Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin

Jesus was tempted. Jesus was sinless. Obviously, being tempted is not sin. Giving in to the temptation and following on to do or say or think that which you were tempted to do or say or think IS sin.

Mark 1:12-13

Lest you think that one glorious religious experience will last forever, remember that immediately after Jesus was baptized and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and God the Father spoke approvingly from heaven—immediately Jesus was driven into the wilderness for 40 days of fasting followed by Satanic temptation.

Matthew 4:1-11

Luke 4:1-13 (Luke’s order of the temptations differs from Matthew’s; but the accounts are otherwise substantially the same)

It was a real time of fasting. Jesus was hungry. This hunger set the stage for Satan’s first temptation.

Three temptations are related for us. Each of them is an “If”.

• If you are the Son of God…

Some stones look like loaves of bread

Surely the Creator could transform a stone into a loaf of bread

Deuteronomy 8:3

Some things are more important than survival

• If you are the Son of God…

Ever take a dare? Ever risk your life doing something you knew was foolish?

Even the devil knows how to quote scripture. Psalm 91:12.

All scripture is true; but not all scriptures apply to the same situation. Deuteronomy 6:16.

• If you will worship me…

What would you do for money, or fame and fortune? Would you sell your soul to the devil?

Deuteronomy 10:20.

The devil had enough for one day; so he left.

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“Would you baptize Jesus?”

No, you aren’t likely to be asked that question any time soon; but, hypothetically, what would your response be if Jesus, Himself, asked?

In today’s reading we look at three gospel accounts of the baptism of Jesus. Be sure to read all three in order to get the complete picture of what happened in the wilderness of Judea that day.

Mark 1:7-11

When the people wondered aloud whether John was the Messiah (Luke 3:15), John quickly denied the possibility and declared that the One to come was much greater (v. 7).

So great was the Messiah, that John considered himself unworthy to untie (v. 7) or carry (Matthew 3:11 the Savior’s sandals.

Moreover, John could only baptize his listeners with water; whereas the Messiah would baptize them with the Holy Spirit (v. 8) and fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).

Matthew 3:11-17

The Savior, like a lumberjack, would chop down bad trees (v. 10); and like a harvester He would separate good grain and burn the rest with unquenchable fire (v. 12, Luke 3:17).

When Jesus presented Himself before his cousin John to be baptized, John tried to prevent Him (v. 13-14), suggesting that Jesus should be the one to baptize John.

Jesus replied that it was right for John to baptize Jesus, that the act would fulfill all righteousness (v. 15); so John baptized Jesus.

Luke 3:15-23

Immediately after Jesus came up out of the water of the Jordan River (Mark 1:9, Matthew 3:13), Jesus prayed (Luke 3:21), the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove (v. 22). Do NOT draw a picture of a bird sitting over a man standing in water lest you be found to be an idolater.

From the opened skies came a voice (Luke 3:22; Mark 1:11; Matthew 33:17). Did this voice speak once or twice? Once to Jesus, and a second time to the crowd?

Jesus was about 30 years of age when these things which began his ministry took place (v. 23). Remember the age requirement of Old Testament priests (Numbers 4:3, 35-43).

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The first baptist church in the wilderness

Well, one might argue that it wasn’t a church. It didn’t have pews or stained glass windows. There were no offering plates or overhead projectors, no pews or praise bands or parking lots. There was no government registration, tax exemption or website with #1 Google ranking. But there were the people of God and others listening to God’s messenger proclaim the need for repentance and preparation to meet the Savior. Remember Stephen spoke of another church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38).

This, according to Mark 1, was the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and its historical setting is given in the first two verses of Luke 3.

Mark 1:1-6

• Years earlier God has announced through His prophet (Malachi 3:1) that one would come to prepare the way for the Messiah (v. 1-2).
• This was John who came preaching about sin and repentance (v. 4).
• Many people came to hear him, were convicted of their sin, and confessed their sins and were baptized by him (v. 5), even though his appearance and diet were very out of the ordinary (v. 6).

Matthew 3:1-10

• John’s theme was the kingdom of heaven. Men should heed his message because that kingdom and its King were near (v. 2).
• Isaiah 40:3, as well as Malachi, had spoken about the forerunner of Christ (v.3).
• Among the crowds who traveled to hear John preach were many Pharisees and Sadducees. Rather than giving them a friendly welcome and inviting them to participate, John called them a bunch of vipers who were errantly trusting their heritage and tradition to save them (v.7-10).

Luke 3:1-14
When others asked how they might prove outwardly that they had inwardly repented, John had much to say.

• To numbers he advocated charity to the unclothed and unfed (v. 11).
• To tax collectors he advocated honesty in their profession (v. 12).
• To soldiers he advocated justice and contentment (v. 13-14).

Meditation Point:

Do your actions indicate that you have repented of your sins and have peace with God?

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“Lost”

Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, Tarzan and other literature explore the lives of individuals lost on deserted islands and in lonely jungles. Our Bible reading for today considers a young boy who was lost in a big city during a major national and religious holiday season.

Luke 2:41-52

• Every year in the springtime the whole family would travel to Jerusalem for the passover (v. 41).
• This was the boy’s 12th such journey (v. 42).
• But this year was different. This year, after the celebration was over and the parents packed up and headed home to Nazareth, the young boy was not with them. He had been left behind (or did he intentionally or absent-mindedly stay behind?) (v. 43).
• The parents were a day’s journey away from the city before they realized that the boy was not with them. No doubt they looked franticly for him among the other traveling family and friends (v. 44). But they couldn’t find him. So they turned around and went back to Jerusalem (v. 45).
• Three days later (1 day out, 1 day back, 1 day looking) Mary and Joseph found Jesus (v 46), in the temple, sitting, listening, and asking questions of the religion teachers.
• Those who witnessed this, including Joseph and Mary, were astonished at the understanding of God that this 12-year old had (v. 47-48).
• His parents were understandably upset with him (v. 48), but Jesus politely remonstrated that he was doing his (heavenly) Father’s business (v. 49).
• Neither Joseph nor Mary comprehended Jesus; nevertheless he went back to Nazareth with them, leaving Mary to wonder (v. 50-51).
• And he continued to grow physically, mentally and spiritually (v. 52).

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