Three times, Matthew describes Satan’s attempts to place a stumbling block in front of Jesus by tempting him to short circuit his purpose in coming to earth. And three times, Jesus refuses to fall. The first temptation is centered on bread.
Jesus has been fasting for forty days. He has disappeared into the wilderness to spend time with the Father in preparation for the coming three years of ministry. Forty days without food is a long time.
And right there, in the weakness that comes with extreme hunger, Satan attacks. He always attacks at our weakest moments, and in our weakest areas. He comes, and he suggests to Jesus that force would be a better option to save the world, leaving any free will in the matter out of the equation. However, Jesus knew that the only way to achieve salvation would come through the individual’s decision to choose for himself! Only the change of a person’s heart could accomplish this mission. Force could never be effective.
But Satan tries anyway.
The first temptation Matthew describes is one that challenges Jesus’ faith, and strikes at the weakness brought about by his hunger. Satan says, “If You are the Son of God…” God had already said that Jesus was His Son (Matthew 3:17), that question has already been settled. Yet the little word “if” provides a seed of doubt about God’s goodness. The goal of this first temptation is distrust. It’s designed to cast doubt into the mind of Jesus.
In this inaugural episode of Random Ramblings from Randleman, I share a new coffee subscription service that I have joined called Trade Coffee. I’m two bags in, and so far, I love it. And with a little soap box discussion of coffee-related opinions, you get a glimpse into my inner coffee nerd.
I most typically brew my coffee using a pourover, like the Chemex or Hario V60. I prefer the flavors that those methods can bring out from a bean that has been roasted well. Currently, my favorite regions are either Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Kenya. I also prefer a lighter roast, because I think it brings out a better range of flavors that are inherent in the bean.
I have written several articles about how to make the perfect cup of coffee. In this series, I cover several topics, including water quality, the roast, the grind, using pourovers, and more. As you can see, this is a pretty important element in my life, and I enjoy all the subtle variations you can have in a single cup, as well as more dramatic differences between regions, roast profiles, and the beans themselves.
About Random Ramblings:
Random Ramblings are just that: they are random, and I’ll probably ramble. It’s an opportunity to share a little about what’s going on in my mind. From resources, to things I’m thinking about or studying from Scripture, to fun stuff, I hope these ramblings can be a fun part of your day. These brief videos will be shared here and on my YouTube channel. You can jump over there to subscribe for only video updates, or subscribe here to be notified of posts of all kinds.
Out of all the gifts the Lord has bestowed upon you, only one is for you – the Holy Spirit. All the other gifts the Lord has given you are for everybody else around you to benefit from.
As the father of several kids, three of which are sons, I am poignantly aware of the role I play as a father, as a husband, and as a man, with each of them watching my life closely. Because of that, I want to model for them what it means to be a man, and to be a godly one.
Perhaps the biggest challenge that the men of our culture face is to be a man of integrity in every area. And it takes courage to do so. In Stepping Up, Dennis Rainey challenges men to be men of courage and integrity in the face of a world that pushes them to conform to a lower standard.
Rainey has identified five stages of a man’s life: boyhood, adolescence, manhood, mentor, and patriarch. In this book, he explores the responsibilities and needs present in each of the areas… And how to move up to the next.
In part, I am reading this to provide a better and more courageous example to my sons. But also, I am reading this to make sure I continue to challenge myself to step it up in every area of my life to be the man that God has called and created me to be.
Each chapter requires a very short time to read, but the implications and applications are huge. One could almost read this devotionally, except for the continual calls to action that seem to crop up on each page. This will probably take much, much longer to digest then just a simple devotional reading would allow.
I highly recommend the works of Dennis Rainey. His books on marriage and relationships have been vastly helpful for me, and this promises to be just as impacting for my life. I suggest you pick up a copy and read it, or buy one for the man in your life. You can pick up a copy on Amazon.
Time for a Coffee Break! Let’s talk baseball! On this day in history: In 1947, “Babe Ruth Day” was celebrated at Yankee Stadium. In 1973, Kansas City Royal Steve Busby pitched a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers, to win 3-0. In 1983, Nolan Ryan, of the Houston Astros, broke a 55-year-old major league baseball record when he struck out his 3,509th batter of his career. And in 1984, the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers, 8-4, in 19 innings.
Today Is National Babe Ruth Day! Go play a game of catch in the backyard!
The Coffee Siphon – This is simply one of my favorite ways to make coffee. I don’t use it as often as other methods, such as a pourover, like my Chemex or Hario V60, but it’s such a creative way to brew a cup of coffee.
Why Wear A Suit When Working From Home – I found this to be a very intriguing article, and I understand exactly where Antonio is coming from. But I’m not going to wear a suit at home…
Before Jesus begins his three years of ministry in earnest, he spends some time in the wilderness. While there, Satan endeavors to tempt Jesus away from his mission. There are three different temptations described in Matthew, and we will look at each on in turn. But first, we need to set the stage.
After the baptism of Jesus, he departs to an isolated part of the wilderness, being led by the spirit to do so. Although Matthew doesn’t tell us this, this was likely a period of intense prayer and communion with the Father, in preparation for the ministry ahead. During this period of forty days, he fasted, which furthers the likelihood that this was time of spiritual preparation.
There are several elements worth examining as we look at these three temptations:
