Facing Temptation Like Jesus
Luke 4:1–15

Introduction
In Luke 4, we find the Lord Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It is important to remember that while Jesus is fully God, He also became fully man. In this passage, He faces the devil not in the power of His deity, but in His humanity — the same ground on which we face temptation.

Satan is real. He is called “the god of this world” and “the prince of the power of the air.” He is powerful, though not all-powerful, and he is our adversary. His methods are ancient, but he repackages them for every generation. He works to hinder, distract, and discredit the work of God — often even among God’s people.

Until the day he is cast into the lake of fire forever, we are in a spiritual battle. We must be equipped to stand in victory through Christ, remembering:

“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

The Setting of the Temptation
Luke 4 tells us that Jesus, “being full of the Holy Ghost,” was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. For forty days He fasted, and at the end of that time, He was hungry. At that moment of physical weakness, Satan came with three temptations — each one striking at the heart of human struggle.

Temptation #1 — Putting the Physical Before the Spiritual
“If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.” (Luke 4:3)
Jesus could have turned stones into bread, but He refused to put physical needs ahead of spiritual priorities. He answered:
“It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” (Luke 4:4)
This is a common temptation — to focus on what we eat, wear, or possess, while neglecting our spiritual health. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Job understood this priority:
“I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12)

We must guard against letting the urgent needs of the body crowd out the eternal needs of the soul.

Temptation #2 — Replacing Worship of God with Worship of Something Else
“All this power will I give thee… if thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.” (Luke 4:6–7) Satan desires worship. He tempted Jesus to trade worship of God for the kingdoms of the world. Jesus replied:
“Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Luke 4:8)

Worship is about worth — recognizing God’s supreme value. Yet many today replace worship with the pursuit of pleasure, possessions, or personal ambition. Paul warned in 2 Timothy 3:4 that in the last days people would be “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”
True worship is not confined to Sunday services; it is a daily posture of the heart, honoring God in spirit and in truth.

Temptation #3 — Living as if We Are in Charge Instead of God
“If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence…” (Luke 4:9)
Here Satan even quoted Scripture, twisting it to suggest that Jesus should force God’s hand. Jesus answered:
“It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” (Luke 4:12)

This temptation is about presumption — living as though we control our own destiny, ignoring God’s will. James 4:15 reminds us:
“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

We must resist the urge to push our own plans ahead of God’s, and instead live in humble submission to His direction.

Conclusion
These three temptations — prioritizing the physical over the spiritual, replacing worship with worldly pursuits, and living as if we are in control — are still alive today.
Victory comes when we:

• Feed daily on God’s Word.
• Keep worship central in our lives.
• Submit our plans to God’s will.

​Real joy and lasting pleasure are found not in sin’s fleeting promises, but in walking with Jesus.

“In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
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Let us follow Christ’s example, resist the devil with the Word of God, and live in the victory He has already won.

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Exodus 34; 2 Corinthians 3

Moses and the Radiance of God’s Presence

In Exodus 34, Moses descends from Mount Sinai after forty days with the Lord, carrying the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Unaware of it himself, his face shines with the glory of God. The people are afraid to come near him. Moses speaks God’s commands to them, then veils his face—removing the veil only when he goes in to speak with the Lord.

This moment becomes the backdrop for Paul’s teaching in 2 Corinthians 3, where he uses Moses’ shining face and the veil as an illustration of the surpassing glory of the new covenant in Christ.

The Contrast: Law and Spirit

​Paul reminds the Corinthians that the Old Testament law, written on stone, was glorious—but it was also the “ministration of death” because it condemned sin without providing the power to overcome it. The law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but it was temporary and would be “done away.”

By contrast, the new covenant is written on the heart by the Spirit of the living God. The “letter” kills, but the Spirit gives life. If the law’s glory was so great that Moses’ face shone, how much greater is the glory of the Spirit’s work in us today.

The Goal: Transformation into Christ’s Image

Paul moves toward a key truth in verse 18:
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
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Unlike Moses, we do not approach God with a veil. In Christ, the veil is removed. We see the truth clearly, and as we behold the Lord—through His Word, in worship, in the lives of His people—we are transformed. This is sanctification: the ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus in character, attitude, and action.

Key Themes in Living for God’s Glory

1. The Glory of Salvation
We must never lose the awe of being saved. The early believers could not stop speaking the name of Jesus because they had experienced the living Christ. We too should live with that same joy and boldness.

2. The Liberty of the Spirit
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (v. 17). God’s presence brings freedom—freedom to worship, to rejoice, to live without the bondage of sin or the coldness of legalism.

3. The Process of Change
Salvation happens in a moment; sanctification takes a lifetime. God shapes us through His Word, through trials, and through victories. We should be able to say, “I’m not what I used to be,” even if we’re not yet all we should be.

4. From Glory to Glory
The Christian life is not meant to grow dull. As we walk with Christ, we should move from one degree of glory to another—deeper joy, stronger faith, greater likeness to Him.

Living in the Light of His Glory

The glory Moses experienced faded; the glory we have in Christ remains forever. We live on this side of Calvary, in the age of grace, with unveiled access to God. Our calling is to behold His glory and let it change us—so that others see Jesus in us.

