Jesus: The Champion Who Passes the Wilderness Test

I like this image of Jesus as the champion, of of Jesus doing battle with Satan, going toe to toe with our enemy. Because I think that's what this passage about the temptation of Jesus is all about. It's about our need for someone to come and win where we have lost, someone to succeed where we have failed, someone to be victorious where we have been defeated. [00:16:22] (28 seconds)  #JesusOurChampion

We say that Jesus is our savior, but then we live our lives and we try to convince ourselves and others that we don't need any help, that we we're like toddlers. I can do it myself. Or we're glad that we have a savior in the abstract, you know, someone to forgive my sins and make sure I get to go to heaven when I die, but leave the day to day living to me. Thank you very much. But that's exhausting, especially when we know we aren't winning the battle. [00:18:29] (37 seconds)  #StopPretendingSelfSufficient

This test in the wilderness then isn't just about Jesus proving himself to the spirit and to the father that he's got what it takes for the mission god has sent him on. It's also about Jesus showing us that god has sent someone who can succeed where we have failed, who can be the new Adam, the new Israel. And these temptations that the devil comes up with, they're all ones that I have failed repeatedly. They are temptations that our leaders century after century have failed miserably, and they are temptations that when we give into them, they lead to death. They lead to the decay of humanity and creation. [00:19:33] (44 seconds)  #NewAdamSucceeds

It's a similar temptation to be the kind of leader who takes full advantage of your position for your own comfort, for your own safety. But this time, the tempter uses the bible against Jesus. How often has the bible been used to justify sinful behavior? The bible was used to justify slavery in the past. It's been used to justify the abuse and domination of women. It's been used to justify the stripping of the earth for its resources. The bible has been used over and over again to justify war and violence and bigotry and chauvinism. [00:23:30] (40 seconds)  #StopUsingScriptureToHarm

``The devil isn't tempting Jesus to reject scripture. He's tempting Jesus to misuse it, to weaponize it, to make it a tool for his own advancement rather than what it's for. We get the bible wrong all the time. We need a hero who can not only quote scripture, but tell us what it means, interpret it correctly. Jesus knows the angels will protect him, but he also knows that's not the point and that playing games with the devil to prove some scripture is not why he's come. [00:24:09] (39 seconds)  #DontWeaponizeScripture

But that's not the temptation. It's not about riches. It's about giving Jesus exactly what he wants, exactly what he came for, to give him the goal of his whole life, his whole mission. Jesus has come to save the world. He wants all the kingdoms of the world so that he can rescue them, so he can bring us back to the father and save us. Jesus has come to rescue the kingdoms of the world from the devil, from sin, from death itself. And here, the devil is handing it to him on a silver platter. [00:25:57] (34 seconds)  #KingdomsForRedemption

It's the old justification of sin where we say to ourselves, the end justifies the means. It's a shortcut. How often do we take shortcuts? Rationalize doing the wrong thing because the goal is so worthy. We rely on those old axioms. It's better to ask for forgiveness than for permission because we don't wanna slow down. We don't wanna have to do things the hard way, the right way. We just wanna get to the goal no matter the means. Or we say, well, this is for the greater good to justify sinful behavior that hurts our neighbor. [00:26:38] (43 seconds)  #EndsDontJustifyMeans

But Jesus did not come to save himself, and he will not waver because he came to save us, to save you and me. He did not come to be his own hero. We are the ones who have failed, but our failure will not define us. No failure, past, present, or future, defines who you are because Jesus passed the test. [00:29:25] (31 seconds)  #JesusSavedUsNotHimself