Day 5, The Filling of the Holy Spirit, Luke 4:1-13

(In Luke 3:23-38 is one of Jesus’ genealogies, the other being in Mt. 1.  Our study of this is part of our series on The Birth of Christ, in our blog Dec. 8, 2014 at http://ronandcindy.blogspot.com.  Matthew and Mark tell us Jesus’ temptation came immediately after His baptism.  Luke does not deny this but includes the genealogy here because it, as well as the baptism and temptation, belong at the outset of Jesus’ ministry.  The Father’s commendation and the coming of the Spirit [at the baptism], the identification with humanity [in the genealogy], and the sinless Savior [shown in the temptation] are fundamental to the gospel story.)

Let us begin by giving Biblical definition and context to several terms in Lk. 4.

·        Filled with the Holy Spirit, v1. 

o   To be filled with something is to be controlled by that thing.  In Lk. 5:7 the boats were full of fish so that they began to sink.  In Eph. 5:18, as being filled with wine causes us to act in a certain way, so we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  What fills us dictates how we live our lives.

o   Thus to be filled with the Spirit is the command for all believers (Eph. 5:18).  What we see is that Christ lived His sinless life by the same resource that is available to us.

o   We often think that we need to have more and more of the Holy Spirit until we are full of Him.  Actually, that is probably not quite right.  Believers today are indwelt by the Holy Spirit from the time they are born again (cf. Rom. 8:9-11).  The Spirit’s ministry is not to exalt Himself but to exalt Christ (John 15:26; 16:13-14).  Thus being filled with the Spirit is bound up in yielding/presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices (Rom. 6:13; 12:1).  It is letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Col. 3:16).  In this way we will walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16,25).

·        Led by the Spirit into the wilderness, v1. 

o   A comparison of the Gospels is interesting.  Mk. 1:12 says the Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert.  Matt. 4:1 indicates the Spirit led in the sense of a ship setting sail into the sea.  Luke’s term indicates leadership by accompanying someone to another place.  All these terms fit what is happening here.  When we are filled with the Spirit we are impelled or driven to go where He leads.  At this point in Jesus’ life He is setting sail into His years of ministry.  And as He goes into a lonely place, He is not alone as we are not alone: the Spirit of God goes with Him.

o   When the Holy Spirit controls us He is able to lead us where He desires.  He sent Jesus to a place where there were no other people (that is the definition of wilderness) to be tempted.  The ultimate tests are how we will respond to the Devil’s promptings when no one else is around, no one except the One who fills and controls us!

We will continue tomorrow.