As Romans 8:29 reminds us, God’s purpose is to conform us to the image of His Son. That is the true glory of the Christian life.

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Philippians 3; Luke 16:10–12; Psalm 20:7

The Question of Trust
In what—or in whom—do you place your trust? And just as important, are you yourself trustworthy?

In everyday life, trustworthiness means being reliable, honest, and consistent—someone others can depend on. In the spiritual realm, trust takes on an even deeper meaning: a firm reliance upon God for salvation, guidance, and strength.

Scripture teaches that if God can trust you, He can use you. The same is true in the workplace—trustworthy people are valuable because they can be counted on. But when it comes to eternity, the question becomes far more urgent: What are you trusting in when it comes to heaven?

The Test of Trustworthiness
Luke 16:10–12 teaches that faithfulness in small things reveals whether we can be trusted with greater things. If we are not faithful with earthly resources (“unrighteous mammon”), how can God entrust us with true spiritual riches?

Trustworthiness should mark every Christian’s character. When someone says, “I’m a Christian,” it ought to mean something—integrity, reliability, and a life that reflects Christ.

Misplaced Trust
Psalm 20:7 warns, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” In ancient times, chariots and horses represented military strength. Today, people may trust in wealth, intellect, position, or human ability. But all these will fail.

The hymn Stand Up for Jesus reminds us:
“The arm of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own.”

The flesh is weak. Even the most disciplined person will eventually disappoint themselves. Our confidence must rest in the Lord alone.

Paul’s Example: From Self-Reliance to Christ-Reliance
In Philippians 3, Paul recounts his impressive religious résumé: circumcised on the eighth day, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee, zealous in persecuting the church, outwardly blameless under the law. He had reached the top in his religious world—and was completely wrong about Christ.

Many today are equally confident in the wrong things: church membership, baptism, good deeds, or moral living. But salvation is not earned by these. Paul came to see all his former “gains” as loss compared to knowing Christ.

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ… and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:7–8).

True Righteousness by Faith
Paul’s desire was to “be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness… but that which is through the faith of Christ” (Philippians 3:9). Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus alone—not by works, rituals, or self-effort.

When asked why God should let us into heaven, the only right answer is: Because I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Pressing Toward the Goal
Paul’s aim was to know Christ more deeply, experience the power of His resurrection, share in His sufferings, and be conformed to His likeness (Philippians 3:10). He admitted he had not “arrived,” but pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (v. 14).

Trusting Christ is not a one-time event—it’s a daily walk of faith, obedience, and growth.

Where Is Your Trust?
People will fail you. You will even fail yourself. But the Lord will never fail. He is the sure foundation, the refuge for every believer.

Have you placed your trust in Him alone for salvation? Are you living in a way that makes you trustworthy in His service? Like Paul, may we count all else as loss compared to knowing Christ, and press on to be more like Him each day.

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Philippians 2:12–18

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians is filled with affection. He first met these believers after hearing the Macedonian call, and now, writing from prison in Rome, he encourages them to stand firm in the Lord. God’s Word is living, and as we read, heed, and hide it in our hearts, it feeds our souls.

In Philippians 2:12–13, Paul writes:
   “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

This verse has often been misunderstood. Paul is not saying we work for salvation, nor that we must maintain it by our own effort. Salvation is by grace through faith — a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8–9). Jesus paid it all; it is finished. Our security is not in a place, but in a Person — the Lord Jesus Christ.

To “work out” our salvation means to live out what God has already worked in. It’s like mining a gold vein — the treasure is there, but we must bring it to the surface. Philippians 1:6 assures us:
“He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

That “good work” is redemption, complete in Christ. But now comes sanctification — the ongoing process of being set apart for God’s use. We received all of Christ at salvation, but He is still working to have all of us.

Marks of Working Out Salvation:

1. Obedience (v. 12)
Paul commends the Philippians for obeying not only when he was present, but also in his absence. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). The most miserable person is not the lost sinner, but the believer out of God’s will. Sanctification begins with obeying the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

2. Contentment (v. 14)
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” Discontentment breeds complaining. Paul, writing from prison, had learned to be content in every circumstance (Philippians 4:11–13). Contentment is found in Christ, not in circumstances.

3. Blamelessness and Harmlessness (v. 15)
To be blameless is to make things right when we’ve done wrong. To be harmless is to avoid a quarrelsome spirit, aiming instead for meekness and peace.

4. Shining as Lights (v. 15)
We live in a crooked and perverse generation, but the darker the night, the brighter the light. Our lives should reflect the truth and righteousness of the gospel.

5. Holding Forth the Word of Life (v. 16)
Like a sword, God’s Word is to be held forth — shared with others. We will never exhaust its riches, but we can study, apply, and proclaim it faithfully.
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6. Rejoicing (vv. 16–18)
​Paul repeats the theme of joy. True joy comes from putting Jesus first, others second, and yourself last. “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Even in trials, believers can rejoice in God’s presence and promises.

To “work out your own salvation” is to let the inward reality of Christ’s work show outwardly in obedience, contentment, holiness, witness, Scripture proclamation, and joy. God has placed a treasure within us — now we are to mine it, live it, and let others see Jesus in us.

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