Luke Part 43: The Light of the World Has Come!

Text: Luke 11:29-36

In this passage, we see that men were, even at this point in Jesus' ministry, asking for further signs, although Jesus had given ample proof and evidence of who He was.

Jesus says that the sign that will be given them is the Sign of Jonah. Jonah was a Jewish prophet who was sent to Gentiles -- and the Gentiles received the word given. Jesus likewise would be received by Gentiles, though largely rejected by the Jews.

Jesus proclaims that those who received Jonah's message, the Ninevites, will stand up in judgment against that generation. This indicates to us that those Ninevites were truly "saved" -- they were Old Testament saints who will stand in the Day of Judgment.

Likewise, the Queen of the South (The Queen of Sheba) is given as another person who will stand in judgment for that generation. She received the truth, and was humbled by the greatness God had bestowed upon Solomon.

Notice that Jesus is teaching about a Day of Judgment. A time is coming when the Lord will put all things right. Remember that now is the day of salvation!

Then, we have in verses 33-36, the illustration of the light. This is not about us being the light of the world, rather it is a teaching that all men are in need of illumination. Christ is The Light (John 1:1) and he has not hidden the truth -- He proclaimed it! Everything about Him is light, life, love, and vitality.

The problem (see verse 34) is not with the Light itself, it is with the receptors of that Light. Their spiritual eyes refused to see, so they were filled with darkness. The illustration here further describes how if you have to grope in the darkness, you will have problems and make mistakes.

Then, Jesus makes it personal, warning: "Take heed that the light in you is not darkness." Every individual must examine himself and be sure of himself.

the Pharisees had the light of God's Word, but it was darkness to them; they even tried to mis-apply the Scriptures and use them as a weapon to trap Jesus.

Is Christ your all-in-all? Do you have the peace and joy of the Spirit? If Christ is in you, your whole being shall be full of light and truth. It is not a life of absolute perfection, but one of constant drawing to Christ, of quick repentance for sin. It is a life marked by the stirring of holiness, not by hiding in sin and darkness.

The Queen of Sheba is an application: She had heard Solomon had words of wisdom, so she sought him out and came to hear him, a local king. Will we likewise seek out the words of wisdom from Christ, our much greater heavenly King?

She had only heard reports of Solomon; she must have wondered if the reports were true. But we have God's Word, personal testimonies, and our own first-hand knowledge. Our privilege exceeds hers greatly.

She was far away from Solomon, and had to travel a long way to meet him, but Jesus is right here with us. She wasn't invited to come, but we have been invited, by Christ Himself.

What was the effect on the queen? She was awed, humbled before Solomon, and left a great gift. Not because Solomon's riches were deficient, but to show her reverence. Likewise, let us give all of ourselves to our great heavenly King in worshipful adoration!

Luke Part 42: Man Healed, Freed from Demons

Text: Luke 11:14-28

In this passage we see a man who cannot speak (and we are told in a parallel passage in Matthew is also blind) healed and freed from demons.

The immediate reaction to this from the Pharisees is that Jesus must have been casting out the demons by the power of Satan. This just shows the darkness of men's hearts -- they see a wonderful miracle performed, and the first inclination is to say Christ is evil.

Jesus's response is that this is impossible; that a kingdom divided cannot stand. Note that this is as true of Christ's kingdom as it is of the kingdom of Satan. We do not want to be those who are dividing the house of God; we want to live in love, charity, and unity with all our brothers and sisters.

Jesus then gives a discussion in verses 21 through 26, of the kingdom of Satan. He displays the devil as a powerful ruler, an armed man guarding a palace. The house represents people; those who are in the devil's kingdom are bound -- bound by sin and by Satan himself.

Evil everywhere around us; we cannot escape from dealing with the evil one. In 2 Cor 11:3, we see that Satan is deceitful and crafty. He does not appear to be the monster that he is.

The devil is fierce and cruel, and wishes to see men slay one another; he wishes to see men thrown into hell.

The devil has no power before Christ, the "one stronger than the strong man". Christ is a wonderful and merciful master. He displayed His kindness when He saved us through His grace while we were yet sinners. Christ takes the devils' spoils (people under his domain, sinners as you and I were), and "distributes them" -- setting people free and then setting them to work in their positions in the Kingdom of God.

We see a comparison of two kingdoms -- you are either with or against Christ; there can be to neutral position. You are a servant of the devil if you do not know Christ! You can be in one of two positions: safe and secure in Christ, or under the bondage of sin and the devil.

Verses 24-26 describe a person who had a moral cleansing, but did not close with Christ. Ultimately, this person fails to like an upright life and falls back into the bondage of sin.

So in this passage, we see the reality of Satan, that he will attempt to reclaim a loss. To be free of his power, see verses 28 and 29. In these verses, Jesus responds to a woman who gave a blessing upon Him and His mother. Jesus replied that the utmost blessing occurs when we hear the Word of God and keep it.

We must press on, studying the Word and seeking to keep it. In is we will see that the devil cannot harm us; we have been set free from his power. Knowing this, we can live in joy and hope!

Luke Part 39: The weak will crush Satan's kingdom through God's power

Text: Luke 10:17-24

In this passage, Jesus is giving further encouragement and instruction for kingdom life.

First, we see the results from the 70 people whom He had sent out previously. Remember, these were "just ordinary folk". They returned from their mission exultant in their victory in spiritual battle. They went out in the name of Jesus, and found that the devils were subject to them in His name.

Jesus explains to them in verse 19 that He has given them power in the spiritual world. That is the meaning of the "serpents and scorpions" described here, not literal insects and snakes, but rather evil spirits and men under their control. When men are saved, they are set free from Satan's dominion, and he is beaten. This is what Jesus was seeing when He saw Satan "falling like lightning." (v. 18).

Then, Jesus gives a reminder of their real reason for rejoicing. The real reason for a Christian to rejoice is that he is Christ's, not because of power in the spirit realm. We can rejoice if we know our names are written in heaven. This phrase indicates security -- having your name written in heaven is as if you are already there.

Then we see something quite remarkable in verse 21: we are told that Jesus "rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit". Their victorious mission pleased the Lord! It was a cause for Him to rejoice.

We see that He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. This is the place where true, deep rejoicing is from. And the rejoicing led Him to thank the Father. What was Jesus rejoicing about? What was it that made him so happy? It was that God reveals Himself to the simple, the humble, and the trusting. That it doesn't have anything to do with brainpower. No one is excluded. It is all God's work.

