Devil On The Run: Luke 4:1-13 - First Sunday in Lent

Monastery of the Temptation By Dmitrij Rodionov, DR - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,  

¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, ²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. ³The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” ⁴Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ”
  ⁵Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. ⁷If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” ⁸Jesus answered him, “It is written,
 ‘Worship the Lord your God,
  and serve only him.’ ”
  ⁹Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, ¹⁰for it is written,
 ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
  to protect you,’
¹¹and
 ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
  so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
¹²Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” ¹³When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

I decided I’d had enough…

For as long as we’ve been married, Elizabeth and I have used the liquid bath soap—and usually, that soap has been geared to the female taste.

Recently, the soap was “Satisfying White Strawberry & Mint”—and I could smell it on myself for hours.

So I decided to shop for a more masculine soap.  At the store, I’m amazed by the myriad of choices, all within one brand!!

There was “Lasting Legend;” “Live Wire;” “Denali;” “Wolfthorn Wild;” and “Aqua Reef”—and I caught myself thinking, “which soap describes me as a person?

Frustrated, I chose “High Endurance Level 3.”

Isn’t it amazing that soap gives you an image?  That you can create an identity for yourself through a scent?

But I imagine soap was the least of Jesus’ concerns in today’s Gospel.  Jesus has been led to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, where, for forty days, he is being tempted by the devil.  We’re told that he ate nothing during those days, and that he was famished.  Not only is he hungry, but he’s probably tired, lonely, scared, and wanting the ordeal to be over.  The devil seizes this as the perfect opportunity to tempt Jesus—though I don’t think temptation is a big enough word here…  Chocolate tempts us.  The stakes are a bit higher here…

 “Command this stone to become bread,” the devil says.  In other words, “You’re hungry—and God has done nothing to feed you! God can’t be trusted.  So try it my way instead!  As God’s Son, you’re entitled…”

When that effort fails, the devil is showing Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.  The temptation: “Impeach God.  Trade in the wilderness and the life of humble obedience for all the power and the glory in the world.  Just worship me, and it will all be yours.”

When that fails, the devil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple.  The temptation: “make the God, who’s “failed” you thus far, prove his worth.  Throw yourself down and get rescued. 

Since this third temptation also fails, the devil departs from Jesus until a more opportune time.  That time will begin when the devil enters into Judas Iscariot…

The temptations we face are very much the same as these. But again, temptation isn't a big enough word.  Chocolate tempts us.  Pressure might be a better word—because we all have pressure points, and the devil knows how to use them. 

None of us can turn stones into bread—but the devil still applies pressure that we know as fear.  All those things that worry you and keep you up at night—the devil will work overtime to exacerbate that fear to the point that you’ll do whatever it takes to come out on top.  Take control of your destiny; do anything except letting go and trusting God. 

Notice how, twice, the devil says to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God…”  Just the same, the devil will always try to create a sense of personal entitlement in our temptations…

None of us will ever rule the world—but the devil still applies pressure that we know as desire.  The devil works overtime to ensure that you’re not content merely wanting only what you need.  The devil will pressure you to the point of desperation for anything and everything you feel is necessary to be happy; to feel secure and in control; to be somebody…

I pray that none of us will ever be tempted to dive off a tall building—but the devil still applies pressure that we know as doubt.  The devil works overtime hurling accusations at God.  The devil puts God on trial, to prove God guilty of being unfaithful, unjust, and completely unworthy of our trust.  All of your pains, losses, and weaknesses will be used as evidence against God. 

Sometimes, the devil puts you on trial, in order to convince you that God could never love someone as disgustingly sinful and miserable as you…

Putting it all together, the devil always attacks your sense of identity as well as your relationship with God.  Anything to blind you to the truth of who you are and who God is…

But Jesus knew who he was and he knew who God was—and he held fast to these truths, even as the devil pressured him with overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

That’s the key for us…  The way we resist the devil is by remembering who we are and who God is.  First and foremost is that you are a child of God.  You are created in God’s image; so precious and valuable to God that God’s Son was given for you.  God’s love for you is such that God in Jesus Christ literally descends into hell to deliver you from death and the devil. 

We need to remember who others are, too—that God doesn’t see them for their faults or foibles, but as beloved children.  We are all part of the same family, Christian or not.  Jesus teaches us that anything we do for the least of those who are members of his family, we do for him.  Jesus may very well be the stranger in need that we serve in love.

Where the devil applies pressure, God gives freedom.  This God understands your fears; this God knows your desires; this God will never reject you for your doubts.  This God hears your prayers.  This God will never leave you.

The key to withstanding the devil’s pressure is remembering who you are—and letting God be who God is.  So during this season of Lent, claim and reclaim your true identity.  Do as Jesus does—read and learn the Holy Scriptures.  Every Christian should know at least a few bible verses by heart.

Martin Luther once said, “whenever you was your face, remember your baptism.”  Let the water affirm God’s love for you.

Take time to be thankful.  Faith for the future comes by remembering God’s faithfulness in the past. 

And pray without ceasing.  This is how we put the devil on the run…