ALONE. Luke 4:1-7.

The adventure show ALONE is so popular it has spawned foreign-language versions in Danish and Norwegian, and English versions filmed in Australia and Britain. And I’m reading the Bible and find myself imagining the scene as an episode of the show: 

“Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness 40 days being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals,” Mark 1:12-13. [Really? What animals? I’d like to hear more about THAT!]

“Jesus … was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil [sometimes GOD LEADS us to hard places]. He ate nothing … The Devil said, ‘If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ But Jesus answered, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’ So the devil … showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. He said, ‘I will give You their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given to me, …. If You will worship me, all will be Yours’ Luke 4:1-7.

Did Jesus and the Devil see the future together? “He showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.” It’s possible. Second question: Could the devil actually give what he offered? YES—otherwise, it would not be a temptation. Which means, ‘all the kingdoms of the world’ ACTUALLY HAVE been given to the devil…

How does Jesus fight temptation? With scripture.

But who else quotes scripture? The devil. He says, ‘Throw Yourself down and let’s see the angels save You. For it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge over You … lest You strike Your foot against a stone’ 4:10-11. The devil quotes Psalm 91. How does he know it’s a prophecy about the Messiah? (Because I can’t tell!) But the devil does not just read scripture, he studies it. He understands it.

Scripture is our DEFENSE. We should study it with as much energy as our enemy studies it.

God, fill us with a passion for Your word! Make us crave it!

ΑΩ

What’s Your Mission Statement? Luke 4:18-19

Jesus knew His mission, His purpose. It was the first scripture He ever read publicly in His hometown synagogue. Do you remember it?

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR.

HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,

AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,

TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,

TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR. Luke 4:18-19. (Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2.)

After He reads from the scroll, He gives it back, turns to the people, and says boldly: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Can you picture that? This was a Man who knew who He was and knew His purpose. He knew His mission and could even quote a scripture passage to explain it.

Do you have a sense of purpose like that?

Do I? Do we study the Bible enough that our lives are anchored deeply in the Word of God?

It IS possible, you know. It is. But it is rare, I admit. In all honesty, God has not given me a personal mission statement from the Word. But He knows I would welcome one. He knows I am listening and reading and studying. And I welcome the clarity of knowing so deeply just exactly who I am in Him. Imagine that—every time you face a decision, you look at the verses that God has told you are your mission statement, and you evaluate your choices in light of those verses? That’s a powerful focus!

Ask Him to show you how He sees you, to show you what your mission is from Him, to show you how you can serve Him all your life. Nothing will sharpen your life more than a profound knowledge of exactly who you are in Him.

What has He anointed you to do?

Read Luke 4:18-19 again and ask Him to speak to you about His purposes for you.

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DARKNESS. Matthew 4:16.

Our world is filled with darkness. The sin, murder, bloodshed, war, genocide, perversity….

Remember walking down Bourbon Street? Remember the way a tourist can look at it all as if it were a sideshow? To happy people from the suburbs, a walk down that street is like a walk through a zoo—danger may lurk on all sides, but it is no threat to visitors because of the cages.

But many who take an initial stroll later go back for a closer look. And you get closer and closer and closer…

You sample things, do a taste test. You try this sin and that until soon you find yourself LIVING on Bourbon Street. And THAT is a whole different thing. It’s no longer shiny and neon and fun and glamorous. Instead it is dark and painful and lonely, and chasing the initial fun or that first high is elusive. It’s all become a bait and switch—it promises good times but usually disappoints. That is darkness.

Darkness is broken dreams, broken hearts, broken homes. Instead of high times with champagne and beautiful people, it is lying on the sidewalk passed out in your own vomit. Darkness is beautiful women abused by drugs and a parade of selfish men. Darkness is men who once were confident and friendly but have shriveled into angry, selfish losers, unable to take care of anyone, even themselves. Darkness is entrepreneurs who run shady, half-legal businesses, cheating everyone but still in debt. Darkness is talented, productive people reduced to fearful, lazy takers. —And Jesus showed up in this world. That’s where He was born.

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT. To those living in the Shadow of Death, a LIGHT has come” Matthew 4:16.

THAT is where Jesus showed up. Imagine the darkest, loneliest, most painful place–that is where the Messiah came.

He knows the darkness. He sees corruption, immorality, cheating, greed, violence, addictions, slavery, murder. He sees. He knows. And He is here, offering RESCUE. Just ask.

