Flip Wilson introduced that long standing excuse for almost everything into the comedy scene loooong ago when I was young. It is an excuse that comes in handy most days......even if it holds no water. No one takes anyone seriously when they claim the devil made them do it.
Yet we get this story about Jesus and the devil and temptations in the wilderness and we have to figure out what the writer is trying to tell us. Certainly Jesus can and does resist the temptations that the devil puts in front of him.
They are telling temptations: #1 to satisfy his own needs (since he was seriously hungry for bread) over and above whatever God the Father had in mind for him.
#2 to satisfy his own ego needs by claiming all kinds of status with a little bit of showmanship as he throws himself off a high place and waits for the angels to catch him. Who doesn't have some ego needs that seek a bit of status?
#3 to satisfy himself with a grab for power, really big power. The devil offers this world and all the power it holds if Jesus will throw over his loyalty to God the Creator and take up worship of the devil instead. Wow! Power! Pretty enticing.
Why are we told this story? What does the author of Luke want us to see here? Is there something here that might help us as followers of Jesus to make our way in this world?
Those are good questions and I certainly don't have the definitive answers to them but let's explore. Why are we told this story? It could be to show that Jesus didn't just float through this world and this life. The temptations that we face, Jesus faced as well. Although we can talk about satisfying our lusts for food or power or status, I think there is a much larger temptation being thrown at Jesus. It is a temptation we face as well, we just don't recognize it when it comes our way.
The big temptation here is for Jesus to give up what God the Father is calling him to do.....to mend and heal the world for the sake of the world which is loved by its creator....and instead to do what makes Jesus feel good, look good, and stand in a position of power.
God was setting Jesus out on a mission to the world where love, sacrifice and service were the foundation for power. Jesus was not sent out to stand among the rulers of the world but among the oppressed. Jesus was not sent to satisfy himself but to feed the hungry. Jesus was not sent to pull off crazy stunts to get everyone's attention. He was sent to be the source of all life, joined with the God Creator in unison bringing about a new thing.
As followers of Jesus, that is what we are called to do as well. Therefore, we face the same temptation: to throw over our loyalty and trust in the Creator God and join the secular team of this world.
Makes giving up a little bread look a lot easier, right?
