After Sundown (Luke 4:38-44)

Jesus healed until late in the night after the sun went down. His miracles in Capernaum confirm he is the Prophet who would know God face to face and whom the Jews had been waiting. 

Chapters

• 2:00 At Peter's House
• 4:20 After Sundown
• 6:28 Message in the Miracle
• 9:14 Moshe
• 11:42 Bosom of the Father
• 17:15 Miracle worker

Transcript

After Sundown (Luke 4:38-44)

In our last lesson we took a look at  the first exorcism in the Bible. Jesus was in Capernaum preaching in the synagogue with such powerful words that a demon cried out, “Go away!”  (4:31-37). And crying out: “I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” Jesus commanded the demon to come out. And he did. People in the synagogue were shocked by the power of Jesus’ words. He speaks with authority. He speaks with power. And impure spirits come out.
 
I am not surprised that the news about Jesus spread around the entire area. Not surprised at all.  But the day is not over. Jesus has just begun. Jesus is not finished for the day. And even beyond the day, he will continue to heal and drive out demons after the sun goes down. Until late, late in the night. Long after the sun goes down¾Jesus will be about his father’s business. Healing the sick. Casting out more impure spirits. Signs—miracles—wonders. Let’s look at what happens. Luke 4:38.
 
 At Peter’s House  [2:00]
 
Jesus left the synagogue and went to Peter’s house. Andrew lives there with Peter.  And James and John are there  (Mark 1:29). There are also two women living there: Peter’s wife and mother-in-law (also see 1 Cor. 9:5). 
 
The mother-in-law is sick. High fever. But Jesus is there. Jesus bends over her, rebukes the fever. Jesus breaks her fever. Always a relief when fevers break. 
 
Jesus breaks her fever, takes her by the hand, helps her to her feet. When Jesus speaks, he breaks the will of demons, and they go out. When Jesus speaks, he breaks her fever.    

What does she do? She waits on them. She has no idea who she is waiting on. What these men will do. What they will see. What they will become. The Messiah and four fishermen who will become fishers of men, and apostles.
 
While Jesus has been healing the fever, news has been spreading about the demon. All these Jews at home on the Sabbath¾eating cold, kosher food¾talking about the synagogue. Talking about the demon. And the demon’s confession: “You are the Holy One of God.” Talking about Jesus and his power. 
 
 Sundown  [4:20]

And then the sun goes down. When the sun goes down, people leave their homes. The Sabbath is over. Let’s go out. Let’s go to Peter’s house. Let’s go see Jesus. We will take the sick. The possessed. Jesus has the power.

The people are coming. Lots of people. Bringing their diseases and disabilities, bringing demons.

Finally, at Peter’s house. They have come to the right place¾to the right man with the right power. I suppose the demons know what is going to happen. They must be terrified. When demons face Jesus, Jesus always wins!

Jesus did not disappoint. The whole town was at Peter’s door (1:33). Jesus laid his hands on them. They were healed. Each and every one. Demons came out. Shouting, “You are the Son of God.” Demons know Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus commands them and they obey. They come out, shrieking in the night, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” (Luke 4:41). 

At daybreak Jesus left to be alone and pray (Mark 1:35).

The Message in the Miracle? [6:28]
 
Listen to this for a minute. Do you ever ask yourself what is the meaning of this miracle? You read one of the parables of Jesus and I am sure you ask yourself what it means. You interpret parables. When you read a miracle of Jesus do you ask yourself what it means? Do you interpret miracles like you interpret parables? Well, we should. We must!
 
 Here is a definition of miracles. Baker’s Dictionary of Theology says a miracle is “a work God which functions as a word of God.” A miracle has a message from God. What is the message? How do we interpret this miracle and that miracle and another? 

Jesus was disappointed when his disciples did not understand his miracles. “When I fed the 5,000, twelve baskets of bread were left over. When I fed the 4,000, seven baskets were left over. Do you still not understand? Do you have eyes but fail to see? Do you have ears but fail to hear?” (Mark 8:17-21)

A miracle is a message from God. The Lord’s sermon. In the same way we ask what a parable means, we must ask what does this miracle mean? What is God saying to us? What does he want us to believe? What does he want us to do?

Now, what about this night in Capernaum? What is the message?

Moshe (Moses)  [9:14]

Do you know about Moshe? All these miracles in Capernaum¾together in one night¾reminds me of Moshe. Do you know Moshe? I will tell you.

Moshe was very, very close to God. There was never a prophet as close to God as Moshe. God spoke to other prophets in visions and dreams and riddles. We are impressed by the prophets having visions and dreams: Isaiah (Isa. 6:1-13), Daniel (Daniel 7), Ezekiel. A lot of prophets. A lot of dreams and visions and riddles.

