Luke 4:1-13 – The Temptation of Jesus

My sermon notes for Sunday morning, Feb 12th.  Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube by Sunday afternoon.  You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.


Luke 4:1-13

INTRO

  • Spirits leading in the “wilderness”
  • Battle with good and evil (Jesus and Satan)
  • Importance of the Word
  • Jesus is in the wilderness… The Exodus.  They failed but Jesus did not. Jesus is the TRUE ISRAEL
  • Jesus demonstrated His Lordship, and we can learn from Him!
  • God does not temp people only Satan
    • Lures to do evil
  • People can test God
    • Our sinful desires to do that which is against the things of God
    • Daring God to prove Himself

The Devil

  • Diablo – Accuser (in the court room)
    • God is not. Jesus is not
  • Tempting Jesus to act apart (independently) from God
  • Offering shortcuts to living a faithful life of trust and obedience.
  • The devil will use the same tactics to tempt us.
  • Notice what Satan brings into question when he tempts Christ, just as he will tempt us to sin against God. 

Our Needs – vv. 3-4

  • If you are the son of God
    • Questioning who Jesus is
  • Putting immediate needs over eternal purposes
  • My needs or God’s will
  • Physical nourishment/Spiritual nourishment

Our Worship – vv.5-8

If you, then, will worship me

  • Giving to Satan what belongs to God.
  • Our allegiance, worship
  • We glorify Him as we live under His LORDSHIP

Our Faith – vv. 9-13

  • If you are the Son of God
  • Satan twists Scripture to test God.
  • Not trusting in the truth and promises of God’s Word

Truths to Consider

Temptation is not sin

Temptation will come to everyone.

We must learn to resist.

  • We do not rebuke, but RESIST (just say NO)
  • Ephesians 6:13
  • James 4:7
  • 1 Peter 5:8-9

We utilize spiritual weapons (Follow the example of Jesus)

  • Prayer – Luke 3:21
  • God’s love – Luke 3:22
  • Power and presence of the Spirit – Luke 4:1

Roots of the Faith – “The Attributes of God: Omniscient”

My notes for Wednesday night, Feb 8th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. Our study over the next few months will be “The Roots of the Faith.” This study will focus on key biblical truths that will transform our thinking and allow us to faithfully live out the Christian life. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

Resources for this Study

50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith – Gregg R. Allision

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine – Wayne Grudem

Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth – John MacArthur & Richard Mayhue

INTRO

“The foundation of all true knowledge of God must be a clear mental apprehension of His perfections as revealed in Holy Scripture. An unknown God can neither be trusted, served, nor worshipped.”  A.W. Pink

God is Omniscient

God knows all things. He fully knows (1) himself, his infinite knowledge encompassing his infinite being; (2) the past, which is as vivid to him as the present; (3) the present, even the most minute details of life; (4) the future, even the freewill decisions and actions of his creatures; (5) all actual things—that is, people and events that exist and happen; and (6) all possible things—that is, people and events that could possibly exist and happen, but never do.

Gregg R. Allison, 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding and Teaching Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018), 82.

Total knowledge/All-knowing

  • God knows everything
  • God knows the details of life
  • Present and Future
  • His knowledge and His authority…He is the ultimate judge
  1. All things (2 Chron. 16:9; Isa. 40:13; Rom. 11:34; Heb. 4:13; 1 John 3:20)
  2. All needs (Matt. 6:8, 32)
  3. Even the smallest physical things (Matt. 10:30)
  4. The heart of man (1 Kings 8:39; Ps. 7:9; Prov. 15:11; Jer. 11:20; 17:9–10; 20:12; Luke 16:15; Rom. 8:27; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 John 3:20)
  5. The thoughts and meditations of man (Ps. 139:2; Ezek. 11:5; 1 Cor. 3:20)
  6. Future things (Isa. 41:22–26; 42:8–9; 43:9–12; 44:6–8; 46:9–11)

Luke 3:23-38 – The Genealogy of Jesus

My sermon notes for Sunday morning, Feb 5th.  Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube by Sunday afternoon.  You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

Luke 3:23–38

INTRO

  • Matthew 1:1-17
  • Whereas Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage from Abraham to emphasize Jesus’ Jewish heritage, Luke traces it back to Adam to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of the hopes of all people[1]
  • Luke from Jesus to Adam
  • Matthew from Abraham to Joseph
  • Luke through Mary (Biological descent)
  • Matthew through Joseph (Legal descent)
  • The genealogy is a great picture of salvation.
    • Man
    • God
    • Jesus

