Luke 4:1 - 30

Jesus begins His public ministry in isolation.  For forty days He fasts in the wilderness of Judea.  At the conclusion of this time, He encounters Satan himself who tempts Him to take the easy way in life.  Satan hasn't changed much, has he?  He fell from heaven due to a desire to be like God; he caused Adam and Eve to sin by promising they could be like God; now he tempts Jesus Who is fully God and fully man to lay aside humanity and act like God.  Jesus humanly faces each of these tempting tests by responding from God's Word.  He would not take the easy road; and for that I am glad.  He took the road that I need to take, the road of dependence on God and God's strength.

Returning from the desert, Jesus begins teaching in Galilee, eventually reaching His home town of Nazareth.  The people in that city could not believe that God would use someone they saw grow up in the home of a carpenter.  Jesus invited them to respond favorably to His message, warning them of the danger of refusing it; but they turned on Him, attempting to throw Him off a cliff.  Jesus left Nazareth, and would not do any further work there.  They lost an opportunity to be blessed by the Son of God.