Choosing Life

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness (2) for forty days, being tempted by the devil.  And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. (3) And the devil said to Him, 'If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.' (4) And Jesus answered him, 'It is written, man shall not live by bread alone.' (5) And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, 'I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) Therefore, if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.' (8) Jesus answered him, 'It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.' (9) And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; (10) for it it written, 'He will command His angels concerning You to guard You,' (11) and, 'On their hands they will bear You up, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.' (12) And Jesus answered and said to him, 'It is said, "you shall not put the Lord your God to the test.; ‘ (13) When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time." (Luke 4:1-13).

 

 

The power to choose is a gift from God.

 

The BIG choices are HIS.

 

Under the larger umbrella, He give choices to us.  We are morally responsible creatures.

 

 

     "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. . .See I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity. . .So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants" (Deuteronomy 30:11, 13, 19).

 

 

The Temptation of Christ.  Real event.  Huge in consequence and example.

 

 

 

 

 

Full of the Holy Spirit--v. 1.   Mind and heart filled with focus on Spiritual.  God is the only consideration.

 

Tempted by the devil--v. 2.  Tried, tested.  Same word.

 

Sometimes we are to FLEE temptation.  See 2 Timothy 2:22.  Sometimes we are to FACE temptation.

 

     "From prayer that asks that I may be sheltered from the winds that beat on Thee, from fearing when I should aspire, from faltering when I should climb higher, from silken self, O Captain, free Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

 

     From subtle love of softening things, from easy choices, weakening, (Not thus are spirits fortified, not this way went the Crucified), from all that dims Thy Calvary, O Lamb of God, deliver me" (Amy Carmichael). 

 

 

 

 

 

He meditates on the book of Deuteronomy.  Quotes it three times in this passage.

 

     "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.  The commandments of the Lord are pure, enlightening the eyes" (Psalm 19:8).

 

No fast righteousness.

 

     "Solid food is for the mature , who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).

 

 

 

 

 

Three temptations.  All basically the same.

 

You need food.  I need a word from God.

 

You need power.  I need to worship God.

 

You need public approval.  I need God's approval.

 

     "Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in.  Aim at earth and you get neither" (C. S. Lewis).

 

 

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     "You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit would remain" (John 15:16).

 

Christ our example.