My problem is one of what to say, what not to say about that.
One of the things I've spent time thinking about, but don't think I'll have the time to explore is this idea of what the Temptation scene means in itself. In other words, not just the specifics of the temptations themselves - which are important - but what the purpose of Luke was in the importance of this event in and of itself.
This leads me to the fact that the first Adam failed in trusting God and saw humanity's seed permanently corrupted by the sin nature.
Here's some notes I began to write but I know I'll never get to...
Genesis 2:15-17 (NLT)
15 The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.
16 But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
15 The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.
16 But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
WHY WAS THE TREE CALLED THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL?
WHY NOT THE TREE OF POWER?
OR THE TREE OF MONEY, OR FAME, OR PRETENDING TO BE GOD-LIKE?
DON’T YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE?
DON'T WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IS GOOD, AND WHAT IS EVIL IF WE HAVE IT?
Genesis 3:1-5 (NLT)
1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.
3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.
5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.
3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.
5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
AND HERE IS SATAN'S TEMPTING WORDS:
“LOOK AT THAT TREE”
“WHAT’S WRONG HERE?...THAT IS A GOOD TREE…GOOD FRUIT”
“IS GOD SO THREATENED BY THE IDEA THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE YOUR OWN OPINIONS, YOUR OWN IDEAS THAT HE FORBIDS YOU TO HAVE THAT…?”
“CAN’T YOU MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND AS TO WHAT IS GOOD AND EVIL?” “YOU CAN JUDGE, KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE
“YOU CAN STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT BEST WHEN YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN LIFE, DETERMINE YOUR OWN VALUES, BE KING OF YOUR OWN DOMAIN!!!!!”
“GO AHEAD…IT’S YOUR WILL THAT IS NEEEDING TO BE DONE, NOT HIS”
AND, THE TEMPTATION IS SIMPLY THIS:
- WE DEFINE WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT,
- WE DEFINE WHAT IS GOOD FOR US,
- WE DEFINE LIFE AS WE WANT TO
I'VE HEARD IT, PROBABLY AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER THOUGHT IT MYSELF: “NOBODY IS GOING TO TELL ME HOW TO LIVE…” THE PROBLEM IS,
THAT IS FALSE…THE PROBLEM WITH THAT BELIEF IS THAT IT IS NOT TRUE…
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe…”
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe…”
Ephesians 2:1-3 (NLT)
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature…”
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature…”
WHEN A PERSON BELIEVES THAT THEY CAN DEFINE LIFE ON THEIR OWN TERMS, THEY ARE SUCCUMBING TO THE VERY THING THAT CONTROLS THEM.
I’VE SEEN PEOPLE WHO TAKE EVIL AND MAKE IT SOMETHING GOOD.
ONCE TALKING WITH A GUY DEALING WITH PORNOGRAPHY, HE TOLD ME THAT IT STOPS HIM FROM GOING OUT TO LOOKING FOR SEX WITH WOMEN…WOW!
HE IS TWISTING THE EVIL AND MAKING IT OUT TO BE THAT IT IS GOOD.
THE INTERNAL ASPECT OF THE FALL IS THAT WE SKEW GOD ACCORDING TO WHAT FITS US. WE DON’T NOTICE HOW ARBITRARY AND HOW OUR CULTURE INFLUENCES US.
NOW LET’S THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS TEMPTATION ACCOUNT OF LUKE THEN IS ALL ABOUT…
Satan offered opportunities to Jesus where Jesus could have possibly done great practical things for the world.
He could have demonstrated himself as the Messiah, giving himself religious power.
He could have taken control over all the governments of the world and have the perfect human government.
He could have used his power to heal and deliver people without going to the Cross.
LISTEN TO PAUL IN ROMANS:
Romans 5:12 (NLT)
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Romans 5:17-19 (NLT)
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
WHAT’S HE SAYING?
JESUS, IS THE LAST ADAM, WHO IS UNDOING THE CURSE, AND MAKING A NEW HUMANITY WHOSE IDENTITY IS OF GOD!
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (NLT)
14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
When we “live in Adam”, we are basically deciding that we can decide for ourselves what the best options are in a situation.
Life in Christ doesn’t remove the fact that we have to make our own choices in life.
Rather, living in Christ makes it clear that we must seek God’s ways and wisdom on the choices we make.
THE KINGDOM BRINGS US TO A PLACE WHERE GOD CHANGES THE FOCUS OF LIFE.
OUR SEXUALITY, OUR MONEY/POSSESSIONS, OUR RELATIONSHIPS, OUR FELLOWSHIP, THE WAY WE WORK, THE WAY WE LIVE IN OUR CULTURE…IT IS ALL FRAMED BY THIS NEW LIFE IN THE KINGDOM.
so…that’s where we must decide…every day, who’s kingdom rule are we going to be under?
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