Jesus and Scripture

Jesus and Scripture
Spiritual Life Basics: the Word of God


Last week we began the study of basics for the spiritual life and discovered that true spirituality is abiding in Jesus. The “Remaining” two-step, we called it, is the Word and Obedience. Listening and obeying to the word. (Micah and the grill and grilling this week).

We want to unpack this foundation for spiritual living, The Word and Obedience, a little further today. We’re going to look at 3 events from Jesus’ life to see his attitude toward Scripture, and His application of Scripture.

I only picked 3 events, but it is important to note that Scripture is prevalent throughout Jesus’ ministry. He is teaching application of what we know as the Old Testament, giving new commands, quoting Scripture in debate with teachers of the law, and basically unpacking the Bible for the world to see its true meaning: which is Him. Jesus is the living word, and the Bible is the written word. As we look at these events, keep that distinction, remembering that the written word testifies to the living word.
1. Luke 2:41-52 Jesus and Tradition
Passover was an annual celebration for Jesus’ family. They would journey nearly 60 miles one way from Nazareth to Jerusalem every year to celebrate this commemorative milestone. It would take a couple days to make the trip South from Nazareth to Jerusalem, but up to Jerusalem because Jerusalem sat in the hilltops, and Nazareth a much lower elevation. Coming to the city, with relatives and neighbors, they would celebrate the Passover – which is a memory of what God did during the time of Moses to deliver His people, the nation of Israel, from Egypt. He commanded the people to sacrifice a lamb and put its blood on the top and sides of their door. When God’s angel of death passed through, the houses that were not marked by blood experienced the death of the firstborn that very night, while the houses with blood were “passed over.” This is a brief history, the much more compelling drama is in Exodus.
Incidentally, this time of year, Passover – is in the spring, the same time of year that Jesus was crucified on the cross. Here in this passage he is 12. At his death he was about 33. So in our memory this springtime event is Easter. But here in this passage Jesus, 12 years old, has separated from His family – who left town, and taken up residence in the Temple for a couple of days.

A. Tradition to Remind
a. Passover was a reminder of what God had done. Traditions can be powerful reminders of God’s working in History and in our lives. We celebrate Easter and Christmas remembering what God has done in history for our salvation. Jesus’ family was raising Him to know God, the God who though He may seem distant is real and impacts history. The Passover was nearly 1500 years past. Christmas is over 2000. God may seem distant, yet He impacts history and lives today.
B. Scripture for Today
a. Jesus spent these days away from Mom and Joseph in the temple learning from the Scribes – the “teachers” of the law. They were teachers of Scripture. At a young age, 12, Jesus wanted to learn Scripture. What an example for us – no matter the age, take in scripture. Read it, memorize it, live on its principles. Take it in.
b. Make it a priority. Jesus’ didn’t think twice about missing his family. They’ve left town for a 60-mile hike back to Nazareth. I realize that Jesus, thought 12 years old, is the Son of God, the Living Word, the Messiah. I know he didn’t get anxious like I do, and even at 12 that he wasn’t worried that His parents had left him. (Not that they were worried until well into their journey anyway). But Jesus saw a bigger priority in the word. He didn’t let life get in the way. He took the opportunity and spent time in the word and talking about the word.
i. The teachers, also translated scribes, were students of the Bible, the Scriptures. They would start, usually at age 14 (2 years older than Jesus) studying the Bible, copying it into script, learning its principles. They would be ordained at 40. IN other words it was a 26-year process, during which they were not paid but often worked other Jobs. Paul – who came up in the school was a tentmaker. Hillel, the namesake of Jewish clubs on campuses across America, was a laborer. After ordination they would be judges, Rabbi’s, leaders in the religious, civil, and cultural community of Jews.
ii. Jesus was 12, and he took them to town. “After 3 days his parents found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Not only did Jesus ask, he gave answers. The boy of 12 is the author of Scripture: Trinity: inspired by Holy Spirit, recorded by Human hands.
iii. The tradition said this boy could not know much. Jesus is above tradition. Don’t get me wrong, tradition serves its place, but only as it points to Jesus. But more on that later: point 3 scripture points to Jesus.
iv. Let’s rest now on the simple fact from this story that the word needs to be such a priority in our lives that it is a main thing. More important than business, than success, than grades: even, dare I say, than most family concerns. Micah will still want to play baseball after we read some bible. Baseball can wait. Do not make God wait.

2. Luke 4:1-13 Jesus and Memorization
a. Jesus didn’t just listen and debate the word. Last week we talked about what is really false spiritual growth when we spend all our time learning but never doing. We talk about God and Jesus and the word but never acknowledge the Truth. Remember – people who do that worm their way into homes…
b. Jesus internalized the Scripture. Not only did He read it – He knew it, He memorized it. And then he used it.
c. Read Luke 4:1-13
d. Fast-forward about 18 years. Jesus is about 30. He’s just been baptized, in obedience to the word, and is ready to begin His public ministry. The Spirit leads him to the wilderness, where He is tempted, and hungry.
i. Just thinking out loud here, but if I’m alone, in the wilderness, hungry, tired… I’m thinking I’m pretty susceptible. I’d probably eat the first thing you offer me, no matter what it is, just get it in me. If you’ve ever watched survivor on TV, I love the scenes were after a couple of weeks they get a reward challenge and the team that wins gets to eat food. They eat like pigs, gluttons shoveling it in their mouths as quick as possible. There’s no hesitation.
e. Jesus is being tempted to deny His purpose and birthright: savior of the World and Son of God. Satan starts off with bread for a hungry man. Remember back 18 years ago, Jesus wasn’t concerned with His family because he so wanted the word. And now, today, he applies it. Jesus answers Satan with Deut. 8:3. “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Jesus is living out the exodus in His life. Humbled, hungry, and living on the Word of the Lord. Deut. 8:3, by the way, is not in an easy passage of Scripture to read. It, Deut., is the 2nd reading of the law. And 8:3 is in the 1st 3rd of, what I consider a very boring and hard to read portion of scripture that details most of life and how it should be lived. Yet Jesus says, you shall live by “every word.”
f. Satan tries trick two: to the Lord of the Universe he says the whole world can be yours. And Jesus again answers with Scripture: Deut. 6:13. Again, Deut. In these instances not only is the tempter meeting a Godward spirit in Jesus, he is meeting the power of the word of God, and has nowhere to go with it. So he tries a 3rd time.
g. Throw yourself down, Jesus, if you are really the Son of God. In other words, if you are who you say you are, commit suicide. Then Satan tries something that can be commonplace today: he twists Scripture and makes what isn’t meant to be seem as though it is. Satan quotes from Psalms 91:11, 12 Psalm 91 is a promise of God’s deliverance. Satan twists and tests the promise: God has said that you will not fall from here, so try. The promise of Psalm 91 is actually: Love me first and I will deliver you. It would be a falsity to assume the promise is what Satan tempts Jesus with: God loves you so do this. Jesus sees right through it.
i. Don’t put the Lord your God to the test. Whoa! Deut. Again and the trump card: don’t test my father or me. Satan left until an opportune time.
h. This is a great event and triumph of Christ and encouragement for us. But know this about Jesus’ view of Scripture: know it and use it. Turn the sword of the Spirit loose. Let it, which is sharper than a new Gillette sensor, than any double-edged sword, turn it loose and let it go. Memorize it, as Jesus did, so that you have it at the ready. Memorize it so that you may know God’s voice and His word. Memorize it that you may know Jesus.
3. Jesus and the Point of Scripture Luke 4:14-30
a. I said a little earlier that we would revisit Jesus and tradition. He is above tradition: it should point to Him. Jesus is also the point of Scripture. He is the central person in the Bible, and the cross is the central action. If you know very little or no Scripture: its message is that Jesus died on the Cross because of God’s great desire to glorify His name in bringing us to worship Him in spirit and truth. God loves you and wants you to be in on His glory. But your sin keeps you back. All those little lies, immoral thoughts, bitter jabs, murderous hate, are not worthy of God. We are slaves. And Jesus has freed us.
b. Read Luke 4:14-21
c. IT was customary that any male could read and offer some instruction/commentary on the Scripture in the synagogue. Jesus goes with the custom. He knows scripture, gets the scroll (no books in those days, it was all on scrolls. The Old Testament would fill a large room, bigger than this. Scrolls were about 30 feet long. I can find, over time and with the help of a concordance or google, pretty much anything in the bible. Jesus had neither concordance nor google, yet found exactly the passage of Scripture he wanted. Do you question if Jesus knew Scripture?
d. He did, and he read and sat. The Prophecy of Isaiah 450 years or so earlier is fulfilled today, right then. Scripture then, points to Jesus. All of it. The bible is about knowing Jesus. When we read the bible he speaks. It is His written word (He is the Living Word). It is not wrong, the Bible never fails – we call it fail safe in our covenant, exactly the word of God. It is valid because of who stands behind it: the living Lord. Jesus.
e. This event, reading a couple verse, sitting down, and saying it is fulfilled, must have been awesome.
i. My parents were here a couple of weeks ago. Being history buffs (them mainly) we toured the Adams national historical park in Boston, home of John and John Quincy = 2nd and 5th presidents. Being a national park geek buff with the passport, I was ready and willing to go and check it out and get my stamp. John Adams left his mark on America. He holds the record for some long speeches, including one that had a single sentence that was 750 words long. At 93, John was asked to give a speech for the 50th anniversary of the independence of America. The crowd was prepped and ready for him – this man who walked with Washington and set the course of a nation. He walked up and yelled: Independence Forever! And sat down. Speech over.
f. This is kind of the scene here: Jesus is famous, they want to hear, and He says: it is fulfilled. The Bible, its whole message is Jesus. Memorize it to know Jesus. Study it to know Jesus. Learn it that you may run to Jesus who gives freedom, good news, and releases the oppressed.

1. Make the word a main thing
2. Memorize it that you may know Jesus and use it
3. Study it and learn it to know Jesus.

There are some helpful questions in the bulletin if you want a place to start studying. As Jesus shows us: the word is more valuable than life; memorize it to live, and point people in the same direction: to Jesus.

Jesus got all over the religious leaders of his day for missing the point: Him! They would quote scripture and haggle with questions and debate viewpoints, all the while missing the Point. Nourish yourself and grow spiritually by learning the point, and seeking God in His word. To all who seek Him He will show Himself.

Pray.