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Lent - Temptation of Christ
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Hambali Leonardi IntroductionHas anyone here fasted for more than a day? How about a week? How about 40 days? As you can tell, I am not a likely candidate for fasting. But, I do tell my friends that I fast everyday. I fast from 8 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 6 pm, and from 7 pm to 8 am the next day. So, in short, I fast for 21 hours per day. Quite impressive, isn’t it? But, the passage we read from Luke chapter 4 tells us a fast of great importance for Jesus and his ministry. His time in the desert was a time of spiritual preparation. Since, today is the 1st Sunday of the Lenten season, the gospel reading of the temptation of Christ is an excellent reminder for all of us. According to the church calendar, the Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday, 6 1/2 weeks before Easter, and provides for a 40-day fast (Sundays are excluded), in imitation of Jesus Christ's fasting in the desert. Like Jesus in the desert, Lent is a time of spiritual preparation and reflection for us, Christians. In Luke 4:1, we see that Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit after being baptized in the river Jordan. Instead of starting his ministry with a big bang like going to the towns to cast out demons and heal the sick, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to the desert. Isn’t it strange that it was the Spirit of God who led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil? Couldn’t Jesus have avoided the desert and go directly to the towns to start his ministry? But, God the Father saw it appropriate for Jesus to experience the 40 days in the desert with the devil. So that we, Christians who live in the world can call out to Jesus, our Lord and Saviour for he himself suffered when he was tempted, and is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18) The 40 days in the desert must have been a gruelling experience. I try to imagine what Jesus who has the same human weaknesses like us, must have had gone through. The blistering hot desert sun contrasting with the frigid night winds must have placed a great toll on any man. The desert ground must also have been hard and rough against Jesus’ body; a body that grows weaker and hungrier by the day. Friends, isn’t this world similar to the harsh desert. In this world, don’t the hurtful comments of our enemies, bosses, colleagues, friends or even loved ones blister our hearts? Don’t mounting bills, prospects of salary cuts, or retrenchment clamp us like the frigid night winds? Don’t the brutal hardness of diseases, stress and aging further wear our already brittle bodies? In addition to the physical discomfort and agony experienced by Jesus in the desert, and by us in the world, there is the devil that thwarts and tempts us. It must have been a terrible and lonely experience for any man, even for Jesus, the Son of God. But, Jesus was not alone as there was the Holy Spirit to strengthen him. Likewise, we may feel so alone in this world that is so hostile to our values and faith but we have the Holy Spirit who gives us strength. He lives in us as our helper and comforter so that we can survive in this harsh desert world. I can only imagine that it must have been a daily battle between Jesus and the tempter. But the devil revealed his most tantalizing arsenal of temptations at the end of the 40 days by which Jesus was at his weakest and hungriest. It is a typical strategy of the devil to attack when we are at our lowest and weakest. Doesn’t temptation come when we are at our most vulnerable and desperate moment? Doesn’t the offer of an illicit income come when we are deep in financial debt? Doesn’t the prospect of an extra-marital affair come when our marriages are on the rocks? And, for the students in the congregation this morning, doesn’t the urge to cheat during our exams come when we are pressed to do well in our studies? The devil knows our weaknesses but Jesus knows us even better. In Hebrews 4:15, we are told that we do not have a high priest (that is Jesus) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. In spite of the devil’s tempting during the 40 days in the desert, Jesus did not give in to the devil’s ploys. From verse 3 to 12, we read how our high priest, Jesus was able to rebuke the devil’s attacks. The devil has been in the business of tempting since the beginning of time. Even before the creation of humankind, he incited the angels who later became his demons to rebel against God. In the story of the fall of humans in Genesis 3, the devil tempted Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The devil is a crafty creature and understands the key weaknesses of humans. He knows how to target our three vulnerable areas – stomach, eye and heart. There is similarity between how the devil tempts Eve and Jesus. However, the outcomes are different with Eve failing while Jesus triumphing over the devil’s temptations. The first temptation targeted at Jesus’ stomach, knowing