LUKE LESSON 9

    We will begin this lesson in Luke 4:1 "And Jesus being full of the
Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness,"

    Jesus had just been baptized in the Jordan River by John the
Baptist. The Holy Ghost had descended on Him at His baptism. We
see, here, that He was full of the Holy Ghost. Jesus was led by the
Spirit of God into the wilderness. Spirit is capitalized which means
this is God's Spirit. The Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness was
so that He could face all the temptations of life. We see in Hebrews
2:17-18, that this temptation would be so that He could better
understand our temptations and be more sympathetic.

    Luke 4:2 "Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days
he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered."

    "Forty", throughout the Bible, is symbolic of time of testing,
Forty days and nights it rained on Noah. Forty days and nights Moses
was on the mount to receive the Ten Commandments. Forty days and
nights Goliath challenged Israel before David accepted the challenge.
Forty days and nights the children of Israel searched out the promised
land and wandered 40 years in the wilderness to compensate for their
40 days of unbelief. Mothers were purified after giving birth to a son
on the 40th day. Jesus ministered 40 days and nights after
resurrection to the time He was carried away into heaven. There are so
many other 40's such as David. Saul, and Solomon each reigned 40
years. I think the point is made. We, also, see that Jesus fasted
completely. A fast consists of total separation from worldly things.
Food and drink are just a part of a fast. Jesus didn't drink juice or
anything to sustain Him. This fast was total. At the end of this fast,
He was hungry.

    Luke 4:3 "And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God,
command this stone that it be made bread."

    Just as the old devil asked Eve. "Did God say?"; he says to Jesus
here. "if thou be the Son of God". He tries to plant a doubt. He spoke
to Jesus' weakness at the moment, because we just read that Jesus was
hungry. Jesus could command the stone, and it be made bread; but He
didn't. Whether the devil was standing there in visible form or not. I
cannot tell. In fact, it really doesn't matter. this temptation is
real. I really think the devil already knows Jesus is the Son of God,
but just wants Jesus to doubt. He will do that to us, also, if we will
listen.

    Luke 4:4 "And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."

    Jesus is very smart. He answers the devil with the Word of God. He
says, "It is written". Jesus is the Bread, He is the Word, He is the
Life. He is really saying that you have to have Jesus to have life.
Eating from the Holy Bible, the Word of God, every day is much more
important than physical food. If you do without physical food, the
worst thing that can happen to you is your body will die; but if you
do not consume the Word of God. Your spirit will die. God fills our
inner man when we read His Word.

    Luke 4:5 "And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain,
shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time."

    This possibly is just trying to tempt Jesus to receive the world
as His possession without going by the way of the cross. A temptation
usually is an area where we have a desire. Jesus does have a desire to
have all the people of the world to follow Him. The Lord Jesus knew
that He would rule the world. When He returns, He will be Lord of
lords and King of kings.

    Luke 4:6 "And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give
thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to
whomsoever I will I give it."

    Adam turned his power over to Satan when he and Eve sinned in the
garden, Satan does have power on the earth. but it is limited. Jesus
defeated him on the cross. The Christians have power over Satan in the
name of Jesus. The people who are not believers cannot use Jesus name
to fight the devil.

    Luke 4:7 "If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."

    Of course, this is the biggest lie ever told. The devil has no
reason to ever tell the truth.

    Luke 4:8 "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind
me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve."

    The very first of the Ten Commandments tell us that the Lord God
is the only being to be worshipped. Jesus answers the devil each time
with a Scripture. God's plan was for Jesus to rule over all the world,
everything above the earth, and everything under the earth. Self-
denial and sacrifice by Jesus would win Him rule. He rules over Satan,
as well. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow. Philippians 2:10
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in
heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;"
Philippians 2:11 "And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

    Luke 4:9 "And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a
pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God,
cast thyself down from hence:"  Luke 4:10 "For it is written, He shall
give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:"  Luke 4:11 "And in
[their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy
foot against a stone."

    This Scripture that the devil was quoting from is found in Psalms
91:10-12. It is given not only to Jesus, but to His followers, as
well. Psalms 91:10 "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any
plague come nigh thy dwelling." Psalms 91:11 "For he shall give his
angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Psalms 91:12
"They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash thy foot
against a stone." You see, the devil knows the Word of God. Usually
when he quotes it, it is like this Scripture; he misquotes it. He
changes a word here and there. Satan brought Jesus to the temple of
God for this temptation. He tells Jesus, if you are who you say you
are, show me. Jesus doesn't need to prove anything to the devil. the
devil's pride was what got him into trouble, and he thought Jesus
would surely be weak in this area.

    Luke 4:12 "And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou
shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

    Even though we know for sure God is taking care of us, we should
not do something foolish to prove it, Jesus, in these temptations, was
tempted as we are tempted and yet without sin. He overcame the devil
here. He always overcomes the devil. The devil is no match at all for
Him.

    Luke 4:13 "And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he
departed from him for a season."

    This temptation was actually every type of temptation. The devil
went away defeated. Even in Jesus' weakest moment, He is stronger than
the devil. The devil can't win. so he leaves.

    Luke 4:14  "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."

    In Matthew 4:11, we find that as soon as Jesus was through being
tempted that angels came and ministered to Him. Luke skipped that and
went headlong into the power of Jesus' walk. We see that Jesus' Spirit
was powerful on the return into Galilee. the power of His ministry and
miracles spread fast.

    Luke 4:15 "And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of
all."

    It was not possible to hide His power of the Word from the people.
His preaching was powerful. His teaching was not in His synagogue but
theirs. When they heard Him, they were overwhelmed and glorified Him.










                           Luke 9 Questions

1.  When Jesus left Jordan, where did He go?
2.  What caused Him to go there?
3.  Why did He go there?
4.  Why is Spirit capitalized in verse one?
5.  In Hebrews 2, we learn why He went through that. What reason is
    given?
6.  How many days was He tempted of the devil?
7.  What did He eat during this time?
8.  What is "40" symbolic of?
9.  Name 4 other times 40 is used in the Bible.
10. What is a fast?
11. In verse 3. what did the devil question abut Jesus?
12. What did Satan tell Jesus to turn the stone into?
13. What was similar to Jesus' temptation in verse three and Eve's
    temptation?
14. How did Jesus answer Satan?
15. What should be more important to us than our daily bread?
16. What is the worst thing that could happen to you if you don't eat?
17. What can be even worse than that?
18. How does God fill our inner man?
19. When the devil took Jesus to the high mountain, what did he show
    Him?
20. When Jesus returns to the earth soon, who will He be?
21. In verse 6, what did the devil offer Jesus?
22. How do the Christians have power over Satan?
23. Who did Jesus say was the only one to worship?
24. Quote Philippians 2:10-11.
25. What did Satan quote Jesus from when he took Him to the temple
    top?
26. Where is this Scripture found?
27. Who. besides Jesus, is this Scripture for?
28. What really got the devil in trouble?
29. When Satan quotes Scripture, what does he do?
30. Even though we know God is faking care of us, we ____ ______ _____
    ________.
31. When the devil stopped tempting Jesus, what did the devil do?
32. Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, went where?
33. Where did Jesus teach?