Crumbs from the Master ‘s Table 60
The Lord Jesus Christ (according to Luke)
Scripture Luke 4:1-12 NIV Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread one.’ 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’
In Luke’s gospel the second temptation is at a high place where all the nations of the world can be seen. The concern for other nations in our Lord’s ministry disturbed the Jews .. Historically the word was especially revealed to them but our Lord’s love extends to all of humanity. This was not a sudden switch in divine policy but is revealed throughout prophecy. It was always been there in Scripture.
Let’s not spend too much time on Satan. In John 8:44. Jesus teaches us that the evil one is a liar. Were the nations Satan’s to give? He saysChrist may have the nations if Christ worships him. Christ loves the nations and this was a temptation to have them without the cross. The temptations are about who Jesus is and his destiny of dying for the world The argument that follows is about worship. God alone is to be worshiped. Folk need God and it is sad to see the alternatives they have created. In His resisting these temptations Jesus has taught us we should feed on the Word. We must not see what we can get away in our relationship with God but our adoration must be God’s alone. Only Christ fulfilled these challenges and thereby became the Saviour of the world
Questions1. In what ways does Satan deceive our current generation? 2. To what are we tempted to give the worship that should be God’s ? 3. What do we learn about bearing trials and resisting temptation from this passage ?
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