And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1-2a
As I have finished my study of Mark, pending a decision for what to study next, as a stop gap I am doing teacher training homework assigned from my church, which is to - without the use of a commentary - form a main idea and outline from a text. The homework's text is Luke 4:1-13
Main point: Believers can defend against sin and temptation, just as Jesus did through faith, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.
- Jesus, is full of and led by the Holy Spirit to encounter Satan - v1
- Jesus is tempted by Satan - vv2-3, 5-7, 9-11
- Jesus defends Himself against Satan - vv4, 8, 12, 13
Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method:
- What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit - we are reminded of the role the Holy Spirit plays in not just Jesus' life but also believers lives to be fed (spiritually and physically), led, and protected from temptation - vv1, 4, 8, 12. In the text we see Jesus led by the Holy Spirit to encounter Satan in the wilderness for forty days and be tempted - vv1-2 - using hunger (v2), earthly power (v7), refuge from physical harm (vv9-11), and ultimately "every temptation" (v13). Jesus has a perfect understanding of scripture and leans on this understanding (see also Proverbs 3:5-6) to defend against temptation- we understand from John 1:1 that in the beginning Jesus was the Word (still is as God does not change) and the Word was with God. We understand from the beginning of the text that Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit. Given He is led by the Holy Spirit in the wilderness, we can infer that Jesus ordained an appointment with Satan to prepare Himself for ministry and ultimately for His crucifixion, as He knew the Father's will for His life.
- What do we learn from the passage about people?: Satan is very powerful - and Jesus is unable to protect Himself from the temptations (every temptation - v13) of Satan without power from the Holy Spirit - v1. Satan was unable to draw Jesus into sin - using "every temptation" - and departed Him - v13.
- Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Just as it was for Jesus, temptation is real and all around us (see also 1 Peter 5:8) - we must avoid becoming a friend of the world to avoid sinful influences. We must not live on bread alone but also feed ourselves daily/spiritually with scripture. We must not put God to the test. We should love God and worship God above self or others/idols. We must follow Jesus' example and put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:1-18), which includes scripture (which we must study and put it in our hearts), prayer, and the Holy Spirit.
My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves, saves, and equips us with the whole armor of God so that we can also have victory over sin and death. Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You save and bless. My sin is great and it continues...please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
