Matt Nelson - February 26, 2023
Surrender my flesh
NEVERTHELESS Surrender my flesh 2.26.23 Matthew 3:13-4:11 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. The garden and the temptation stories are both about surrender and whether or not Jesus will choose a way other than the cross. First, there is a Spirit baptism and then a spiritual battle First, there is a voice from heaven and then a voice from hell First, there is comfort and then there is conflict First, there is strength and then there is weakness First, there is water and then there is desert First, there is refreshment and then there is dryness The pattern in Matthew 3:13-4:11: Jesus’ identity is affirmed at this baptism Satan feeds Jesus a lie about his identity Jesus responds to each lie with his true identity Satan’s Tactics: Satan will always claim to know more about God than God himself has revealed Satan will claim to have special insight into God’s motives Satan will propose an alternative to the cross that avoids discomfort, discipline, or the way of sacrifice Satan will sow seeds of doubt or confusion regarding God’s goodness, truth, etc. Satan will exploit our pride and seek to elevate our personal desires to the highest value The pattern in Matthew 3:13-4:11: Jesus’ identity is affirmed at this baptism Satan feeds Jesus a lie about his identity Jesus responds to each lie with his true identity In the wilderness, Jesus confirms the way of the cross and sacrificial love as the way of His Kingdom. In the wilderness, Jesus becomes an example of how to be led by the Spirit and not our flesh or desires. In the wilderness, Jesus lives in His true identity and not the lies or false identities of the enemy. Lenten Prayer by Henri Nouwen The Lenten season begins. It is a time to be with you, Lord, in a special way, a time to pray, to fast, and thus to follow you on your way to Jerusalem, to Golgotha, and to the final victory over death. I am still so divided. I truly want to follow you, but I also want to follow my own desires and lend an ear to the voices that speak about prestige, success, pleasure, power, and influence. Help me to become deaf to these voices and more attentive to your voice, which calls me to choose the narrow road to life. I know that Lent is going to be a very hard time for me. The choice for your way has to be made every moment of my life. I have to choose thoughts that are your thoughts, words that are your words, and actions that are your actions. There are not times or places without choices. And I know how deeply I resist choosing you. Please, Lord, be with me at every moment and in every place. Give me the strength and the courage to live this season faithfully, so that, when Easter comes, I will be able to taste with joy the new life that you have prepared for me. Amen.
From Series: "Nevertheless"
"Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." (Luke 22:42 ESV) Gethsemane represents a place of surrender in the life of Jesus. It is the death before the death. It was in the garden where we see the reality of his struggle and how he prayed for deliverance and yet submitted himself to the will of the Father.