Abide - Luke 4

Podcast Transcript

Welcome to Abide. I'm so glad you've come to join me in this time of prayer, where we can all pull away to be with Jesus. A time to rest, to be still, to know that we are with our friend, our Father. And so, if you haven't already, find a place where you can close the door and not be disturbed.

Maybe you've brought a blanket along, or even a cup of tea. Maybe you like to lie down in these times, or maybe you like to sit up nice and straight. Whatever you choose, begin to settle into this moment. Just choosing to participate in this time of prayer is an indication of God calling you, of desiring you. And so, I am filled with joy for us all, that we might sit at the feet of Jesus.

Take in a nice deep breath now. And again, breathe in, and out. Begin to relax the muscles of your face- the forehead, the eyes, the cheeks, the jaw. Begin to relax your shoulders- pressing them back and down, relaxing the arms and the center body into wherever you are; softening the hips and the legs, and relaxing the feet. And just allow yourself to have a nice cleansing breath in once again - a full body cleansing breath here from the head all the way out through the toes.

And I invite you now, as we sit with God, to communicate to Him what your desire is in this time of prayer. What is your intention, or your aim? What is it that you desire out of this time? Speak to Him now.

For our gratitude practice, I'd love for you to just look back on the last day or so, allowing moving pictures of what you've been participating in and the sounds and the sights. I'm wondering as you scan through the day, I wonder where you see goodness, or beauty or grace, or tender love, or joy or laughter. I wonder when your heart was quickened or you knew God was near? So, spend this one minute looking over those times and may your heart begin to well up in gratitude.

And if this is a time that's more challenging to be grateful, that's OK. Just be gentle with yourself and maybe ask the Spirit to show you- show you where that goodness is, where that peace is. And that minute starts now.

Wonderful, well done. Today we will sit with the passage in Luke 4, where Jesus is in the wilderness. But before we move to that, I'd love for you to remember with me and to recall where Jesus has been- that he has been born into a humble-of-heart mother, Mary, and Joseph: two very simple people that were open to the work of God in their lives. Jesus was then dedicated in the temple where Simeon and Anna were there, readied to worship this king that was told would come. And then as Jesus grew, he was baptized by John, and the Spirit descended upon him. The Spirit of God said, “You are my son, whom I love. With you I am well pleased.” We see our Savior having a life of love and of purpose- the beautiful handiwork of God. And then Jesus is lead into the wilderness, full of this love.

Let's read Luke chapter 4, verses 1 to 14.
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and at the end of them, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”
“The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And 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. So, if you worship me, it will be yours.”

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “Throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘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 a stone.’”

“Jesus answered, it says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

“When the devil had finished all his tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.”

Allow these words to rest on you now.

These three temptations parallel three of similar temptations that Israel failed to be faithful to God in. And so here, we have Jesus showing us what it's like to be in the wilderness. I wonder if you can think with me how temptations and wilderness and dark times are a part of God's plan. If the loving Spirit of God, of Fatherly love, led his son to these places, so too will we be led to these places.
Wildernesses belong in our stories. Wilderness times test us. They humble us, in order to know what is deep in the heart of beings, of humans. We see this time of testing having bookends of love and blessing. And throughout the testing, we see Jesus being sustained to respond and to remain obedient and faithful.

It's almost as if Jesus is showing us what life on Earth will be like- what life on Earth will feel like, and how we might have the power to respond. I invite you now to just allow wilderness, temptation, desert places to belong in your story. Can you rest knowing that they are a part of God's plan?

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit to the desert where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’””

This is the first test. It says if the devil wants Jesus to prove himself right then and there, do something impressive; make things happen right now; be effective and successful. It seems as though Jesus doesn’t need to prove himself, but responds by saying, ‘I don't live that way. I live beyond proving, and impressing, and making things happen.’

So, I invite you now: where in your life do you feel you need to prove yourself, or do something impressive? Maybe to be super spiritual? Where does that temptation show itself in your life? How can you be encouraged and empowered by the response of Jesus, that that's not the way he operates; that Jesus operates on the deep love of his Father, and not what anyone else says, or in having to do things that people are pressuring him to do- nothing to prove. Take this time to relax any of those muscles in you where you feel the need to be successful or impressive in some sort of way.

“The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And 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. So, if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

“Jesus answered, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’””

We see in this next testing, the testing of power and control. It seems it's easier to have power and control over life, than to love life. It's easier to be God than to love God. It's easier to control people than to love people. Where in your story do you find this a challenge- a temptation to power over or to have control over things?

Then may the Spirit of God come and comfort you, and allow you to respond to this temptation by knowing you worship God alone, not your own plans or control over life or its circumstances, or having authority over things, but humbling yourself, knowing God is the only one who controls this world.

“The devil led him to Jerusalem, and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the son of God,” he said, “Throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘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 a stone.’”

“Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’””
Here, Jesus is being tempted to do something spectacular. Do you ever feel like you need to be more than you are? Jesus seems to respond, desiring to be obedient to God and to not test God.

I'm reminded that God never promised a life of full protection and security, but that He would sustain us in all things. Here we see Jesus respond to this temptation, knowing that only God sustains his life fully. And more than doing spectacular things, he is called to be obedient- to trust the Father.

Take this time now to just sit with Jesus, in his wilderness.
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert where for 40 days, he was tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”"

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”
“The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, I will give you all this authority and splendor, for it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want to. So, if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone.’”
“The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the son of God,” he said, “Throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully. And they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
“Jesus answered, “It says: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
“When the devil had finished all his tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

As you sit with Jesus in his wilderness, allow Jesus to sit in your wilderness. Can you see him there? Do you sense his compassion for you in those spaces? Do you hear his voice in your wilderness, reminding you of his words- helping you to respond in temptation, in trial, with his truth? Can you see and feel and know him sustaining you in your wilderness? He's there.
Lord, help us to know that these wilderness times will come to each and every one of us, just as it came to Jesus. We do not need to be afraid, like we've done something wrong or turned a wrong corner. Christ is with us, and the blessing of your Spirit is always upon us, and will never leave us. Jesus, will you help us to make good choices? Help us to respond with nourishing words when the temptations and the trials come. We see, Jesus, that you quote scripture. You quote your Father's words. Give us words, give us images that will sustain us in these times of trial.
Thank you, God, that we don't walk these desert places alone- that you are with us and you provide communities and friends, mentors and loved ones to help us along.
Jesus, you walked through this time of temptation so beautifully. We're in awe of you. Would you just give us a little courage, a little faith, a little trust, knowing that these wilderness times- they belong. They deepen us, and they deepen the power of the Spirit in our lives.

Go with us now, Lord, into the rest of our days, that we might not lose this deep connection, this deep fidelity to you. And when times of trial come toward us, and hound us, may your gentle words and presence in this time of prayer be ever so close.
And so, we say, “Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Spirit, as it was in the beginning, as it is now, and has it ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”

Go in peace my friends. Thanks for praying with me today.

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