague, eclectic, distant, human derived) disables Jesus—Religion which largely denies Scripture or holds to it loosely in an attempt to ignorantly honor a higher power—(Ritualized Humanism, Oprah-ism, Unitarian Universalists, Ritualized Intelligentsia).
All such religious expressions are an exercise in mere humanism(attaching prime importance to human reason—rationality, self-autonomy & total independence—rather than the external influence & direction of the revealed personal, biblical God).
The congregation at Nazareth(hometown synagogue) would not believe Jesus’ ability to fulfill Scripture’s mandate for the Messiah.
Religiosity thinks it implausible/absurd to believe that Jesus can save that He is Messiah.
What is produced upon holding/viewing Jesus as absurd?
8 fruits/assessments of disabling Jesus.
We have previously found that:
Disabling Jesus produces...
1. ADMIRATION(4:22a)
2. FAMILIARIZED BLINDNESS(:22b)
3. BLIND DISDAIN(:23a)
4. INCONCLUSIVE PROOF(:23b)
5. REJECTION Of REALITY(:24)
6. FORFEITURE OF FAVOR (:25-27).
7— Disabling Jesus produces...
MURDEROUS WRATH(:28-29)
Explanation: (:28-29)
:28—“So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,”
:29—“& rose up & thrust Him out of the city; & they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.””
Upon recognizing Jesus’ comparisons were intended for them, the Nazareth congregation became incensed. As Jesus spoke these things they became enraged.
The entire congregation rose up(as one man) & wholeheartedly cast Jesus out of the city.
The congregation forcibly led Jesus to the edge of the outcropping of Nazareth(on which it rested) with the intent of throwing Jesus down the cliff.
People just get flat-out mad when others get serious about the biblical Jesus!
How can you know...if Jesus is the Messiah...if He can save you...if He’s God in human flesh...if He’s the only-begotten Son of God? Trust him with your life & see what He does with your sin & experience the peace that passes all human ability & understanding!
*“And they're so angry with Him because He's insistent on the fact that unless they humble themselves like a Syrian leper, unless they see themselves as no better than a Syrian leper, no better than a pagan Gentile woman, unless they see themselves as no better than outcasts, they aren't going to get saved. And that is absolutely intolerable to them, to go to someone who is a life-long Jew, a life-long attender of the synagogue, a serious devout Jew & say, "You're no better off than a pagan, you're no better off than an outcast Gentile leper," is unthinkable because they're so committed to the self-righteousness that's a part of a work system”......“God offers nothing to people who are content with their own condition, except judgment.”—John MacArthur
“Filled”—plhyw—Thayer—1) To fill; 2) To be fulfilled, to be filled. Strong—To "fill"(literally or figuratively [imbue, influence, supply]); specifically--To fulfill(time).
“Wrath/Rage/Furious”—yumov—1) Passion, angry, heat, anger forthwith boiling up & soon subsiding again; 2) Glow, ardor, the wine of passion, inflaming wine (which either drives the drinker mad or kills him with its strength). Strong—Passion(as if breathing hard).
“Rose up/Got up”—anisthmi—1) To cause to rise up, raise up; 2) To rise, stand up; 3) At arise, appear, stand forth. Strong—To stand up (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive).
“Thrust...out”—ekballw—Thayer—1) To cast out, drive out, to send out. Strong—To eject (literally or figuratively).
“Led/Drove...out”—agw—Thayer—1) To lead, take with one—1a) To lead by laying hold of, & this way to bring to the point of destination: of an animal, 1b) To lead by accompanying to (into) a place, 1c) To lead with one's self, attach to one's self as an attendant, 1d) To conduct, bring, 1e) To lead away, to a court of justice, magistrate, etc.; 2) To lead,—2a) To lead, guide, direct, 2b) To lead through, conduct to: to something, 2c) To move, impel: of forces & influences on the mind; 3) To pass a day, keep or celebrate a feast, etc.; 4) To go, depart. Strong—a primary verb; properly--To lead; by implication--To bring, drive, reflexively--Go, specially--Pass(time), or figuratively--Induce.
“Brow”—ofruv—Thayer—1) The eyebrow; 2) Any prominence or projection. Strong—perhaps from optanomai(through the idea of the shading or proximity to the organ of vision); the eye-"brow" or forehead, i.e. figuratively--The brink of a precipice.
“Hill”—orov—Thayer—1) A mountain. Strong—probably from an obsolete orw(to rise or "rear"; perhaps akin to airw; compare orniv); A mountain(as lifting itself above the plain).
“Throw...down over the cliff/Cast...down headlong/Throw...down the cliff”—katakrhmnizw—Thayer—1) To cast down a precipice; 2) To throw down headlong. Strong—To precipitate down. Used 1X.
Argumentation:
*Jn. 16:2-3—““They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.”
