Consummatum est 10 - "Tempt"

Matthew 4:1-11

Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread."

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."

For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: "He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone."

Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: "Don't you dare test the Lord your God."

For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth's kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, "They're yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they're yours."

Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."

The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus' needs. 

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How many times a day does Satan test you?  And how do you answer the tests?

Jesus answered three tests by Satan like this:

"I listen to God and do what he tells me to do."

"Don't think you can break me - I am of God."

"I only honor God - not you, Satan."

Is this how we answer the tests put before us daily?  First, do we invoke God in our struggles with temptation?  Second, do we know God well enough to be able to say that we intend to do what God tells us to do when tempted?  And finally, are my allegiances with God so strong that I can honestly say that I will do God's bidding only and always regardless of the force of the temptation?

You see, when strong winds blow at me in my sailing ship, I may not know how to deal with the wind and end up capsizing, or I may know how to turn the ship and sails into the wind as a tack and actually make headway regardless of the power of the wind.  It is all about desire and intent, isn't it?  Strong winds can either pitch me to the sea or they can make me stronger by standing up to them.

Does Jesus give you strength and aid in times of temptation?

Comments

[Karen Dauer]

Me,too, Beth. Me, too.

[Beth]

I pray for strength, but I often find myself not thinking about him when I am being tempted. Got to get better at that....I enjoy these daily Consummatum articles.