Title: Temptations
Author: Christopher Harbin
Text: Luke 4:1-13
Temptation comes in many forms. James says it comes from within us. Temptation engages our personal needs and desires. If I don't like chocolate pie, you can't tempt me with chocolate pie. You can wave it under my nose, laugh at me, ridicule me about it, or badger me to try it, but the pie is not tempting. The temptation would be a desire to fit in, to belong, to be part of the group, to be respected or acceptable. On the other hand, since I have yet to meet a chocolate pie I did not like, the story changes completely, for I already desire the pie, I just don't see one anywhere!
"No temptation has come upon you that is not common," is Paul's statement in First Corinthians. The same could be said in regard to the temptations Jesus faced during his month-long fasting at the beginning of his ministry. It's not a question of Jesus being tempted by chocolate pie. Instead, it is a question of allowing distractions to interfere with God's plan and purposes. He faced temptation to put physical needs above higher priorities. He faced temptation to take shortcuts, the easy way, to end-run God's plan by ignoring its character. He faced temptation to allow something else to take the place only God should have in our lives.
Today's passage finds Jesus having been baptized by John and leaving the Jordan. John had borne witness to God's Breath coming upon and remaining with Jesus. This anointing of God's Breath led him to leave the Jordan and head into the hills for a time of focus and preparation leading up to beginning his public ministry. He climbed into the hills to pray and be alone with God, fasting to direct the focus of this time off fulfilling physical needs and pleasures and onto the pathway that lay before him. In the eyes of the faithful community, this would recall and connect him to Moses, Elijah, and others who had sought Yahweh's presence beyond the limits of their civilized and tamed surro ...
Author: Christopher Harbin
Text: Luke 4:1-13
Temptation comes in many forms. James says it comes from within us. Temptation engages our personal needs and desires. If I don't like chocolate pie, you can't tempt me with chocolate pie. You can wave it under my nose, laugh at me, ridicule me about it, or badger me to try it, but the pie is not tempting. The temptation would be a desire to fit in, to belong, to be part of the group, to be respected or acceptable. On the other hand, since I have yet to meet a chocolate pie I did not like, the story changes completely, for I already desire the pie, I just don't see one anywhere!
"No temptation has come upon you that is not common," is Paul's statement in First Corinthians. The same could be said in regard to the temptations Jesus faced during his month-long fasting at the beginning of his ministry. It's not a question of Jesus being tempted by chocolate pie. Instead, it is a question of allowing distractions to interfere with God's plan and purposes. He faced temptation to put physical needs above higher priorities. He faced temptation to take shortcuts, the easy way, to end-run God's plan by ignoring its character. He faced temptation to allow something else to take the place only God should have in our lives.
Today's passage finds Jesus having been baptized by John and leaving the Jordan. John had borne witness to God's Breath coming upon and remaining with Jesus. This anointing of God's Breath led him to leave the Jordan and head into the hills for a time of focus and preparation leading up to beginning his public ministry. He climbed into the hills to pray and be alone with God, fasting to direct the focus of this time off fulfilling physical needs and pleasures and onto the pathway that lay before him. In the eyes of the faithful community, this would recall and connect him to Moses, Elijah, and others who had sought Yahweh's presence beyond the limits of their civilized and tamed surro ...
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