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The Temptation Of Jesus In Matthew

Setting The Stage - Matthew 4:1-11

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.

The Temptation of Jesus in Matthew

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:

Enneagram Type 1 by Beth McCord (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2019)

Recently, I have become very interested in the concept of the Enneagram. This is a method for understanding your personality. When you look at it from two different directions you can gain some solid insights. First, you can see how God has created you. This explains much of why you do what you do. It explains how you handle different situations and circumstances because of your personality type.

But it also can help you see what God has created you to be. Each personality type has avenues of growth and avenues that are less healthy. But as you seek to understand yourself in light of God’s design, you can look forward to what you are intended to be.

The Enneagram describes nine different personality types, and as I discover more and study this in greater detail, I’m sure I will share much of it here. In the meantime, I have discovered that I am Type 1, the Moral Perfectionist. While that might sound a bit negative, it is not. And as I learn more about my core motivations and fears, my core longings and weaknesses, I am beginning to see that my personality type is a gift, and it is to be used for the glory of God.

I’m fascinated by the concept of the Enneagram. If you are intrigued, and would like to read more, I suggest you start with Your Enneagram Coach, a resource designed by the same author. If you would like to purchase this book, you can find it on Amazon, along with the other eight books in this series.

He’s God And We’re Not by Ray Pritchard (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003)

As I grow in my own faith and maturity, I am always on the lookout for good books that help develop my spiritual life. A few years ago, a good friend suggested that I read Ray Pritchard’s book He’s God And We’re Not. I picked up a copy on Amazon and promptly placed it on my “to read” shelf… And forgot about it.

Recently, I was going through some thing in my office, reorganizing my desk and the area around it, and I happened to see this book on the shelf. After a quick glance through it to remind myself of the basics, I decided that this might be an excellent resource to read during this time of quarantine.

Pritchard decided to see if he could identify the basic laws that govern the spiritual life. In his quest, he discovered seven of the most basic spiritual realities that form the foundation for our spiritual growth; the first of these is, “He’s God and we’re not.”

I am finding this to be an excellent tool to help me reflect upon my own spiritual life, and to identify those areas where I need to continue to focus my efforts. It has the potential to be a life-changing resource that I return to time and again as I strive to be all that God has created me to be.

I am only a few chapters in at this point, but I highly recommend that you pick up a copy and read it. I think you’ll be as encouraged as I am, and you will be able to see what the next steps might be for your own spiritual growth. You can pick up a copy on Amazon.

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The Quarantine Life

What I’m Learning Through The COVID-19 Pandemic

The past few weeks have been pretty quiet around here because of the quarantine. Along with most of you, I’m learning to live with the major disruption to my life and routine because of the coronavirus.

Quarantine Life

When this all started, I think we all expected it to be kind of like the other virus fears we’ve experienced, like SARS, or H1N1 from a few years ago. No one could have foreseen the complete devastation that would result from this new virus, and the disruptions to our lives.

This thing has caused several major changes in our culture and our world, from food and toilet paper shortages, to economic problems and unemployment on a national and global level. And it has had an impact on a personal level for us all, too. We’ve learned a new reality: social distancing… Quarantine…

From where I sit in the middle of America, we are moving into our fourth week of this. And we have a couple of weeks yet to go, at the very least. That could extend pretty easily if this virus doesn’t slow down.

My emotions have been a roller coaster. One minute, I’m confident that this will be over soon, and we can get back to normal — maybe a new normal, but still normal. The next minute, I feel like cowering under my desk, in abject fear that this is the worst thing that could ever happen. And my perspective shifts like this multiple times a day, it seems.

Yet through it all, I have learned a few things. And these are things that I have to hold on to tightly, so that I don’t completely lose my perspective on this whole thing.

Ministry Candidate

You may know that our church, Parkview Christian Church, has been searching for a new Associate Minister since last November. Our previous Associate took a position with his home church, and we began the search for the person God was leading to us, and leading us to. Our search team has reviewed several resumes during the intervening months, and we feel like God may be narrowing down our focus to a specific person and his family. They will be with us this weekend for interviews, to get to know us, and us them, and to spend time with us on Sunday during our services.

That makes this a pretty significant weekend for both this family and our church. Would you please be in prayer for us, both the church and our leadership, and this man and his family? Here are a few things I would ask you to pray for:

This man and his family to clearly understand God’s call to them.
Our church leadership, as they strive to understand God’s plan.
Pray that we trust God for his timing and work.
Pray for the logistical details to fall into place.
Pray that God’s work through PVCC can make an impact in Sedalia.

Thanks for lifting our church up!

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The Baptism Of Jesus: The Matthew Account

A Look At Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew concludes chapter three with an account of the baptism of Jesus. This is a significant event that marks the beginning of his ministry, and is punctuated with the voice of God declaring himself pleased.

Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew has not mentioned Jesus since Joseph moved the family to Nazareth at the end of chapter two. Most of this third chapter has been focused on John the Baptist and his ministry preparing the way for Jesus to come. Luke gives a snapshot of the life of Jesus, when he was twelve years old, when he amazed the religious leaders with his wisdom, in Luke 2:41-52.

Now, John’s ministry wanes as Jesus begins the public part of his life, ultimately leading to the cross. During the time preceding this event, Jesus has worked with his earthly father, Joseph, as a carpenter in Nazareth. From that location, he probably had to walk seventy or eighty miles to the Jordan River to be baptized.

The baptism of Jesus is not an action that he performed as a result of John’s preaching. As far as we know, Jesus never heard John preach. No, this is an action prompted by the Father, which Jesus obeyed willingly.

John, however, was not as willing to perform this baptism, and tried to prevent it (verse 14). This suggests that John knew exactly who Jesus was, and realized that he should be the one being baptized instead.