Luke 4
The Accuser challenges Jesus
Full of the Sacred Ambition, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led into the wilderness by the Ambition for 40 days where he was enticed by the accuser. He didn’t eat at all that entire time, so he was famished by the time it was over. The accuser told him,
“If you really are God’s son, then tell this rock to become bread.”
But Jesus replied,
“It is written that bread isn’t the only thing man should live on.”
Then he led him to the pinnacle of Jerusalem’s temple and told him,
“If you really are God’s son then jump off of here because it is written ‘He will instruct his messengers to protect you’ and ‘they will lift you up so your feet won’t even stumble on the rocks.’”
Jesus answered,
“It’s also said, ‘You shouldn’t test your God the Ruler.’”
When the accuser had finished challenging him, he left waiting for a more opportune time.
So the Ambition powered Jesus as he returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout that entire district. He started teaching in their churches and everyone loved him.
Jesus gets expelled from his hometown
Then he went back to his hometown, Nazareth. He went to church on the Sabbath like he always did and stood up to read. The book of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him, so he hoped it up and read the passage that says,
“The Ruler’s Ambition is upon me, because he chose me to proclaim good news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives, and sight to the blind. He sent me to free the oppressed and announce the Ruler’s favorite time.
Then he closed the book, handed it back to the attendant and sat down as everyone stared at him. Then he told them
“Today this scripture has been fulfilled right in front of you.”
Everyone spoke well of him and wondered what he meant, asking themselves, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” And he told them,
“You probably feel like telling me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself!’ because you want me to do the same thing I did in Capernaum here in my hometown too. But the truth is that prophets are never welcomed in their hometowns. People don’t realize how many widows there were in Israel when Elijah was here and there was the severe famine because it didn’t rain for 6 months. Yet Elijah didn’t get sent to any of them; he only got sent to one woman in Zarephath, Sidon. And even though there were plenty of people with skin diseases right here in Israel, Elisha only got sent to Naaman in Syria.”
Then everyone in the building was filled with rage as they heard that. They stood up and drove him out of the city, bringing him to the edge of the cliff intending to throw him off it. But he passed through their midst and went on his way.
Jesus heals people in Capernaum
Then he went to Capernaum (in Galilee) where he taught on the Sabbath, and everyone there was amazed at his message because he taught with authority. In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the ambition of an impure supernatural being. He loudly cried out
“Leave us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus from Nazareth? Did you come here to eradicate us? I know who you are! You’re God’s Sacred One!”
But Jesus addressed him, saying
“Don’t say another word, and come out of him!”
And then the supernatural being threw the man down in the middle of everyone and came out of him without harming him. Everyone stood in amazement as they started talking amongst themselves saying,
“What kind of philosophy is this? He gives orders to impure supernatural beings and they come out.”
And the news about him continued to spread all throughout the surrounding districts.
Then he got up, left the church, and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law had a high fever, so they asked him to help her. He stood over her, reprimanded the fever, and it left her. She got right up and started serving them.
By sunset, everyone was bringing sick people with all kinds of diseases to him. He placed his hands on each one of them and healed them. Evil ambitions came out of many of them, shouting “You are God’s son!” But he scolded them, forbidding them to speak because they said that he was the Chosen One.
Jesus speaks throughout Judea
The next day Jesus left and went to a secluded place. The crowds looked for him and when they eventually found him, they tried convincing him to stay, but he said,
“I need to proclaim God’s dominion to the other cities too, because that’s the whole reason why I was sent here.”
So he kept on preaching in the churches throughout Judea.