Luke 4 opened with the temptation of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is one Luke gospel that I have read over and again and there is so much to learn from Christ here, but let us remember where we ended our studies in Luke 3. The baptism of Christ came with a spiritual endorsement from heaven that he now has the power to reign and rule as the son of God. This was followed by his genealogy which establishes for us his right to reign by reason of his historical lineage. He was the Son of David as he was also the Son of Adam! Now in Luke 4, the victory of Christ over the temptations that came his way is that he has the character to rule and reign as the son of God!
Christ's temptation was the necessary test before his announcement! Because in Luke 4:18, Christ announced himself and his mission to the world, but before that announcement came there was a temptation to be overcome! Luke 4 is, therefore, the book of temptation and manifestation. As soon as Jesus' temptation was over the Bible tells us what happen next, the Son of the man returned in the power of the Spirit and began his ministry!
Luke 4:14 gave a summary of all that will begin to happen from here forward,
"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about."
Immediately his temptation was over his manifestation began. It seems to be the experience of the Lord in Luke 4 was summarised by these words in the book of Job
"But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10).
Immediately the master was tried, his glorious destiny began to emerge! There is also a new testament parallel for this scripture found in James 1:12, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him"
Christ received his crown as soon as the temptation was over and began to reign as King. He began to enter into the fullness God's plan and purpose for His life! Could it then be said that every temptation in whatever shade they come is a distraction from our mission? For as soon as this initial temptation was over Jesus begin to step into his ministry. Summarily, whatever distracts us from God's plan and purpose for our lives is a temptation in itself! It's the reason why the Lord's prayer becomes more all-important, "and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil". Let's pause here and read Luke 4:1-3
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it is made bread"
WHAT IS TEMPTATION?
The temptation took place in the wilderness. The Spirit led him into the wilderness. The scripture before asks us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation". By this point, it should be obvious to you where this is going? Why did God lead his Son into temptation when the Son said we should pray not to be led into temptation? To answer this it will be good to define generally what temptation is or should I say to define temptation from both Satan and God's perspective because from scriptures both sides seem to hold a different view.
The temptation is, on the one hand, a solicitation to sin, to do that which is contrary to the will and the word of God. The temptation is an attempt to cause a person to sin. Satan’s efforts at temptation always fall into this category. But “temptation” when viewed from God’s point of view is a “test,” an opportunity for one to be proven righteous. Thus, in the case of Job ( especially chapters 1 and 2) Satan sought to bring Job to the point of forsaking his faith, to the point of sinning, but God’s purpose was to deepen Job’s faith, as well as to demonstrate to Satan that Job’s love for God was not based upon the material blessings which God bestowed upon him
Job 1:8 said
"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?"
What God did here with Job was the same thing God did with his son in Luke 4, it was more an act of 'consideration'. It was like God saying to Satan 'have you considered my Son Jesus?'. With this temptation, God has one thing in my mind about his Son, the validation of his Sonship and his readiness to pursue the ultimate plan that has been put in place from the foundation of the world to put Satan in his place!
Read full blog post here UNDERSTANDING CHRIST: A Look through The Book of Luke - Luke 4
Christ's temptation was the necessary test before his announcement! Because in Luke 4:18, Christ announced himself and his mission to the world, but before that announcement came there was a temptation to be overcome! Luke 4 is, therefore, the book of temptation and manifestation. As soon as Jesus' temptation was over the Bible tells us what happen next, the Son of the man returned in the power of the Spirit and began his ministry!
Luke 4:14 gave a summary of all that will begin to happen from here forward,
"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about."
Immediately his temptation was over his manifestation began. It seems to be the experience of the Lord in Luke 4 was summarised by these words in the book of Job
"But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10).
Immediately the master was tried, his glorious destiny began to emerge! There is also a new testament parallel for this scripture found in James 1:12, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him"
Christ received his crown as soon as the temptation was over and began to reign as King. He began to enter into the fullness God's plan and purpose for His life! Could it then be said that every temptation in whatever shade they come is a distraction from our mission? For as soon as this initial temptation was over Jesus begin to step into his ministry. Summarily, whatever distracts us from God's plan and purpose for our lives is a temptation in itself! It's the reason why the Lord's prayer becomes more all-important, "and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil". Let's pause here and read Luke 4:1-3
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it is made bread"
WHAT IS TEMPTATION?
The temptation took place in the wilderness. The Spirit led him into the wilderness. The scripture before asks us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation". By this point, it should be obvious to you where this is going? Why did God lead his Son into temptation when the Son said we should pray not to be led into temptation? To answer this it will be good to define generally what temptation is or should I say to define temptation from both Satan and God's perspective because from scriptures both sides seem to hold a different view.
The temptation is, on the one hand, a solicitation to sin, to do that which is contrary to the will and the word of God. The temptation is an attempt to cause a person to sin. Satan’s efforts at temptation always fall into this category. But “temptation” when viewed from God’s point of view is a “test,” an opportunity for one to be proven righteous. Thus, in the case of Job ( especially chapters 1 and 2) Satan sought to bring Job to the point of forsaking his faith, to the point of sinning, but God’s purpose was to deepen Job’s faith, as well as to demonstrate to Satan that Job’s love for God was not based upon the material blessings which God bestowed upon him
Job 1:8 said
"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?"
What God did here with Job was the same thing God did with his son in Luke 4, it was more an act of 'consideration'. It was like God saying to Satan 'have you considered my Son Jesus?'. With this temptation, God has one thing in my mind about his Son, the validation of his Sonship and his readiness to pursue the ultimate plan that has been put in place from the foundation of the world to put Satan in his place!
Read full blog post here UNDERSTANDING CHRIST: A Look through The Book of Luke - Luke 4