Saturday, March 17, 2012

Jesus Gets Me Part 4


Have you let the first things we’ve talked about marinate? I hope you are starting to see how Jesus can truly understand what we go through.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (ESV)
Let’s review them real quick.
·   Part 1-Jesus came to this earth as a baby, in human form. He felt in every way the way we feel, physically, and emotionally. Yet without sin.
·   Part 2-Jesus was tempted with something of the physical body, just like we are. He resisted by relying on God to provide for Him, just as we can.
·   Part 3-Jesus was tempted by Satan’s mind games, but Jesus would not allow him to twist the words of scripture. This just reminds me that Jesus understands the way I think.
Now let’s look at the 3rd and final way that Satan tempts Jesus. The devil takes Jesus up to a mountain again. This time he wants Jesus to see all the kingdoms in the world and how magnificent they are. Satan now says that Jesus can have those kingdoms if He will fall down and worship Satan. So this time Satan dangles this great symbol of status in Jesus’ face.
Before we get to Jesus’ response, let’s pretend…What if this we’re you or I? Think of the ONE thing you would like to BE above all else, is it President?, A Famous Actor?, A Rock Star?, The Most Well-Known Evangelist on Earth? (that’s a Noble desire), The Most Famous Christian Singer of All Time?(Another Noble career), The Richest Person on Earth?, The Person that Cures Cancer or Any Other Horrific Disease?(Wow! That would be fantastic)… Now what if Satan came to you and offered THAT VERY THING to you IF ONLY IF you bowed down and worship him? Would you do it?  Right now most of us would probably say NO! It’s not so hard for us to turn Satan away when we’re talking about these big things that we know probably are never going to happen.
Here is Jesus, knowing that all those kingdoms ARE His, just not yet. If He gets impatient and worships Satan, they are His NOW! But then what has He done? Messed up God’s plan and worse than that put something above God! As we see in Jesus’ response to Satan, God is a jealous God and putting something above Him, God will not put up with.
Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”(ESV)

Doesn’t God expect the same thing from us, to serve Him and Him alone? Now let me ask you that question again, with a little twist on it. What is it that you are striving to be or do? The best mom, wife, dad, husband, you can be? The best employee? The best student, child, brother, sister? Or Is our desire to become more like Jesus? If I am putting ANYTHING above GOD, it is an idol. Let me repeat that, if we put ANYTHING above GOD, it is an idol. I’m talking my spouse, children, my job, my roll as a wife or mother (husband, father), tv, music, uhoh here’s a bad one…my church. Yes if I put my church above God it is an idol! It doesn’t matter what it is, if I love it more than I love God, it has become my idol and it is time I ask God to forgive me and put Him back in His rightful place! This is still such a hard concept for me. Because everyday Satan says to me “But you’re such a good person, look at all the good you do.” And God reminds me…

Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.(ESV)

Here we see Satan attacking our very soul as Christians. He is trying to influence us into thinking we don’t need to follow God. Satan knows that in our lives he has lost the war of our souls but he still tries to make us a stumbling block to those around us who are not saved yet. To those who are not saved, Satan is doing all he can to keep their souls for himself. It is our job as Christians to be that witness, and spread the word of Jesus Christ to all around us.

As I finally finish this series on Jesus Understanding Us, I hope you have been able to see that no matter the circumstances you or I may be in that Jesus truly understands what we are going through. There are so many other things I have learned about Jesus’ circumstances and how He relates to me. Maybe one day I will share some of those too.

Just remember nothing gets passed our Savior, He is there to guide and comfort us in EVERY situation!


Living in Grace,

Angie



These are the sites I used as references.

Temptation of Jesus: Links to the commentaries and blogs I used-


This one you will have to scroll down to the 5 blogs titled Temptation of Jesus Part I- Temptation of Jesus Part V