“ON THE ROAD WITH JESUS:

“JESUS TEMPTATION AND OURS” (1)

Brian Kenning

21^st February 2010

Reading:  Luke 4:1-13  (page 948)

“Temptation”  -  to use a good gift in inappropriate ways.

Jesus temptations had to do with why he came to earth, his style of working and what kind of Messiah he would be.  The context links Jesus temptations to his baptism.  Jesus wasn’t in a hard place because he was a backslider or because he had displeased God.  Hard places are times of “testing”.  “Tests are the highest form of competition.  They show what resources a person has deep within.  A test is an opportunity for self examination – an opportunity to find out more about ourselves and God.

In the cosmic battle in the desert, Jesus is in a weakened and vulnerable condition.

1.       A test at the point of weakness and vulnerability, Jesus is tempted to take the soft option, to put comfort ahead of obedience.

-          It is written: - people do not live on bread alone

-          It takes more than bread to live

-          There’s more to life than physical gratification

2.      I will give you all the kingdoms …. If you worship me

No idle boast

Satan is “the ruler of this world”

He offers Jesus the big prize

Revelation 11:15

A prize with a cost …. “if”

This is the temptation

-          To compromise

-          To take short cuts

-          To have now rather than later

-          To avoid the cross

 

3.      Reading verses Luke 4:9-11

Psalm 91:11-12

A warning about taking a text out of context and twisting it to serve our own purposes.

A test about what kind of Messiah Jesus would be.

Glitz, glamour, superman, or/ humble, obedient servant who dies on a Cross.

More often than not Jesus makes it harder not easier to follow.

God settles for a slower, gentler way not forcing himself on those who are not willing.

Deuteronomy 8:1-15

…. The Lord led the Israelites into the desert for 40 years – “to humble and to TEST you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands”

Israel, full of manna, rebels and doubt.

Jesus, hungry, believes and trust.

Jesus was tested … “so that he could become our merciful and faithful High Priest”  (Hebrews 2:17)

…. So that he is able to help those who are being tempted  (Hebrews 4:15-16)

 

Luke 4:13 (Msg) “That completed the testing.  The devil retreated temporarily lying in wait for another opportunity”.

There are more “testing’s” to come.

Always they related to whether Jesus would embrace or avoid the Cross.

Jesus preserved for us the freedom to choose, a freedom we exercise whenever we face our own tests.

 

 

For questions to ponder and small group notes – refer to the booklet, “On the Road with Jesus” (a Lenten series)

 

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