The God and His Family Series consists of 16 episodes. In the New Testament, one of the most common descriptions of God and his people is that of a family. This series is designed to talk about that relationship in detail.
Jesus introduced the concept that God is three spirits in one – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. From that terminology, God is a family.
Jesus and the New Testament writers often use family terms to describe the relationship between God and his people. They draw on relationships such as: father, children, sons and daughters, and adopted sons and daughters. These relationships not only imbue privileges, but also confer responsibilities.
It’s hard to see in English but Jesus sometimes refers to God as his Father and sometimes as “Daddy.” Part of the Good News of Jesus is that God can also be our Father and Daddy.
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Luke 4:31-32 tells of Jesus arrival in Capernaum. This is likely the time when he decides to make Capernaum his base of operations. He teaches in the synagogue on the Sabbath, and the people are amazed at his teaching. Luke 4:33 says there was a man possessed by a demon in the synagogue, with a possible implication that he spent enough time in the synagogue the people were familiar with him. When Jesus heals the man, the reputation of Jesus spreads quickly.
From the synagogue, Jesus walked to the home of Simon Peter, where Simon Peter’s mother-in-law suffered from a high fever. Jesus healed her and she immediately began to serve Jesus and his colleagues. Many readers stop the story here, but a very important part continues in Luke 4:40.
Remember that this story happens on the Sabbath when people are supposed to be resting. The Sabbath ends at sundown on Saturday. What would you expect to happen then? “At sunset the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.” Everyone! He healed each one! What a celebration there must have been. An example of what was to come. The following verses indicate Jesus may have healed people all night long. How did Jesus have enough energy to do this? Peter’s mother-in-law had fed him and allowed him to rest!
