“Heaven Was Opened” (Luke 3:21-4:13)

 “Now, when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:21-22).

The Son is a unique Man, appointed by God and pleasing to Him.  He was set up from everlasting in the covenant to perfectly obey, so we can be saved. He is the Only One who honored God, and by His obedience, all that BELIEVE have life eternal (Heb 5:8-9).

He pleased God in every aspect of His humanity, even as He pleased the Father from eternity past.  There is no sin, no rebellion, and no fault in Him.  Christ is perfection embodied.

He is assumed to be what He is not by all, but by the Spirit, He illumines us to His beauty, so we can believe - “And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the Son of Heli” (vs23).  He is not Joseph’s son; He is God in the flesh who honored the Father. He is the cause of every blessing and the Surety of the covenant: He, by obedience, was responsible for the sheep, so that we’re saved ENTIRELY because He succeeded (Gen 44:32; Heb 7:22; Heb 13:20-21).  This Man is the Man in whom blessings flow!

Bless God!  He proved the Son faithful, and we can believe on a Hero who conquered sin.  The Son RESISTED Satan at every turn, and we fight off sin believing He earned the grace for us, that the Spirit is ours, not because we are good or have beaten sin before, but because Christ will never fail to save ANY who worship Him, acknowledging His success.

The Son was tempted to take matters into His hands, but He believed God (vs1-4). He was tempted to take the world instead of heaven, but He endured the cross faithfully (vs5-8).  He was tempted to sin, so that grace might abound, and He chose to honor God by the gospel rather than use it to sin (vs9-12).

vs1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, vs2  being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 3  And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." 4  But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’" 5  Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6  And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7  "Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." 8  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’" 9  Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him 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 shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ 11  "and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’" 12  And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’"vs13  Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

He conquered everything, and then had imperfect rest, because Satan would again tempt Him (vs13).  But now, having finished His work of obedience, He SITS in regal splendor, basking in success, and RESTING in His victory.  We who believe have the same end coming. 

Saints, Satan tempts us now, but he shall be destroyed. We shall enter the joy of the Lord and see Him gracious to people that please Him (Matt 25:21).  I please Him now, if I believe.

God's Work and They Shall Flourish (Ps 92)

Your Work (Ps 92:4)

“For you, Lord, have made me glad through your work: I will triumph in the works of your hands.”

God’s work, and not ours, is what rejoices us. God’s work, the redemption that is in Christ Jesus and all that He does for Christ’s sake in our salvation, is the work whereby we’re saved.

Even the works in us are God’s works. He works in us to do His will by the Holy Spirit, for Christ’s sake. He produces good results by the gospel, for the word doesn’t return void but accomplishes the purpose He intended – (Is 54:12) “For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the tress of the field shall clap their hands.” Yet, God’s work doesn’t stop when we leave this planet. He shall rejoice us in His works forever.

Look to God to work in you for Christ’s sake. Don’t look to what you and I can do to help ourselves. Look to all of what He does because of His Son, and BELIEVE this shall be done for you. It will.



Fruit in Old Age (Ps 92:14)

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon… they shall still bring froth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” (vs12, 14)

Perseverance is God’s work and promise to us. We will not leave Christ, because God has promised we will not. So, putting our trust in God’s salvation, we rest.

I may feel anxiety and temptation, but God has said that it won’t swallow me up. I know that God’s word is true, and by the word and the Spirit, I have confidence that the simplest and most frail believer (as all of us are) will maintain themselves in Christ by grace – “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25).

If it is up to you, me, or Satan, then we shall fail. If we have to hold on ourselves, then we don’t trust Christ.

Job is an example of God’s patient gentleness. Job regretted being born, longed for death, and questioned God. Yet, in the end, he is the means of his friends’ salvation, sees God’s love, and hears from God. God says, “Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job”, even as Christ is why we’re saved, Job was the means to bring these men to Christ by God.

Job shall not let go of Christ, though he sins, because Christ will not let go of him. Christ won’t destroy the life that He gave Job, but He revives and quickens it, no matter what.

If you and I are unsure about God’s work, then we are not looking to God Himself - (Ps 92:4) “For you, Lord, have made glad through your work: I will triumph in the works of your hands”. We are looking at the obstacles and saying, “no way”, rather than to the Almighty and saying, “Thank you, for my salvation” (Rev 1:8). Believe the gospel in its glory, and the fruit of its glory guides and fills you.

A Neighbor's Dog: Faith Illustrated (Spurgeon)

A neighbor's dog was very fond of visiting my garden, and as he never improved my flowers I never gave him a cordial welcome. Walking along quietly one evening I saw him doing mischief. I threw a stick at him and advised him to go home; but how did the good creature reply to me? He turned round and wagged his tail, and in the merriest manner picked up my stick, and brought it to me, and laid it at my feet. Did I strike him? No, I am not a monster. I should have been ashamed of myself if I had not patted him on the back and told him to come there whenever he liked. He and I were friends directly, because you see he trusted me and conquered me. Now, simple as the story is, that is just the philosophy of a sinner's faith in Christ.

- C.H. Spurgeon

To believe God is not a little thing: it is the index of a heart reconciled to God, and the token of true spirituality of mind; it is the essence of true worship, and the root of sincere obedience. He who believes his God in spite of his sins, does him more honor than cherubim and seraphim in their continual adoration. A little thing faith! How is it then that unbelief is so great a crime that it is marked out for reprobation as the one damning evil which shuts men out of heaven? Despise not faith lest you despise God. Whatever else you put in the second place, give faith the lead; it is not a vain thing, for it is your life. Spurgeon

Inscribed upon the portal from afar
Conspicuous as the brightness of a star,
Legible only by the light they give
Stand the soul-quickening words
BELIEVE AND LIVE.

W. Cowper