Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20081203.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Luke: Jesus, The Son Of Man For All Mankind
Part XI: Clarifying Jesus' Identity As The World's Savior In His Immense Temptation
(Luke 4:1-13)
  1. Introduction
    1. Satan had successfully tempted the first man and woman to sin, so if Jesus is God's Savior from sin for the world, we should expect to see his temptation of Jesus as extensive and as strong as he could make it.
    2. Well, Satan's temptation of Jesus is thus extensive and strong, and Jesus' victory over it acts as a testimony of His identity as the TRUE Savior of the world (as follows):
  2. Clarifying Jesus' Identity As The World's Savior In His Immense Temptation, Luke 4:1-13.
    1. The whole world is under Satan's control according to 1 John 5:19, and all that he can use of it to tempt man is ordered under the lusts of the flesh, of the eyes, and of the pride of life, cf. 1 John 2:15-16.
    2. Well, Hebrews 4:15 tells us Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin, and from Luke 4:1-12, we see He was strongly tempted, but overcame the lusts of the flesh, the eyes and pride as follows:
      1. Jesus was strongly tempted with the lust of the flesh, but He wonderfully overcame it in Luke 4:1-4:
        1. First, Jesus was controlled by the Holy Spirit to be led by Him from His baptism into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan, Luke 4:1-2a. As He returned to Galilee after this temptation in the Spirit's power (Luke 4:14a), we know He relied on the Spirit all during His temptation.
        2. Satan then powerfully tempted Jesus with the lust of the flesh, Luke 4:2b-3: (1) After Jesus had been without food for 40 days, and acutely needed to eat to stay alive, Satan implied that since He was the Son of God, to turn a stone into bread, Luke 4:2b-3. (2) This lure slandered humanity, implying man needed only physical nourishment, G. Campbell Morgan, Luke, 1931, p. 58-59.
        3. Jesus overcame this temptation in the Spirit's power, Luke 4:4: (1) Moses directed Israel on living in Canaan in the book of Deuteronomy (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., p. 272), so Jesus cited from that message for His life in Canaan at Deuteronomy 8:3; Ibid., ftn to Luke 4:4. (2) He countered Satan's slander, saying man had to live by every Word of God, not by bread alone, Ibid., Morgan.
      2. Jesus was strongly tempted with the lust of pride, but He wonderfully overcame it in Luke 4:5-8:
        1. We have shown Jesus was still controlled by the Spirit when Satan tempted Him in Luke 4:5-8.
        2. Satan then powerfully tempted Jesus with the pride of this life, Luke 4:5-7: (1) Satan moved Jesus to a high mountain to show Him the world's human order (oikoumenays = social order, Ibid., p. 59-60), saying he would give it to Jesus without His going to the cross if He bowed down and worshiped him. (2) Satan thus implied he ruled and could dole out human relationships, Ibid.
        3. Jesus overcame this temptation with great precision in the Spirit's power, Luke 4:8: (1) Again referring to Moses' applicable sermon, Jesus cited Deuteronomy 6:13; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Luke 4:8. (2) In so doing, He revealed God, not Satan, was to be served in human relationships, Ibid.
      3. Jesus was strongly tempted with the lust of the eyes, but He wonderfully overcame it in Luke 4:9-12:
        1. We have shown Jesus was still controlled by the Spirit when Satan tempted Him in Luke 4:9-12.
        2. Satan then powerfully tempted Jesus with the lust of the eyes, Luke 4:9-11: (1) Satan took Him to the pinnacle of the temple, urging Him to cast Himself down unharmed, citing part of Psalm 91:11-12 to say God's angels would protect Him. This would have left onlooking Jews convinced that Jesus was the Messiah without His having to go to the cross. (2) This temptation slandered man's spirit, implying he could not trust God and His Word unless they were first tested, Ibid., p. 61.
        3. Jesus overcame this temptation with great precision in the Spirit's power, Luke 4:12: He again rightly used Moses' applicable sermon, citing Deuteronomy 6:16 to show God was to be viewed as trustworthy without being tested to that end, Luke 4:12; Ibid., Ryrie, footnote to Luke 4:12.
    3. Consequently, Satan was defeated in trying to get Jesus to sin, and he left Jesus for a while, Luke 4:13!
Lesson: Jesus overcame all the avenues of spiritual temptation Satan could thrown at Him, and that to the highest degree possible, meaning SATAN knew Jesus WAS the Savior of the world as seen by his EXTENSIVE effort to get Jesus to sin! Jesus' SUCCESS means He truly IS God's Savior of the world!

Application: May we trust in Christ as Our WORLD VICTOR over sinful TEMPTATION!