Forty Days
Sunday Sermons • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 24:07
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· 8 viewsJesus is tempted to fulfill his physical needs, to have worldly power, and to do a spectacular sign. He knows the scriptures and knows what to say, and he does not yield to temptation. He sets a pattern for us, while also doing perfectly what we cannot.
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Temptation
Temptation
*** Image of temptation—Popular, being pulled in two different directions
Shows what we’re made of
Provocation to do the wrong thing
Enticement to do the right thing at the wrong time
*** Image of purity of gold. What are we made of? Our response to temptation reveals something about what we’re made of
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ”
But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die;
for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.
*** Image: Wait, that’s not the right St. Augustine
*** The real St. Augustine
*** Image: Gregory the great
Augustine & Gregory the Great
Suggestion
Delight
Consent
Traditional sources of temptation:
The world
The flesh
The devil
*** Our text gets right to the point. As readers of Luke’s gospel, we get a sense of who Jesus is:
*** The Spirit-filled Son of God
Luke 3:22 (NRSV)
The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
*** The awaited descendant of David whose lineage connects him with all humanity
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli,
son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph,
son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai,
son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda,
son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,
son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er,
son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi,
son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim,
son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David,
son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Sala, son of Nahshon,
son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah,
son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor,
son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah,
son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech,
son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan,
son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.
*** The function of the genealogy: connects Jesus the Messiah to King David and to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Matthew’s genealogy, more focused on Jewish readers, begins with Abraham to show Jesus is a child of Abraham
Luke’s genealogy, for a broader readership, connects Jesus with “all humanity” and goes back to the origin narrative of Genesis
40 days
40 days
*** Full temptation, tempted in every way, complete opportunity
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.
The first temptation
The first temptation
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ”
Will Jesus, who has made a spiritual commitment, choose to surrender to his physical impulses?
The second temptation
The second temptation
Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please.
If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”
Will Jesus embark on a quest for power that will rob him of his identity as Son of God?
The third temptation
The third temptation
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,
for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
Will Jesus “show off” to prove his identity to others (and perhaps to himself—Jesus had faith too), or will he rest securely in his self-knowledge?
Eve and Adam get it wrong
Jesus shows what it means to get it completely right
We tie our faith, our fortunes, our lives to the one who got it right.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.