A Picture of Humanity

  • Real people (humanity)
  • Not perfect
  • Did great things, made bad mistakes
  • People in need of a Savior
    • Romans 3:23 – ALL HAVE SINNED

A Picture of God’s Faithfulness

  • Generation after Generation
    • Psalm 100:1-5
  • Blesses obedience
  • Disciplines disobedience
  • Continues with His Covenant promises
    • All the promises of Scripture
  • God is God
    • Psalm 136:1

A Picture of Jesus

  • Born into this world
  • Identifying with humanity
  • Supposedly the son of Joseph

Son of David – v. 31

  • Will reign forever – Revelation 11:15

Son of Abraham – v. 34

  • The promised seed – Galatians 3:16

Son of Adam – v. 38

  • The new Adam
  • He was from man, yet perfect
  • He fulfills what Adam could not
  • Hebrews 2:17
  • 1 Corinthians 15:45

Son of God – v. 38

  • Luke 1:31–35
  • Luke 2:11
  • Luke 3:22.

[1] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1954.

Roots of the Faith – The Incommunicable Attributes of God: Omnipresence

My notes for Wednesday night, Feb 1st. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. Our study over the next few months will be “The Roots of the Faith.” This study will focus on key biblical truths that will transform our thinking and allow us to faithfully live out the Christian life. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

Resources for this Study

50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith – Gregg R. Allision

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine – Wayne Grudem

Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth – John MacArthur & Richard Mayhue

Omnipresence

INTRO

  • The incommunicable attributes are God’s characteristics or perfections, as revealed by Scripture, that God does not communicate, or share, with human beings.” (Gregg R. Allison, page 73)
  • “The foundation of all true knowledge of God must be a clear mental apprehension of His perfections as revealed in Holy Scripture. An unknown God can neither be trusted, served, nor worshipped.”  A.W. Pink

God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of space with his whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.

Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 206

Omnipresence is the divine characteristic of being all-present. God is present everywhere with his entire being at the same time. He is not limited by space and should not be considered as being enormously big or located in one place rather than another.

Gregg R. Allison, 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding and Teaching Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018), 75

God is everywhere

  • Psalm 139:1-34

God reigns everywhere

  • Isaiah 66:1

God is near

  • Jeremiah 23:23-34

God is transcendent – Distinct from creation.  He is above all.

God is immanent – He is knowable, present and involved with His creation.

God indwells within His people/church

  • John 14:23
  • 1 Corinthians 3:16
  • Ephesians 2:19-22

Luke 3:21-22 – “From John to Jesus”

Luke 3:21–22

INTRO

  • From John to Jesus
  • Baptism, Anointing, Confirmation
  • The launching of His journey to the cross
  • Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, John 1:32-34

Baptism

Identifying with the sinners He came to save.

  • Jesus stands in our place.
  • Isaiah 53:12 – numbered with transgressors.

Launch His earthly ministry

  • 30 years of age. Levites were 30 (Numbers 4:3)

Picture of the work of redemption

  • Luke 12:50
  • Matthew 3:15 – Fulfill righteousness
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21

Prayer

  • Here and night of His arrest. Matthew 26:36-46
  • Closeness to the Father
  • Dependency on the Father
  • Willingness to follow the will of the Father

During His baptism, as was the case throughout His life, Jesus was in unbroken communion Father—except for that moment on the cross when He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). From beginning to end Jesus’ earthly ministry was marked by frequent times of prayer. He prayed at His baptism (Luke 3:21), during His first preaching tour (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16), before choosing the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12–13), before feeding the 5,000 (Matt. 14:19), after feeding the 5,000 (Matt. 14:23), before feeding the 4,000 (Matt. 15:36), before Peter’s confession of Him as the Christ (Luke 9:18), at the transfiguration (Luke 9:28–29), for some children brought to Him (Matt. 19:13), after the return of the seventy (Luke 10:21), before giving the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1), before raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41–42), as He faced the reality of the cross (John 12:28), at the Last Supper (Matt. 26:26–27), for Peter (Luke 22:31–32), in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36–44), from the cross (Matt. 27:46; Luke 23:34, 46), with the disciples He encountered on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:30), at the ascension (Luke 24:50–51) and, supremely, in His high priestly prayer in John 17.

John F. MacArthur Jr., Luke 1–5, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009), 238.

