Temptations Devo

July 3rd, 2016 

Devotional

“The Gospel of Matthew: The Temptations” - Matthew 4: 1-17

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Monday: “By Bread Alone” - Matthew 4: 1-4

This story of the temptations of Jesus is often told as the three temptations, but in a very real way they are actually three versions of just one temptation - the temptation for power. During the first version, Jesus is tempted to turn stones into bread. Remember that Jesus has now been alone, fasting for 40 days. He would be hungry. And Satan presents him with the opportunity to eat. To be filled. And not to even need to go searching for bread, for the very stones could become his sustenance. 

  At first glance, this seems like a simple temptation about eating, but really it speaks to power - the power to overthrow God’s created order. Bread is food. Stones are not. And one should not be able to be made into the other. By changing stones into bread, Jesus would be creating a new order in nature, displacing the one that God created in Genesis and said was “very good”. 

What does the temptation to have power over God’s creation look like in your life? How do you prepare yourself to face temptations?

Prayer: Loving God, we confess that sometimes we act like we are in charge - like we are mini-gods, instead of remembering that you alone are God. Forgive us, O Lord. Let us respect all the good gifts you have given us, and keep us from turning these good gifts into idols. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Testing God” - Matthew 4: 5-7

The second temptation involved Satan commanding that Jesus throw himself off the highest point, telling him that if he did so angels would rescue him, for he could not die. In other words Satan was tempting him to create a spectacle of himself as the Son of God.

  The Church has sometimes stumbled here. Even though Jesus resisted the temptation to make himself into a spectacle, we went right ahead and did that for him. Through bobble-head Jesus toys and t-shirts that proclaim “Jesus is my homeboy”. We’ve made the face of Jesus recognizable and acceptable in society, making him into a hero of sorts, without actually telling anyone about the message of the gospel. And we’ve put Jesus on par with Superman or the Hulk, without proclaiming that the power of the Cross and Resurrection is so much more. We’ve reduced Christ to a celebrity, so we can be accepted as well as his followers.

What does the word temptation mean to you?

How have you stumbled into the temptation of changing the message of Jesus Christ in order to make you more acceptable as his follower?

Prayer:  Lord, we confess that sometimes we do not proclaim your message - do not proclaim the power of the Christ and the good news of the resurrection - because we want to be like everyone else. We want to fit in - and so we try to make you fit in - instead of proclaiming you are Lord and Savior of our lives. Forgive us, we pray. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Get Away from Me Satan” - Matthew 4: 8-11

The image of the “normal” looking Satan has come to my mind again and again this week. All too often we expect Satan to tempt us in grand ways, ways that we can easily identify and overcome, like he did with Jesus. But Satan isn’t tempting us to turn stones into bread, or jump off of a tower, or telling us we could be ruler of all. But he is still tempting us. Tempting us into believing that we deserve to have our own needs met first - selfishness. Or tempting us into thinking that we aren’t good enough to be a child of God - insecurity. Tempting us to think that we are the best - pride. Or that we could lose what little power we have - fear. Or tempting us to try to be the master of the world and people around us - control. Its these every day temptations that trip us up. Because we think they aren’t a big day. Think that they are just a normal part of ourselves or our lives. So we don’t repent of them. Don’t address them. 

What do you need to address in your life? What do you need to repent of? What temptations do you need to ask Christ to give you freedom from? Christ was in the desert for 40 days, Noah was in the ark for 40 nights, Moses was on Mt Sani for 40 days before receiving the 10 commandments.40 is a biblical number that symbolizes being on the precipice of something. Being on the edge of something life changing, something faith changing. 

How have you tried to ignore temptations instead of confessing them in the past? What was the result? What did you learn? 

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we would rather ignore the sin our lives instead of confessing it to you. It is as if we believe that turning a blind eye will make it go away, even if we know in the heart of our hearts this isn’t true. Lead us to repentance, O Lord. Accept our confession, we pray. Amen.

Thursday: “Made His Home” - Matthew 4: 12-13

People did not expect the Messiah to make his home in Capernaum. They did not expect his to be tempted in the wilderness. They did not expect the Messiah to look or act like Jesus or proclaim the Kingdom of God instead of trying to overthrow the powers of this world. And yet, that is exactly what Jesus did. He came and made his home in Capernaum, not the expected place of Jerusalem, and he proclaimed God’s love and a message of repentance, not one of overthrowing the Roman occupation.

Sometimes we miss out on what Jesus is doing in our lives, our church, and our world, because it isn’t what we expect. It doesn’t look like what we imaged it would. Let us free ourselves from the temptation to make Jesus live into our expectations and assumptions, and instead like Jesus reign in our lives as Lord in unexpected ways. 

How have you tried to place your expectations on Jesus?

What can you do to free yourselves to let Jesus completely reign in your life?

Prayer: Lord, you encourage to let go. To let go of our expectations and the ways that we want things to go, and instead embrace your ways, which are high above ours. Give us the strength to trust you and the courage to follow you. Amen.  

Friday: “The Kingdom of God is Near” - Matthew 4: 14-17

It is hard for us to imagine, let alone comprehend, the magnitude of the Kingdom of God. I think at times it scares us. So we try to make the Kingdom of God smaller, by focusing on what it means to us, or how it will help us achieve our desires, instead of focusing on what it is really about - the very reign of God. 

Jesus speaks more about the Kingdom of God then anything else in the Gospel of Matthew. It’s that important to him - and therefore, should be that important to us. How can we keep our focus on the Kingdom in the coming weeks and months?

What do you think of when you hear “the Kingdom of God”?

Prayer: God, help us to go about the work of your kingdom, not ours. Helps us proclaim your message, not our agendas. Put us to work for your purpose alone, mighty God! Amen.

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Gospel of Matthew: The Beatitudes” - Matthew 5: 1-20

A story was once told about a young boy who was getting ready for his birthday party. His mom had made his absolute favorite cookies and left them sitting on the counter to cool with instructions that he should not eat them. The little boy kept hanging around the kitchen counter, the smell luring him in. Finally, when his mom left the kitchen for a few minutes, he took one cookie, then two, then three. The time came for the party and everyone in attendance at the party got three cookies. Except the little boy. When it came to be his turn his mother simply told him that 3 cookies were missing so there were not enough for him. It was a seemingly small incident, but the little boy remembered it for years to come, every time he was tempted by other cookies. 

Share this story as a family. What does it teach us about temptations?