Pastor Rich Terherst
Lighthouse Regional Church

Luke 4:9-11 Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say, ‘He orders his angels to protect and guard you. 11 And they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.’”

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you,’ and, ‘
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

In the Luke account, the third temptation that the devil set before Jesus was “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.” Prove it! I dare you!

Then the devil begins to quote scripture from Palms 91:11-12, promising angelic oversight and divine protection. You mean the devil knows the bible? Yes, but he twists the scriptures with deception for his own purposes.

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Pastor Mike McCoy
Vineyard / Concord

Luke 4:5-8 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶ And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”  ⁸ Jesus answered, “It is written: `Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ “

Jesus came to change the world.  And, to bring real lasting change he needed authority.  Jesus is challenged in the desert to bring change the devil’s way – using control and dominance.  I imagine that over the many days of temptation in the desert Jesus wrestled with the idea that the end justifies the means.  That in order to change the world he might have to make a deal with the devil – because the devil is the ‘prince of this world’, the one who controls the kingdoms of this world.  But Jesus knows that control is not authority.  He knows that only the One authorized by God can really change the world and people’s lives.  He knows that authority flows from his relationship with his Father, from his being the beloved Son.  He knows his authority rests on his submission to the Father’s plan for changing the world, on him doing what the Father wants him to do. And he knows that God’s plan will cost him his life. He will take up his cross and willingly die to save us in an act of sacrificial love. Yet, Jesus willingly embraces all of this and rejects the devil’s lies because he loves his Father more than himself or his mission to change the world. When he puts God first, when he worships God alone, he is then given authority and power to change the world.

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Pastor Sean Blomquist
Shelter Covenant Church

Luke 4:4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People need more than bread for their life.’”

Satan is challenging Jesus about who He is.  This encounter with Satan has everything to do with who Jesus is as the Son of God.  Why is this such a big temptation?  Because, He can turn rocks into bread.  That is the point.  The challenge for you and I as it is with Jesus is around our appetites.  We live in America.  We can have whatever we want when we want.  Why don’t we believe the scripture today about people needing more than bread for their life?  Unlike Jesus we don’t really believe who we are.  Our identity as God’s children is not the driving source of substance for our life.  Our ability to be obedient comes from knowing we are Gods beloved sons and daughters and as his kids, I want to live as a child of the King.

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