(Translated version, original article written in Chinese by Pastor Mickey Hsiao)
Worship
By singing praises and hymns, awake your soul, open your heart to the Lord, and prepare yourself to welcome the presence of God and receive the Word of God that will be given to you.
Thanksgiving
Petition with thanksgiving to God for a wonderful day and pray sincerely for a focused Scripture reading time! (Do not rush into reading the Bible without starting with prayers!) (e.g., you may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what will you be speaking to me today?)
Scripture Reading
Get the following items ready in advance: your devotional notebook, paper, pen, and/or electronic devotional articles so that you can easily write down the Bible verses, questions, and thoughts you have noticed! You are encouraged to open your Bible and vocally read out the scriptures (Try to practice this reading method daily or once a week)!
Scripture Reading: Luke Ch. 4 (ESV)
Meditation
Take a moment to quietly reflect on today’s Scriptures. Through such exercises, let God’s Word be gradually written into our hearts and be inscribed to our mind.
Devotional
Read the devotional articles prepared by CBCLWA (*Read the Bible first before reading any devotional materials.)
(vv. 1-15) After reading that Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry (3:23), we now read that Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit and tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus was sent to this world by God to finish his ministry. The devil wanted to destroy this plan at the very beginning and tried to make Jesus distance himself from God’s plan and yield to the power of the devil. He said to Jesus provocatively, “If you are the Son of God, you can…”, hoping that Jesus would rush into proving his identity. During his ministry, Jesus performed the miracles of feeding thousands of people using five loaves of bread and two fish, and also using seven loaves of bread and fish. Therefore, we know that Jesus could definitely ease his own hunger by creating food. However, even though he was the Son of God and had infinite power, he chose not to follow the devil’s instructions. Jesus clearly understood his identity and his relationship with God and chose to obey and submit to God’s assigned mission instead. Therefore, whether it was the temptation of daily needs or the temptation of riches and fame, Jesus used God’s word to overcome them and thereby set the best example for us.
This is what we can observe from when Jesus faced the devil: Jesus was tempted, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, when he was about to begin his ministry after he was baptized. This shows that believing in Christ or doing the Lord’s work diligently doesn’t guarantee us a temptation-free life. From the temptation of Jesus, we can see that:
- The Lord Jesus, like us, also had been tempted;
- Those who follow Jesus may also be tempted by the devil at any time;
- Jesus showed us the way to victory and its result!
Those who overcome temptations become more certain of their own identity and the God whom they trust. They also experience the power of God’s word! From Luke 4:14-15, we see that Jesus, after being repeatedly tempted by the devil, was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and there afterwards began his ministry.
To all the brothers and sisters who might be tempted or are currently facing temptations:
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
May God’s word give you strength. May his word lead you to seek help from him and give you the faith to believe that he will make a way. May his word help you endure the temptations without sinning and let you become victorious in the end.
(vv, 16-44) Jesus read the words of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus came to save his people. People need his salvation not only two thousand years ago, but also in today’s world.
Who are the poor? Those who are wealthy in life yet poor in spirit – they need Jesus.
Who are the people whose chains need to be broken? Those who indulge themselves in sinful desires and mistaken it as the pursue of true freedom – they need Jesus.
Who are the people whose eyes need to be opened? More and more people do not believe in God and his authority and only trust their own eyes. They think that they have a clear vision, yet they are blinded by their own pride – these people need Jesus.
The world needs the gospel and the people around us need Jesus. Jesus came and gave his life for this reason. Are you still thinking about how to serve the Lord your God? Who can you share the gospel with today?
Pray
Give thanks to God for His enabling us to read the Scriptures and for our response for living out the Word of God today! (e.g., You may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what/where are you going to lead me to today?”)