We see here a picture of the Trinity: Jesus the Son, rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, thanking the Father for His wondrous work and revealing Him to the world. (v. 22) This is a look into the close fellowship and communion within the Trinity.

Then, Jesus turn to his disciples and tells them they are blessed and privileged to see and hear these things. This is who we are -- we are those who have seen and heard these things as well. Even a "man after God's own heart" such as King David didn't receive the blessing of seeing the gospel fully. The prophets revealing God's Word in the Old Covenant wanted to see these things, but were unable to.

But we have the fulfillment of the promise. We're not living on the promise, as the saints of old did. We are living on its fulfillment, and we are going to crush the kingdom of Satan!

Do you expect to be used? Do we expect results for our outreach and witness? Is God going to use us to crush Satan by saving men, as He did with these 70? It seems to be what this is saying; we can confidently go forth knowing that He will fulfill His work.

Luke Part 36: Principles of the Way of the Kingdom

Text: Luke 9:51-62

This passage continues on with Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom. These teachings have been grouped together for our edification; they are not in chronological order. Also, the people described in these incidents remain unnamed and are not important. Each person's path is unique. We are all going the same direction, yet we have different experiences, experiences, and flaws. These principles must be applied to our own lives as they fit.

This passage contains four incidents from which principles may be seen.

First (v. 51-56), we see Jesus and the Samaritans. Jesus was passing through Samaria and sent the apostles ahead to prepare for Him a place to stay. But the people in Samaria would not receive Him, because of their religious bigotry. The Samaritans were a mixed group of people who had cultural and religious differences from the Jews. The had their own center of worship, so they rejected Jesus because He was going on to Jerusalem, the center of Jewish worship. The disciples wanted to respond by calling down fire, but Jesus said no -- that was not why He came.

The principle to be gained from this passage is that rejection is to be expected. Jesus was rejected. You will be rejected upon sharing the gospel. It is not due to our failure, a lack of providing the correct information to the hearer. Rather, it is due to a moral failure on the hearer's part. What is our response? Not to be angry and wish them harmed, but to love them and continue on.

Next (v57, 58), we have the example of the willing follower. A man tells Jesus he is ready to follow Him, so Jesus explains that he will have to live an unsettled existence.

The principle? We are traveling through this life. We shouldn't be trying to find a settled, permanent comfortable home here. This life here is a short stop. It will not always be a comfortable existence -- we must be stepping out of our comfort zone.

In verses 59 and 60 we have the example of a man who was called to follow Jesus, but first asked to bury his father. Now, in the culture of the Jews, burying a father was the highest responsibility of the oldest son. This was a very important thing. But Jesus taught the principle that nothing -- even this thing -- was to take precedence over the commands of Christ. This was no minor issue, but still it held no comparison to obeying Christ's commands.

The final example (v61, 62) is of a man who wanted to follow Jesus, but first he needed to say goodbye to his family. This was a man with a mixed love. He was saying, "I love the Lord, but I love my family equally." The point here is that our love for Christ must be supreme. Our eyes must be fixed on Christ. We must serve Christ with singleness of heart and singleness of mind.

Note that Christ does not condemn normal life experiences. These things are used as teaching tools, for us to apply these principles and keep proper perspective in our relationship with our families and our Lord.

Luke Part 33: Feeding of the Five Thousand

Text: Luke 9:10-17

This section continues the theme in Luke, where Jesus is describing the kingdom of God and the King of that kingdom. Remember that this is a spiritual kingdom; the kingdom is the people of God, Christians.

In the first two verses of this section, we see Jesus' approachability. He had withdrawn from the crowns, taking His disciples off into a desert place. But the people found Him our and came after Jesus -- this is an example for us to never let anything stand in our way of getting to Jesus. And Jesus' response was not to drive the crowds away and tell them He wanted to be alone. He welcomed them -- Jesus receives all who come to Him! And He taught them about the kingdom of God and healed them.

So what was Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God? What is new about the New Covenant?

• Being right with God depend's on God's grace. (In the Old Covenant, men had to perform (circumcision, sacrifices) in order to be in the Covenant.)
• There is love and acceptance in Christ Jesus. (The Old Covenant was one of fear and doubt.)
• Christ is the light of the world; the darkness of the Old Covenant is lifted and God is made known in all His glory.
• Sin has been slain. In its place is peace, unity, comfort, and purity.
• The King of this kingdom has come as a servant, to serve others.
• Humility is the rule, rather than pride and religious pomposity and display.
• The Law says, "You must"; Jesus says, "Only trust."

In verses 12-17, the apostles see that the huge crowd of people who have come to see Jesus have no way to be fed. They suggest that the crowds be sent away to go eat. But Jesus says, "You feed them." Jesus has given them a task that they are unable to do, so they respond that they cannot do it.

Jesus was teaching an important rule: as Christians, we are responsible for ministering to our brothers and sisters in Christ -- we are responsible for their welfare. But the job is too much for us, we cannot do it! And that is exactly what God would have us to learn -- that the task is beyond our strength and requires His help.

Note the disciples first response at seeing the hungry crowd. They did not come to Jesus with a problem, they came to Him with a solution! And we are often tempted to do the same. We decide all of our plans for how to execute a ministry objective, deciding entirely in our own wisdom and maybe a book or two. Then we show our plan to God and ask Him to bless it. This is completely wrong! Bring the problem to God, and ask Him what you should do.

Next, Jesus gives the disciples a ministry. He gives them something to do, and they do it, in an orderly fashion. The apostles ministered by arranging the people into groups of 50. Jesus takes the small food that they do have and blesses it; then, the food is given to the apostles who distribute it among the groups of hearers. All are fed and twelve baskets are needed to contain the leftovers.

There are several lessons for us here. First: Nothing is too big or difficult for Jesus. He will take care of all aspects of His work. Next, we see that God tends to use human means. Jesus could have made everyone attending instantly full, or miraculously distributed the food among the hearers. Instead, He used His disciples to pass the food around and feed the people. We see that God met the disciples in their need. When they realized that the work He had given them was beyond their ability, He equipped and enabled them to do the work.

Finally, we see that God gives an abundance of blessing. Twelve baskets of leftovers! God will give so that His people do not lack. If you lack anything spiritually: Joy, assurance, faith -- ask Him and He will give, and give abundantly!

