JESUS the Son, God of Love (Luke 10)

Besides the twelve disciples, Jesus commissioned the seventy others to go out and minister to people...

(Luke 10:17-20)  The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

We know that Satan's fall - was at some point - before the fall of man, because Satan had used the serpent to tempt Eve.  Jesus had been there to see all of this because Jesus is God - part of the Trinity!...

(Luke 10:21-22)  At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 22 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

Three in One, working together, each with a different "job description"...

(Luke 10:23-24)  Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, 24 for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”

We are able to "see" these things, and understand them to a point.  If we could understand everything about God, I believe that would be problematic.  How can us finite beings understand an infinite God who created the universe with such complexity - when we cannot even fully understand ourselves?  But we can understand enough to trust the all-powerful, all-knowing God who loves us and came in flesh to die for us so we can have our names recorded in heaven - not because of what we do or don't do!  But because of accepting and having a close relationship with Him.  In the same chapter, we see an example of this...

(Luke 10:38-42)  Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

We cannot earn God's love or favor.  He already loves us, and desires that we all have a close relationship with Him.  And as per Luke 10:27, when you "love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind" - THEN we will love our neighbor as ourselves...

(1 John 4:7-19)  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.

JESUS and Master (Luke 5)

Just to set the scene...

(Luke 5:1-3)  Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;  2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.

After everyone had heard a message from Jesus, including the fishermen...

(Luke 5:4-7)  When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.

Just thinking about this for a moment, we know God has command over nature and the animals...

(Genesis 6:20)  Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.

God brought the animals to Noah (FYI, two of every KIND... not ever single specie of every kind).  So, Jesus could have very easily had all those fish swim to where they were.  If one wanted to try to talk their way out of a very supernatural event - at the very least Jesus knew that "suddenly" there were NOW many fish at that spot.  One could even try to say that Jesus saw something the fishermen missed - but Jesus' earthly career was a carpenter - and these men were experienced fishermen - AND SO - Peter recognized that he was not with just some ordinary man...

(Luke 5:8-11)  ...when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

Interesting first reaction.  How many people think that they are just too sinful and therefore God would not want anything to do with them?  But we see Jesus inviting those men to join Him, and they do - they leave everything to follow Jesus...

(Luke 12:34)  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus should be our everything!  Why would we not want Jesus to be our everything?

(1 Timothy 6:6-16)  ...godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all [g]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,  14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of [l]lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.  

JESUS, Sinless (Luke 4)

After being baptized by John the Baptist, and before Jesus began His ministry on earth...

(Luke 4:1-13)  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

9 And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You to guard You,’  11 and, ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”  12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

Satan, the fallen angel, the father of lies, the ringleader of the demons has a purpose - to keep people from looking to God, and to try to undo or undermine God's children, and God's kingdom and God Himself;  and at this point Satan was trying to prevent God from providing salvation to the world.

Satan's "opportune time" would be at Jesus' crucifixion, not realizing that when this happened - this would fulfill God's will to bring salvation to the world.  Satan and the demons are smart enough with their strategies, but God is all-powerful and all-knowing!!!  And here Jesus "passed a test" of sorts.  While physically "weak" with hungry, He was tempted in all things by Satan - and did not sin.

(Hebrews 4:15)  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

This is important for us to know - that Jesus was and is sinless (only God is be perfect!  God is holy)!  And it is important for us to know - that it is not a sin to be tempted - but it is a sin to give in to temptation...

(1 Corinthians 13:12-14)  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.  14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

As Jesus is our example to follow - notice that Jesus quotes scripture each time.  Knowing God's word is critical for us - to help us remain steadfast, therefore it is important to have daily devotions, be involved in a church with solid doctrines, find sincere Christian friends and mentors - and to pray!!!...

(Ephesians 4:11-27)  And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 

Satan had started the temptations with Jesus saying, "IF You are the Son of God..."  Satan knew exactly who Jesus was!  It was just that tactic of undermining.  As we see - a few verses ahead...

(Luke 4: 40-44)  While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. 41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

42 When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. 43 But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”  44 So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.