by Fr Stephen Lim
Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Psalm 90:1-2,10-15
Romans 10:8-13
Luke 4:1-13
Theme: Scripture Guides Us Against Temptations
We all know that temptation is one messy lifelong deception.
I remember once I was at a conference and as everybody was leaving, I saw a wallet which is very thick. You know how tempting it was? I took it, go to the lost and found counter and returned.
Two days later, the owner called me and asked me, ‘Did you count my money?‘
I said, ‘If I did, you won’t receive with all the content except your credit card and IC. I empty all.‘
We all know the power. We all know the immense attraction of temptation. You know it is a deception but it is so cleverly covered that it is pure fraud that is rooted in our desire, our pride, obsession, lust, gratification and greed.
The mystery is that it keeps repeating. There is no end. So to trick us into believing that the more I resist (this is the law of physics), the more it persists. And not only that, it will drive me down to the ground. Therefore, fighting an invisible enemy it wears us out. Evidently, either we give up or give in, we fail and we fall.
This puts us in a very difficult circumstance. There is no way of getting up, there is no way of winning. It is in our confrontation with temptation that the temptation of Jesus Himself unmask for us the vicious cycle of deception in sin and temptation.
On the surface, we all know. It appears so good, so valid, so relevant to turn stone into bread, to have the power to survive jumping off Komtar building. Besides, it is amazingly attractive and impressive, making temptation all the more irresistible.
The temptation of Jesus unfold for us, unmask for us that this is precisely the purpose of temptation. It is not just that we be dishonest or being untrustworthy. It is about the lure of believing and behaving that ‘I am what I have, I am what I do.‘ This is the temptation, the purpose of temptation. Temptation tells us we have the power, we have the freedom, we have the right to be self-made. But in actual fact, we always remain God’s made image.
The temptation of Jesus offer us the power of God, especially His deliverance in the face of temptation. It is not with determination to be morally upright, to be righteous, to be justified. In actual fact, there is little we can do to withstand temptation and evil.
In the temptation of Christ, we see Jesus confronting temptation like you and me. He was fasting in the desert and the tempter comes ‘You are God, turn this stone into bread.‘
What is wrong with that? Turning stone into bread? It is logical, it is relevant, it is so good.
Jesus shows us how to break this vicious cycle, this deception of temptation. It is not by our intellect nor our determination. It is our trust and reliance on God.
You may ask me, ‘Father, why must we always trust and rely on God?‘
Simple. You and I, no matter how much we resist and detest, we are His made image. We are God’s image. We can’t deny, we can’t obscure, we can’t destroy. We are God-made. We are His image. Therefore trusting and relying on God make obvious for ourselves that we are His image. And being His image, there is power to resist temptation.
Jesus also shows us that we can break this power, this vicious cycle of deception in temptation in relying on God’s Word. God’s Word is power. When He was confronted to turn stone into bread, did Jesus attack the tempter or the trickster?
He said ‘Man does not live by bread alone.‘ These are not just words. These are words that give life. The point is when we confront temptation or the evil, can we bring ourselves down to trust God’s Word?
I believe we can. We can not because we just believe. We can because God’s Word is life-giving. Therefore, the Gospel of Luke this morning reminds us to take this step in childlike trust in God’s Word and rely on God. That is our armament against all temptation. Because the essence of temptation is this: To deceive us into believing and behaving that I am self-made. I live independently of God. That is the purpose and essence of temptation.
Therefore, to confront temptation, we rely on God and on His Word. You know, should you be in trouble, should you be tested, instead of fighting on our own that drives us up the wall, lead us to frustration and despair, remember when coming to temptation, it does not matter whether we give in or give up. We fail and we fall. So why take that route?
Can we this morning take this choice? I will rely on God because I am God’s child. I am God-made, not self-made. And therefore, when we trust and we rely on God, God’s presence will make obvious for us what it means to be in God’s presence.
For example, if you fight with your friend or your loved one or your sister or your brother, there is always this urge to strike, to hit back, to take revenge. But we know the consequence. It is predictable but we can’t prevent it. Instead, how about turning to the Lord? When I am angry, when I am about to kill or to strike back, ‘Lord, I am very angry. Can you make obvious for me now Your presence?‘ and shut up.
I believe His presence, our trust in His power, will make obvious for us our deliverance and His presence.
The message of the Gospel is very clear. Nothing can deliver us from temptation and from evil. It is God. And this is the heart of it.
The measure I trust and rely on God is the measure I receive and experience His power. God’s power is real. God’s power is present not because we believe. God’s power is real because God is always with us.
Therefore, I invite you to listen to God’s Word in the Psalms:
You are my hiding place
You are my hiding place,
You always fill my heart,
With songs of deliverance,
Whenever I am afraid.
I will trust in You,
I will trust in You,
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord.
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