Luke Part 31: Sending out of the Twelve

Text: Luke 9:1-6

This chapter represents a turning point in Jesus' ministry. Many have referred to this as the "retirement period", as Jesus began withdrawing from cities to less-populous areas and focusing more on teaching, rather than performing miracles. Previously in Luke, we see a great emphasis on the manhood and divinity of Christ. Luke was showing that He had come as a Savior, and was careful to show that He was to be a Savior for Jews and Gentiles.

This chapter can be divided into six sections. The first, third, and fifth sections are primarily discussing the Lord's people, and the second, fourth, and sixth sections discuss Jesus Himself directly. In this first section, consisting of the first six verses, we read of how Jesus sent out the twelve apostles.

Jesus sent out these twelve as representatives of the called out people of God, otherwise known as the church. The commission given to these men is passed on down to all of the people of God, every Christian. Some will have greater involvement in the spread of the Gospel and some will have a lesser involvement. Some will spread the gospel just through their lives and contacts with people they know; others will go out as evangelists.

We note that this passage doesn't say to whom Jesus sent them. He didn't set up a grand missionary strategy; He didn't tell them to try to first convert the leaders of the societies, but just to speak the gospel to all, to whomever they encountered.

Jesus told them to take no possessions with them. He wanted them to be completely reliant upon Him. He wanted them to see that this was His work, and that He would take responsibility to supply all of their needs.

Jesus told them to go to whatever house would accept them, and stay there. They weren't to move about trying to angle for the most advantageous position. They were, again, to remember that this was the Lord's work, His doing. They needed to stay where they were accepted and allow Him to do His business. This was also an encouragement to them. They could be assured that someone out there would accept them, that there would be some out there who would be receptive to the Gospel.

Jesus also told them that some people would reject them. Yet this was no cause for great alarm. They were only to shake the dust off their feet and continue on. We can consider this that we are not required to convert everyone we share with. We are not required to have the perfect answer to all the objections and arguments that may be brought. We are only to speak the Gospel clearly and accurately, and if it is rejected, we should not worry and move on.

We see in verse 6 that they did exactly what Jesus had told them to do. They obeyed His word, even though they had never done anything like this before. This is an example to us. These simple fishermen, at Jesus' command, went out into distant cities with only the clothes on their backs and proclaimed the good news of Christ to all they came in contact with. Just like them, we may not be trained missionaries. But the harvest is all around us, and we can do the Lord's work, knowing there is no discouragement for us when we do what our God has told us to do.

Luke Part 30: Lessons from the stilled storm and the delivered Gerasene

Text: Luke 8:22-39

At this time and throughout Jesus' ministry, He has been preparing His apostles for their future leadership role in His church. They are learning about Jesus and about His kingdom. In this section, two lessons are presented for Him.

The first lesson occurs during the boat ride in a storm that blows up suddenly. The disciples panic and are afraid they are perishing, so they wake Jesus, who calms the sea. The lesson for the disciples was that their faith was lacking. Jesus had told them to go across the lake. They were doing just exactly what He had told them to do. And Jesus was right there in the boat with them. The main problem, what Jesus rebuked them for, was the way they came to Him in a panic. They should, like us, have had faith that they were doing exactly what He had given them to do, and approached Jesus with confidence and assurance, rather than panic.

The second lesson occurred after they reached the end of the boat trip, where they were immediately met with a demon-possessed man. This man had a reputation for being extremely violent and breaking his bonds. The demons within him immediately recognized Jesus and knew they were helpless. They entreated Jesus to send them into a herd of swine (what were these Jews doing raising swine?) and Jesus consented. The swine rushed into the river and were drowned; the man was completely restored. The people of that area were greatly afraid and urged Jesus to go away. So Jesus decided to leave, but the man who had been healed asked to go along with Jesus. Jesus told him to instead stay and tell all in that land what had happened to him. And the man obeyed.

What are the points to be learned from this lesson? First note that all Christians will suffer tribulations. Each of us will be confronted with sin. Many of the people in the world around us are, like the man in this story, not in their right minds. There is great crime and wickedness in the cities around us. All over the world we hear of Christians being killed for their testimonies. Even now there is demonic activity. The devil will use the sinfulness of man heart to his own advantage. Evil breeds more evil and sin grows to deeper sin. We, like, the apostles, will be confronted with it.

However, in ever tribulation, we know that we shall conquer. Jesus is near us, and He is our shield, hiding place, rock of refuge, our defender. We know that He is:

Lord of the Present -- whatever we are doing, we must do it with Jesus. Whatever we do through the day, we do in faith knowing it is the thing that God has given us to do. We approach every aspect of our lives: our work, our recreation, our relationships, knowing that we are doing what He has given us to do, and we are doing it to please Him.

Lord of the Past -- Jesus knew the storm was coming when He had the disciples set out on the Sea of Galilee. He know all about everything that comes into our lives. He is the Author of our stories, and the Planner of our lives. Note that the Lord set off across the lake in order to save only one man -- a man who was not at all seeking Him. This is grace!

Lord of the Future -- We don't know what God will do. But we do know that He works good for His children through all the evil and tribulation in this life. We can go to Him in trouble. But we need not go in a panic, as the disciples did. But rather than being scared in difficult circumstances, we need only lay out before Him these principles in total confidence that He will answer.

See Christ's mercy in this passage! He works toward one man at a time. He saved this man and sent him as the "first gospel missionary". He had compassion even on these Geresenes who had rejected Him and told Him to go away -- He left a man to share the gospel with them.

Luke Part 29: The Parable of the Sower

Text: Luke 8:1-18

This passage begins with Luke telling us that Jesus is preaching the gospel of the kingdom. In the two years or so of His ministry up to this point, He hasn't changed the message. He's not trying to alter the message to make it more palatable to His hearers, as so many preachers today might be. The problem is not with the message; the problem lies in the hearers, and that is what Jesus deals with in this section. This is called The Parable of the Sower, but it could be more accurately called The Parable of the Hearers and Listeners, because that is its primary topic.

The parable is described in the text, and Jesus later explained it to His disciples. To understand the parable, remember that:

The Seed is the Word of God

The Sower is the on proclaiming the Word of God faithfully, in this case Jesus, but today it could be anyone preaching or sharing.

The Ground is the substance of a man, his capacity to think and feel, his heart.

Now, there are four groups of hearers, and Jesus discusses them all:

1. The Wayside Hearer. This person is compared to the heavily-traveled hard path at the side of the field. This is the hard-hearted hearer. He is not interested at all in the Word of God. The seed just bounces off. This is not the original state of the hearer, but this state of hardness is arrived at through a sinful life and a seared, guilty conscience.

