Bowling Green Covenant Church

~ The King, the Cross and the Empty Tomb ~

A Sermon Series for the Season of Lent – Sermon 1: Luke 4.1-13

~Jesus stood up to the devil’s every temptation by standing firm on the word of God ~

“As Jesus turned down Satan and consciously chose to follow God down the hard road of His ministry, so too we must be prepared to walk into events under His leading, even where the outcome is not clear.”

—Darrell L. Bock, Luke, The NIV Application Commentary

Jesus stood up to the devil by trusting God to take care of Him— Luke 4.1-4

¹And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness ²for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. ³The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” ⁴And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

1. Read Luke 3.21-22.
   1. What event preceded the temptation of Jesus?
   2. How did what happened in Luke 3.21-22 prepare Jesus for what happened in Luke 4.1-13?
   3. What is the significance of Jesus’ being “full of the Holy Spirit”?
2. Why did God the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness to suffer temptation?

(Cf. Genesis 3.1-13; Deuteronomy 8.2-6; Hebrews 5.7-10)

1. Discuss how the devil addressed Jesus when he tempted Him.
2. Although Jesus was hungry, why would it have been wrong for Him to take matters into His own hands and “command this stone to become bread”?
3. How did Jesus respond to the devil’s temptation? (Cf. Deuteronomy 8.3)
   1. What does “Man shall not live by bread alone,” mean?
   2. What are some ways in which we are tempted to take matters into our own hands rather than live by faith?

Jesus stood up to the devil by worshiping God and God alone— Luke 4.5-8

⁵And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, ⁶and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. ⁷If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” ⁸And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘”You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.’” [Cf. Deuteronomy 6.13; 10.17-20]

1. What did the devil promise Jesus in exchange for His worship?
   1. How true was the devil’s offer?
   2. Given God’s sovereignty, did the devil really have it in his power to confer “all this authority,” etc. upon Jesus?
2. Why would it have been wrong for Jesus to give in to this temptation?
   1. Who, ultimately, has the power to confer “all authority,” etc. upon Jesus? (Cf. Matthew 28.18-20; John 5.26-27; Acts 2.29-36; Hebrews 1.8-9)
   2. How was Jesus to receive this “all authority”? (Cf. Philippians 2.5-11; Hebrews 12.2)
3. Read Deuteronomy 8.11-20 and Matthew 6.25-34.
   1. What are some ways in which we are tempted either to worship other gods, or to trust in ourselves?

Jesus stood up to the devil by refusing to put God to the test — Luke 4.9-12

⁹And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, ¹⁰for it is written, “’He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ ¹¹and “’On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” ¹²And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” [Deuteronomy 6.16; cf. Exodus 17.2-7]

1. Here the devil quotes Psalm 91.11-12. Read Psalm 91.11-12.
   1. Did the devil quote the text accurately?
   2. What does your answer tell you about how the devil uses Scripture in his temptation?
2. Why would it have been wrong for Jesus to give in to this temptation?
3. What are some ways we are tempted to God to the test?

Jesus stood up to the devil knowing He would be tempted again— Luke 4.13

¹³And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

1. Why was it important that Jesus not give in to the devil’s every temptation?
2. Given that Jesus is fully human and fully divine, how real were the temptations He suffered?
3. What other “opportune time(s)” did the devil tempt Jesus?