watch this space...

Thirsty Ground has suffered somewhat due to the busyness of life. Thus from now on I intend not to stick to any rigid programme (for want of a better word). Watch this space...

if you are the Son of God

Luke 4: 1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'People do not live on bread alone.' "
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
If you worship me, it will all be yours."
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:
" 'He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"
Jesus answered, "It is said: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

What strikes me particularly about this passage and that which comes before it, is that twice the devil says, 'if you are the Son of God' (italics mine). In the previous passages, Jesus as Son of God has been traced genealogically, but is also declared publicly, at his baptism, by God the Father himself. It's as if the devil takes what has been affirmed about Jesus and throws it back at him, somewhat scathingly.

Oh, so you are the Son of God, are you? Prove it.

I hear an echo too, of Matthew's account of Jesus at his darkest hour: "Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" (Matt 27:40b)

In Luke's account:
'The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." ' (Luke 23:35).

So much of all this is caught up with Jesus' identity. ''Who do you say I am?'' he asks Peter (Mark 8:29).

Back to the passage in question. The devil uses various means of temptation, even quoting scripture himself (showing how scripture can be abused when taken out of context). Jesus responds with scripture himself.

Jesus is hungry. If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.
Tell this stone. If you are the Son of God, it should obey you.
The devil prompts him to satisfy his hunger, but also to prove himself.

If you worship me, it will all be yours.
The devil prompts Jesus to change his allegiance completely - no longer 'Son of God' but with a completely different master. The devil shows him everything. But Jesus refuses.

The final test. If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
The temptation to prove his identity, to others and himself.
It puts me in mind of superheroes, wanting to test out what they can do. Can I really fly? How far can I push myself?

But Jesus would not be testing himself, but God. He responds: do not put the Lord your God to the test.

And this isn't a random event. The Holy Spirit takes him into this wilderness, for 40 days (like Israel's 40 years). Where Israel builds a golden calf and continually doubts the LORD and does not comprehend what it is to be his people, Jesus passes the test. It is necessary for him to face these questions, in order to face the road ahead.


To ponder:

How often are we tempted to doubt our identity in Christ?
How would we respond to such questions?
Have there been times in our lives where a time of great affirmation is followed by one of great temptation?

he's in it with us

Luke 3:23-38
Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.
He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,
the son of Heli, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,
the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai, the son of Maath,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,
the son of Josek, the son of Joda,
the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,
the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,
the son of Neri, the son of Melki,
the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,
the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Simeon,
the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
the son of Melea, the son of Menna,
the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
the son of David,the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,
the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,
the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
the son of Judah, the son of Jacob,
the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
the son of Serug, the son of Reu,
the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan,
the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
the son of God.

Phew! Now there's a long list. I am not going to go into the differences between the latter part of Jesus' genealogy from Luke and the one from Matthew, but a good commentary will offer up some suggestions for you to chew on.

What I will note, however, is that while Matthew traces down from Abraham, Luke traces back from Jesus to Adam. There are distinctively different tones to how they tell this part of Jesus' story. And it is an important part. Jesus wasn't some god that dropped out of the sky one day and bore no relation to us. No, he was born fully human (as well as fully God - cue a few mind bending moments) and had a place in history - a heritage, which included David (and the messianic implications of this) and Abraham (the 'father' of the Jews), and way back to Adam the first 'Son of God', using the phrase in a different way here but emphasising again aspects of Jesus' identity.

Jesus' line goes way back. He's got a human history, a human pedigree.

He's in it with us.

you are my Son

Luke 3 v 21 - 22

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

We've noted before how striking John's baptism was in the fact he was baptising Jews. Now, perhaps, we can get a sense of the shock factor. Because here it is Jesus being baptised. With hindsight and the New Testament and all that we know, to find Jesus being baptised is unexpected, and also carries a great deal of pathos. Here, the Son of God, is identifying with the people by going through this same process. He, without sin, is identifying himself with sinners.

And it is at the time of baptism that we get this amazing affirmation of his identity, by his Father. After the baptism, Luke says, as Jesus is praying, heaven opens, and the Holy Spirit descends 'in bodily form like a dove'. Jesus is being equipped here for his public ministry. Something is beginning; something is happening. (This is underlined by the next verse: Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry - v23).

This affirmation of identity and gift of the Holy Spirit prepare Jesus for what follows - this unified vision of the Godhead to save humankind. The Father shows his love and favour for the Son, and the Spirit equips him for the task ahead.

if not for him

Psalm 124

If the LORD had not been on our side
- let Israel say -
if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;
the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
the raging waters would have swept us away.

Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Just a brief thought today, not a proper study...cast my eye over this psalm and pondered for a moment on what God has done for me. Then I thought of what God has done for me that I don't know about. How many things have been different because of God - and yet I don't realise this? How much has he prevented, held back, allowed or caused that I do not see or attribute to him?

So this morning I thanked God for all those things. Things that would have been different if not for him, even if I don't see them on this somewhat scruffier side of the tapestry...

speaking out

Luke 3:19-20
But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

So here's the thing. Apparently Herod (Antipas) had married his half brother's wife, persuading her to leave her husband and divorcing his own wife. The girl's father was another half brother(Aristobulus), and she married another Herod (the other half brother previously mentioned). So Herod married his sister in law and his niece, I suppose. Confused? Me too. Anyway.

John didn't have any trouble expressing an opinion. He needed that boldness of speech in order to fulfil his mission. He didn't mince words. So when he heard of Herod's doings he didn't remain silent, shaking his head quietly and perhaps grumbling with a couple of close friends. No, he spoke out - he rebuked Herod. He directed his criticism firmly at the ruler. And Herod reacted - locking John up in prison (Luke makes quite clear what he thinks of this - to all the evil things Herod had done, he added this).

We can be challenged by John's attitude. How willing are we to speak out against that which is wrong? Are we afraid of scorn? John ended up in prison. What does it take for us to defend that which we believe in? How would we survive in a place actively hostile to our beliefs and opinions?

Lots of questions, but they set the mind buzzing.

How do we speak boldly today? What do we face in our culture(s) which make it difficult to speak out? Are there times to speak and times to remain silent? How do we choose? Why are we fearful? Are we willing to say things even if they may be misunderstood or scoffed at? How far are we prepared to go for our principles?

Look Out - Someone's Coming

Luke 3:15-18
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

John's words and actions are having an impact. They stir up questions as to his identity. Could he be the one they have been waiting for - the victorious Messiah come to free his people? John's answer is suggestive - suggestive because he doesn't simply say 'nope, sorry, that's not me'. Instead he makes a comparison between himself, and what he is doing, and someone else, and what that person will do.

To me the images of water and fire conjure up different feelings. Water cleanses; fire purifies. There is something about fire that evokes a feeling of power - power to refine, to burn up completely...it goes deeper than water. And the Holy Spirit - God's own breath - that someone should have the authority to baptise with the Spirit, is unimaginable.

Apparently untying the thongs of someone's sandals was one of the lowest jobs of all. Disciples couldn't even do it for their rabbis - it was left to the servants. But John here says he is not even worthy to do that, such is the worth of the person who wears them. This someone...is something else. Something far, far bigger.

In our over familiarity with the words, are we under-familiar with their meaning? Do we realise how jaw dropping Jesus really is?