But Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'" Sermons I. THE APPEAL THAT WAS MADE TO OUR LORD, and the corresponding attack that is made on ourselves. Christ was tempted to seize "power and glory" for himself by an act of unholy submission. These were the prize which the worldly minded Jews of his age imagined to be within reach of their Messiah. To one of his humble circumstances but limitless capacity, and also of rightful and honorable ambition, there might very easily be presented a most powerful temptation to aim at a great and glorious supremacy - a throne like that of the Caesar himself, on which imperial power might be exercised and human glory at its topmost height be enjoyed. And the force of this temptation would be very greatly intensified by the fact that such a throne as this would be gained by very different measures from those Jesus had been contemplating in his solitude. The collecting of multitudes by appealing to their national passions, the leading of armies and gaining of victories, the command of great bodies of men, the excitements of political strife, - all this is full of enjoyment to the ambitious soul. A vastly different experience this (and to all that was human in the mind of Jesus Christ immensely more attractive) from that of speaking unappreciated truth, living a life too noble to be understood, suffering from keen and malignant persecution, dying in the pangs and shame of martyrdom! The price to be paid for surrendering the higher for the lower aim, and the distressing for the delightful means, was "worshipping" Satan; in other words, declining the course which he most disliked, and adopting the course which he most desired. The attack which is now made on us, corresponding to this, is the suggestion that we should turn aside from the higher aspiration (whatever it may be) to the lower ambition. It may come to the Christian minister in his study, to the statesman in his cabinet, to the doctor in his consultingroom, to the author or editor at his table: it is a suggestion to leave the straight line of duty, of faithfulness, of service, of truth, of loyalty to conviction, of moral and spiritual integrity, and take the lower path of popularity, of honor, of temporal success. To do this is to take a course which we may dignify by some fair name, but which, in Scripture language, is worshipping the devil. II. THE SPIRIT IN WHICH IT WAS REPELLED BY HIM, and in which it should be defeated by us. This was one of holy indignation: "Get thee behind me," etc. Our Lord indignantly refused to entertain a suggestion so utterly opposed to his spirit of consecration, so subversive of all his high purposes and lofty hopes. He met it by the quotation of a word which demanded entire obedience to the will of God and full devotedness to his service. In this spirit of holy indignation let us repel the first advances of a temptation to leave the higher and the heavenly road of truth and service for the lower and the earthly one of mere temporal success. To take that lower course would be to play into the hands of the evil one; to lose the commendation of our conscience and to live under the shadow of its rebuke; to lower ourselves and to degrade our life in the estimate of all the true and wise on earth and in heaven; to lose our true and high reward; to break the word and depart from the will of the Lord our God. - C.
Get thee behind Me, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Dr. Thomas Taylor similarly, but in his own original way, observes: — "God must not only be worshipped, but also served. The distinction is easily observed. For a man may in heart and gesture honour another to whom he owes but little service. And this word in the Hebrew is taken from servants, who, besides inward reverence and outward worship, owe to their masters their strength, labour, and service, yea, frank and cheerful obedience. And suppose any man have a servant who will be very complimental, and give his master cap and knee and very good words, yet when his master commands him anything, he will not do it — here is honour, but no service; and denying service, he plainly shows that his honour is but dissembled and hypocritical. So as this service to God, as to earthly masters, stands —(1) (2) 1. These two, God in the Scriptures hath everywhere joined together; and therefore no man may separate them. 'Oh that there were in them such an heart to "fear" his, and to keep My commandments!' (Deuteronomy 5:29). 'Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in uprightness, else choose you: for I and my house will serve the Lord' (Joshua 24:14, 15). 'Let us hear the end of all, Fear God and keep His commandments' (Ecclesiastes 12:13), which is all one with 'fear God and serve him.' 2. This service is a fruit of fear, and a true testimony of it, for fear of God is expressed in service; and if a man would make true trial of his fear he may do it by his service." (A. B. Grosart.) The nature of temptations, as dangerous or infectious, doth sufficiently enforce a necessity of their speedy removal. Things of danger require a sudden stop. If poison be taken into the body, we speedily labour to cast it up, or to overcome it by antidotes. We labour to stay the spreading of a gangrene presently. Who thinks it fit to delay when fire hath taken hold upon a house? The very opportunity of help is in the speediness of the endeavour. It is too late to bring water when the house is consumed, too late to apply a remedy when the disease hath conquered. They that consider what a temptation is will see no reason to move slowly in opposing.(R. Gilpin.) The Law (we know) is a great cooler to presumption.(Bishop Audrewes.) I. THE OBJECT: The Lord God.II. THE CHARACTERISTICS: 1. Meditation; 2. Realization; 3. Personal communion. (A. F. Barfield.) I. HE HAS THE RIGHT TO CLAIM OUR SERVICE. His right is threefold. He is —1. Our Creator. 2. Our Preserver. 