Note also that the devil is involved (v. 12). This is a spiritual warfare and we must not underestimate the power of our adversary.

2. The Rocky Soil. This is the picture of a thin layer of soil over a large stone. This is the emotional hearer. He receives the Word gladly and with emotional expression. But this emotion is not based on true belief and conviction; it is a emotion apart from the mind. Later this emotional hearer falls into temptation, and eventually denies the Lord through his lifestyle and continues to engage in the same old pattern of life as before.

3. The Thorny Ground. This is the hearer who receives the Word and reacts positively, committing to follow it. But he soon returns to his worldly life: his job, family, investments, sports. Whatever the cares of his life are, he ends up seeking them instead of God, and he finds he has no devotional time, no time for the Lord at all.

4. The Good Soil. This is the good and honest heart. Note that it is not natural in fallen mankind, but it is given by the mercy of God. This hearer keeps the Word. His heart was prepared to receive it. The Word becomes a part of him. He is moved to change his lifestyle and abandon his sin. He keeps what he has heard and what he knows to be true.

The lesson of this parable is to ask yourself: what kind of a hearer are you? Christ says, "Take heed how you hear!" and "He who has ears to hear let him hear!" You are in one of these groups. If you are in one of the first three, you need to repent be coming to the Lord to be made a Christian.

Also note: Jesus states in verse 18: to him who has shall more be given. As you keep what you hear and walk in the light you are given, more shall be given to you. You will have further understanding of how to live; you will see further sins to be fought against. God will lead you on to further holiness and closeness with Him.

Luke Part 28: A sinful woman forgiven; a proud Pharisee rebuked

Text: Luke 7:36-50

In this passage, we see Luke in the role of a portrait painter, giving us lots of details about particular people Jesus dealt with in His ministry. This passage is found only in Luke, not in the other Gospels. This is a story of two sinners: one who knows she is a sinner, and one who is blind to his sin.

We first see Simon inviting Jesus to his house for no good reason. We know that the Pharisees had already conspired together against Jesus, and were looking to trap Him in something He would say. Simon was waiting to accuse and discredit Jesus. This is apparent because he didn't even extend the common courtesies of a host to Jesus.

There is much speculation about the woman in this story: Who is she? What is her sin? She is not identified here, so speculation is pointless. Her sin is likewise not identified, although it must have been a known, external sin. These details are left blank so each of us can identify with her. She represents every sinner who acknowledges his or her sin and receives deliverance.

The scene at Simon's house was like this: there was a large room; invited guests reclined around a table in the center of the room, and uninvited observers could sit around the outside and partake of the conversation. The unnamed woman summoned great courage to come into this assembly, and stood back behind Jesus in a position of humility. She did several things that would have been unthinkable in the culture of that time, letting down her hair, kissing and wiping Jesus' feet. Then finally, she broke a bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Him.

Simon thought he had Jesus right where He wanted Him. He thought Jesus was proving He was no prophet by allowing the woman to continue, not knowing that she was a sinner. However, the reality was that Jesus had Simon right where He wanted him! Jesus proved that He was a prophet and that He can save people from their sins. Jesus showed Simon that the woman loved much, in response to her sins being forgiven. The forgiveness was completely an act of grace. However, Simon misses the point of the story. With the other Pharisees, he continues to try to make himself right with God through outward obedience. He doesn't recognize that he too has sinned much and needs to be forgiven of much.

We can see five points in the woman's example, things we should follow in our lives:

1. Her faith - Faith is visible, you can see it. The church is made up of visible saints. She risks all to get to Jesus; faith knows it will be received. She entrusts herself completely to Jesus. If the Spirit moves you to Christ, get to Him! You can know you will be received.
2. Humility - She takes the lower position. She doesn't assume a familiarity with Jesus. She's not afraid, but she is also not arrogantly bold and presumptuous.
3. Repentance - She cries over a life wasted in sin and cries rejoicing that her sins are forgiven. This is an act of the heart as well as the mind. This is not a dryly mechanical response; her whole person is involved.
4. Service - She performs an act of loving service in washing Christ's feet and anointing Him with perfume. She did what Simon should have done. She serves her Lord.
5. Her best - She gave her best, an entire bottle of costly perfume. She wouldn't hold back and give Christ second best, or second place.

This woman's actions said, "I believe - that You are the Messiah, that You can forgive sins, and that You have forgiven me." And Jesus responds by giving her assurance. She knew her sins were forgiven, but now she has the word straight from Jesus. She has got peace with God; she has everything.

May all follow her example in love to Christ and receive forgiveness and assurance directly from the Holy Spirit in response!

Luke Part 27: Marks of Wisdom

Text: Luke 7:31-35

In the last post, this passage was discussed and it was noted that Christ is the wisdom of God. Wisdom is found by those that know Christ. In this post, we will take a further look at the marks of wisdom. This is a sort of checklist answering the question, "What does wisdom look like?"

Wisdom is one of God's communicable attributes. God gives it to us. All wisdom begins at conversion -- note that we have no Biblical examples of an unbeliever being described as wise. Wisdom comes from meditating on God's Word and wisdom is proven by experience, by applying the Word in our lives and seeing how God is faithful to perform what He has promised.

Wisdom is never proud. Knowledge without wisdom puffs up, but wisdom produces humility, not pride.

James 3:13-17 contains a discussion that describes the characteristics of true wisdom. This "wisdom from above" is given by God and is contrasted with the earthly, natural, demonic wisdom that works strife and discord.

The wisdom from above in James has the following marks. It is:

• Pure - It is unmixed, not divided. It is not partially our wisdom and partially God's wisdom. Rather, it is all from above. God has done it all; He is the wellspring of life and wisdom.
• Peaceable - To be "peaceable" does not mean to be tied up in knots worrying about possibly offending anyone. It is not being inactive or withdrawing from society like a mountaintop guru. To be peaceable is to be actively maintaining the peace that God has placed among the brethren. The peaceable person is also promoting peace between God and man -- he is sharing the gospel with the world around him. He is known as a reconciler; he is one who helps people overcome their differences.
• Gentle - This word also means "considerate". A person with wisdom refuses to think the worst of other people. He makes allowances for others, considering that we are all imperfect.
• Reasonable - easy to be entreated. This person is open to persuasion. He is open to other people's ideas. He can listen to others without condemning them. Rather than being opinionated, he has convictions.
• Full of mercy - forgiving. Forgiving others whether they ask forgiveness or not. He has a desire to relieve suffering and never rejoices in another's misfortune.
• Full of good fruit - wisdom is productive, it accomplishes something. The man of wisdom is the best neighbor/employee/father/husband he can be. This wisdom has results in outward living.
• Unwavering - or, without partiality. The wise man will always do the right thing, without being swayed by circumstances or people.
• Without hypocrisy - The wise man is exactly what he seems to be. He is never hiding something. Hypocrisy is banished when we put our masks away and are real with each other.

These characteristics are perfectly embodied in Christ!

Remember that God wants His children to be wise, and that He gives wisdom to all who ask. If we are His children, we shall prove the wisdom of God!

Luke Part 25: John the Baptist is perplexed

Text: Luke 7:1-30

This passage contains two short episodes of Jesus’ healing, and tells of His exchange with messengers from a perplexed John the Baptist.

In the first episode, described in verses 1-10, we see Jesus healing the slave of a Roman centurion – a Gentile.  This is a Gentile of faith, a man who is saved.  How does the centurion show his faith?  First, he humbles himself.  All must come to Jesus humbly, as sinners.  Secondly, we see that he is concerned for his fellow man; he is asking Jesus not for himself but for the sake of his servant.

In the second episode, described in verses 11-17, we see an entirely different situation.  A widow’s only son has died.  We are told nothing at all of the widow’s faith.  Instead, Jesus uses this occasion to demonstrate His total victory over death.  He shows His power in turning an occasion of sadness and mourning into one of joyous celebration by raising the son to life again.

In verses 18-30, we read of an episode that confronts us where we are in our relationship with the Lord.  John the Baptist, in prison due to his standing up to Herod, sends his friends to Christ to ask if He really is the Messiah.  Did John the Baptist have a mistaken view of Christ’s kingdom?  Was he confused because he thought Jesus’ should have been establishing a kingdom here on earth if He was truly the Messiah?  No – the entire message of John was of a spiritual kingdom.

John’s problem was that good things were happening to everyone else –  miracles were being done, etc.   But John was sitting in prison off on the sidelines.  He was having his doubts.  This is surely our tendency as well.  “Lord, what about me?” we ask.  “Why do I here have to suffer through these things?”

Notice how gently Christ deals with him.  “All who are not offended by Me will be blessed.” he says.  John was a little offended and disappointed by Jesus, and Jesus was gently rebuking Him.

Then, Jesus praises John.  There was a tendency, then as now, to equate outward circumstances with God’s favor.  But Jesus wanted to show that God was pleased with John.  John was right where Jesus wanted him to be.  John had been put in prison because he had boldly stood up to the king.  Jesus points out that John was no flimsy reed shaken by the wind; he stood up for the truth.

This message was accepted by those who could recognize their own sin.  The Pharisees rejected Jesus, because they didn’t see their sin.

In verse 28, Jesus declares that John is the greatest of the prophets.  In doing this, Jesus indicated that He was not just another great prophet.  But, Jesus continued, those in the kingdom have seen and experienced things the prophets couldn’t understand – we now know more than the greatest prophets of old.

The key verse in this passage is verse 23 – “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”  Christ is our King.  The ruler of the kingdom orders the affairs of the kingdom and we don’t take offense at Him.  We struggle with doubts, we don’t see the results we want right away.  Yet we should remember in all these things: life is hard but God is good; like John, if we are following Christ, we are right in the situation where He wants us to be.

Luke Part 23: Showing graciousness in withholding judgment of others

Text: Luke 6:37-45

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, we can see six principles of holy living:

1. The law of holiness requires activity -- we do not become holy by just existing passively.
2. Holiness requires unconditional, sacrificial obedience.
3. We are not our own -- we have been bought; we are in the family of fellow followers.
4. As in verse 37, we are to be gracious, not censorious or condemning in our relationships. This is especially important in our relationships towards other Christians.
   
   We cannot see other people's hearts. We cannot make judgments -- either for good or bad. We cannot make a positive judgment, telling someone he is OK, but in effect encouraging wrong behavior or even good behavior with wrong motives.
   
   On the other hand, we cannot condemn others without knowing their hearts. Each of us can only do what we know to do, and each of us is being led along in his own place in the Christian walk.
   
   We must be careful judging even ourselves. We should not judge ourselves too harshly or too softly. Each of us is responsible for what God has spoken to our hearts.
   
   
5. Next, we have the example of giving (v.38). We are to be giving people; giving is an area where we can show graciousness. How much are we to give? There are no rules here! We are just told to give generously. You cannot outgive the Giver -- you will always receive it back. (see 2 Cor 9:6-7)
   
   
6. Finally, there is an objective to be obtained: that we be like Jesus, our Teacher (v. 40). If our goal is to be more righteous for its own sake, or to be more peaceful, we are going at it wrong and will miss the objective; our purpose must always be to be more Christlike.

Luke Part 22: The Beatitudes

Text: Luke 6:20-26

This section begins what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. Luke's version of this sermon is much shorter than that recorded in Matthew. Both versions can be regarded as a condensed version, or summary, of the actual sermon. So how does this version in Luke differ, and why? Luke, we remember, is writing primarily to the Gentiles, so the summary of this sermon provided in his gospel is oriented more for the Gentile reader. There is no discussion of Moses' Law. Rather than mentioning "publicans", this version refers to "sinners", which would include all of us.

Matthew records Jesus saying they are blessed to accept persecution "for My sake", while in Luke's version Jesus refers to Himself as "the Son of Man." We have seen that this is the title He chose to refer to Himself as a representative for people of all nationalities and backgrounds.

We see at the beginning of this section that Jesus "looked at His disciples." What a thing it must have been for this Man, who spoke with such great authority, to be looking among His people, in their faces, speaking directly to them.

These first four beatitudes, the "blessed art thou" are things that are true of the people of God. God's people will always be those who submit to the Lord's leadership; they will always be distinct from the people they are living among. If they are not distinct, if there is a blending of the world and the church, it is not real Christianity.

"Blessed are the poor." The people of God are poor in all respects. Frequently they are economically poor; they are poor in spirit; they are not self-sufficient. They are not enriched by the world's goods, rather they are looking to God for their delight.

"Blessed are those who hunger now." Again, God's people find their satisfaction and fulfillment in Christ. They are not filled and satisfied by the things of this world.

"Blessed are those who weep now." This world is a sad place! God's people shed tears over the degradation of sin, over seeing Christ held in low esteem.