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God’s Plans are Never Predictable. Matthew 4:1-11.

Think of the string of surprises in store for Mary and Joseph:

1. An angel tells Mary she will have a virgin birth.

2. An angel tells Joseph the same.

3. Mary’s aunt prophecies over her, saying, among other things, that her child (John) jumped when she heard the voice of Mary.

4. Mary is forced to give birth in a dirty shelter on the road—it was the worst case scenario, but God allowed it. (She must have wondered why!)

5. Shepherds come reporting about the angels.

6. Wise men travel for two years to see the child.

6. An angel says, “Run to Egypt! Herod wants to kill your son!”

7. The angel appears a few years later and says go back to Israel.

8. On a trip to the temple, Jesus disappears for five days (where did he sleep? What did he eat?)

Nothing—NOTHING about this was easy. I bet Mary wanted to say, “Why can’t things ever be easy?” But God’s plan is NOT concerned with easy. Jesus was born into a world at war. He was like a secret weapon sent to defeat the enemy. Of course, Herod tried to kill him. Of course, life was hard for the whole family. But the rewards were also incredible.

Our lives can be hard too. We live in a world at war. God draws us one way, but the enemy works every day to draw us into confusion and sin. Confusion about God’s Word comes first, and sin is the result. See Eve.

Remember the hard questions the serpent asked Eve? “Did God really say that?”

Satan does not ask Jesus questions. He knows Jesus is well prepared, a master of God’s Word. Confusing questions will not deceive Him. But the devil does not give up. Instead he offers Jesus things that appeal to Him: bread, followers, and all the kingdoms of the earth. How does Jesus respond to temptations? By quoting scripture. So that is how we should respond. See Matthew 4:1-11.

Life is hard, and even an obedient life like Mary’s is full of surprises and crazy, unexpected challenges. But a strong knowledge of scripture—including a great deal of MEMORIZED scripture—will help you survive and thrive and evade the enemy’s tricks and traps.

Pray. Ask God to take the blinders away so you can see the tricks of the enemy and not fall for them.

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“I Will Make You Fishers of Men.” Matthew 4:18-20.

“As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, Simon, who would be called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ‘Follow Me,’ He told them, ‘and I will make you fishers of men!’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him” Matthew 4:18-20.

Put yourself in the position of Simon and Andrew: Jesus, a rabbi they may not have ever seen, walks up and says, “Follow me.” It was an honor to be recruited to follow a rabbi—but that normally happened to top students at much younger ages. These men were grown and settled-in to a career as commercial fishermen. Simon Peter had a wife. Perhaps Andrew did too. They probably had bills to pay.

But the presence of Jesus must have been irresistible. His words must have touched their hearts like the men three years later who would say, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us?” Luke 24:32.

I believe Peter and Andrew KNEW this was their moment. This was that one great moment that was going to change the entire course of their lives. They could not say no. One look into the eyes of Jesus and they knew it: they could not not follow Him. 

Moments later another pair of brothers would make the same decision: James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who would leave not only fishing but would turn their backs on their own father to follow Jesus and become fishers of men—or what one writer[1] paraphrases as “fishermen for God.”

Have you ever been recruited by God? Has He called you to a career path? Or to a specific education? Or perhaps to a particular position in a particular city?  If God has called you to something, how quickly should you expect it to happen? Like I said, some of the disciples had families to feed. How could they do that while following an itinerate preacher (fancy word for ‘preacher without a car’), walking from one dusty town to the next?

I don’t know how God provided for those families. Perhaps He used the two miraculous catches of fish, one at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the other near the end, see Luke 5:6-7 and John 21:6, 11. But I do know this: Peter, Andrew, and the others were called to be Fishers of Men, but it would not happen for a long time. In terms of preparation, those three years were a crash course: Jesus covered a lifetime of lessons during three years on the road. And His trials, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension would have taken things further than those young fishermen’s wildest imaginations. They must have grown decades-worth during that short, three-year ministry with Jesus.

Has God called you? Hang on to His promise. Believe Him and trust Him—but be patient. Many years may pass between the calling and the fulfilment. God does not get in a hurry.

“Faithful is He who calls you and He will also bring it to pass” 1 Thessalonians 5:24.

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[1] https://marcalanschelske.com/i-will-make-you-fishers-of-men-really/

“JESUS HIMSELF BEGAN TO BE ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OF AGE…” Luke 3:23.

