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Reference

Luke Chapter 4
Luke

WHEN:

  • Chapter 4 begins where chapter 3 left off.

  • Jesus was baptized in chapter 3.

  • Chapter 4 opens with Him entering the wilderness to face temptation.

  • These events took place approximately 30 A.D..

CHARACTERS:

  • Jesus - The Savior, son of Mary.

  • Satan (the Devil) - The enemy of God who tempts people to sin.

  • Citizens of Nazareth - The people of Jesus’ hometown.

  • Man with an Unclean Spirit - Jesus meets this man in the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath day.

  • Simon (Peter) - One of Jesus’ 12 Apostles.

  • Simon’s Mother-in-Law - Jesus heals her of a fever.

WHERE:

  • The events in chapter 4 take place in 2 regions:

    1. Galilee

    2. Judea

  • 3 specific locations are mentioned.

    1. The wilderness of Judea

    2. Nazareth

    3. Capernaum

OUTLINE:

  • JESUS IS TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS (4:1-4:15):

    • After His baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness to face a period of temptation.

    • He was in the wilderness “for forty days, being tempted by the devil.”

    • Luke records 3 specific temptations:

      1. He tempted Jesus to turn stones to bread.

      2. He told Jesus he would give Him all the kingdoms of the earth if He worshipped him.

      3. He tempted Jesus to throw Himself off the top of the Temple.

    • Jesus refused to give in to any of Satan’s temptations.

    • Following the temptation, Jesus went to Galilee and started teaching in the synagogues of the Jews.

  • JESUS‘ TEACHING IS REJECTED IN NAZARETH (4:16-4:30):

    • Jesus returned to His hometown, Nazareth, and was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath.

    • He told the people He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah.

    • Because of their familiarity with Jesus and His family, the people rejected Jesus’ claim.

    • Jesus condemned them for their unbelief.

    • They tried to kill Jesus by throwing Him off a tower but He made a miraculous escape.

  • JESUS HEALS A MAN WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT (4:31-4:37):

    • Jesus went to Capernaum and began teaching in their synagogue.

    • A man possessed by an unclean spirit was in the synagogue.

    • The spirit knew Jesus but Jesus forbid it from speaking.

    • Jesus rebuked the spirit and cast it out of the man, healing him.

    • The people of Capernaum were amazed at His power and words and spoke of Him throughout the region.

  • JESUS HEALS MANY BEFORE DEPARTING TO PREACH IN GALILEE (4:38-4:44):

    • Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon Peter’s house and healed his mother-in-law of a fever.

    • The sick gathered outside Simon’s house and Jesus healed them all.

    • In the morning, the people didn’t want Jesus to leave town.

    • Jesus told them He had to depart to preach the “good news of the kingdom of God” in other towns.

BIG PICTURE:

  • Jesus faced temptations just like us and He is able to sympathize with our struggles.

  • Sometimes we are tempted to think God is very distant, very disconnected from our lives and the human experience.

  • This is not the case... God knows what it’s like to be human.

APPLICATION:

  • The people who knew Jesus best refused to accept the truth when He presented it to them. Sometimes the people we know best are the hardest to reach with the “good news of the kingdom of God.”

  • Sometimes the greatest truths common from the most common/unlikely places. We should be willing to accept truth no matter its source.