Episode #48. Today we’ll read Luke chapter 4 together. I am your host Joy Miller. Please join me each day as we read the Bible together.
Transcript
Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #48. Today we’ll read the 4th chapter of Luke together: Jesus is tempted by the devil; Jesus reads a passage in Isaiah that speaks of Him; and the neighbors He grew up with tried to throw him off a cliff.
Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast. I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together. Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should. It’s just easier to do it with a friend. So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud. I’m so glad you’re here!
Hey, I have another church word for you today…two actually. You’ve probably heard them – justification and sanctification. First, justification…it happens instantly…it is an act of God. When we believe Jesus died for our sins, ask for His forgiveness, and invite Him to be the Lord of our lives, we are justified, and God declares us righteous through Jesus. Sanctification, on the other hand, is a process; a lifelong progression toward that day when we will be face to face with our Savior and be made perfect. But you and I both know that doesn’t happen overnight. There are plenty of days when we fall and we have pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off, ask forgiveness, and go forward. Praise God that He has made a way for us to do that!
Luke Chapter 4: 1 Then Jesus returned from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, He was hungry. 3 The Devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone. ” 5 So he took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The Devil said to Him, “I will give You their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 If You, then, will worship me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only. ” 9 So he took Him to Jerusalem, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you, 11 and they will support you with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. ” 12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God. ” 13 After the Devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him for a time. 14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread throughout the entire vicinity. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, being acclaimed by everyone. 16 He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As usual, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him, and unrolling the scroll, He found the place where it was written: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. 20 He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” 22 They were all speaking well of Him and were amazed by the gracious words that came from His mouth, yet they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” 23 Then He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ ‘All we’ve heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in Your hometown also.’ ” 24 He also said, “I assure you: No prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 But I say to you, there were certainly many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months while a great famine came over all the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them-but to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 And in the prophet Elisha’s time, there were many in Israel who had serious skin diseases, yet not one of them was healed -only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, everyone in the synagogue was enraged. 29 They got up, drove Him out of town, and brought Him to the edge of the hill their town was built on, intending to hurl Him over the cliff. 30 But He passed right through the crowd and went on His way. 31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbath. 32 They were astonished at His teaching because His message had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean demonic spirit who cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Leave us alone! What do You have to do with us, Jesus-Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are-the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all. 36 They were all struck with amazement and kept saying to one another, “What is this message? For He commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out!” 37 And news about Him began to go out to every place in the vicinity. 38 After He left the synagogue, He entered Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him about her. 39 So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and began to serve them. 40 When the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought them to Him. As He laid His hands on each one of them, He would heal them. 41 Also, demons were coming out of many, shouting and saying, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Messiah. 42 When it was day, He went out and made His way to a deserted place. But the crowds were searching for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them. 43 But He said to them, “I must proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
Let’s talk about Satan for a minute. Did you know that Satan used to work for God? Then, like some of us, he started thinking he was just a little smarter than God and thought he was more powerful than God. Actually, he still does. He stands in opposition to God’s plan of salvation and wants to destroy us. Oh, and the name Satan means ‘Accuser’, so that should also tell you a little of what he’s about. In John 8:44, this is what Jesus says about him: “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Professor David Talley of Biola University states this: “This intense and intentional opposition of Satan to God’s purposes extends to us as well. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter warns the believers who are under persecution to be on the alert because our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” In other words, he wants to tear us to pieces as well. “Like a lion in its natural habitat, he sits back and looks for the vulnerable and weak so that he might devour his prey.” Did you notice that he did the same thing to Jesus? He didn’t approach Jesus while He was spiritually strong just after being baptized and all pumped up that the Holy Spirit had landed on Him. No, Satan bided his time until Jesus hadn’t eaten or drank anything for forty days and forty nights. Mark my words, he will do the same to us. Let’s pray. Father God, I pray protection over our hearts and minds right now against this accuser, this father of lies. Remind us daily that lying is the only power he has and that, as believers, we have the power to tell him to take a hike. Thank You that we have Your Word to give us the truth that we need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you for joining me here today. I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here. In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort. Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us. If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review. Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you right here tomorrow. Be well!
Show Notes
- Awesome Video of Solomon’s Temple
- These will help! Overview videos of all books of the Bible
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Bible Study Resources
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- The Bible Project– Free!
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