Christian Reflection and Prayer

And in the synagogue there was a man who had the
spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a
loud voice. (Luke 4:33)

 

Read Luke 4:31-37

 

After being rejected in his hometown of Nazareth,
Jesus sets up His headquarters in the town of
Capernaum. On the Sabbath He begins teaching in the
synagogue. Once again the people are amazed at His
powerful words. But sitting in their midst is a man
possessed by a demon.

 

Demons are fallen angels. In the beginning God created
them pure and holy, but following their rebellious leader
Satan they rose up against their Creator. Jesus would
later tell His disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning"
(Luke 10:18b). Cast out of heaven, Satan and his
demonic angels turned their rage and hatred against the
humans God had created.

 

Here in the synagogue this ancient enemy cries out in a
loud voice: "Ha! What have You to do with us, Jesus of
Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us?" Since their
fall all the demons have known and dreaded the coming
of God's Son in judgment.

 

In terror the demon blurts out, "I know who You are-the
Holy One of God!"

 

Jesus gives the first of two short commands: "Be silent."
Standing before God's mighty Son, the demon immediately
falls silent.

 

Then Jesus commands, "Come out of Him!" In obedience
the demon immediately comes out, throwing the man down
in the process. But under Jesus' protecting eye the man is
left completely unharmed.

 

In the wilderness Satan had tempted Jesus to bow down
and worship him. But on the Last Day Satan and all his evil
host will bow down and worship their Creator and Judge-and
be cast into hell forever.

THE PRAYER

 

Almighty God, like Satan and his demons, I have sinned
against You. Forgive me for Jesus' sake and free me from
Satan's power that I may serve You now and forever. I pray in
Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

And they rose up and drove Him out of town and brought
Him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built,
so that they could throw Him down the cliff. (Luke 4:29)

 

Read Luke 4:14-30

 

Having defeated Satan's temptations Jesus then travels
from village to village in Galilee, sharing God's plan of
salvation and working many wondrous miracles. Months
later He returns to His hometown Nazareth. Entering the
synagogue Jesus reads from Isaiah, the Old Testament
book that most clearly talks about His work as the
Messiah. He tells His neighbors of the forgiveness,
peace and freedom He has come to bring.

 

At first they are amazed by His gracious words; then
they remember all the years He lived among them, and
how they had never seen anything remarkable about
Joseph's Son before. Having heard about His miracles

in the neighboring towns, they want Him to heal them
too.

 

Jesus wants to help them, but He will not reward their
unbelief. He reminds them how in the past God
withheld healing miracles from Israel, when His people
refused to believe.

 

Filled with fury they rise as an angry mob to drive Him
to the cliff to throw Him to His death. In one blind
moment they foreshadow the rejection and violent
death He will suffer at His own people's hands. But
God has chosen a different time, and a different place.

Jesus gives them one last miracle to consider. They
have Him firmly in their grasp, ready to fling Him off the
cliff, but then Jesus suddenly turns and calmly goes His
way through their midst-never to return. He leaves this
final warning to His neighbors: if they stubbornly refuse
to repent, they will have to stand before Him on Judgment
Day.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

 Almighty God, today Jesus comes to me offering to
forgive, restore and save me. Give me faith to trust Him,
so I may escape Your wrath and live in Your loving,
glorious presence forever. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the
Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness
for forty days, being tempted by the devil...(Luke 4:1-2a)

 

Read Luke 4:1-13

 

When Satan first squared off against humanity he tripped
up our parents in the Garden of Eden, with his cunningly
twisted words. They disobeyed God's Word, ate the
forbidden fruit, and plunged our world into death and
destruction. Now Satan squares off against our Savior.

For 40 days Jesus ate no food as our enemy unleashed
a devastating torrent of deceitful temptations. Luke records
three final devious traps Satan set for Jesus.

 

First, he appeals to Jesus' great hunger: "If You are the
Son of God, command this stone to become bread." It
sounds innocent enough, but Jesus sees the trap.
Following Satan's advice will show He doesn't trust God
to provide for His needs. Jesus answers, "It is written,
'Man shall not live by bread alone.'"

 

The tempter next offers to give Jesus all the kingdoms of
the world if He will worship him. Jesus answers, "It is
written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him
only shall you serve.'" He came to walk His Father's
difficult saving path-not Satan's shortcut.

 

In one final temptation Jesus is placed on the pinnacle of
the temple. Satan challenges Him to jump, appealing to
God's promise in the Psalm, "He will command His
angels to guard you ... lest you strike your foot against a
stone" (Psalm 91:11a, 12b).

 

If Jesus won't jump, it looks like He doesn't trust God's
promise. But Jesus sees through it. He doesn't have to
prove His faith to Satan. He replies, "It is written, 'You shall
not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Having no success in his temptations, Satan departs from
Jesus, waiting a more opportune time.

 

THE PRAYER

 

Almighty God, where Adam and Eve fell to Satan's lies, Your
Son stood firm. Thank You for His salvation. Help me trust
You as He did and cling to Your Word alone. I pray in Jesus'
Name. Amen.

 

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries