Luke 4:1-13.    The temptations of life???                                          17/2/13

 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, {2} where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. {3} The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." {4} Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'" {5} The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. {6} And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. {7} So if you worship me, it will all be yours." {8} Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" {9} The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. {10} For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; {11} they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" {12} Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" {13} When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

 Today’s reading raises the issue of the temptations of life and how to face up to them. Yes, primarily it is speaking of Jesus and the temptations that the devil placed before him, in an attempt to derail Jesus’ ministry: and of course how, and with what, Jesus withstood those tests. In that we find where our real help lies as we face the many temptations that are regularly placed before us. We need to cling to the Lord Jesus and his Word to be able to withstand the attempts of the devil to derail us as we go through life.

 This, I believe, is a real issue for us as God’s people at this time. There are untold temptations facing us, day in day out, and we are ‘rolling over’ again and again without even realizing it. Bit by bit the devil is chipping away at us, leading us further and further away from where we should be as God’s people.

 Just a couple of examples. Last Wednesday we had our Ash Wednesday Service. Now, this has alway been considered an important event in our yearly calendar. But the attendance the other night would seem to indicate that this is no longer important: As, might I suggest, are the weekly Lenten services. We as the people of God, at this time, seem to consider this aspect, and part of our Christian walk, as something that we can take or leave. It is not seen as a vital part of our life. Along this vein we could also think of our attitude toward Sunday worship, work and sport and all of that, and the affect that it is having on our lives, as well as the lives of our children.

 Now, I am sure we could all go on with many other areas where we are facing and often succumbing to temptations that are gradually leading us away from where we should be as the people of God. But it is not so much the issues that I want dwell on, but what is our response to them, and what do we use to guide us through.

 Probably the first thing that can be said in this regard is to what extent do we see many of these things as even temptations. I would suspect that for all of us, much of the time, we do not even give a second thought to many of the things that we are confronted with. We just go ahead and do what we want to do and that which everyone else is doing, without even thinking about it. If we were Jesus in the wilderness and were as hungry as he would have been, we would have had no hesitation in wanting to turn stones into bread. After all surely God wants us to be well fed. So what is the drama!

 But that then raises the next and probably the most crucial issue of all. What is it that determines our attitude toward these things. When the encouragement is there to skip church, so that you can do whatever; what and who is it that shapes our thinking? Think about it as you reflect on these times that you have been tempted in this way. On Wednesday evening, for instance, what was you thinking and reasoning for whatever you did?  Is it not, often, our own selfish desires and the influence of the world around us, that entices us most of all?  For some, you probably just plain forgot all about it. But even then, is that maybe, because we just do not see the importance of it? Or maybe we have just so many other things to think about. But even then the question arises as to what we see as the more important?

 But even there when we are confronted with these things, we are often very quick to justify our position. We have got it all under control. We have got our faith. We have to do this, that or the other, in order to get on in life. And I am sure in most cases it all sounds very reasonable. But who and what is it that determines this for us? Where are we looking and thinking? I would suspect that for most of us, most of the time, we have our noses to close to the earth. We are looking at ourselves and our wants and desires, and we look to the world around us.

 Yet what do we see when we look to Jesus as he faced his temptations. He does not look to himself and what he wants and what he thinks he needs. His first reaction every time is: "It is written.” He doesn’t go to what he thinks is right and good. He doesn’t even look for some indication from God via some other source or means. He goes straight to the Word that he knows is true and reliable, for every situation. There even the devil cannot argue.

 And yes, I know what you and the general response is to this. ‘But look it doesn’t have anything to say about all the mundane things of life that we are faced with.’ Really! Who tells us that? Is it perhaps the devil? Again, go back to our reading, what does Jesus do when he is faced with hunger. Surely if we are hungry God expects us to feed ourselves. Surely God’s Word doesn’t deal with such trivial things. But Jesus listens to God’s Word. : 'Man does not live on bread alone.' A full stomach is not all there is to life. In fact it is not even the most important. Something to ponder over. Something to follow up in the Scriptures.

Ah, Yes, but surely the end justifies the means.  Surely as long as it all ends well that is all that matters. The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours."  To give way in one small thing for the sake of having influence over all. What could be better? God’s Word however says; what a disaster. Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' God and what he says is all important.

 Well then, if we can at least perform a few miracles and draw attention to how great and grand God’s works are then, we can be successful for God and his church. We have the highest motives and the best focus: surely then it can be right.

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;  they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

With the right scene and the right feelings we can accomplish so much and be able to draw so many into God’s kingdom.

Yet Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Don’t try and play games with God. He is after all God almighty himself.

 Jesus’ focus was always on what God and his Word has to say and deems as important. The focus was always heavenward, not what we think and feel. No matter how trivial or how tempting, Jesus faced them and answered them as is called for in every situation. Even when he knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, with the crucifixion, before him; his answer is still: "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Then he goes uncomplaining forth to the cross and the full punishment of God. He allows God to do to him what we all deserve, so that we might be forgiven and have eternal life with God.

 Jesus stood up to every temptation so that life and salvation may be ours. He was faithful to God and his Word so that we might have hope in the midst of our hopelessness. He stood by the truth so that we can stand in his goodness and trustworthiness, as we face our temptations. He looked to his Father and sought his will so that we can know who and what is right and good; and who we should look to as we need to make our decisions in life.

 Yes, as a human being Jesus faced the same temptations that you and I face, but he did not succumb, so that he could be the sacrifice which takes the penalty of sin away from us. Unlike Adam and Eve, and us, he did not fall to the temptations of the devil, so that he could then be the saviour of the world. Thank God that he did not give way, like we so readily do.

 So may Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour so lead us now, as we face the many temptations that we do in our life. As we look to him and place our trust in him and his word, he will lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For his is the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forever. AMEN

 Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish