Read Luke 4:1-80
Highlights:
Note, the devil attacks when and where we're weakest. Read how Jesus overcame His temptation (Luke 4:1-13). Jesus says He is the "Messiah" of Isaiah 61:1-3, but the religious leaders reject Him. Why? (4:18-30). Miracles happen when Jesus is in the boat (5:1-11).
Some think they can worship God just as well while on the lake fishing or at home resting as they can in church. In contrast, Jesus recognized the need to honor God by regularly attending worship services. We read that He taught in their synagogues while in Galilee (Luke 4:15). And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day (4:16). Jesus was invited to speak, And there was delivered unto Him the Book of the prophet Esaias. And . . . He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. . . . And He closed the Book, and He gave it again to the minister (4:17-20; Isaiah 61:1-2).
The Scripture Jesus read contained a clear mention of all three Persons of the Trinity — the Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Anointed One.
The people were amazed, And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears (Luke 4:20-21). They marveled at His gracious words (4:22), but knew He clearly referred to Himself as the Messiah who had been foretold by Isaiah and other prophets beginning with Genesis 3:15. You can imagine how startled they were when Jesus said that He whom they assumed to be the son of Joseph (Luke 3:23) was really their long-awaited Messiah.
The congregation listening to Jesus was so infuriated at His equating Himself with God that they disrupted the worship service, seized Jesus, and attempted to put Him to death by pushing Him over a rocky precipice for blasphemy. But He passing through the midst of them went His way (4:28-30). Luke emphasized that Christ is God (the Messiah).
How easy it is to be mistaken when we follow emotions rather than the truth revealed in God's Word. In contrast to the Jews of Nazareth, later the Jews in Berea received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11).
Thought for Today:
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord (Lam. 3:26).
Word Studies:
4:29 brow edge of a cliff; 5:9 draught watch; 5:27 a publican a tax collector for Rome; 5:36 rent tear.
Cross References:
For Luke 4:4: See Deut. 8:3. Luke 4:8: See Deut. 6:13-14. Luke 4:10-11: See Ps. 91:11-12. Luke 4:12: See Deut. 6:16. Luke 4:18-19: See Is. 61:1-2. Luke 5:14: See Lev. 14:1-32.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for International Broadcasts in memory of Iva Ann McElroy • Staff: Mike Moore • Government Officials: Gov. Haley Barbour (MS), Rep. Patrick McHenry (NC), and Rep. John Shadegg (AZ) • Country: Eritrea (4 million) in eastern Africa • Major languages: English and Tigrinya • Religious persecution • 51% Muslim; 40% Eritrean Orthodox; 4% Catholic; 1.5% Protestant • Prayer Suggestion: Recognize the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness and praise Him (Ps. 100:4-5).
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 6:34