Last Sunday, we heard Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism. Our reading ended with a voice from heaven speaking the words, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him”. A beautifully moving moment depicting God’s love for the Messiah. Today, we turn the page to the next chapter of Matthew’s gospel, only to read about, in what is literally the very next sentence, the Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Talk about spiritual whiplash! It’s like God is saying, “I love you so much; now get out of here and take this unpleasant test proctored by Satan.” It’s a weird plot twist.
Showing posts with label Practice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Practice. Show all posts
Sunday, January 15, 2023
Sermon: "This Is Not a Test", Matthew 4:1-17 (January 15, 2023)
Last Sunday, we heard Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism. Our reading ended with a voice from heaven speaking the words, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him”. A beautifully moving moment depicting God’s love for the Messiah. Today, we turn the page to the next chapter of Matthew’s gospel, only to read about, in what is literally the very next sentence, the Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Talk about spiritual whiplash! It’s like God is saying, “I love you so much; now get out of here and take this unpleasant test proctored by Satan.” It’s a weird plot twist.
Labels:
Christ,
Devil,
Jesus,
Matthew,
New Testament,
Practice,
Satan,
Sermon,
Temptation,
Test
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