3. Our Redeemer. II. HIS CLAIM UPON US IS FOR OUR UNDIVIDED AND WHOLE-HEARTED SERVICE. "Him only." You cannot serve Him and anything else that is contrary to Him. Our "reasonable service " is the presentation of ourselves. III. HIS SERVICE CONFERS THE HIGHEST HONOUR UPON THOSE WHO UNDERTAKE IT. To serve self and sin is to sink always deeper into the depths of degradation. To serve God is to be exalted to the position of fellow-labourer with Him in the accomplishment of His purposes. IV. HIS SERVICE IS THE ONLY SERVICE WHICH IS FREEDOM. "I will walk at liberty, for I seek Thy precepts." V. THE SERVICE WHICH HE HAS A RIGHT TO DEMAND HE YET CONDESCENDS TO ENTREAT. He seeks for no compulsory obedience. The only service acceptable in His sight is that which springs from love. "My son, give Me thy heart." (J. R. Bailey.) "What's wrang wi' ye nee? I thocht ye were a' richt," said a ragged boy, himself rejoicing in the Saviour, to another, who a few nights before professed to be able to trust Jesus, but who had again begun to doubt. "What's wrung wi' ye nee? Man, I'm no richt yet," replied the other, "for Satan's aye tempting me." "And what dae ye then?" asked his friend. "I try," said he, "to sing a hymn." "And does that no send him away?" "No; I am as bad as ever." "Weel," said the other, "when he tempts ye again, try him wi' a text; he canna staun then."Be not in haste to be rich or to be famous or to be admired. "Make haste slowly," says the proverb, and it means just this — Make haste in God's way; take everything you can get from God, take nothing from the devil. Most powerfully was this illustrated in the life of the noble Havelock. For many years in the army he struggled against the arbitrary character of official patronage, and the odious abuses of the purchase system; and he, who in the end was the redeemer of the Indian Empire, was for a dreary while only a lieutenant. Yet how did he bear himself under it? As a Christian soldier, after the pattern of the Lord here, he placed the worship of the Lord first, and that he would not renounce for anything that man could name. Hear his words, and they are worthy of being written in letters of gold; yea, the spirit which utters them manifests a nobler courage than that which won so many fights and rescued the forlorn garrison at Lucknow. Here they are: "Let me ask you, my good friend, what you mean by prejudices against me. Tell me plainly. I am not aware of any. Old and others used to tell me that it was believed at the Horse Guards and in other quarters that I professed to fear God, as well as to honour the Queen, and that Lord Hill and others had made up their minds that a man could not be at once a saint and a soldier. Now, I dare say any such authorities must be right, notwithstanding the example of Colonel Gardiner, Cromwell, and Gustavus Adolphus. But, if so, all I can say is, that their bit of red ribbon was very ill bestowed upon me; for I humbly trust that in that great matter I should not change my opinions and practice, though it rained garters and coronets as the reward of apostasy."(W. M. Taylor, D. D.) There is in the south of France, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, a huge tower, forming part of the fortifications by which St. Louis secured his embarkation for his troops for the last crusade. It is called the Tower of Constance, and in it were imprisoned during the reign of Louis XIV., Protestant women who would not renounce their faith at the request of the great king. In this lonely tower there is a gloomy chamber in which these women passed their lives, and there carved with some rude instrument on the pavement of the prison this one word, " Resist." It is ascribed to Marie Duran, who, for being sister to a French pastor, was there confined for more than forty years. She found her great resource, her great consolation, in carving out this word for any one who should hereafter come to read it there.(Dean Stanley.) People Elias, Elijah, Eliseus, Elisha, Esaias, Isaiah, Jesus, Joseph, Naaman, SimonPlaces Capernaum, Galilee, Jerusalem, Jordan River, Judea, Nazareth, Sidon, Wilderness of Judea, ZarephathTopics Adversary, Alone, Answering, Behind, Bow, Homage, Render, Satan, Servant, Serve, Worship, Writings, WrittenOutline 1. The fasting and temptation of Jesus.14. He begins to preach. 16. The people of Nazareth marvel at words, but seek to kill him. 33. He cures one possessed of a demon, 38. Peter's mother-in-law, 40. and various other sick persons. 41. The demons acknowledge Jesus, and are reproved for it. 42. He preaches through the cities of Galilee. Dictionary of Bible Themes Luke 4:8 1611 Scripture, inspiration and authority 2078 Christ, sonship of 2575 Christ, temptation 2312 Christ, as king Library Preaching at Nazareth'And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled In your ears.'--LUKE iv. 21. This first appearance of our Lord, in His public work at Nazareth, the home of His childhood, was preceded, as we learn from John's Gospel, by a somewhat extended ministry in Jerusalem. In the course of it, He cast the money-changers out of the Temple, did many miracles, had His conversation with Nicodemus, and on His return towards Galilee met the woman of Samaria at the well. The report of these things, … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture The Temptation The Temptation of Christ Private Prayer, and Public Worship. Salvation by Faith Massillon -- the Small Number of the Elect Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee. Divine Healing. The Synagogue at Nazareth - Synagogue-Worship and Arrangements. His Training. Standing with the People Christ the Deliverer. Quotations from the Old Testament in the New. From his Commission to Reside Abroad in 1820 to his Removal to Germany in 1822 Whether in Christ There were the Gifts? It is the Final Court of Appeal. Epistle xiii. To Serenus, Bishop of Massilia (Marseilles) . Book x. On Numbers The Doctrine of the Scriptures. The Cornish Tinners Wesley Begins Field-Preaching The Redeemer's Return is Necessitated by the Present Exaltation of Satan. Links Luke 4:8 NIVLuke 4:8 NLT Luke 4:8 ESV Luke 4:8 NASB Luke 4:8 KJV Luke 4:8 Bible Apps Luke 4:8 Parallel Luke 4:8 Biblia Paralela Luke 4:8 Chinese Bible Luke 4:8 French Bible Luke 4:8 German Bible Luke 4:8 Commentaries Bible Hub |