Luke 4:1-44
As Christ began His ministry, He was faced with many challenges and a variety of reactions. I want to look at three of them today.
SATAN TRIED TO DECEIVE CHRIST: Satan's goal was to end Christ's ministry before it could begin. The temptations were aimed at deceiving Christ just as he had done with Adam and Eve. The attempt was unsuccessful. Satan is constantly trying to promote his agenda on earth and makes promises that provide instant gratification. Christ knew that the eternal consequences were far greater than any temporary gratification that the passing pleasures might have brought. We need to have that perspective. Satan will always try to deceive us into believing that eternity does not exist or that it does not matter. If he can do that, he knows we will be easy prey. We must devalue the temporary and place our hopes on the eternal so we too will be able to stand firm against Satan's deceptions.
JEWS TRIED TO DESTROY CHRIST: It is amazing how fast the tides turned in Christ's ministry. Everyone was amazed at His teaching and they were anxious to hear what he had to say until He said something that they didn't like. Very quickly, their admiration turned into assassination and they were ready to throw Him off of a cliff. I am not sure how He went about just melting His way through the crowd that was bent on doing away with Him, but He did. Maybe He had a freeze ray or something. We must be careful to hear and obey the whole counsel of God and not just the parts that we like best. We all have our favorite verses and teachings from God's Word but we also have some parts that we might try to avoid or ignore because it is too convicting or an area that is difficult for us to obey. We must strive to be receptive to the Word of God, all the Word, so that we might be mature in Him.
CROWDS TRIED TO DISTRACT CHRIST: Talk about going from one extreme to another. One minute the mob wanted to murder Him, the next minute the crowds were trying to keep Him from leaving them. When He tried to get away by Himself, they came after Him. It must have been tempting for Him to build up a following, stay put, maybe build a "church" and a house by the sea, but that was not His calling. He had come to preach from place to place and village to village. He would not be distracted by the popularity of His present ministry. It was not His goal to be comfortable. He had come to obey the Father. We must not become distracted from that which God has called us to do. It is easy to be attracted by more money, more comfort or more prestige. God has not called us to riches, comfort or power. He has called us to take up a cross and follow Him that the nations of the World might know our wonderful Savior and Lord. May we never loose sight of or be distracted from that calling.
SATAN TRIED TO DECEIVE CHRIST: Satan's goal was to end Christ's ministry before it could begin. The temptations were aimed at deceiving Christ just as he had done with Adam and Eve. The attempt was unsuccessful. Satan is constantly trying to promote his agenda on earth and makes promises that provide instant gratification. Christ knew that the eternal consequences were far greater than any temporary gratification that the passing pleasures might have brought. We need to have that perspective. Satan will always try to deceive us into believing that eternity does not exist or that it does not matter. If he can do that, he knows we will be easy prey. We must devalue the temporary and place our hopes on the eternal so we too will be able to stand firm against Satan's deceptions.
JEWS TRIED TO DESTROY CHRIST: It is amazing how fast the tides turned in Christ's ministry. Everyone was amazed at His teaching and they were anxious to hear what he had to say until He said something that they didn't like. Very quickly, their admiration turned into assassination and they were ready to throw Him off of a cliff. I am not sure how He went about just melting His way through the crowd that was bent on doing away with Him, but He did. Maybe He had a freeze ray or something. We must be careful to hear and obey the whole counsel of God and not just the parts that we like best. We all have our favorite verses and teachings from God's Word but we also have some parts that we might try to avoid or ignore because it is too convicting or an area that is difficult for us to obey. We must strive to be receptive to the Word of God, all the Word, so that we might be mature in Him.
CROWDS TRIED TO DISTRACT CHRIST: Talk about going from one extreme to another. One minute the mob wanted to murder Him, the next minute the crowds were trying to keep Him from leaving them. When He tried to get away by Himself, they came after Him. It must have been tempting for Him to build up a following, stay put, maybe build a "church" and a house by the sea, but that was not His calling. He had come to preach from place to place and village to village. He would not be distracted by the popularity of His present ministry. It was not His goal to be comfortable. He had come to obey the Father. We must not become distracted from that which God has called us to do. It is easy to be attracted by more money, more comfort or more prestige. God has not called us to riches, comfort or power. He has called us to take up a cross and follow Him that the nations of the World might know our wonderful Savior and Lord. May we never loose sight of or be distracted from that calling.
this one is great daddy!!! I especially like the last paragraph - it reminds me a lot of some of the things said in "A Chance to Die" - a biography about Amy Carmichael written by Elisabeth Elliot. Sure convicts you about not complaining that's for sure! **also please notice that once I read the next blog in a few minutes I will be completely caught up =D**
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