It Is Written
Luke 4:1-13
Key verse 8
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Introduction:
In this passage there are three temptations from the devil. Each one can be a fatal blow to each person for it is real temptation for human beings. Jesus who is the creator God designed and produced human beings according to God’s will. Jesus set an example in being a perfect human being to overcome three temptations. May the Lord help us to follow his footstep and be a conqueror in any situations. Amen.
1. Read verses 1 - 2. What happens to Jesus when he left the Jordan? (1a) Where does the Spirit lead Jesus to? (1b) Why do you think Jesus is tempted for 40 days? (2a) What does Jesus do for this time? (2b)
1.1 Read verses 1 - 2.
1Jesus, 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.
1.2 What happens to Jesus when he left the Jordan? (1a)
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit”
Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit
In the previous chapter (v 21), Jesus was baptized by John the baptist.
God says, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
When Jesus began his ministry, he could have gone to the palace of Herod to claim his kingship.
However Jesus follows the ways of His Father.
1.3 Where does the Spirit lead Jesus to? (1b)
“was led by the Spirit into the wilderness”
Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit
We may wonder the reason why he was led by the Spirit in the desert when he was about to begin his earthly ministry.
The temptation of Jesus took place “in the wilderness.”
It is also in the wilderness that John the Baptist grew up and ministered. (1:80; 3:3-4)
The “wilderness” setting can be compared to the situation of the nation Israel which wandered in the wilderness with God’s purpose to make them holy through trainings.
The Israelites failed in the wilderness.
Adam and Eve also failed in the perfect place called the garden of Eden.
Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
1.4 Why do you think Jesus is tempted for 40 days? (2a)
“where for forty days he was tempted by the devil”
Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days
This verses shows the reason why Jesus had to be there.
It was not for his vacation to avoid the crazy people, but to help them fundamentally.
Jesus went out to the wilderness to confront Satan and returned back with victory.
Israel was in the wilderness 40 years, even as our Lord was in the wilderness for 40 days.
The Israelites were hungry in the desert as Jesus did. In both cases God was testing man.
In the case of Israel, they also put God to the test, demanding to be fed, and doubting and sometimes threatening their leader to return to Egypt.
However, Jesus fulfilled the will of God at the same situation where Israel had failed.
1.5 What does Jesus do for this time? (2b)
“He ate nothing during those days”
Jesus’ hunger in the wilderness was self-imposed.
If there were “wild beasts” around, it would have been possible for our Lord to have killed some of them to eat, or at least to have eaten locusts and wild honey, like John the Baptist (Matt. 3:4). But he did not.
Even in His temptation our Lord is in control, not Satan.
While Satan sought to undermine our Lord’s mission, God sought to underline it by having the Son of God emerge sinless as the second and last Adam
Just as Adam brought sin upon the entire race, so the victory of Christ made salvation available to all who are in Him (cf. Rom. 5:12-21).
Likewise we may wonder what would be the meaning and purpose of our solitary struggle to keep our faith in this world.
However we may live by faith through Jesus who opened the door for us to a victorious life by overcoming temptations.
2. Read verses 3 - 4. What does the devil say to Jesus? (3) Why do you think this could become a temptation for Jesus? How does Jesus answer? (4) What do you think we can learn from this?
2.1 Read verses 3 - 4.
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 alone.’”
2.2 What does the devil say to Jesus? (3)
The temptations are arranged according to moral order: first, physical desire; second, worldly fame; third, spiritual subtlety.
“If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
2.3 Why do you think this could become a temptation for Jesus?
Because Jesus was hungry.
Jesus has been fasting for forty days. He has a human body.
In verse 2, “he was hungry”. After such a long fast, hunger probably points to a critical need for food. Jesus is beginning to starve to death.
Because Jesus is the Son of God
The devil attacked Jesus’ identity, saying that “If you are the Son of God”.
The devil isn't expressing doubt about Jesus' identity. Instead, He challenges Jesus to display His identity.
“tell this stone to become bread.”
The devil entices Jesus to use the power of God for his own purpose.
In Genesis 3:6 Satan tempted the first man and woman to eat “from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”.
Satan tempted them to commit sins.
In the same way the devil attacks the second Adam, Jesus.
The devil appeals to a legitimate desire within Jesus (the desire to eat and survive).
The devil suggests that Jesus fulfill this legitimate desire in an illegitimate way.
2.4 How does Jesus answer? (4)
“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
Jesus counter the devil’s suggestion with Scripture (Dt 8:3).
What the devil’s temptation looked reasonable.
But, what “is written” is the principle of life. Jesus reminded the devil of Biblical truth, that “every word of God” is more important than physical bread itself.
Jesus fought this battle as a man. Jesus relied on the words in the Bible to battle against the devil’s temptation.
Jesus is hungry, but full of the Spirit.
Sometimes we are full of stomach but empty of the Spirit!
2.5 What do you think we can learn from this?
We effectively resist temptation in the same way Jesus did.
By countering devil’s seductive lies by shining the light of God's truth upon them.
If we are ignorant of God's truth, we are poorly armed in the fight.
Jesus quotes from the scripture, “Man shall not live on bread alone.”
Jesus is a creator God who made human beings together with both His Father and the Spirit.
The original purpose of creating His best creature, human being is to be like God instead of being cursed with animal desires to eat three meals a day.