But Moshe was not like the other prophets. God spoke to Moshe face to face. He saw the form of the Lord. The Lord talked with Moshe as men speak to a friend! (Num. 12:6-8; Ex. 33:8-11)

Isaiah was terrified (Isa. 6:5). Daniel was troubled and disturbed (Dan. 7:16).
But Moses was not disturbed. God talked to Moses like a man talks to a friend!

Moshe was also the greatest worker of miracles. Other prophets did miracles but not like Moshe. Moshe did more miracles. Powerful miracles. Divided the sea. Split rocks. Rivers in the desert. Bread from heaven. All celebrated in the Psalms. Maybe you have figured out that Moshe is the Hebrew name for Moses.

The bosom of the Father [11:42]
 
Would there ever be another prophet like Moses? Could there be? Yes. The Lord told Moses: “I will raise a prophet like you for the people.” A prophet like Moses! (Deut. 18:15-19). 

For centuries the Jews were looking for the Prophet. Waiting for the Prophet who would know God face to face like Moses. A prophet who would do signs and wonders, mighty power. Awesome deeds like Moses (Deut. 34:10-12).
 
Who is the Prophet who will talk face to face with God, like close friends? Who will do signs and wonders? Mighty power? Awesome deeds? Like Moses?  Who is the man? Where is the Prophet?
 
Not Elijah. Not Elisha. Not any of the major prophets. Not the minor prophets.
 
God spoke to these men in dreams and visions and riddles. But not face-to-face like he did with Moses. Some of these prophets did miracles. But not like Moses.
 
Then John was born. Zechariah was filled with the spirit of God and prophesied: “You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.” (Luke 1:67, 76)
 
Is this the man? Has the Prophet been born? Will John be face-to-face with God? The worker of powerful deeds like Moses? Is this the man?
 
They came to John at the Jordan River and asked, “Are you the Prophet?”
John said, “No.” (John 1:21)
John did not talk to God face-to-face.  John did not do any miracles. (John 10:41)
John was not the Prophet. John was a great prophet. But he was not the Prophet like Moses.
 
Who has face-to-face contact with God? You know who that is. From the Gospel of John: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the bosom of the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18)
 
Jesus is “in the bosom of the Father” (εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς) (John 1:18).
 
When Jews ate, they had a way of laying down on the floor. Low table. Kosher food. Your head would be right up between the arm and chest of someone else. Right there! You cannot get any closer. Became symbolic of a very close and intimate relationship.
 
Moses spoke with God face-to-face. But Jesus is in the very bosom of the Father.
 
God told Moses he would put his words in the Prophet’s mouth (Deut. 18:18). We never read that Jesus had visions and dreams. We don’t read about riddles. The Father loved Jesus and showed him everything he was doing (John 5:29). “No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father” (John 6:46).
 
God would speak clearly with the Prophet. God spoke clearly with Jesus.
 
Miracle Worker  [17:15]
 
Now, about miracles, mighty deeds, awesome wonders? On this night in Capernaum, Jesus did a lot of miracles.

I want to share this insight from John MacArthur. He made this observation. If you begin from the time of Jesus and go back 750 years to Isaiah, there is not a single healing miracle in the Bible. Not one!
 
If you begin from Isaiah and go back 1,500 years to the time of Abraham, you will find 20 healing miracles.
 
Then from Abraham back to Adam, zero. Not a single healing miracle. This all adds up to twenty healing miracles from the time of Adam until Jesus began his ministry in Galilee.

Thank you, John MacArthur. Great insight. (John MacArthur, “Jesus: The Divine Healer, Part 1”)
 
On this night at Peter’s house Jesus did more healing miracles than all the prophets combined. From Adam until Jesus began preaching. More in one night than were done in all Jewish history. And Jesus will have more days like this one (Mark 3:7-11; 6:53-56).

Jesus had face-to-face contact with God. Clear communication from the Father. Jesus performed a lot of signs and wonders. Mighty power and awesome deeds. Like Moses! (Deut. 34:10-12)

The Jews in Capernaum have found the Prophet like Moses. He is at the fisherman’s house. Healing the sick and casting out demons.

Later in his miracle-working ministry, Jesus will feed 5,000 with bread. Jesus will multiply the loaves and fish. After everyone has eaten, Jesus’ disciples will take up twelve baskets of bread which were left over. After the people see the miracle they will say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” (John 6:14)
 
Did Jesus do miracles like Moses? Yes. Moses fed the people with manna-bread from heaven. Jesus multiplied the loaves. Food for 5,000. The people began to say, “Surely, this is the Prophet.” 
 
Yes, he is. They were right: Jesus is the Prophet. On the next morning, Jesus left with his disciples to go to other villages. “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” (Luke 4:43) 
 
The Prophet preaches in the synagogues. Jesus has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). The Messiah has come.