"Blessed are you when men hate you." Have we felt this hatred of men? Have we felt what is like to be separated, ostracized, regarded as evil? This is part of being one of God's people; this is what Christians are supposed to be experiencing.

After these four "blesseds" there are four "woes". Jesus condemns those who are satisfied with the world's goods, who are constantly jovial and amused. Woe are you when men speak well of you! Countless men have perished in their sins due to their love of others' approval!

Note how Christ's message is balanced -- it's not a weak "Smile, God loves you!" message, rather there is equal emphasis on judgment and blessing. Also see the passion in His message. A total love for Him is required. It is not optional; you must live for Him totally.

Also, we again see the "doctrine of twos". It is the world vs. Christ, there is no middle ground. You will be either blessed with Christ or cursed with the world. There is no room for blending and compromise.

There is nothing that compares to Christ! Seek Him and you will be comforted. He is a Savior for sinners!

Luke Part 21: Jesus calls the disciples and apostles

Text: Luke 6:12-19

As we have been seeing, this section of Luke describes Christ's teachings about the New Covenant and how it is radically different from the Old. In this particular portion, we see Jesus calling his apostles. He chose these men to perpetuate the new thing He was doing.

First, we see Christ going up on the mountain to pray. We don't know how He prayed or what the nature of His prayers were. But we do see Him spending the whole night in communion with His Father. Amazing!

After His night of prayer, Jesus called the disciples and the apostles. What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower of a particular person.

Jesus called many disciples, but he only called twelve apostles. The word "apostle" means "sent one" and these twelve were a special group of men, given to the church to lead and guide.

We know almost nothing about some of the apostles. They did their work without much acclaim and were not recorded in the annals of history. Yet they were faithful servants. We should keep this in mind when we read about the history of the church. We certainly no little about many other significant people who served God faithfully.

Perhaps we will one day find that the men who did the greatest works in church history were neglected by the historians. Particularly, we know that by the 3rd or 4th century, much error had crept into the church. Were there any true Christians? Of course! But the enemies of the truth were the ones in power, and they were the ones writing the history, so of course we don't hear much from the faithful believers!

Jesus was establishing the method by which truth would be handed down. He would speak to the apostles. Then the apostles would teach other men directly, who would in turn teach other men. This pattern can be seen in 2 Tim 1:13,14 where we see Paul telling Timothy to guard the teaching he was receiving from Paul. The pattern is always one of one individual passing on the truth to another. It's an organic and real thing -- the giver and receiver of the truth have a relationship with each other. This has been turned on its head with the modern seminary approach, where students are taught in classrooms without the close relationship to the teacher that we see in the Bible.

The early church lived a lifestyle that was completely different from those around them. When asked why their lifestyle was so different, they responded, "We are followers of Jesus." Simply embracing the objective facts of the gospel will not produce life. Perhaps this is why we see deadness in the churches around us -- the pastors have been taught in a system with an overemphasis on the learning of facts and skills, but without the emphasis on the changed life of a life of faith. Faith must be mixed with knowledge to produce a fragrant life.

Luke Part 20: Jesus, our Sabbath of the New Covenant

Text: Luke 6:1-11

The purpose of this section of Luke, beginning with the previous passage and continuing on for a few chapters, is to show how the New Covenant is radically different in every way from the Old Covenant. This passage continues in that vein, with two incidents recorded that are related to the Sabbath. It's important to remember that these incidents were collected to teach certain points; they are not necessarily in chronological order.

What is the main teaching here? Jesus Christ is our Sabbath in the New Covenant. We are resting in Him, resting from our works. This is covered more directly in Hebrews.

Note Jesus' response in Verse 5: "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" Jesus frequently described Himself as the Son of Man to indicate that He was a Savior, not just for the Jews, but for people from all of mankind. This Sabbath of the New Covenant was a rest, not just for the Jewish people, but a rest for all.

We have examples of the sabbath in the era before Moses -- After God created the world, He rested. But Adam was not able to abide in that rest; he still had things to do. Is it too much of a reach to suggest it was on the Sabbath that Adam walked with God in the cool of the day? The Sabbath was instituted as a time to rest from labor and to enjoy God fully without distraction.

The Sabbath was commanded before Moses -- God told the people to rest from collecting manna on the seventh day in Exodus 16:28,29.

In Exodus 20, Moses was given the Ten Commandments, including the Fourth Commandment: "Remember the Sabbath". This "remember" meant to remember the past and to keep as a remembrance, to observe the Sabbath in time. We should remember Adam's communion in innocence and remember our rest in Christ.

The Jews turned the Sabbath into a thing of ceremony -- a list of explicit rules for refraining from labor that had to be kept. But Isaiah 58:11-14 explained what God meant for the Sabbath to be: a time not just to turn away from work, but to turn towards Him.

The Pharisee's interpretation of the law was wrong, because they had turned the Sabbath into a ceremonial thing. The disciples eating of the grain was an act of necessity; it was not wrong. Likewise, healing the man's hand was not wrong. The Pharisees had made their ceremonial, legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath more important than this man's hand.

Finally, we should note that the priests still did work on the Sabbath. The fact of the Christian's sabbath rest in Christ does not eliminate the work that we have to do. Although we are resting in Christ's merit, we still have sin to conquer and good news to spread.

Luke, Part 19: A great change; something new

Text: Luke 5:27-39

This section, as well as all of Luke 6, teach that Jesus had come to fulfill the Old Covenant and to establish the New Covenant. The idea here is of something new, both something new for individuals, and something new nationally and corporately.

First, we see with the example of Levi, a change in the individual -- the individual made new. Levi was a publican, a collector of taxes for the Jews' Roman overlords. Furthermore, most publicans overcharged. They were generally crooked, wealthy, and despised.

The story of Levi begins with "the call." Jesus called out "Follow Me!" and Levi left everything behind. Christ's call was certainly effectual. Levi, we read, "left everything behind." For a wealthy tax-collector, this was quite significant.

Next in Levi's story is "the change." Levi was changed radically. The first thing he did was to hold a huge feast, a royal reception for Jesus to thank Christ for receiving Him. He invited his friends -- probably other publicans; what friends did tax-gatherers have? The stingy Levi was changed to a hospitable man focused on sharing his goods and sharing the gospel with others.

Finally, we see "the Cure," the reason for Levi's great change. Levi was changed by Jesus -- He is the reason sinners are turned from their sin. He has the means and the power to cure the sickness of sin. Jesus told the Pharisees that He came to heal sinners, that He was a physician for those who know their sin, and acknowledge their need. This is the pattern; there is no other way of salvation.