Human being must live for the glory of God as originally created, not for his stomach.
Jesus is showing us his example about what the normal human being is all about without a compromise.
3. Read verses 5 - 8. What does the devil do? (5) What does the devil say to him? (6-7)Why do you think this could become a temptation for Jesus? How does Jesus answer? (8) What do you think we can learn from this?
3.1 Read verses 5 - 8.
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.’”
3.2 What does the devil do? (5)
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
3.3 What does the devil say to him? (6-7)
“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.”
3.4 Why do you think this could become a temptation for Jesus?
Jesus came to win “the kingdoms of the world”
The devil knew that what Jesus had to do, and offered Jesus to win without going to the cross.
The devil suggested that he can “give” it to Jesus, if Jesus would “worship” the devil.
“It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.”
Satan claims that authority over the earth's kingdoms was “given” to him, and Jesus never challenges the statement.
For, in Genesis 1 God gave man authority over the earth, but Adam and his descendants have forfeited it over to Satan.
Satan is the temporary ruler of the world (John 12:31) and the prince of the power the air (Ep 2:2)
“If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
This is a very tempting offer for Jesus in that Jesus is a promising young man who just began his earthly ministry.
Jesus must have tempted to choose this easy shortcut by compromising with the current ruler of the earth.
This is exactly opposite from God’s plan.
God’s plan for Jesus was for Him to suffer first, then enter His glory (Luke 24:25-27). But, Devil offered this to Jesus now, without taking cross on the cross.
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
What a shortcut or easy way it is offered to Jesus!
3.5 How does Jesus answer? (8)
“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Jesus counters Devil’s deception again with the word of God. (Dt 6:13)
It might have tempted Jesus to avoid the cross, but Jesus affirms to Himself by saying “worship the Lord your God” and serve “Him only.”
3.6 What do you think we can learn from this?
In resisting these temptations as a man, Jesus proved that the first Adam did not have to commit sin.
There is no excuse because Jesus faced the temptation in the far worse condition than that of the first Adam. Jesus never sinned. Adam failed, but Jesus recovered.
“Worship the Lord your God” means to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and with all your strength.
“Serve Him only” means to seek God’s approval and recognition only.
Jesus set a good example in loving the Lord wholeheartedly and seeking God’s approval.
Also Jesus set a good example in following God’s way instead of easy and short way.
4. Read verses 9 - 13. What does the devil do then? (9-11) Why do you think this could become a temptation for Jesus? How does Jesus answer? (12) What do you think we can learn from this? What do you think about the devil’s timing in tempting Jesus? (13) Why is it important for Jesus to overcome all temptations?
4.1 Read verses 9 - 13.
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.’” 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
4.2 What does the devil do then? (9-11)
“The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.”
Devil took Jesus to a prominent, high place. From this wall surrounding the temple mount, it was hundreds of feet to the rocky valley floor below.
“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.”
Devil could not himself throw Jesus off the pinnacle of the temple. He could do no more than suggest, so he must ask Jesus to throw Himself down.
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.’”
This time, the Devil knows and quotes Scripture in his temptation (Psalm 91:11-12).
When Devil says, "For it is written" it reminds us that Devil knows the Bible well. He knows how to twist Scriptures out of their context.
4.3 Why do you think this could become a temptation for Jesus?
The devil’s intention behind this third one is to tempt Jesus to perform a show.
He persuades him to find a more efficient and easy way to fulfill his Messianic ministry instead of denying himself to take up his cross to obey the will of God for world salvation.
God made man to work hard for the glory of God and for their happiness.
Again there is no easy way!
God’s way is the way of cross.
This is the God’s chosen way to save all mankinds.
Jesus knew that he came to this world to suffer, die on the cross.
The devil keeps saying, “No, No.” Jesus keeps saying, “Yes, Yes.”
Jesus is a ‘yes’ man.
4.4 How does Jesus answer? (12)
“It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Jesus answered Devil’s misuse of Scripture with the proper use of the Bible, quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16.
Jesus understood from His knowledge of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) that devil was "twisting" this passage from Psalm 91. Jesus knew how to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
4.5 What do you think we can learn from this?
If we want the devil to leave us alone for a while, we must continually resist him. Many are so attacked because they hardly resist.
We should be alert always and filled with the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth.
Also we must trust in the Lord and His words instead of being persuaded with false messages.
Let us pray to put trust in the Lord to the end in this earthly journey.
4.6 What do you think about the devil’s timing in tempting Jesus? (13)
“When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”
When the devil saw that he couldn't get anywhere, he left for a while. The devil will always seek to come back at an opportune time, so we should never give him the opportunity by taking holding of the words of God..
4.7 Why is it important for Jesus to overcome all temptations?
Jesus resisted these temptations because He was walking in the Word and in the Holy Spirit.
As second Adam Jesus has conquered all temptations.
In conclusion:
Jesus defeated Satan’s temptations through obedience to the word of God. Each time he was tempted, Jesus quoted a word from the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus is the Son of God who is approved by God. However he humbly used the word of God as his unique weapon. Jesus trusted in the word of God as the absolute truth. Praise Jesus who set a good example for us to overcome the temptations of the devil and opened the new and perfect way to win the victory over our enemies. Amen.
One word: It is written!
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