TRIALS & TEMPTATIONS

Theme: TRIALS & TEMPTATIONS Luke 4:1-13 3 Dec 2009

Tonight account of the scripture on “Temptation in the Wilderness” took place immediately after Jesus Baptism and before Jesus Preaching ministry. Both the baptism and temptations were spiritual preparation for Jesus Ministry. In His baptism, Jesus received the Spirit and a confirmation of His Mission. In His temptations, Jesus received the strengthening which comes directly from trial and testing.

There is a law written across the universe, that no one shall be crowned unless he has first struggled. In the third reading tonight, Scripture confirms: “Happy the man who stands firm when trials come. He has proved himself, and will win the prize of life, the crown that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” It is through temptation and its strain that the depths of character are revealed. It is part of the discipline of God to make His loves ones perfect through trial and suffering.

The temptation of man are easy enough to analyse, because they always fall into one of three categories: they are either pertain to the flesh (lust and gluttony), or to the mind (Pride and envy), or to the idolatrous love of things (greed and avarice).

In tonight Gospel reading, all the three temptations sought to woo Our Lord away from His Cross and His mission of salvation for mankind. That is to mean that whatever Jesus chose to do have a direct implication of all salvation of mankind. Satan’s objective was to tempt Jesus away from His Cross, which was Our Saviour’s Mission. In tonight Gospel reading, satan tempted Jesus three times. In that spiritual battle field, to counter all the three temptations, Jesus put the scriptures, “the word of God” into action. The words of God come alive. Jesus showed us the way. He was victorious.

In our daily life, we too are constantly tempted by the evil one. In tonight Gospel, Jesus shows us His way of winning the battle against the evil one.

To counter the things of flesh, Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone…. He lives on every word that God utters.
To counter pride and egotism, Scripture says: You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.
To counter the love of this world, Scripture says: You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.

In our daily life, we need the help of the Holy Spirit to recognised temptations & trials. We need to offer them up to Our Lord…. Even at the moment of the conception of our negative desire….. before they are full grown and become sins that chain and bind us….. We need the Grace of God to help us, to strengthen & guide us, to offer them up to Almighty God……..Let us all stand and listen to the Gospel.