Mat. 5:11-12—““Blessed are you when they revile & persecute you, & say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice & be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
*Mat. 10:28—““And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell.”
Rev. 12:9-11—“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil & Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, & his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, & strength, & the kingdom of our God, & the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day & night, has been cast down.” And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb & by the word of their testimony, & they did not love their lives to the death.”
Rev. 17:12-14—““The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. “These are of one mind, & they will give their power & authority to the beast. “These will make war with the Lamb, & the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords & King of kings; & those who are with Him are called, chosen, & faithful.””
Rom. 8:33-39—“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, & furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1Tim. 4:1-3—“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits & doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, & commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe & know the truth.”
2Tim. 4:1-5—“I charge you therefore before God & the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living & the dead at His appearing & His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; & they will turn their ears away from the truth, & be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
Illustration:
There’s an adage that says, ‘Don’t ever bring up politics or religion at the dinner table.’/Why?/Because people have their decided opinions in that regard/Such conversations can seriously threaten the relaxation, peace, harmony & loving family-time that we try to instill at supper/MURDEROUS WRATH
Picket lines/2 decided opinions/MURDEROUS WRATH
Missionaries who are tortured &/or killed/This has occurred since the birth of the church!/MURDEROUS WRATH
Abortion clinics/‘Operation Rescue’ is so strongly against abortion(& rightly so by God) that they are willing to take the lives of those so-called ‘doctors’ who perform such surgeries/Is such action by Christians acceptable?/MURDEROUS WRATH
Application:
?You Disabled Jesus as absurd thru a MURDEROUS WRATH?
?You see Christ Jesus as implausible/absurd?
8— Disabling Jesus produces...
INEFFECTIVE DENIGRATION(:30)
Explanation: (:30)
:30—“Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.”
No matter what someone does to thwart the design of God, it cannot be undone. It must be played out...
This may seem contradictory judging from our statement that we can ‘Disable Jesus.’ Yes, we can personally miss all that God has in store for us. But His plan will reach ultimate fulfillment regardless of our perception of it. The religious unbeliever is part of God’s plan for reaching His own ends. No man can stop God’s providential determinations!
They cannot kill Jesus! They ridiculed Him...They put Him on a Cross...They pierced His side...They buried Him...But He rose from the dead!...And he lives to this day & forever!
But nobody could touch Him until it was His time.
Argumentation:
Jn. 7:21-30—“Jesus answered & said to them, “I did one work, & you all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), & you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, & they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, & you know where I am from; & I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, & He sent Me.” Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.”
Jn. 8:13-20—“The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” Jesus answered & said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from & where I am going; but you do not know where I come from & where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, & the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; & no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.” Ex 7:1-5—“So the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, & Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, & multiply My signs & My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt & bring My armies & My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt & bring out the children of Israel from among them.””
Ex. 10:1-2—“Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart & the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, & that you may tell in the hearing of your son & your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, & My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.””
Ex. 14:15-17—“And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, & stretch out your hand over the sea & divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, & they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh & over all his army, his chariots, & his horsemen.”
Rom. 2:1-11—“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, & doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, & longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness & your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath & revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, & immortality; but to those who are self-seeking & do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation & wrath, tribulation & anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first & also of the Greek; but glory, honor, & peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first & also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.”
Ps. 46:1-3—“<
Ps. 56:1-7—“<
Ps 2:1-12—“Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD & against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You[Christ Jesus] are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, & I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’” Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.”
Rom. 8:31-39—“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, & furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Illustration:
My dog, Little Bit/A Yorkie mix/Stands about12in. tall at the top of her head/She is mortal enemies with Mattie(an occasional visitor) which is a Pit Bull-Laborador mix/One day Miller & I were out in the driveway when Mattie shows up wagging her tail(always very friendly)/Little Bit immediately starts nipping at Mattie/Mattie pays her no mind/But then Little Bit must have nipped a little too hard because Mattie suddenly turned on Little Bit/They went round & round biting each other/Mattie merely let Little Bit know that she was the boss because she could have very easily killed her!/INEFFECTIVE DENIGRATION
Application:
?You Disabled Jesus as absurd thru an INEFFECTIVE DENIGRATION?
?You see Christ Jesus as implausible/absurd?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Unitarian Universalist Theology/Such doctrine Disables Jesus!
Action:
Disabling Jesus produces...
7. MURDEROUS WRATH(:28-29)
8. INEFFECTIVE DENIGRATION(:30)
1. ADMIRATION(4:22a)
2. FAMILIARIZED BLINDNESS(:22b)
3. BLIND CONTEMPT(:23a)
4. INCONCLUSIVE PROOF(:23b)
5. REJECTION Of REALITY(:24)
6. FORFEITURE Of FAVOR(:25-27)
Presented 03/10/2013am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
