“February 4–10. Matthew 4; Luke 4–5: ‘The Spirit of the Lord Is upon Me’” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2019 (2019)
“February 4–10. Matthew 4; Luke 4–5,” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: 2019
Christ Triumphs over Satan, by Robert T. Barrett
February 4–10
Matthew 4; Luke 4–5
“The Spirit of the Lord Is upon Me”
Begin by reading Matthew 4 and Luke 4–5, and pay attention to any insights you receive. The study ideas in this outline can help you identify important principles in these chapters.
Record Your Impressions
From His youth, Jesus seemed to be aware that He had a unique, sacred mission. But as Jesus prepared to begin His earthly ministry, the adversary sought to plant doubt in the Savior’s mind. “If thou be the Son of God,” Satan said (Luke 4:3, italics added). But the Savior had communed with His Father in Heaven. He knew the scriptures, and He knew who He was. To Him, Satan’s offer—“All this power will I give thee” (Luke 4:6)—was a hollow one, for the Savior’s lifelong preparation allowed Him to receive “the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). So despite temptation, trials, and rejection, Jesus Christ never wavered from His appointed work: “I must preach the kingdom of God … for therefore am I sent” (Luke 4:43).
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
Communing with God prepares me to serve Him.
To prepare for His mission, Jesus went into the wilderness “to be with God” (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 4:1 [in Matthew 4:1, footnote b]). Think of what you do to feel close to God. How does this prepare you for the work He wants you to do?
Jesus Christ set the example for me by resisting temptation.
Sometimes people feel guilty when they are tempted to sin. But even the Savior, who lived “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), was tempted. It can be comforting to know that because Christ also faced and overcame temptations, He knows the temptations we face and can help us overcome them (see Hebrews 2:18; Alma 7:11–12).
As you read Matthew 4:1–11 and Luke 4:1–13, what do you learn that can help you when you face temptations? You could organize your thoughts in a table like this one:
|
Jesus Christ |
Me |
|---|---|
Jesus Christ What did Satan tempt Christ to do? Use His power to satisfy His hunger. | Me What does Satan tempt me to do? |
Jesus Christ Why was Christ prepared to resist temptation? He fasted; He went to be with God; He knew the scriptures. | Me How can I be prepared to resist temptation? |
Jesus Christ | Me |
What additional insights do you gain from the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 4? (see footnotes throughout Matthew 4).
See also 1 Corinthians 10:13; Alma 13:28; Moses 1:10–22; “Temptation,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org.
Jesus Christ is the prophesied Messiah.
If you were asked to describe what Jesus Christ was sent to earth to do, what would you say? In Luke 4:18–19, the Savior described aspects of His own mission by quoting one of Isaiah’s prophecies about the Messiah (see Isaiah 61:1–2). What do you learn about His mission as you read these verses?
Jesus Christ testified that He is the Messiah.
Although the Jews had been waiting for centuries for Isaiah’s prophecy to be fulfilled, many did not accept that Jesus was the Messiah when He declared, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). As you read Luke 4:20–30 (see also Mark 6:1–6), try to put yourself in the place of the people of Nazareth. Is there anything that might prevent you from fully accepting Christ as your personal Savior?
See also Mosiah 3:5–12; “Jesus Declares He Is the Messiah” (video, LDS.org).
As I trust in the Lord, He can help me reach my divine potential.
President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 42). This is what happened to Peter and his fellow fishermen. Jesus helped them realize that they could do more than catch fish—they could become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19; see also Luke 5:10). To help them see this, Jesus used experiences that were familiar to them.
When have you felt the Savior calling you to follow Him? How can you show the Lord that you are willing to “[forsake] all” (Luke 5:11) to follow Him? Ponder these questions as you read Matthew 4:18–22 and Luke 5:1–11.
See also “Come, Follow Me,” Hymns, no. 116.
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you read the scriptures with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are some suggestions:
Jesus had been fasting before He was tempted by the adversary. What insights can we gain from this account about the power of fasting? The information in “Fasting and Fast Offerings,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org might help you lead a family discussion about fasting. You could invite family members to share experiences they’ve had with fasting. Perhaps your family could prayerfully make plans to fast together for a specific purpose.
When Satan tempted Christ to turn a stone to bread, he challenged Christ’s divine identity by saying, “If thou be the Son of God” (Matthew 4:3, italics added). Why does Satan try to make us doubt our divine identities? How does he try to do this? (See also Moses 1:10–23.)
After Jesus was physically and spiritually tested, His thoughts turned to the needs of John the Baptist, who was in prison: “And now Jesus knew that John was cast into prison, and he sent angels, and, behold, they came and ministered unto him [John]” (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 4:11 [in Matthew 4:11, footnote a). How are we blessed as we follow Christ’s example of thinking of others before ourselves? How can we follow His example?
Do we know anyone who is brokenhearted or who needs to be “set at liberty”? (Luke 4:18). How can we help others receive the Savior’s healing and deliverance? You might also discuss how performing temple ordinances helps bring “deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4:18).
For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.
Improving Our Teaching
Live the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Perhaps the most important thing you can do [as a parent or teacher] is to … live the gospel with all your heart. … This is the principal way to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. You don’t have to be perfect, just diligently trying—and seeking forgiveness through the Savior’s Atonement whenever you stumble” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 13).
The Call, by Jorge Cocco