San Diego First United Methodist Church’s Daily Devotion for
Monday, 3 March 2014 – Sunday, 9 March 2014 - Sermon theme for this coming
Sunday (Lent) Lift High the Cross - Obedience
Text to read: Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit
into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 When he had fasted forty days
and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 3 The tempter came and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”[a]
5 Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the
pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you.’
and,
‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you don’t dash
your foot against a stone.’”[b]
7 Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test
the Lord, your God.’”[c]
8 Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and
showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. 9 He said to him, “I
will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me,[d] Satan! For it is
written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”
[e]
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served
him.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 4:4 Deuteronomy 8:3
b. Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11-12
c. Matthew 4:7 Deuteronomy 6:16
d. Matthew 4:10 TR and NU read “Go away” instead of “Get behind
me”
e. Matthew 4:10 Deuteronomy 6:13
--------
John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary for
Matthew 4:1-11
Verse 1. Then - After this glorious evidence of his Father's
love, he was completely armed for the combat. Thus after the clearest light and
the strongest consolation, let us expect the sharpest temptations. By the
Spirit - Probably through a strong inward impulse. Mark i, 12; Luke iv, 1.
Verse 2. Having fasted - Whereby doubtless he received more
abundant spiritual strength from God. Forty days and forty nights - As did
Moses, the giver of the law, and Elijah, the great restorer of it. He was
afterward hungry - And so prepared for the first temptation.
Verse 3. Coming to him - In a visible form; probably in a human
shape, as one that desired to inquire farther into the evidences of his being
the Messiah.
Verse 4. It is written - Thus Christ answered, and thus we may
answer all the suggestions of the devil. By every word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God - That is, by whatever God commands to sustain him. Therefore
it is not needful I should work a miracle to procure bread, without any
intimation of my Father's will. Deut. viii, 3.
Verse 5. The holy city - So Jerusalem was commonly called, being
the place God had peculiarly chosen for himself. On the battlement of the
temple - Probably over the king's gallery, which was of such a prodigious
height, that no one could look down from the top of it without making himself
giddy.
Verse 6. In their hands - That is, with great care. Psalm xci,
11, 12.
Verse 7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God - By requiring
farther evidence of what he hath already made sufficiently plain. Deut. vi, 16.
Verse 8. Showeth him all the kingdoms of the world - In a kind
of visionary representation.
Verse 9. If thou wilt fall down and worship me - Here Satan
clearly shows who he was. Accordingly Christ answering this suggestion, calls
him by his own name, which he had not done before.
Verse 10. Get thee hence, Satan - Not, get thee behind me, that
is, into thy proper place; as he said on a quite different occasion to Peter,
speaking what was not expedient. Deut. vi, 13.
Verse 11. Angels came and waited upon him - Both to supply him
with food, and to congratulate his victory.
-------
Monday – Why does this temptation story happen?
What use does it have for you?
Tuesday – When have you most recently faced temptation?
What was the outcome?
Wednesday – Consider the three temptations.
What "categories" are you able to see?
Thursday – What does Jesus do to face these temptations?
Why does it work?
Friday - What can you learn from Jesus about facing temptation?
Saturday – Who or what is it that tempts you most? (For Jesus,
in this story, it was Satan.)
Sunday – Pray for those faced with difficult choices.
-------
First United Methodist Church
2111 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, CA 92108
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment