Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Art Barrett
New Life Christian Fellowship
Observation: Jesus I see that You know what it means to be challenged by the enemy. Your strength exposes the enemy strategy. The enemy wants to lure me to trade what the Father has given me for something that I appear to need or want. Again and again he comes at You challenging Your identity. Again and again You repel the voice of the enemy with the Voice of God in the written Word.
Action: Each day this week I am going to begin my day by repeating and reflecting the prayer You taught the first disciples. Each day I will begin with “Our Father,” reminding me of the identity You gave me and “Your Kingdom Come,” reminding me of the authority that is mine to repel the enemy taunts. Each day I will add one progressive phrase from Your model and reflect on it.
OBSERVATION: I am struck this morning by this picture of Jesus humanity. He was fully God AND fully human. He fasted for forty days and he was hungry… in need of care and provision. I too have been in need of care and provision and the God I follow has first hand experience with how I feel. Human. But the FULLY human part is revealed, I think, in the way Jesus wards off the tempter and trusts the Father to provide. Jesus is a picture of the fullness of the human experience in the way God intended it from creation. Humanity was not created to navigate this world apart from the Father. Jesus shares a unity with the Father… a relationship that I long for… one that Jesus has made available and accessible to me. Jesus has made it possible for me to be fully human… one with him as he is one with the Father.
ACTION: So far this lent I have taken on a discipline, but I feel like I am being called to a greater reliance on God’s provision. In this moment I don’t know an exact amount, but I will for these remaining days of lent commit to consuming less food and eating a low calorie/low fat diet.
I am impressed that Jesus used the Word of God to fend off the fiery darts of the evil one–the very weapon that He leaves for us to use as well. One might be tempted to think Jesus having a magic wand to wave or some other fancy moves against the devil. Nope–the Word was His weapon. His Word. And He offers His Word for me to use in the same way, if only I will. Wondering what keeps me from using it as He did…
it is so gratifying to know He wants me to call Him father, and when I do it pleases Him. I don’t want a day to go by without His help cause so much of the time the evil one is telling me I am not worthy and can not do something. When I listen to God it gives me great joy and peace. This is a good reminder this morning Thank you
Father I hear you saying temptation can look very different& come from many directions, but when secure in Faith & Identity; God provides all that is needed to not be lead astray.
Father this week I will stop and look for your directions.
I will keep my eyes open and think before I act. I will know I am doing this by my pause
, thought&then actions. If I feel unsure about my judgment I will find accountability in the people you’ve placed in my life that through my Identity in you I’m able to find trust. Amen
Observation:
I wonder … you’re apparently not tempted beyond what you can handle. Why didn’t Satan just wave some freshly baked bread under Jesus’ nose? Would that have been too much? After all the fast was officially over. … I recognize this was more about identity. Prove who you are. And we aren’t asked to prove who we are. We are asked to BE who we are.
Also, who did Satan really want this “proved” to? If he needed to believe himself, he could have pushed Jesus off the building and watch the angels come save him. … So we will face temptation and have to make choices, knowing our identity without having to prove it to ourselves or others.
Action:
I don’t want to do things with the intention of showing “Look. I belong to Jesus.” But I want the things I do to be evidence of who I am.
The devil and forces of evil tempt Jesus when He is weak, hungry, and generally not at the top of His game. And still Jesus stands firm, resists temptation and creates a teachable moment for all of us. Jesus is patient to a point until He finally says, “Away from me!” and sends satan away. Are we so bold at making statements and actively shooing evil out of our lives? Or do we turn our back and just sort of hope it will go away? I hear Jesus telling us that temptation is persistent and we are to name it, shun it and actively send it packing. Only then will our hearts be open for the true blessings of God’s love.
Action: As I find myself frustrated, angry or tempted I will name the evil and actively give it up to God in prayer.
Amy,
I just went here to check and see if anyone ever looks here after 10 am. The hope of course is that they look and reply. Thank you for commenting. But even more, I want you to know that it blessed me today. I am feeling not at the top of my game. This pointed out that Jesus got tired of toying with Satan and sent him away. I’m sending Satan and temptation and frustration and anger away.