8/7/25

Luke 4:7 NASB95 “Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.”

Satan fell from heaven for seeking to be glorified and worshiped as God. He still desires this today. He tempted Jesus, the Son of God, with ease and glory in this world. He said to Jesus, "if You worship before me." Literally, he is saying if you will bow down to me as Lord, then I will give you the world which you came down to save. All Satan had to offer was temporary and faux. It wasn't real and wouldn't last. He offered Jesus temporary authority over a realm of sin. Jesus came to defeat sin and its death, to provide eternal life for those whom Satan temporarily has. Today, Satan is still offering temporary ease by disguising eternal suffering in death, with a lie, and by being shrewd. Jesus shares a parable of a man who does this same thing in Luke 16:1-8. Jesus was not having it. Although it would have meant not going to the cross, it also would have meant eternal loss for temporary victory.

When the world offers a better life do not be tempted by the shrewdness of Satan. The better that He offers is only temporary. A manager is not the owner. The owner remains in control while the manager will eventually lose his job. While serving the owner requires work and struggles to build His kingdom, in the end, you are granted access because of your faith in the owner.

The other option is to follow the manager who wants to act like the owner. He might offer ease now to get you to follow him, but he will not be allowed into the Kingdom, and neither will his subjects.

Temporary glory or eternal glory, eternal death or eternal life, Satan or God? Jesus gives us the correct answer in the next verse. Luke 4:8 NASB95 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’”

It's simple, all except the temptation. If you follow the temptation it leads to sin, to death, for eternity.

Choose eternal glory, eternal life, with the Eternal God!

Love Bro. Scott