Matt 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13

Ever wonder “what are the first letters in red”? “What was Jesus’ first teachings or sayings”? “Who was his first audience”? What did he say? What was the lesson? Certainly, the first sermon must hold some foundational truths, like “God  101”. The answer may astound you.

The audience for the first letters in red was the devil and the setting, 40 days in the wilderness without food or water. The words of this first sermon are embedded throughout his teachings like steal cords woven within the soft cloth of a garment, comfortable to wear, yet strong as iron.

In future articles, we will examine each of the 3 temptations separately. Here in our first, we will examine the circumstances which lead up to these fundamental teachings and let the actions of what Jesus did and did not do speak to us as our letters in red.

Lu 4:1 -2

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

How do you deal with those who offend you, insult you and generally drive you nuts? Loving the loveable is easy, enjoyable even. Loving the unlovable, the brutish and self-assured, those who live in self-created worlds of confirmation bias, the prideful and angry, the resentful and unforgiving the unrepentant, are, well, not so enjoyable.  The old saying “those who need love the most deserve love the least” is easy to understand in our broken world.

Three temptations are given to us but the scripture is clear, there were 40 days of continuous temptation not just 3 on the last day. The three given us represent the essence of all temptation, the consolidation or condensed version of what every human goes through in the course of a lifetime. The tests we pass and the tests we fail. Further, these 40 days continued to accumulate pressure, upping the ante of discomfort, thirst, and hunger with each passing day. Pressures which built up like water drops into a glass until the glass is full. Drops of hunger, thirst, and discomfort much like the droplets of responsibility, the expectations of those around us, requirements of family and jobs, the politics and difficult relationships,  heartache and disappointments of life, divorce, addiction and death, the accumulation of 40 years of life and living. Just thinking about it makes me want to hide in a cave by myself.

But Jesus did not. His actions are our letters in red. He did not close himself off. He did not escape into the TV, retreat into social media or run off to a local bar. No matter how badly you have been offended, been disrespected, how warm the tears on your cheek, no one has been transgressed more than God, transgressions we all have played part in. The chief architect of God’s offense is the devil. Yet Jesus was led to this encounter by God Himself (Mt 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil).

I frankly would have been pissed off and lashed out. Maybe thrown some verbal abuse or four-letter expletives his way, maybe tried to unravel his twisted illogic about Job or the Garden of Eden. But Jesus loved him, was patient with him, respectful even, allowing him to talk or tempt.  Here we see vividly Jesus’ application of his own doctrine toward his “enemy”.

Mt 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

So too, we are led into the wilderness of our world. Christians tend to consolidate, isolate and exclude, building bigger universities, churches, and communities when Jesus calls us to “get out the house and play with the other kids”! If Jesus can have a conversation with the devil then certainly I can take a homeless person to dinner or host a block party for my neighbors regardless of their religious affiliation.

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so, send I you.

Why is it that God’s people are so easily offended when God is not? Why is it that Jesus’ disciples can be so disagreeable with others when Jesus is not? Jesus was out in the world, why do Christians avoid the world beyond church doors or dodge conversations to avoid an argument or conflict? Why not just listen? Our God has a very thick skin because He is … well, God. We do not have to be so thin-skinned as Christians. We can take an insult or offense, a contradiction or insult and be ok because we have read the end of the book. Our book has a very happy ending.

If God is our God then there is no fear of being wrong, no need for challenge, vindication or having the last word. The last word is His and all humanity will bow before it regardless of all our political or religious attachments.

John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth, not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day

The question of “will I bow” has been resolved in the cross. The question that remains is “when will I bow”? Will I bow before him now, here this day or will I bow in the last day when I fall to my knees before the Almighty?

Our anger and frustration at others who debate is born of our own fear. The level of our offense is the measure of our own unbelief. It is the fear that they are right. It is the fear that we will starve in the wilderness, that He will not give His angels charge over us and that all the “kingdoms of this world” is a good deal and we should take it while it is on the table! It is the fear born of a lifetime of heartache and heartbreak, disappointments and resentments which have worn us down and made us doubt that He is who He says He is and will be who He says He will be. That He is God, perfect Father, perfect Mother, constantly abiding, always our best interests in mind.

 If God is God then offense bounces off of us like bullets off Superman. Be clear, nothing (Rom 8:37-39), no created thing in this world or the spirit world can dent or scratch Gods armor. This truth means we can relax in the face of unbelief, doubt, and indignation, yes even in the presence of the devil himself. We can let them walk on our shoes because we walk on His. We can love because He is love.

How, you may ask, can we overcome 40 days or 40 years of fasting and wilderness walking? How is it that we cannot be worn down into doubt by the everyday horrors of our broken world which come at us like drops of water in a glass?  How is it we can be loving, kind people in such an unloving and unkind place? How did Jesus stand before the devil with such compassion, grace, and composure and how can I do it in the face of my own devils?

The answer is simple, but I will warn you, like so many simple answers, it is not as easy as it sounds. (Lu 4:1 -2 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness). Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and led of the Spirit. Human strength is too weak to carry the day, day after day, year after year, decade after decade only the spirit can bring us the refreshment need to continue until that last day, that last great day when we see his face. Only the Spirit can energize and help us drink from the glass of human sorrows, pick up the pieces and carry on again. There is no replacement for, or substituting the dynamic relationship that happens in the secret place.

Mt 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

It may seem simple but the truth is a lifetime of trying and the willingness to start over even though you will screw it up again. We must learn to allow ourselves the do-over. It’s like the old expression, “I know what the balance looks like because I see it each time I pass by it”.

In this wilderness walk, we can face our devils just as Jesus did, with compassion, respect and loving consideration because he is within us, energizing and supplying that which is exhausted. Knowing we will get it wrong is a large part of getting it right. Allow yourself the room to try in the Spirit, reaching out in love and respect to those who drive you nuts, to the devils in your wilderness walk.

Lu 17:21 … behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Questions to consider:

How do I deal with those who offend me?

Am I a thick-skinned or thin-skinned Christian?

How do I want to respond to the ‘difficult’ people in my life?

Do I use TV, drugs, alcohol or social media to escape or avoid others?

What can I do to get more involved in the wilderness world around me?

How many unbelieving or non-church going friends do I have?

Do I remember times of greater spiritual strength?

How can I build upon and develop a deeper spiritual connection?