Flipping ahead to the NT to compare and contrast the temptation of Adam and Eve with the temptation of Christ (the second Adam).
Note the context - Jesus had just been baptized - the mark of the Holy Spirit (a dove) had rested on him and Luke wants to make sure we understand that Jesus is guided by the Spirit (full of the Spirit) into the wilderness and that the Spirit would empower him.
40 days without food. I did not think this was humanly possible, that it was simply Jesus' divine side kicking in, but I know two guys who did it just a few years ago. They traveled across the country while fasting to speak to "starving Jesus" (google it)
The connection of the snake in Genesis to the devil here is clear.
Three temptations.
The first seems harmless - "Hungry? These stone kind-a look like bread. Make it so." The temptation of immediacy - the quick fix. Jesus had been called to fast so to eat would have been disobedience. Often we will be tempted to take the short cut, the easy way, when actually, the pain and hardship is part of the formation that God wants for us. We live in a quick fix, comfortable route world - there will be peer pressure to compromise on issues, on behaviors, on lifestyle . . .
Jesus said that life is more than bread and a full belly.
Eve thought - this fruit looks good to eat.
The second temptation - "Worship me and the world is yours (it's mine to give)." Remember we've been talking about idolatry - any sphere not given to God is idolatry. The temptation is to believe that my house, my job, my family, my success is, well, mine. The words to Toby Mac's song ring in my ears - "I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul." The temptation to chase after fame and fortune are huge in our culture - so strong. Every message is about having the right car, the right yard, the right home, the right deck and grill and . . . and . . . and . . .and . . . Satan promises to give it all to you but these worries of the world will choke you off spiritually.
Jesus said that all the spheres of life belong to God.
The snake said "You can be like God" and Eve believed.
The third temptation - "Manufacture a spectacle and you'll be famous." The devil even used Scripture to justify the act. Another shortcut to have the world worship Jesus. That is the end goal isn't it? - to have the world recognize God in their midst. But not the plan - not the way - not how God works. How may entertainers have made a spectacle of themselves to gain fame - which is fleeting? Why do we "idolize" these people?
Jesus said that God can't be tested.
The snake said, "Test God - you won't die." And Eve believed the snake rather than God. She failed the test. Then Adam failed the test. And even when God would have given a retest, the passed the blame.
There is no doubt that Luke and the early Christ followers saw the connection between Adam and Eve's temptation and Jesus'. Where Adam and Eve failed, Jesus was victorious. And we who are part of Christ's body can also be victorious. We have the same Holy Spirit empowering us!
1 comment:
Love the first opening of this song..."I'm tryin' to get somewhere." Aren't we all, always trying to get somewhere. Everything will be find if I can just get this house clean, if I can just get to the summer and reset, if I get a new car to help me drive the family, if I had all my debt paid off...and so on.
Just like Adam and Eve who hid from God once they had sinned, we do the same...once I get myself together then I'll be able to serve the Lord...once I have a job that gives me more time or more loving people around me then I'll be able to serve Him. We hid, we search for happiness.
Kim said this to us last night...The God that created over 200 muscles on the head of a caterpillar and the God that created billions of stars, lives in ME. The God with the power to breath life, the God with the power to love so much He let His only son cry out in pain, that Spirit is in ME. The Spirit guided Jesus through the desert, guide me Lord through my desert today.
This is Kim's favorite website...the God who created this lives in You, loves You, hand crafted You, holds Your tears in His hands, has a plan just for You...
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
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