New format for #SundaySermon.
Ever thought about what would tempt Jesus? We all know what tempts us, what derails us, what things moves our appetites to trump our wills. For many, they are simple like lust, gluttony, laziness, neglect, passive aggression, selfishness. We should be honest about how weak we are. We should also celebrate when we see how resilient we’ve grown to some things that used to trip us.
With Jesus, the perfect man, what would tempt him? Oh, he was tempted. Not over the simple things. Rather, the final things that would trip every human if they went the distance to resist all other temptations: to find yourself taking matters into your hands when it is not your matter but God’s, to do good codependently when it isn’t yours to do, to make spectacles to achieve your goals, to prove to others God is on your side (and the “right side of history”) for the follower count, or to take the reigns as the most powerful one on earth to clean up this mess and silence your adversaries and watch them bow. The last one many have sold their souls for and we’ve experienced the aftermath of death, manipulation, and ruin.
Every temptation Jesus endured has been unendurable by every other human. That’s why Jesus was tempted in the wilderness while fasting for 40 days before he went public with his message.
You can read more in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. And you can see how Jesus then went public after in Mark 1.
I created a project called “Stories of Jesus for the Modern Family” where I tell all the stories of Jesus in Mark’s book. I don’t read the stories: I storytell them as if they were living, breathing stories (I have a masters in oral interpretation). And I also include a “side B” and give my perspective on what happened (I also have a masters in philosophy/theology). If you want to understand Jesus or go deeper in your understanding, this is your opportunity.
Follow the link in the bio. And if you subscribe to the blog on my site, you’ll find a discount code in your email. Start with Story 1 today and meet the the wild-eyed opener for Jesus too.
Thanks for coming to my Sunday Sermon.
