Matthew 4:1-11
Numbers often play a role in scripture. My favorite has been when the Apostles ask Jesus 'how many times should you forgive' your neighbor, up to seven times?' Jesus' response is 'not up to seven times, but seventy times seven times'. The significance of the umber seven indicating you should forgive into infinity.
In today's passage Jesus goes into the dessert for forty days and forty nights. These numbers should sound familiar. In Genesis, it rained for forty days and forty nights, Lent is forty days, the Jews wandered in the desert for forty years and now Jesus enters the wilderness to be tested by the devil for forty days and forty nights. Perhaps this is indicative of a generation of man, the number forty is mentioned well over 100 times in the Bible.
The meaning is almost always related to a time of trial or purification. Whether the 'trial' is put there by the devil is another question, we are always presented with trials. There are ways to cheat in school as a kid, ways to lie and cut corners at work, offers of cute guys to sacrifice the sanctity of your marriage, the list is endless. We are tempted for our entire life and in almost every situation.
Those who waver, those we consider wishy washy, are the ones who are most likely to succumb to such trials. What we need is a solid focus in life. For some that is not even God it could be some higher moral order but the fact remains that there is a focus. If God is your focus there is still an even finer line. Are you good because you fear eternal damnation? Or, are you good because you feel in your heart the message of love that Jesus lived and which to simply do what he would do?
As with anything in life, solid relationships or solid lives, they both begin within oneself. The core of our being must be focused and true. I'm not saying focused on the self, I am saying the individual is focused and self assured that they have self worth, are loved and then it can be focused outward in a most positive way. When you live this way, trials becomes quite easy. When a trial comes your way, the response is quick and immediate, you always focus on the correct path because it is part of who you are. You cannot be untrue to yourself or your mission.
Live honest, live true, be you.
In today's passage Jesus goes into the dessert for forty days and forty nights. These numbers should sound familiar. In Genesis, it rained for forty days and forty nights, Lent is forty days, the Jews wandered in the desert for forty years and now Jesus enters the wilderness to be tested by the devil for forty days and forty nights. Perhaps this is indicative of a generation of man, the number forty is mentioned well over 100 times in the Bible.
The meaning is almost always related to a time of trial or purification. Whether the 'trial' is put there by the devil is another question, we are always presented with trials. There are ways to cheat in school as a kid, ways to lie and cut corners at work, offers of cute guys to sacrifice the sanctity of your marriage, the list is endless. We are tempted for our entire life and in almost every situation.
Those who waver, those we consider wishy washy, are the ones who are most likely to succumb to such trials. What we need is a solid focus in life. For some that is not even God it could be some higher moral order but the fact remains that there is a focus. If God is your focus there is still an even finer line. Are you good because you fear eternal damnation? Or, are you good because you feel in your heart the message of love that Jesus lived and which to simply do what he would do?
As with anything in life, solid relationships or solid lives, they both begin within oneself. The core of our being must be focused and true. I'm not saying focused on the self, I am saying the individual is focused and self assured that they have self worth, are loved and then it can be focused outward in a most positive way. When you live this way, trials becomes quite easy. When a trial comes your way, the response is quick and immediate, you always focus on the correct path because it is part of who you are. You cannot be untrue to yourself or your mission.
Live honest, live true, be you.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
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