Fri Sep 25

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words teaching, preach, and preaching.

Reading

Luke 4:31-44—Granting the Lord’s Favor

Optional Reading

Mark 1:21–28

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

Jesus showed what God’s favor looks like.
Jesus demonstrated His absolute authority.
Jesus preached good news of God’s kingdom.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

How did Jesus demonstrate God’s favor?
How does Jesus demonstrate God’s favor today?
What is the kingdom of God?

Catechism

(1 Q&A each week related to the preaching text)

WSC #31

What is effectual calling?

Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

(2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Acts 2:37; Acts 26:18; Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 6:44-45; Philippians 2:13)

Notes

(See Saturday for authors.)

After telling what the Father had given Jesus to do, He began doing it. Demons oppressing people were cast out. Sickness was healed. Good news was preached. All of these demonstrated Jesus’s authority. Authority in his preaching and teaching. Authority over sickness. Authority over demons.

Even though Jesus is God the Son, He was helped by God the Holy Spirit (Lu 4:18) and by God the Father. In the middle of His busy ministry He Got away to a desolate place. He did this often to pray (Lu 5:16).

Then He heads out to keep preaching to others. And His preaching is preaching the good news of the kingdom of God. Over thirty times Luke speaks of the kingdom of God. Hendriksen draws this definition from Luke’s speaking of the kingdom: God’s kingship, rule or sovereignty, recognized in the hearts and operative in the lives of his people, and effecting their complete salvation, their constitution as a church, and finally a redeemed universe.

This rule of God by His appointed King, Jesus, is good news!

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 72a, 119v

Prayer

Pray that God’s kingdom will come, on earth as it is in heaven.
Pray for the hearing of God’s Word preached this Lord’s Day’s.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.