Confirmation

All three together – Father, Son, and Spirit

  • The inauguration of His ministry
  • Announcement at his birth
  • Announcement at the baptism

Spirit

  • Heaven opened. Visible
  • Dove
  • We are filled by and with the same Spirit

Father

  • Father speaks here
  • Father speaks at the transfiguration – Luke 9:28-36
  • Father speaks at passion week – John 12:28
  • Beloved Son
    • Only, SON
  • Well pleased
    • Obedience
    • Faithfulness

CLOSING THOUGHTSTHE WHAT NOW

Jesus paid it all (Fulfilled all righteousness)

  • He took our place
  • Today is the day of our salvation
  • Repent and Live in newness of life

Jesus set a perfect example for us (the suffering servant)

  • Willing to live and die for us
  • Faithful. Obedient. Humble

Because of Christ we have a personal relationship with the Father and the Spirit

  • We are loved and accepted
  • We are filled and empowered

Luke 3:1-20 – “John the Baptist”

My sermon notes for Sunday morning, Jan 22nd.  Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube by Sunday afternoon.  You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

Luke 3:1-20

INTRO

  • The ministry of John the Baptist
  • Preparing the way for Christ
  • The need to of the people… repentance

The Man- vv. 1-2

  • God’s perfect timing (A.D. 28/29)
  • 400 years since the last prophetic voice
  • Rulers/Leaders listed, but notice that a faithful servant was given the Word.
  • Matthew 3:4 – Camel hair and leather belt
  • 2 Kings 1:8 – A picture of Elijah (Malachi 4:5)

The Message – vv. 3-14

The Content – vv. 3-6

  • At the Jordan
    • Earlier, Israel was baptized as the crossed over to take the physical kingdom.
    • Now, they are returning to be baptized for the spiritual kingdom.
  • Baptism of repentance
    • From the OT purification (Cleansing/Renewal)
    • Pointing forward (IT IS COMING)
    • Today… points to a new life (NOW)
  • Repentance
    • A sorrow that leads to change
    • From – To
  • As it is written
    • Isaiah 40:1-5
    • Make straight.
    • Mountains/Valleys
    • Doing all that is necessary for the coming KING.

The audience – vv. 7-9

  • Brood of Vipers
    • Snakes coming out of a burning field.
  • Bear fruit worthy of repentance
    • Called to be the people of God, but you are living differently.
    • Ax – judgement is coming.

The response – 10-14

  • What shall we do?
    • LIVE DIFFERENTLY
    • LIVE RIGHT

The Mission – vv. 15-20

  • He quicky clarifies that He is not the Christ
  • He is merely pointing the way
  • A mightier one is coming.
  • Unworthy to tie sandals
    • Sovereign King
  • Baptize with Fire
    • Judge. Purify
  • Winnowing fork
    • Gather & scatter
  • Good news
    • More than just judgment
    • Savior that brings Good News
    • Seek and to Save
    • Give life and life more abundantly.

Roots of the Faith – The Incommunicable Attributes of God: Immutability

My notes for Wednesday night, Jan 18th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. Our study over the next few months will be “The Roots of the Faith.” This study will focus on key biblical truths that will transform our thinking and allow us to faithfully live out the Christian life. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

Resources for this Study

50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith – Gregg R. Allision

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine – Wayne Grudem

Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth – John MacArthur & Richard Mayhue


INTRO

  • The incommunicable attributes are God’s characteristics or perfections, as revealed by Scripture, that God does not communicate, or share, with human beings.” (Gregg R. Allison, page 73)
  • “The foundation of all true knowledge of God must be a clear mental apprehension of His perfections as revealed in Holy Scripture. An unknown God can neither be trusted, served, nor worshipped.”  A.W. Pink
  • When we get our view of God right… then we can get our life right.
    • Right Belief – Right Living

Immutability

God’s immutability is his perfect unchangeability in his essence, character, purpose, and promises.

MacArthur, page 169

God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations. This attribute of God is also called God’s immutability.

Grudem, page 192.

God does not change

  • Malachi 3:6
  • James 1:17

God is the first and last

  • Isaiah 43:10
  • Isaiah 44:6-8

God brings all things to completion

  • Philippians 1:3-6
  • Psalm 33:10-11

Does the Bible contradict this?

  • Genesis 6:6–7; Exodus 32:14; 2 Samuel 24:16; Jeremiah 18:8; Jonah 3:10
  • Does God change His mind?
  • 1 Samuel 15:29 – NO

A good way to understand God’s apparent changes in Scripture is to consider that God reveals himself in his relations to people. They perceive only one aspect of God at a time. God never changes, but creatures do change, and they perceive God’s perfections and actions according to their current state. Thus, God’s actions do not imply a change of essence or purpose.

