Theme: The Lord Jesus Christ ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit
Introduction
The character of Jesus was respected but ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit brought hostility.
When Jesus was a young man the doctors of the law were impressed with his intellectual ability (Luke 2:47). In Nazareth Jesus increased in favour with God and man (Luke 2:52). They were impressed with His character.
When the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at His baptism the attitude of the religious leaders changed towards Him. The men of Nazareth and the religious leaders sought to kill Him (Luke 4:16-30, 19:47). He was obedient to the Father and anointed of the Holy Spirit.
The Humiliation of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11)
Jesus became like us so that we can become like Him. The Son of God became Man. He identified Himself with us so that we can be identified with Him.
The Son of God became the Son of Man so that sons of men can become the sons of God.
Jesus told His disciples: "The works that I do shall you do because I go to the Father" (John 14:12). He ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit knowing that His disciples would also minister in the same power and anointing.
Main Points
1. Before the Ministry of Jesus
The Holy Spirit ministered through a selected few who were anointed for ministry. This ministry lasted until John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was the descendant of Aaron (Luke 1:5). He had the right to be High Priest. Prophets and the law prophesied until John:
"Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." — Matthew 11:11-13
Then the ministry changed when Jesus was anointed of the Holy Spirit in the Jordan River. John's ministry decreased when the ministry of Jesus had begun (John 3:30). John was a voice crying in the wilderness. Jesus came to set captives free in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Ministry of Jesus
Jesus only ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit:
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." — Acts 10:38
1) Ministry in the Power of the Holy Spirit
Jesus did nothing by His inherent power as the eternal Son of God. He was always the Son of God but He only performed miracles in the power of the Spirit (Matthew 12:28). Jesus was tempted to reject His people and act by His own inherent power. The devil tempted Jesus: "If you are the Son of God" (Luke 4:3,9). On the cross the people shouted: "If you are the Son of God save yourself" (Matthew 27:40).
Jesus only ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit because He identified Himself with His people. Jesus did not perform a miracle until after He was baptised. Then Jesus went in the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1). He ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit so that He could tell His disciples: "the works that I do shall you do and greater works because I go to the Father" (John 14:12). Jesus taught His disciples to do the same things that He did.
2) The Character of the Ministry of Jesus (Luke 4:18-19)
- Preach the gospel to the poor — to bring good news to the destitute
- Heal the broken hearted — to make whole those who are broken
- Preach deliverance to the captives — to be a herald of release from bondage
- Recovery of sight to the blind — blindness of the mind
- Set at liberty them that are bruised — the smitten
- Preach the acceptable year of the Lord — to proclaim the acceptable time of the Lord
The character of the ministry of Jesus should be seen in the light of Jesus closing the book (Luke 4:20). Jesus stopped in the middle of a sentence: "To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God." He did not say "the day of vengeance" because that is yet to come. First He came to preach the acceptable time of the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 6:2).
3. Jesus Moved in the Gifts of the Holy Ghost
The Holy Spirit ministered through Jesus.
a) Delegated Authority
Others were sent by Jesus but they were not anointed themselves. They received a delegated authority because they were with Jesus.
Compare the Old Testament:
Elisha's servant had a delegated authority. He was sent with Elisha's staff but couldn't raise the dead boy. He needed the anointing.
Elisha was the anointed prophet but even then the miracle was not automatic. Elisha had to put himself on the boy and breathe into him. Why didn't he just pray? Faith in action — the Gift of Faith and the Working of Miracles. He expected something to happen and Elisha's faith was active.
Compare Matthew 18: There were things Jesus' disciples could not do — they needed the anointing. The disciples of Jesus could not heal the paralytic. Jesus said "this kind comes only through prayer and fasting."
Prayer and fasting is built upon relationship with God — relationship that could only be realised after the ascension. Only the anointing could break the yoke of the oppressor. An anointed ministry operates through relationship.
b) The Gifts of the Spirit
Jesus said to the woman of Samaria: "You have had five husbands, and the man you are now with is not your husband" (John 4:17-18). The Word of Knowledge concerning her private life opened the woman's eyes to see that Jesus was the Messiah (John 4:29).
The ministry of Jesus had similarities to other ministries in the Old Testament because Jesus ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit. For instance: 2 Kings 4:42-44 shows Elisha feeding a hundred men with twenty loaves of barley. John 6:5-13 shows Jesus feeding five thousand with five barley loaves and two fish.
Summary
- 1. Jesus ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in His inherent power as the Son of God.
- 2. Jesus could not have told the disciples that they would do greater works if he had not ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- 3. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are evident in the ministry of Jesus and the purpose of the gifts was to show that Jesus is the Messiah.