Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
--Luke 4:1-2 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on July 22, 2013 of Psalm 119:153-160; Luke 4:1-13; 2 Chronicles 6:12-7.
Luke tells us that Jesus was about 30 years old when He began His ministry (Luke 3:23). Now earlier, Luke assures us that his chronicle of Jesus' life is given in chronological order (Luke 1:1-4). So with his being an orderly and ordered account, we can surmise that Jesus began His ministry on earth just after being baptized by John, the son of Zacharias and Jesus' kinsman through His mother Mary. After leaving the Jordan River, where the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and filled Him, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness region near Jericho. There, Luke tells us, Satan tempted Jesus for forty days! Sometimes when reading the Gospel accounts it may seem that the devil's efforts were too brief or meaningless to mention (as in Mark 1:12-13), or that he only offered three lures to Jesus (as in Matthew 4:1-13 or what follows in Luke 4:3-13). No, Luke clues us in to the fact that Jesus had to withstand far more temptation than that. For forty days Satan poked at Jesus, whispering in His ear, pestering Him, tormenting Him. For forty days the devil tried to turn our Lord away from the path He knew He had to walk. For His part, Jesus fasted and prayed and ignored the devil's bait.
God sent His Son to man as a mere baby, born in the inglorious setting of a stable, laid down to sleep in a straw-lined feeding trough. God's Word was given flesh and made into a man, not that God could know how man feels, for God knows all, but so man could better identify with God. Just like we have to daily endure the temptations Satan offers and the stumbling blocks he lays in our path, so did Jesus. But unlike us, Jesus resisted every one of Satan's attempts. Knowing full well that this was the Son of God, Satan attacked Jesus for forty days because He was the ultimate prize. If he could cause Jesus to sin, then he would completely thwart God's plan for the redemption of man. He would disqualify the Savior and man could not be saved so would be lost forever. Instead, he was foiled. Remember that it was the Holy Spirit that led Jesus into the wilderness, knowing perfectly what was to come. God took a huge chance giving Satan the prime opportunity to do his worst. But Jesus could not be turned. Christ remained sinless, guaranteeing our redemption and salvation if we but believe.
We don't possess all the resources of Jesus, but we do have Jesus and God's Holy Spirit within us. He will help us resist Satan just as He resisted if we only turn to Him for help. And if we fail, if we fall prey to the devil's allure, Christ allows us to repent and turn back to Him and our merciful Father will forgive us. The devil may not ever give up on us in this life, like He finally gave up on Jesus and left Him alone, but neither will Jesus give up on us. And with His strength we can resist all temptations. Amen.
O Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily Bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
God sent His Son to man as a mere baby, born in the inglorious setting of a stable, laid down to sleep in a straw-lined feeding trough. God's Word was given flesh and made into a man, not that God could know how man feels, for God knows all, but so man could better identify with God. Just like we have to daily endure the temptations Satan offers and the stumbling blocks he lays in our path, so did Jesus. But unlike us, Jesus resisted every one of Satan's attempts. Knowing full well that this was the Son of God, Satan attacked Jesus for forty days because He was the ultimate prize. If he could cause Jesus to sin, then he would completely thwart God's plan for the redemption of man. He would disqualify the Savior and man could not be saved so would be lost forever. Instead, he was foiled. Remember that it was the Holy Spirit that led Jesus into the wilderness, knowing perfectly what was to come. God took a huge chance giving Satan the prime opportunity to do his worst. But Jesus could not be turned. Christ remained sinless, guaranteeing our redemption and salvation if we but believe.
We don't possess all the resources of Jesus, but we do have Jesus and God's Holy Spirit within us. He will help us resist Satan just as He resisted if we only turn to Him for help. And if we fail, if we fall prey to the devil's allure, Christ allows us to repent and turn back to Him and our merciful Father will forgive us. The devil may not ever give up on us in this life, like He finally gave up on Jesus and left Him alone, but neither will Jesus give up on us. And with His strength we can resist all temptations. Amen.
O Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily Bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
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