1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He.

 1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

1. Jesus was led into the desert. He was there for forty days. He was full of the holy spirit. It was a time of quiet reflection before he started his ministry.

2. What sort of Messiah was he going to be? Was he to use his powers for personal ends?

3. Or to establish a mighty kingdom?

4. Or to perform pointless but spectacular miracles?

3The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."  4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.’ "

We do not know if Jesus understood the Devil to be a physical presence, he uses the language of the day.

Jesus goes to the OT for strength, and quotes from Deutoronomy “Man does not live on bread alone”

What does this temptation involve?

•He is testing the human needs of Jesus to use his divine powers for himself

•To prove or test God

•To be the kind of Messiah who would bring in the golden age like King David’s, where there would be 1,000 years of Messianic feasting.

Why not?•To test God would break the bond of trust which marked him as the Son of God. If he didn’t trust God how could we?•He would not acknowledge the devil as a superior power

•He never used his powers for himself, even on the cross- he chose to be fully human.

5The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

He is on a high place and he saw the kingdoms of the world in an instant. The devil says that he will give Jesus all the authority and splendour of the kingdoms.

If you worship me (devil)

This appeal is to the human side of Jesus’ nature,; fame glory success, money and greed.This would have meant putting the devil first and using his type of power to establish his kingdom?

WHY NOT

It would have meant that he had sold his soul to the devil, to achieve an earthly political kingdom, but God’s was a spiritual kingdom following the ways of peace and love. The devil’s ways are dishonest, deceitful and manipulative.

Jesus is always Deo centred, not ego centred (God centred not self centred).

Again Jesus responds with words from Deuteronomy ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only’

‘If you are the Son of God throw yourself down from here’

He is standing on the highest point of the temple in Jerusalem.

As Jesus quoted the scripture so does the devil ‘ He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against the stone.’ (psalm 91:11-12)

•This is his final attempt to prove his powers.

•The Jewish nation expected to recognise the Messiah. When he came they expected to see miracles, and a grand entrance, and this was his moment.

•Jesus replies ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’Why not?

•He couldn’t for one instant doubt God. To get God to perform a miracle to save him indicates mistrust. The Jews would misunderstand this sign, and expect him to be a warrior

Importance of the Temptations

Jesus wrestled with the current expectations of the Messiah

Even Jesus was tempted, he was fully human

He fought off temptation by going to the very heart of the scripture remember the Shema? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength

Jesus sees evil as a force to be recognised. And exorcism is still practiced in some sections of the church today.

Lent recalls this part of Jesus ministry, christians give something up to understand how Jesus felt. It starts on Shrove Tuesday.

Ash Wednesday palm crosses are burnt, and the ashes are used to sign – a sign of repentance and forgiveness.

Importance of the Temptations

Vertigo1 Unos, dos, tres, catorce [1,2,3,14]

Turn it up loud, captain!Lights go downIt's darkThe jungle is your headCan't rule your heartI'm feeling so much strongerThan I thoughtYour eyes are wideAnd though your soulit can't be boughtyour mind can wanderHello, HelloHola! [Spanish for Hello]I'm at a place called vertigo (¿Dónde está?) [Where is it?]It's everything I wish I didn't knowExcept you give me something I can feelFeel

2 The night is full of holesThose bullets rip the skyOf ink with goldThey twinkle as the boys play rock and rollThey know that they can't danceAt least they know

I can sell the beatI'm askin' for the chequeGirl with crimson nailsHas Jesus 'round the neckSwinging to the musicSwinging to the musicWoooao

Hello, HelloHola!I'm at a place called Vertigo (¿Dónde está?) [Where is it?]It's everything I wish I didn't knowBut you give me something I can feel

Feel

3 check matedOh yeahHours of fun...

All of this, all of this can be yoursAll of this, all of this can be yoursAll of this, all of this can be yoursJust give me what I want and no-one gets hurt

4. Hello, HelloHola!I'm at a place called VertigoLights go down and all I knowIs that you give me something I can feelYou're teaching me ...aaahhhYour love is teaching me howHow to kneelKneel Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

yeah!