Bible Verse Synopsis 2-21-25
Matthew 4:
Upon the completion of the baptism, Christ is ushered into the desert to being His trials and temptations. He is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness and fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and grew hungry (no kidding!). Satan tempts Christ with the "stones to bread", Christ denies as His power is never meant to help himself. Only man. This is one of my favorite verses and has many meanings; Verse 4: "But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God." We can subsist on Christ and God alone. We are spiritual beings as much as we are physical beings if not more. Feeding the spirit is vital to our longevity in the Word. I could think of nothing more important.
Jesus is tempted twice more by the devil here with the temptation to tempt God and the temptation to rule the Earth with Satan. Jesus responds in kind, tempting God, is like casting doubt and He had no doubt. This verse just glues to my mind. Verse 10: " Then Jesus said unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." "Get thee hence" screams the same language as go F*^% yourself. Which I love that Jesus is so dismissive of Satan. It feels almost to the level of disrespect. But there is more here than that. He uses the scripture to hold His case. Literally from the 10 Commandments, we are to serve only the Lord. How clean and simple was that!?!
Jesus now begins His ministry in earnest. He left Nazareth as the people rejected Him and settled in at Capernaum between the tribes of Zabulon and Nephthalim, just as Isiah said, on the Sea of Galilee. Being as Israel had rejected God, again, Christ was stationed along the great Roman Road. The Road all of the gentiles took. Christ is a savior for all and set up camp where everyone could find Him. Christ is the Great Light of the World! He began his ministry with the words "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". The Judge himself asking the sinner to repent. He is already trying to save us from ourselves. From the very instant His ministry began, He understood us. God is great!
Jesus brings Simon (called Peter), Andrew, James, & John to a higher calling. They soon to be really important men in the story came from the smallest beginnings. They were just fishermen. Now they get to become fishers of men. The single greatest calling the Lord has for us. How blessed are the disciples to be chosen as Jesus's confidants and closest followers? We are blessed in the same manner. Through prayer we can know Him. Reach your soul out to the Lord and He will find you. As He found the first fishers of men in the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus turned away no one in His journey. If you needed help, He gave it to you. If you needed healed, He gave. If you needed taught, He taught. This still holds true today. Through Christ we can reach the heights of any man because He has us in His arms. In His arms is the safety and compassion of God. Reach out to receive the blessings of our Lord. Give thanks for His greatness.