Luke

By Joyce Webb 2019

Chapter 4     Vs. 5-13

Jesus has been in the wilderness for 40 days—-he is being “tested” and tempted by Satan.

Satan is trying to get Jesus show off his Divine godly strength and power—just for Jesus to satisfy his hunger.

Jesus did not yield to that temptation.

Vs. 5 Satan leads Jesus up high into the mountains. When Jesus looks down—he can see the country for miles and miles.

Satan tells Jesus—that if Jesus would worship Satan—Satan would give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.

God the Father gave Satan the right to be the ruler of this world

John 14: 30, John 12:31-33., John 16:11

Someday—when Jesus returns to earth—Jesus will rule as King over all the earth—Satan will be bound in darkness for 1,000 years.

Then Satan will be let out for a short time, he will tempt people to sin and do wrong—-for that short time.

Then Satan will stir people up to have a big war-battle. Then Jesus will win that battle and Satan will be thrown into hell forever.

So when Satan said that he would make Jesus the king of all the world—Satan could have done that. Satan could have made things happened that Jesus would have been the king of all nations.

Jesus did not fall for this temptation.

Jesus was human and had the same feelings and desires that every man had.

Men (people) like to have respect and power and have everyone know who they are. This is the pride of life.

Men of this world —do all kinds of bad things to get power and to be famous.

Jesus was also God. He knew who he was. He knew that Satan could make him the king of all the world. Jesus knew that someday, God was going to make Jesus the king of the world.

It was not time for Jesus to be king.

Satan did not want Jesus to go to the cross and die for people’s sin.

Satan wanted to get Jesus “off track” of what Jesus was suppose to be doing here on earth.

But Jesus did not fall for this temptation. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13, and 10: 20. It says that we should worship only God in heaven and no other.

Vs. 9 Satan brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, —-he took him up high on the building.

Satan said to Jesus to thrown himself down—God would catch him or keep him from getting hurt. Satan said—the angels watch over you—they will keep you from getting hurt.

This was a temptation to get Jesus to test and see if God would protect him. To see if God would use His power to keep his Son from getting hurt.

Jesus did not fall for this temptation. Jesus knew that it was not wise and good sense to do something dangerous and foolish—-just to see if God would protect you.

Jesus quoted a verse from Deuteronomy 6:16.

It is talking about the time the people of Israel (Hebrew people) were in the wilderness, and they had no water.

They began to complain against God—saying that He had left them to die of thirst in the wilderness.

God made a miracle happen. God told Moses to hit the rock and God made water come out of it. It flowed down into a small stream of water, so the people could drink.

God was not pleased with the Hebrew people—because they doubted that He would take care of them. They complained that God was not taking care of them. They said that God was not watching and seeing their need.

This made God angry with them. God was testing the people to see if they would trust Him—but they did not—they just started complaining against God—-saying God had “failed” them.

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We often do the same thing. When God puts us in a place where we have to trust him for help —-instead of trusting him—-we start complaining against him —-that he does not care and is not seeing our need.

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Another way we “tempt God” is by doing things that we know are dangerous and foolish.

For Jesus to thrown himself down off of a high building—-is foolish.

God has the power to protect us—-but if —we decided to do foolish and do dangerous things—God may just let the “consequences” happen. After all–we knew it was foolish and dangerous—but we did it anyway.

I think of people who go to see the Grand Canyon. There are signs everywhere that say—do not stand near the edge.

Every year there are people who ignore the signs—-they stand on the edge to take pictures—they slip—or someone –for a joke—gives them a little push ——they fall to the bottom and are killed.

That is called “tempting God” —–to protect us—– when we should have done the wise thing.

Sometimes–we do things and we do not know they are dangerous.

God often shows mercy to us and keeps us from harm.

Vs. 13 After this temptation—Satan went away and did not bother Jesus for a time. Satan would tempt Jesus again. Satan never gives up. He is always trying to get people to sin and do wrong.