A BOY in a shop was staring longingly at the array of chocolate bars in front of him. He picked up a few and turned them over in his hands. Suspicious, the shop assistant called out: ‘Are you stealing that chocolate?’ The boy replied: ‘No, I’m just trying not to.’
Temptation gets to us all. But what could the sinless Jesus possibly know about it? How can he understand our daily struggles to do the right thing when it seems easier and more rewarding to do wrong? The answer is that Jesus understands our difficulties because he has already been there. He knows what it is to be tempted to take the easy way out - and to overcome the temptation.
Matthew 4:1-11 describes the ‘crossroads moment’ when Jesus was tempted, or ‘tested’ as many modern Bible translations describe it. It happened after God’s public confirmation of Jesus as his Son. Satan chose his moment well. After a 40-day fast, Jesus was hungry. The Devil’s first temptation was to suggest that Jesus could use his divine powers to turn the desert stones into bread.
The second test was subtler. If Jesus threw himself from the highest point of Jerusalem’s Temple and remained unscathed, crowds would flock to him. But sensationalism was not part of Jesus’ plan.
Lastly - in exchange for bowing down to Satan - Jesus was offered world domination. In each instance Jesus defeated temptation by quoting commands from the Scriptures.
Oscar Wilde said: ‘I can resist everything except temptation.’ It may seem harmless the first time we give in to it, but as the temptation goes on the harder it becomes to resist.
Perhaps the temptation for us is to raid the biscuit tin or secretly gorge on chocolate. More seriously, it could involve taking a dubious shortcut to business success or getting into a relationship that is detrimental to family life.
But here’s the good news. In Jesus ‘we don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help’ (Hebrews 4:15, 16 The Message).
Whatever our temptations, Jesus can help us at every crossroads.
UK & Ireland War Cry March 2013
Picture: War Cry library
