Jesus continues to display authority, this time the authority reaches over the Sabbath and over fasting. He sees a great teaching moment and digs into the heart of the meaning of both of these practices, to the frustration of the Pharisees.

Jesus comes to Matthew (also called Levi) and finds him sitting collecting sins. Jesus effectually calls him out of his complacency life of sin. Matthew responds in faith and repentance. He hosts a great feast to honor Jesus and bring more sinners to Him to call. The religious people of the day were offended that Jesus would spend His time with such despicable people. Jesus is the sovereign physician that only came to heal the broken souls. As followers of Jesus, we are called to seek out these broken souls and love them by sharing meals and Christ with them.

Jesus demonstrates authority over ALL THINGS, and today shows His authority over sin as He offers forgiveness. This will become a sticking point for the religious leaders of His day.

The power of Jesus is on full display. But the power of Jesus is more in His TEACHING than in His healing of people. He speaks with authority. Today’s text demonstrates this truth.

Luke’s recording of the beginning of the earthly ministry of Jesus becomes a microcosm of the entire earthly ministry of Jesus. He preaches, there’s talk of signs and wonders, there’s angry religious elite, and there’s a rejection of the Messiah.

Temptations are attractive. You aren’t tempted by things that don’t seem like they’ll make your life better and more comfortable. But sinful temptations disguise themselves as providing this while destroying you. Jesus was tempted but overcame. And we can do the same.

The genealogy of Jesus is fascinating for a variety of reasons. But we see in Luke 3 that it started with God and ended with God. As does all things. Look at how God uses a supporting cast of well-known men, and men that we know nothing about, to bring about His perfect plan of redemption.

Jesus meets His cousin John the Baptist at the Jordan river to hear him proclaim the gospel and be baptized. We learn from John the proper way to explain the gospel. We also heed John’s warning to repent and explain the ways to examine our faith. When Jesus is baptized we see that the Father sends the Holy Spirit in an act of pleasure for His Son. This is similar to the way that Triune God loves us as His children.

John the Baptist’s message of repentance was so incredibly necessary for the preparation of the ministry of Jesus. He doesn’t hold back, and his sermon is life changing for those who submitted to it.

The boy Jesus stayed in the temple to learn from the religious leaders. Little did they know that they were in the presence of the Messiah. Jesus reminds His parents that he is about His Father’s business, thus reminding all of us that the mission of Jesus is profound!