Luke 4:1-13
NIV
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested 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 shall 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; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all 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 is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
When the devil had finished testing Jesus, he left him until an opportune time.
REFLECTIONS
Thoughts from Cory:
Jesus had just been baptized. He had just heard a voice from heaven saying, “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” And then it says, “he began his ministry.”
This is a weird way to begin. By going off by himself into the wilderness—a lonely, desolate, uncultivated, deserted place.
If you’re going to begin your work, wouldn’t you go where the people are? Where the needs are?
The temptations that he experiences in the wilderness are all related to the work that Jesus is going to do, to the needs of the world.
“These are the three temptations that Jesus overcame in the wilderness [when] he began his ministry. Yes, Jesus would feed the hungry, but not at the expense of impoverished souls. Yes, Jesus would perform miracles, but not to “prove” God or entertain the masses. Yes, Jesus would become the world’s rightful king, but he would do so by the cross and not by the sword.” (Brian Zahnd)
Jesus begins his ministry in fasting and prayer away from the centers of power, on the edge of the empire. Jesus, led by the Spirit, separates himself from the religious, political, and economic places. He is in a place where he can not consume anything, purchase anything, or produce anything.
Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. In Lent, we journey with Jesus into the wilderness. One of the ways that people do that is by seeking out lonely, deserted, and uncultivated places, literally and figuratively. Are there ways that we can remove ourselves from realm of consuming, purchasing, or producing? Can we find ways to remove ourselves from the world of:
“You are what you eat.”
“You are one workout away from a better mood!”
“I shop, therefore I am.”
“The only way to get more done is to do more!”
“Be the best you that you can be.”
May we find creative ways to say “No” to the power of kings, to financial power, to the power even of doing good in the world. And may we find creative ways to say “Yes” to the Spirit that drove Jesus into the wilderness.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Reflect on another person whose behavior triggers your annoyance or frustration. Consider: is there anything about my behavior, that is prompting them to act in the ways I do not like?
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Have you ever had someone try to fix your problem before listening to what you really need? What is one step you can take to avoid repeating the same pattern toward others?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Intellection (Loving God by pursuing knowledge):
What is a topic you have always wanted to know more about, but don’t experience enough time to engage? This week, set aside 30 minutes during which you would normally scroll on your phone or device, to learn something about a new subject.
Questions for Reflection
Where do I find myself experiencing the most empathy toward Jesus in his temptations? How might Christ be returning that empathy back toward me?
On what or whom do I rely for my resilience? Do the messages that come from these people or things sound like the voice of Christ?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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