Friday, August 24, 2012

TEMPTATION

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 4:1-11 -- from THE MESSAGE

Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread."

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."

For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: "He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone."

Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: "Don't you dare test the Lord your God."

For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth's kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, "They're yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they're yours."

Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."

The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus' needs.

TEMPTATION

Our Sunday School class is studying Matthew and we are ready to discuss the temptation/test of Jesus. Last week I asked them to think about the first temptation. Comparing the contrast between Adam and Eve’s temptation and that of Jesus should make for some interesting discussion.

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 3:8-12 -- from THE MESSAGE

When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God.

God called to the Man: "Where are you?"

He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid."

God said, "Who told you you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?"

The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it."

God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?"

"The serpent seduced me," she said, "and I ate."

TEMPTATION

Can you picture the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve surrounded by everything they would ever need and no worries. They didn’t have to think about their next meal or if they would be out of a job. They didn’t have to listen to the never ending chatter on cell phones and the price of fuel was of no concern to them. AND they were in the garden with God. WITH GOD!!!! How much better could it get?

Can you picture the temptation of Jesus? Jesus was out in the wild, by himself, hungry and tired. He didn’t even have a peanut butter sandwich and no pillow top mattress was to be found. When He looked out, all He saw was bleak. Desolate. Barren. No one around to talk to and if He would have had a cell phone, there would have been no service. How much worse could it get?

Yet -- with everything in the world at their feet, Adam and Eve could not say no.

Yet -- alone, Jesus would not say yes.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

You will be tempted/tested. Are you ready?

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

Lord, instill in me the desire, the wisdom and the strength to say, "Beat it, Satan!" Amen

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