MacArthur, page 170

There are several points to consider. Firstly, when Christians describe God as unchanging, this is to say that He is unchanging in His being and character. What is not meant is that He is static or paralyzed. He is not like the king or queen of the United Kingdom who reigns but does not rule. The God of Scripture is constantly acting. That God is unchangeable should not be misconstrued as meaning that He cannot and does not act.

Secondly, while the above texts talk of God as changing, there are numerous texts in the Old and New Testaments that tell us that God does not change in His being (Psalm 102:25–27; c.f. Hebrews 1:10–12Malachi 3:6James. 1:17) and that He does not change His mind (Numbers 23:19Hebrews 6:17–18). This is not to play different texts against each other but to know that we need some interpretive principles to help us understand the Bible. There are two reasonable interpretive principles that can help us understand these passages:

  1. Difficult passages should be interpreted in light of other clearer passages.
  2. Passages which are found in the historical narrative in Scripture should be interpreted in light of the didactic (instruction/teaching) passages (such as the epistles.).

Lastly, we also must understand that the Bible uses human ways to speak about God, the technical term for which is anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphic language represents God’s unchanging attributes in the changing circumstances and different moral conditions of His creatures. Passages such as Genesis 6:6 need to be taken into consideration with Numbers 23:19. In doing so, we will understand that from our human viewpoint God seems to change His mind about people, but He is only represented to us that way that we might relate to our omniscient God.

Again and again the Bible describes God in human terms. Why? Because they are the only terms we have to communicate with. For example, the Bible speaks of the “arm of God” (Deuteronomy 5:15) with respect to His power while Psalm 50:10 says, “[God] owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” We know, however, that this is metaphorical language. The Bible isn’t trying to tell us that God is a cosmic cowboy who is in the cattle business. That God owns the cattle on a thousand hills is a human way of describing the vast riches that our Creator possesses. This language is perfectly useful to describe God’s activity among us; but when the Bible uses human language to describe God, particularly in the narrative sections of Scripture, the didactic portions of the Scripture give us the corrective explanation. This is not corrective in the sense of error, but in the sense of qualifying the meaning of the text so that we do not fall into serious error.

Simon Turpin. Answer in Genesis. Does God change His Mind? https://answersingenesis.org/who-is-god/does-god-change-his-mind/

Additional Reading

Ligonier Ministries – Does God Change His Mind?

Got Questions – Does God Change His Mind?

Luke 2:41-52 – “Boy Jesus in the Temple”

My sermon notes for Sunday morning, Jan 15th.  Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube by Sunday afternoon.  You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

Luke 2:41-52

INTRO

  • A few pictures of the life of Christ
    • His early years
    • The fully man and fully God dynamic
    •  Submission to the authority in His life
    • God’s divine timetable

The trip to Jerusalem – vv. 41-42

  • Joseph and family
  • They were faithful to the things of God
  • Celebrating the Passover Exodus 12:1-28; Exodus 23:14-17; Leviticus 23:4-8
  • Passover in the ministry of Christ (here…conclusion at upper room)

Jesus stays behind – vv. 43-47

  • Big group (Caravan) would have traveled to Jerusalem
  • A possibility… men walking together.  12 yr old could have been with either mother or father.
  • Was in the temple (listening and learning)

Mary’s question and Jesus’ response – vv. 48-50

  • Why from both.
  • I must (be in my Father’s House)
  • Diving compulsion
    • Must preach – Luke 4:43
    • Must suffer, die, and raise – Luke 9:22; 17:25; 24:7-9
    • Must complete His ministry – Luke 13:33
    • Scripture must be fulfilled – Luke 22:37
  • My Father – (MY)
    • Unique title. Personal. His Deity
    • John 6:38; John 8:29 – Doing the will of His Father

Jesus’ obedience and maturity – vv. 51-52

  • He honored His Father – God the Father
  • He honored His father – Joseph the father
  • He was fully man (He was 12)
    • Hungry
    • Tired
    • Suffered pain
  • He was fully God
  • He needed to mature
  • From adolescence to adult
    • Perfect maturity
    • Never sinned
  • We can trust God’s timetable
    • 30 years later

Concluding Thoughts

We have been given a wonderful picture of the early life a Christ.

  • His faithfulness
  • His obedience
  • His sinlessness

We are IN CHRIST

Romans 8:1

Colossians 3:1-3

Galatians 3:25-29