Next, we see corporate identity change, beginning with the question over fasting. The Pharisees asked, "Why don't your disciples fast?" The Old Covenant was a legalistic system. The Jews were constantly mindful of their sinfulness and condemnation. They were constantly looking at themselves, leading to despair over sin. The same thing can happen to us if we fall under the bondage of legalism. The New Covenant is not one of condemnation and gloom! The norm for a Christian should be rejoicing because there is mutual joy -- Christ is rejoicing in us, and we are rejoicing in Him.

Of course, anytime when we are caught up in sin, if we feel as though Christ has withdrawn, this may be a time for fasting. But these are not the normal thing! We don't have to do penance or beat ourselves up. We can know forgiveness NOW.

Finally, Jesus gives a couple of parables to show the great change wrought in the New Covenant. First is that of a new patch of cloth on a old garment. The new cloth represents the new teachings of the New Covenant and the old cloth represents the teachings of the Old Covenant. The parable tells us that you can't pick and choose -- you can't take some of Jesus's teachings and combine it with some of the Old Covenant.

We see this kind of picking-and-choosing all around us. Islam includes Jesus... but only part of Jesus. Armenianism combines Jesus with works-religion. Some others take the Bible as a guideline for moral rules (Jesus is a "good teacher") but leave out the gospel.

Next we have the picture of new wine in old wineskins. The Jews were willing to accept Jesus; they wanted Jesus + the Old Covenant. But you can't have Jesus plus works-religion or Jesus plus a civil religious order or Jesus plus anything.

And last we have the picture of new wine in a new wineskin. Christ represented something totally new and He would only belong within the system of the New Covenant, a covenant of faith, liberty, and security in contrast to the Old Covenant with its fasting, bondage, and continual sacrifice.

There is a warning here: we have a tendency to accept the old as "good enough." People may not receive the gospel because they are happy where they are. We must be patient with them and keep sharing. Also, we may be stubborn and not see new truths and learn when we should. God will bring us along and teach us new things. We will conform more and more to His image as He shows us more truth. We must not cling to the comfort of our "old" ways of thinking.

Finally, to sinners: the old is not better. Learn from Levi! Jesus calls all sinners, and only sinners, to Himself. Repent and believe, and celebrate all Christ gives us in the New Covenant era of joyous relationship with Him!

Then Jesus

Luke, Part 18: Jesus cleanses a man with leprosy

Text: Luke 5:12-16

This passage describes an incident in which Jesus heals a man with leprosy. This incident is also recorded in Matthew and Mark, demonstrating its significance. The encounter that the leprous man had with Jesus is a model for our encounters with the Lord, both for Christians and for the unsaved.

This leper, who was he? We don't know; his name isn't recorded. He was probably just a normal, ordinary man until he contracted leprosy and became cut off from normal civil and religious society. Leprosy was an exceptionally fearful disease at that time. A person with leprosy had to live apart from society; whenever an uninfected person approached, the leper had to shout "Unclean!" and cover his face. So when Jesus met this man, it was probably at a time of day when fewer people were around, perhaps late at night or early in the morning.

We see five things in the way the leper approached Jesus:

1. He saw Jesus -- he knew enough about Jesus to recognize Him when he saw Him. You have to know who the real, biblical Jesus is, not just someone of your imagination. The real Jesus is the only one who can do us any good.

2. He fell on his face. The leper prostrated himself and took the lowest possible position. He humbled himself, worshiped Jesus and begged Him for help. He claimed no merit of his own and didn't seek to engage Jesus as an equal.

3. He acknowledged Jesus as Lord. He recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the God-Man, Christ. Or conception of Jesus must be of Him as Lord.

4. He realized Jesus' all-sufficiency. He knew Jesus had the power to heal him. He knew his own need, and knew Jesus could meet that need.

5. He was subject to the will of God. He said, "If you will."He knew Christ was under no obligation to help him. God is free in his administration of sovereign grace.

What did Jesus do? Jesus healed and cleansed him. Five attributes of Christ's response are given for our encouragement, and for our example in doing good to our fellow man:

1. Jesus put forth His hand. Ordinarily, people would tell a leper to stay away. Christ opened up to this man and and encouraged him. Jesus even went so far as to touch the man. Christ made himself one with the man in the same manner that, in salvation, He makes Himself one with a sinner.

2. Jesus revealed His will. We cannot find out God's will purely through our own searching. We are dependent on God to reveal it to us. We should pray that God would make it simple so that we can understand His Word and His leading.

3. Jesus healed the leper. In this, He showed that He is the Son of God. He demonstrated that He has dominion over sickness, disease, and sin. Jesus is not teasing. None who come to Him are refused.

4. Jesus sent him to the priest. Under the Law, the priest had the duty to testify when a person was healed of leprosy. Jesus sent the cleansed man to the priest; this made the priest have to testify to who Jesus was.

5. Jesus got alone with His Father. Jesus did great miracles, but he was still completely human. He needed to frequently draw away from the crowds for prayer time alone. We should consider this when we feel "too busy" to have time with God. Like Jesus, we need that time with our Father.

If you don't know Christ, come to Him! He will save all who come to Him in repentance and faith.

Luke, Part 17:A Carpenter tells a fisherman how to fish

Text: Luke 5:1-11

This section describes how Jesus taught Simon how to fish. First, we see that Jesus told Simon to do all the "wrong" things -- He told him to go out fishing in the middle of the day (night is preferred for fishing); and he told him to go way out into the deep water -- fishing with nets is more effective in the shallower waters.

Simon answered that they had already spent all night fishing, without success, but that he would, regardless, obey Christ's command. It would have been a long process of again getting ready and preparing to go back onto the sea. Furthermore, they were already cleaning their nets -- if they cast them in again, they would need to repeat the cleaning.

Still, Simon obeyed and they cast again. They took in such a large catch of fish that their boats began to sink.

In this passage, we see Simon in a battle. He was in a battle with believing Christ rather than doubting. Surely it would have been embarrassing for him to obey Jesus. What would the other fishermen think to see him going out fishing at the wrong time, in the wrong way?

We also see see a few things about Christ in this passage. First, we see that He is omniscient (knowing everything) -- He knew just where the fish were. Secondly, we see that He is omnipotent (all powerful) -- He had the power to bring the fish to the net. He demonstrated complete dominion over the fish of the sea.

We know from the Bible that Christ came to give life and to give "life more abundant." He gives more than we expect, just as He did for Simon by giving him a gigantic catch of fish. We see that obeying Jesus is never a fool's errand.

Simon Peter won the battle and obeyed Christ. Because he obeyed, he was blessed. Often for us, we don't see the blessing right away. But, we should obey anyway. Like Simon, we may be called to do something we've never done before, something strange. We must recognize that it will be a battle between flesh and spirit and not look to the circumstances.

Also, we can see that Jesus is involved in all areas of our lives. Christianity is not just a "church thing."

Simon is humbled greatly by the great catch he is given. When he obeyed Christ, he was questioning; he still had a lot of doubt. After his success fishing, he reacts by falling at Jesus' feet in humility rather than dancing around with joy. He confesses his sinfulness and confesses Jesus as God -- all powerful. He is in amazement that God in holiness wants to have something to do with a man like him. Jesus' response to Simon's humility is, "Fear not." He gives Simon a call and tells him to follow Him.

Luke, Part 16: Jesus heals and casts out demons

Text: Luke 4:31-44

The emphasis in the previous sections of Luke's gospel has been to show Jesus as a genuine man. In this section, Jesus demonstrates His power and compassion.

First, we see His power in preaching. Those who heard him were amazed because He taught with authority. Because Jesus is God, He didn't need to appeal to any other authority; He had authority within Himself and it was evident in His preaching.

How did His audience react? They were amazed, they were entertained, but nowhere do we see that they responded in faith. Hearing must be accompanied with faith for it to have any benefit.

During the preaching, Jesus was interrupted by a man possessed by a demon. This was evidently a particularly foul spirit, because it is identified as an "unclean" demon. Christ showed His power and His compassion in casting out the demon and freeing this man. Note that the demon both knew who Christ was and obeyed Him. Obedience and knowledge are not faith; the demon did not respond in faith but rather through being compelled by the power of Jesus.

The result of this encounter is that the audience is yet more amazed and spread the news of what they have seen all around. As Christians, we should be challenged by the example of these men: they didn't respond in faith, yet the couldn't help but tell of Jesus.

We also see in verses 38 through 41 how Jesus healed a number of people who came to Him with diseases and demon possession. Particularly noted is the healing that Simon's mother-in-law received from a "high fever". In performing these healings, Jesus worked on a very personal level. He didn't just wave His hand over the crown and say, "Be healed!" although He could very well have done that. He cared enough about each person to get involved personally with them as he healed them.

In verse 42, after Jesus has spent all night healing and helping, rather than going to bed, He left to get alone to pray. We see how Jesus constantly lived in prayer. Throughout the gospels (Mark 1:35 for example) we see Him getting away early in the morning for communion with His Father. Note how the early morning, when all is still and asleep, seems to be particularly chosen by Christ for His prayer times -- this is a good example for us to follow.

Finally, at the end of this section, we have the first reference in Luke's gospel to "the Kingdom of God". Throughout Luke, Jesus is referring to "the kingdom of God". This is the same thing that is referred to in Matthew's gospel as "the kingdom of heaven". Jesus' mission on earth was to establish this kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not visible with outward show, with robes, candles and incense. It is a supernatural, spiritual kingdom established in the hearts of God's people. It will be established perfectly in the new heavens and the new earth (Luke 22:30). In this kingdom, God is the King and we are His subjects.

How will we respond to the example of Christ? Will we show Christ to the watching world? Will we have compassion on a dying humanity? Will we we use the small power (our abilities) that God has given us to us to help others?

Luke, Part 14: Jesus’ Temptation in the Wilderness

Text: Luke 4:1-13

Jesus continues in His work as a  representation of man in this section.  Christ, in His humanity is again shown representing transgressors.  He is going out to the battle against temptation that Adam lost, but unlike Adam, Christ (the New Adam) will be victorious.

When Adam was tempted, he was with his wife, in a perfect place with all his needs supplied.  Christ, on the other hand, was in the desert and alone and suffering greatly from hunger.

In this passage, Christ is shown as our example, as well as our representative.  Through His responses, we can gain insight into foiling Satan’s attempts to tempt us.

In Satan’s first attack (v.3), he begins by saying, “If you are the Son of God turn these stones into bread.”  Jesus knew He was the Son of God; He had just been told by the Father that He was the Father’s “beloved Son”.  As with Adam, Satan’s first attack is on the accuracy of God’s Word.  We see Satan attacking God’s Word in the world all around us, from secular humanists trying to cast doubts on the veracity of the Word, to charismatic churches casting aside the Bible for so-called special revelation.  Jesus is not swayed; He responds directly with the Word.  He tells Satan that His life is not about material things such as food, but that His true life is His relationship with the Father.

In the second attack (v.5-7), Satan takes Christ to all the kingdoms of the world and offers to give them to Him in exchange for worship.  Christ was sent to the world to be a King of a new heavenly kingdom.  Here Satan is giving Christ an opportunity to rule without enduring the suffering He was sent for.  As always, he is trying to made something sinful look good (wouldn’t it be good for Christ to be king over the whole world?)   He is offering the crown without the cross.  Jesus responds to worship God only.  Jesus was familiar with Scripture and knew how to use the written Word against Satan.  We should try to be likewise skilled and to, like Christ, do what God calls us to do in God’s way.

In the final attack, Satan brings Jesus up to the pinnacle of the temple.  Note how he misuses the Bible in order to get Jesus to sin.  The actual passage (Psalm 91:11-12) says, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you,  To guard you in all your ways.”, implying that God will keep the one who walks in righteous ways.  But to assume that God will keep you when you are going into sin is presumption.

Presumption is not faith; the Devil wanted Jesus to substitute presumption for faith.  We can be presumptuous when, for example, we pray for good health but do not take care of our bodies.  A similar presumption is praying for salvation, but not seeking God through prayer and Bible reading.

Jesus rejected this temptation, again quoting Scripture.

From Jesus’ example in the wilderness, we should see that trials and temptations are all part of God’s refining us, and we should not seek to short-circuit the work of God, to avoid His baptism of fire.  We should be wise and recognize the difference between acting in faith and acting with presumption, and, finally, we should study God’s Word to be equipped to defend ourselves against all temptations.

Here He goes out to the wilderness, where He is tempted by Satan.  He is going out to the battle that Adam lost, but unlike Adam, Christ (the New Adam) will be victorious.

First, in this passage, we see Christ in His humanity representing transgressors.