March 4, 2012
Scripture:
370 - Yield not to temptation
Prayer
We have been going through the life of the Lord Jesus. We first saw him in Bethlehem when he was born. Then we went with him to temple, where Simeon and Anna saw Him. We saw him in the temple with the leaders. Finally, last time we saw him at the Jordan River, where John the baptist was baptizing Him.
This is the beginning of the Lord’s ministry. His ministry was what he came to do, his mission on earth. The Lord came to die on the cross to save us from our sins. But before the Lord Jesus could start his ministry he needed to be tested. If the Lord Jesus had sinned, He could not die for our sins: He had to be perfect. We know that all have sinned, and that no one is perfect, except the Lord Jesus. Adam and Eve were tempted too, they fell for the temptation. Since then all have sinned. The Lord had to show that there was no place for sin in his life.
Matthew 4:1-11
The Lord Jesus was lead by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. This is quite different from the garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve were tested. While in the wilderness, Jesus fasted for forty days. When you fast, you do not eat.
First, Satan told Jesus to turn stones into bread. Adam and Eve were told to not eat the fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but the Lord was never commanded not to do this. So was their anything wrong in following Satan’s command? It would have been sin to obey Satan. The Lord Jesus replied to Satan with scripture: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of that proceedeth from the mouth of God.” That was quoted from Deuteronomy. Jesus was saying that obedience to God was more important than His need to eat.
Satan tried again, and took Him to a high part of the Temple. This time, Satan quoted some scripture to the Lord. He tells Jesus to jump from the temple, saying that the angels would protect Him. Jesus didn’t jump: He wasn’t on earth to put on a show. Jesus replied, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Satan lost round two.
For round three, Satan took the Lord Jesus up to a high mountain and showed him all the nations of the world. He told Jesus that he would give it all to Him, if the Lord bowed down and worshipped him. The Lord Jesus came not only to save people from their sin, but to become the King of the world. Satan was offering Him the kingship of the world without having to go to the cross. But Jesus did not bow down and worship Satan. Then, Satan left Jesus and angels came to minister to Him.
Jesus did not sin. He has been baptized and tested and was now ready to start His ministry.
Luke 10:21-42
We find verses similar to verses 21-22 in Matthew 11, after Jesus had had several disappointments. John the Baptist - His herald - was doubting Him, and He had just finished rebuking certain cities for their unbelief. After all of it though, He rejoices. Our passage has the same words, but in a different setting. Here the seventy preachers have just returned.
How many “prudent” and “wise” people miss some of the most important things in life, while even a simple and young child can receive the Lord as his Saviour? We read in Proverbs about many good things such as wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and prudence; but here we realize that the natural wisdom of man cannot grasp heavenly things. There are many “great minds” out there that are infidels and atheists. 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1:26-27. To enter into God’s things, we need the faith of a little child; and God is the One that gives that.
The natural mind can’t receive the things of God, but the spiritual mind can only receive a little bit. There is so much truth out there, and we are so limited and incapable as humans to enter into it all.
We can only know God the Father through the Son. It tells us in Hebrews that Jesus Christ - God the Son - is the exact image of the Father. John 5:19-20. Everything that the Son did, He learned from the Father; and so we learn of the Father through the Son. The Godhead is beyond understanding. Jesus was ever in the bosom of the Father, and yet He came down to Earth to save us.
The children of Israel were servants under the law, but we have been made children. After the resurrection Jesus could say, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” (John 20:17). And because we are made sons, we are also made co-heirs with Christ.
We’ve been talking about revelations. Jesus was revealing heavenly things to the seventy, and He was revealing the Father. Most of what we know has been taught to us; but there is another way for things to be revealed: meditation. In meditation God reveals things that are eternal, and are not seen. That’s why we have to spend time in meditating on the Word of God; that’s when the Lord starts to reveal heavenly things to us. We may wonder how some of the commentators get some of their thoughts; then later as we’re meditating, we see the connection. Some people certainly thought that the disciples were unlearned, but there is a lot that was revealed to them.
Hymn 201 - When we walk with the Lord
Prayer