The King James version uses odd terminology: (began to be about thirty?). But the point of the verse above is, Jesus was 30 when he began his public ministry. How old do you plan to be when you begin your “public ministry” or some other great work? In our culture, most people launch careers in their twenties or younger.

The same was true in Israel. Children were trained at home and would have understood the family business at a young age. Making tents or selling fabric or even carpentry are skills that, as they say, are not rocket science. But Jesus was going to do so much more, right? He was going to be a priest like none other, a priest who is ALSO the sacrifice. His role would require not only education, but great wisdom.

I like this note from my Bible:

“Imagine the Savior of the world working in a small-town carpenter’s shop until he was 30 years old! It seems incredible that Jesus would have been content to remain in Nazareth all that time, but he patiently trusted His Father’s timing for his life and ministry. THIRTY YEARS was the prescribed age for priests to begin their ministry. Joseph was 30 YEARS OLD when he began serving the king of Egypt, and David was 30 YEARS OLD when he began to reign over Judah.”

Great points! I would add that following the apparent death of Joseph, Jesus needed to build the business up to the point that it could provide for his mother and younger brothers until they were prepared to take it over.

The editors add a note of application:

“Like Jesus, we need to resist the temptation to jump ahead. Are you waiting and wondering what your next step should be? Don’t jump ahead—trust God’s timing.”

God, give us the faith to patiently trust you, no matter how our plans may be delayed. We praise you because YOU are in control!

ΑΩ

CALLED TO SOLITUDE, EVEN LONELINESS. Mark 1:12.

Sometimes God calls us to solitude, times when life is reduced to a single relationship: me and God. He may use physical isolation—some move to a new city or take a long journey. Others never leave the city, yet find themselves alone. Don’t despair.

Godly solitude is a time to draw near to God; a time of preparation.

God called Abraham to “journey to a place you know not of.” Joseph was imprisoned in a land where no one spoke his language or worshipped his God. Moses spent forty years in the wilderness with God. David spent years worshipping while herding sheep, then spent years on the run from King Saul, with only God to turn to. Same for many prophets. And the New Testament begins with Mary and Joseph living as fugitives in Egypt.

John the Baptist spent his whole life in the wilderness! People discuss his clothes and diet and grin: “John sure was funny, huh?” I disagree.

No one eats honey-covered grasshoppers by choice. That’s a starvation diet! And how many times does a man in camelhair get stung while “harvesting” honey? One hundred times? Two hundred?

God called John to a difficult life in uninhabitable, inhospitable places.

It was not just cute “white peopling.” He suffered! He was alone with God for years! But Jesus explained, “No one born of woman is greater than John the Baptist” Matthew 11:11. God used the isolation to prepare John’s heart. Similar experiences dogged the life of Paul, who was drawn into the wilderness for three years (Galatians 1:16-18) and later spent years imprisoned, and John, who was exiled on the island of Patmos.

And what happened after Jesus was baptized?

“Immediately the Holy Spirit DROVE Him into the wilderness” Mark 1:12.

GOD CALLED JESUS TO LONELY PLACES MANY TIMES. “He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed” Luke 5:16. “During those days, He went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God” Luke 6:12.

I BELIEVE ISOLATION MAY BE THE MOST COMMON EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING COMPLETE DEDICATION TO CHRIST. EMBRACE IT.

God, give us the courage to be ALL ALONE with You. Draw us closer to You every day.

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BEGIN WELL. Mark 1:9-11.

We talk often about “finishing well,” and that is important. Too many great efforts go nowhere because someone took their eyes off the goal. But beginning well can also be critical.

We should take the time to reflect, to celebrate beginnings. And more importantly, to do it for others. Do you know anyone about to launch into something new, something huge, some great adventure? Does the challenge merit a great launch? How can you help them celebrate?

We make “Back to School” a huge thing. And we never miss the New Year.

Sometimes we celebrate weddings so hard, the ceremony eclipses the marriage that follows. But there are quieter things that deserve recognition: a new job, a new fitness plan, a new friendship. A new city, a new career, a singer’s first album—all of these deserve to be celebrated.

All four Gospels record the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. And something huge happens: God makes an appearance as the Trinity. God the Son is present in Jesus. Then immediately after His baptism, the Holy Spirit appears and flies down to Jesus in the form of a dove. Then God the Father speaks a blessing. Jesus and His cousin John understood: This was confirmation of what Jesus as a man had grown to understand—that He was not simply a man, but was also God. And as He faced things no one else could face, He knew Who He was. He knew His purpose.

“Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by John. As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are My beloved Son. I take delight in You!” Mark 1:9-11.

God, help us to FINISH WELL, as Jesus did. But remind us to begin well too, and to celebrate the new beginnings of those around us, as You celebrated the beginning of Jesus’s ministry.

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HE GETS IT. HE GETS YOU. Matthew 3:13-17; Hebrews 4:15-16.

In 1995, Joan Osborne sang ONE OF US, a song that asks,

“What if God was one of us?

Just a slob like one of us?

What if God was one of us?

Just a stranger on the bus,

Trying to make his way home?”

Were I a record producer I would have said, “Sorry. It’s been done. Your song is derivative of the entire New Testament. God already became one of us—see, for example, all 29 books of the New Testament. God thought up the Incarnation long, long ago.”

Why did Jesus ask John to baptize him? The baptism was a sign indicating one had turned his back on sin. Jesus had no sin. So why did Jesus ask John to baptize him? And why did God show his approval by sending the Holy Spirit as a dove, and by saying, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased”?

But baptism showed his humanity. He identified himself with us. He was one of them—one of us! Sure, he is FULLY GOD. But he is also FULLY MAN. His baptism shows his humility.

There is something very vulnerable about being dunked and coming up all dripping, your hair flat, hands too wet to grip—it’s a humble moment.

And for Jesus it is another in a long train of humble moments: the God of all creation becomes an infant? Born in a stable or barn or cave? Must run for his life to Egypt? And on it goes….

By being baptized, Jesus showed that he is one of us. Do you get that? It’s not just that he understands or sympathizes.

He literally IS one of us. He made himself human, and will forever REMAIN human. He remains God also, of course. But the point is, he actually IS ONE OF US. He really does understand your life, your problems, your struggles, your sadness and hurt and failures and disappointments. He gets it. He gets you. 

And that’s why you can go to him with all your struggles. Because he loves you and he understands and longs to help and comfort you.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, and yet is without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:15-16.

Jesus, thank you for being baptized and for proving that you really are HUMAN, that you really are one of us, our older brother, ‘the first-born among many brethren.’ Remind us to come boldly to you, to pray with confidence, as you command. Remind us never to flee from you or avoid you, but help us run TO you and come boldly before your throne of grace—what a name: “THRONE OF GRACE.” Help us walk in your grace every day, praying, confessing, thanking, and praising you all day! Amen.

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*This is not a comment on whatWikipedia describes as “the American religious advertising campaign” called ‘He Gets Us’ and operated by HeGetsUSLLC. This devotional was written before that campaign existed. To be more specific, I do not know enough about it to comment one way or the other on the HeGetsUS campaign.

Blessings Follow Obedience. Matthew 3:15

When Jesus approached John for baptism, John hesitated and said, “How can I baptize you? I need you to baptize me.”

And Jesus answered, “Let it be done to fulfill all righteousness.” Matthew 3:15.

John baptized Him, and what happened? The heavens opened, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove and flew down and landed on Jesus, and God the Father spoke: “This is my beloved Son, in whom my soul delights!” Matthew 3:16-17.

This was the most amazing revelation of God since the Creation (those are the only two times the Triune God-head revealed Himself—each was at the beginning of something incredible).

But without the obedience of Jesus and John, it would never have happened. Our lives are the same way. God blesses our obedience. But when we do not obey, the blessings slip on past and we usually have no idea what we have missed. Don’t compromise. Don’t be a casual Christian. Work at it. Think of it as a workout. Your spiritual life requires discipline and structure—a plan with good habits. Make time for prayer every day, and make it a habit. I pray the best in the car—and my trips are pretty long. Make time for reading the Word. For me that is first thing when I get up or the first thing after arriving at work. Write a verse down to memorize. Put it in your car or somewhere and work on it daily.

Blessings follow obedience.

Do you need blessings? (Yes, you do!) And God wants to give them. Commit to radical obedience, to the highest possible standards. Then watch what God does. Speaking of memorizing, the verse I am claiming, praying, thinking about, and memorizing right now applies to my two children. Like all of us, I know that they live in a world of darkness. It gets inside your head.

But I am praying for them and talking to God about John 1:5—”the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.” Pray for His light and truth to defeat the darkness in you and around you.

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