[Pearls Ep 160: Bringing Sunday into the week.]
We’re looking at how our three enemies (satan, the fallen world and the flesh) are reflected in Christ’s temptation in the desert as told by Matthew (Mt 4:1-11).
Today we’ll consider the temptation to turn the stone to bread: “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
Jesus answered him, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”
Here we see the enemy of “the flesh.” Satan is trying to take advantage of Christ’s human nature – using a ploy that was successful for satan countless times – appealing to our desire to arrange for our own pleasure and physical needs.
To wit – David nearly lost his kingdom and birthright because he desired Bathsheba. Esau actually did relinquish his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew – and lentil stew at that! And Solomon’s avarice eventually led him to despair – “all is vanity!”
Truth be told, we all fall into this to one degree or another. Many of us live out a strange sort of separation of church and state – “God, You are definitely in charge of my soul, but let’s face it, I know a lot more about my bodily needs – what kind of food and drink are good for me, and how much money I need and what sort of house I should live in and what car I should drive, and what’s fun to watch on TV, and what sort of gossip isn’t really that bad, and while we’re at it what’s so bad about Facebook anyways?, and on and on…”
Early on in our family life while living in Chicago we wanted a comfortable nicely-appointed home in a nice neighborhood. But, we needed to be able to afford it on a single income (because we wanted Karen at home with the kids). Well, that’s nearly impossible and led to chasing after money. And that led to misery. Until we started turning it over to God.
God promises to provide for our needs according to His will – that doesn’t include satisfying our expectations for a certain standard of living or creature comforts. That’s the rub, and that’s when we can fall into the trap of trying to take control and start turning stones into the house we think we need, or cars, or gadgets, or cloths, or gym memberships, or extra dry martinis, or what-have-you.
This is why many find the “prosperity gospel” – as preached by so many televangelists – much more appealing than the one told by Matt, Mark, Luke and John.
And so satan thought he could catch Jesus off guard in His moment of near-starvation and tempt Him into sin over a nice loaf of Challah.
Satan was wrong (again). Christ rebukes him, and reminds us, that we live by “every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Here are some of those words – “My grace is enough.” When we feel ourselves about to give into temptation to satisfy some desire of the flesh, we can pray, “Lord, you promise that your grace is enough, give me Your strength and show me how You and I can overcome this temptation together.”
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 4:1-11)
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards He was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”
Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”
Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.