Called Vs Chosen
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
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Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan,
and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
In the preceding 2 verses the words "full of" and "filled with" would
have been more correctly translated from the Greek if the phrase "and
controlled by" had been added in. I would like to point out that these
are the only two people actually "filled, led, and controlled " by the Holy Spirit of all
the people who were "filled" in the New Testament, Jesus and Paul.
Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he
did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
Here we see the number 40. He spent 40 days in the wilderness, which
directly corresponds to the 40 years spent in the wilderness by the
children of Israel after they were freed from the bondage of Egypt. The
entire time the multitude wandered in the desert they did not have want
for anything. All their physical needs were met, food form heaven, water
from rocks, their sandals did not even wear out! Jesus did not hunger
for those 40 days because His Father was meeting all His needs. He was
so controlled by the Spirit that His physical condition did not even
become evident to Him until the very end of the trial.
Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed
unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
The Devil said that all the power was his to give because it had been
"delivered to him". That was when Adam forfeited his claim on the Earth
and signed it over to the devil in the garden. He decided to turn his
back on God and follow the leading of the serpent. The devil had
authority in the Earth from that forward until Jesus took it back on
Calvary's cross.
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me,
Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him
only shalt thou serve.
Here it says the devil departed from him, but he did not go very far.
He stayed close to Jesus and watched for an opportune time to try and
"trip Him up". Don't you know he was right there in all those crowds of
Pharisees and Saduccees whispering in their ears, giving them ideas
about what to ask or say to Jesus? He was in the multitude at Jesus
trial encouraging the people to say "Crucify Him!" Yes, the devil
departed from Jesus in the wilderness, but only a little way. He
watched for three and ˝ years.
Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee:
and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
When it says Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit, it is referring
to the Anointing He was under.
Luke 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
That anointing (power and wisdom) must have been quite evident because
the people were glorifying Him. They had never before heard teaching
like this. When are people most eloquent? When they are talking about
something with which they are very familiar. Jesus was teaching the Word
of God…he was teaching about HIMSELF! How much more familiar can you get?
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and,
as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and
stood up for to read.
When the Spirit is upon you, you are anointed.
Luke 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The term the Israelites have for "the acceptable Year of the Lord" is
"Jubilee". The year of Jubilee comes around every 50 years and slaves
are set free, land is restored to the original family that owned it,
nobody worked…it was a yearlong celebration. Jesus came to declare the
acceptable year of the Lord to be EVERY YEAR! Hallelujah!
Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister,
and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were
fastened on him.
Will you notice it says, "He began to say". He was not able to get it
all out because the people started to murmur in the next verse...
Luke 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words
which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's
son?
Don't you know the devil was there whispering to the people about Jesus'
humble background?
Luke 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this
proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in
Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
The reference to 3 ˝ years here is directly proportional to Jesus 3 ˝
year ministry. The drought is over; Messiah is here!
Luke 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a
city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
These last two verses were offensive to the Jews because they thought
they were the only ones who could find favor with God…just a little
reminder that Jesus came for us all, just as God saved non-Jews in the
Old Testament.
Luke 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things,
were filled with wrath,
This was a subtle miracle that many do not even see. He was in a crowd
of people who were out to kill Him, but He just walked right out and
they could not even lay a hand on Him.
Luke 5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to
hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
In the preceding account you will notice that there were many people
who called themselves "followers of Jesus". . . so many that He could
not function, and had to separate Himself by water just to be able to
teach them. Out of all these people He chose NONE, ZERO, ZIP, ZILCH. He
went out and got some guys who were just fishing, and not even following
Him. I wonder how many people this offended later?
Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the
time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Here we read about the Apostles choosing a replacement for Judas. THEY
decided it had to be a man who had been there with Jesus from the
beginning of Jesus ministry, all the way until His ascension. They used
the Old way of choosing, rather than getting the answer from the Lord
Himself. Guess what? Their chice was not the Lord's choice.
Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into
every house, and haling men and women comitted them to prison.
Does this sound like the best choice for the new 12th apostle? He was
the greatest persecutor of the believers to be found!
Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly
there shined round about him a light from heaven:
It just goes to show that when God chooses you, you can fight against
it (kick against the cMattle prod), But you need to submit to His will
in the end.
Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou
have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city,
and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Isn't it amazing that this unlikely candidate that the Lord called to
be His 12th Apostle (chosen one with a special message) wrote about 60%
of the New Testament. He corresponded with all the churches that were
popping up around Judea, and the farthest reaches of the known world.
Yes it is amazing to our feeble minds, but to the mind of God, it is a
simple choice.
Are you an unlikely candidate? Are you called? Are you kicking at the
annoying prods to your subconscious? That's the Holy Spirit poking at
you to wake up to the Word of God and ask, "Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do?" Why not ask Him now and take some time listen for the answer.
Who knows, you could be like just Paul!
God Bless You as you hear His words and follow His leading.
Jesus had a calling on His life.
Acts 13:9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on
him,
Luke 4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God,
comand this stone that it be made bread.
Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Luke 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee,
and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever
I will I give it.
Luke 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
Luke 4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of
the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
down from hence:
Luke 4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee,
to keep thee:
Luke 4:11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time
thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Luke 4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God.
Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed
from him for a season.
Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet
Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it
was written,
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture
fulfilled in your ears.
Luke 4:24 And he said, Verily, I say unto you, No prophet is accepted
in his own country.
Luke 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the
days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months,
when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luke 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the
prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
Luke 4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto
the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast
him down headlong.
Luke 4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
Luke 5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were
gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
Luke 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and
prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat
down, and taught the people out of the ship.
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out
into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all
the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let
down the net.
Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude
of fishes: and their net brake.
Luke 5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other
ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled
both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,
Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Luke 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the
draught of the fishes which they had taken:
Luke 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which
were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from
henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Luke 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook
all, and followed him.
Acts 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that
he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of
his resurrection.
Acts 1:23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was
surnamed Justus, and matthias.
Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the
hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen,
Acts 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from
which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
Acts 1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon
Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against
the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Acts 9:2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that
if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might
bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus
whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
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