The Book of Luke
A 25 day devotional series for this Winter Break!
Day 4
Do you know the purpose God has for your life? Jesus knew His purpose, and he intentionally lived his life around it. It might be easy to think, “Yeah, of course he did. He was the Son of God,” but we must remember that Jesus was just as human as we are and faced the same struggles we do. In fact, in Luke 4:1-13, we read that Jesus was tempted. What does it mean to be tempted? According to Merriam Webster, to be tempted is to be “enticed to do wrong by promise of pleasure or gain.” Knowing who Jesus was and the purpose for which He came, Satan tempted Jesus with things he knew would be appealing to Jesus. But, in His human flesh, with His human emotions and desires, Jesus resisted the allure of what was offered to Him. He knew that what Satan had to offer was fleeting - a mirage of something much greater. To truly attain what He had come for, there could be no taking the easy way out. In order to redeem His enslaved creation, Jesus had to maintain an eternal perspective.
Being tempted by Satan in the wilderness was not be the only time Jesus had to remember who He was and why He had come. One moment He was being pushed out of His hometown with those He had known His whole life wanting to murder Him, and the next people were chasing Him down, begging Him to stay and continue preaching to them and healing them. Knowing what He was called to do and who had given Him the task prevented Jesus from quitting when it got difficult or checking out when things became comfortable. He knew who He was. He was the good news incarnate - the living, breathing Gospel - and the world needed to know Him. Throughout His entire life, Jesus intentionally made His way to the cross so that you and I could be made free. The cost was momentary, the reward boundless. Like Jesus, you have been made for an eternal purpose. Today, ask yourself what barriers keep you from living out that purpose. Are you willing to lay down temporary inconveniences for Christ’s enduring glory?
Read Luke 4 and answer the questions on the left to help you reflect on the passage.
Being tempted by Satan in the wilderness was not be the only time Jesus had to remember who He was and why He had come. One moment He was being pushed out of His hometown with those He had known His whole life wanting to murder Him, and the next people were chasing Him down, begging Him to stay and continue preaching to them and healing them. Knowing what He was called to do and who had given Him the task prevented Jesus from quitting when it got difficult or checking out when things became comfortable. He knew who He was. He was the good news incarnate - the living, breathing Gospel - and the world needed to know Him. Throughout His entire life, Jesus intentionally made His way to the cross so that you and I could be made free. The cost was momentary, the reward boundless. Like Jesus, you have been made for an eternal purpose. Today, ask yourself what barriers keep you from living out that purpose. Are you willing to lay down temporary inconveniences for Christ’s enduring glory?
Read Luke 4 and answer the questions on the left to help you reflect on the passage.