If You...
N.T. Wright says, “We are not to be surprised if living as Christians brings us to the place where we find we are at the end of our own resources, and that we are called to rely on the God who raises the dead.”
But isn’t it surprising that even Jesus found himself at the end of his resources and called to rely on the God who would one day raise him?
Surprising? Perhaps? Scriptural? Yes! A great story? Without a doubt!
The story of Jesus being tested in the desert was deeper than a duel in the desert with the devil. It was a divinely intended preparation for Jesus’ mission
In Matthew 4 we find that focus is on Jesus’ recently declared status as Son of God. More specifically, what are its implications for his relationship with his Father? The three tests examine aspects of that relationship, and the ways in which a misuse of that status could ruin Jesus’ ministry. He must be ready to accept privation in fulfilling his God-given task without ‘pulling rank’ (2–4); to trust his Father’s care without the need to test it by forcing God’s hand (5–7); and to reject the ‘short cut’ to the fulfillment of his mission which would be achieved at the cost of compromising his loyalty to his Father (8–10).
Each suggestion is rebutted by a text of Scripture, all of which come from Dt. 6–8. That passage relates Israel’s experience of testing in the desert, and the texts quoted focus on the lessons Israel should have learned by that experience. Now a new ‘son of God’ is being prepared for his role, and the same principles of obedience, imperfectly learned by Israel, must be the basis of the ministry of Jesus, the ‘new Israel’.
Join Joel G. Quile and the Lake Cities family as we journey with Jesus into the Judean sand and “find yourself in the desert.”
For more information about this subject, to ask questions, or to give input around this new series, contact Joel G. Quile at 817-430-1161 or email at jquile@gmail.com
Click on the appropriate link below to listen to the sermons. A media player able to handle streaming MP3 files is needed in order to listen to the sermons for 2006, 2007, and 2008 (iTunes, Quicktime Player, Real Player, WinAmp, or Windows Media Player.)
| Title | Text/Topic | Date | |
| Mountain Top Worship Experience | Matt. Ch. 4:8-11 (Third Temptation) | 6.29.08 |  |
| No More Proof | Matt. 4, Psalm 78/91, Hebr. 3, Deut. 6 | 6.22.08 | |
| Like God or Love God? | Matthew Ch.4 | 6.15.08 | |
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