that he was without food for 40 days and was hungry. The devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus rebuked the devil that man does not live on bread alone. It was not wrong to eat bread but it was wrong to give in the devil’s challenge to change stone to bread. In the 40 days, Jesus could have changed anything he found in the desert into food if he desired. He could have even returned home and be greeted with a sumptuous homecoming meal by his mother, Mary. But, Jesus did not, and he did not give in to the devil’s temptation because he did not want to rely on his own power and strength but on God’s power, specifically the Holy Spirit who led and sustained him for the 40 days. How about us? Do we trust more on our own power and strength than to trust in God? Do we seek God first for our sustenance, or turn first to our own abilities and resources? Matthew 6:33 tell us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. It is not wrong to turn to our own abilities and resources but it is wrong when we place them above God. Often, we trust our wealth, status, positions, qualifications and connections to sustain us and fill our stomachs, but it is God alone who can give us our daily bread and manna. The second temptation targeted at Jesus’ eyes. The devil brought Jesus up to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world. It must have been an awesome sight to behold of grand palaces, mighty armies and multitudes of people. How about us today? Aren’t we bombarded with images of worldly pleasures which are often contrary to the Word of God? On our streets, shopping centres, televisions, movies, and magazines, we see images of obscene and decadent materialism, which serves to instil covetousness and greed in us. We often lose sight of what is important as we pursue the 5 Cs and venture into constant upgrading. Many have forfeited their souls to gain the world. (Mark 8:36) But, Matthew 6:24 reminds us that, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Who do we serve and worship? Do we worship God on Sunday and Mammon the rest of the week? Do we easily put aside our Christian values to scale up the corporate ladder? Do we truly worship and serve God only, or are there things in our lives that we value more? The third temptation targeted at Jesus’ heart. The devil played with Jesus’ faith and trust, knowing that he is the beloved Son of God, and challenged him to throw himself off the top of the temple. Surely, Jesus’ Heavenly Father would not allow his beloved Son to hurt himself. The devil wanted Jesus to prove that God is faithful but such a test does not prove faithfulness but foolishness. As such, Jesus rebuked the devil from the Scriptures that it was wrong to test the Lord. When we test God, we are saying that we do not trust him. We can be guilty of testing God when we challenge God with our prayers that seem to speak of faithfulness but in truth, they reveal our lack of trust in God. Here are some examples of such prayers: Dear Lord, if you help me to strike the lottery, I will give more to church. Dear Lord, if you help me to get my job promotion, I will bring more people in my workplace to you. Dear Lord, if you help me to get good grades, I will read the Bible more often. Dear Lord, if you make me well, I will serve you all the rest of my life. Aren’t these prayers similar to the devil’s challenge to Jesus to test God’s faithfulness? Our attitude should be like Jesus who does not test God with our faithless prayers. Instead, our prayers should be like such: Dear Lord, regardless of my financial situation, I will give you cheerfully. Dear Lord, regardless of my job position, I will share the gospel with the people I work with. Dear Lord, regardless of my grades, I will read your Word diligently. Dear Lord, regardless of my health, I will serve you all the rest of my life for you use us whether we are weak or strong. Dear Lord, I trust you no matter what. Conclusion At the end of the devil’s tempting, we see a glorious picture of Jesus’ victory and triumph over the devil and his tactics with Jesus returning to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. At the end of this Season of Lent, can we arise with greater wisdom and power of the Spirit? Jesus prevailed after the 40 days because he had the help of the Holy Spirit. This help is accessible to every Christian who professes that Jesus is Lord and Saviour. This Sunday of Lent, let us humbly come to Jesus, our high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses because he too was tempted. What are your struggles? Is it in the area of stomach, eye or heart? Jesus knows, and he can help you. As we leave the church service this morning into the desert world, let us allow the Spirit of Jesus to take centre stage in our life. Let the Holy Spirit the president of our lives rather than a mere resident. Let us allow him to lead and guide us so that we can be victorious in this desert world. [Top] |
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Church of the Ascension, 13
Francis Thomas Drive, Singapore 359339 |