Reflective Bible Study

To start off our special two-part finale for our first year chronologically moving through the gospels looking at events from Jesus’ life, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas. While the Christmas season can often times be too commercialized, as followers of Jesus, we know and remember that this is a great time of the year to remember how Jesus, the light of the world, stepped into history. As many of us in the northern hemisphere face the point in each year where we have the least amount of daylight, we can remember that when things appeared to be the darkest, Jesus stepped into history to shine God’s light and His love into the world.

With that said, we just finished an amazing year looking at events from Jesus’ life and ministry, and as is our custom, we reserve the last two episodes each year to focus in on themes and insights that we discovered throughout the past year. As is always the case, I had a difficult time narrowing down the list of insights to a manageable length, and like every year, I wish I could include more while also not extending the length of these finale-podcasts too significantly.

However, without any further delay, let’s dive into what we discovered during the first half of this year of podcasting.

Starting off in episode 1, we looked at how Luke introduces us to his gospel message and we used this as a launching point to talk about some of the best ways to read and study the Bible. In this episode, we were challenged with the truth that in order to gain the greatest benefit from reading and studying the gospels, we should humble ourselves and prayerfully ask God for the Holy Spirit to help guide our study towards His truth. Also, never let non-biblical writings, no matter how spiritual they may be, take the place of prayerfully studying the Bible for yourself. God wants a personal relationship with you, and this relationship comes from leaning into God and His Word, trusting in His promises, and looking to Jesus for our salvation!

Moving forward to the very next episode, which is episode number 2, we looked at Mary visiting Elizabeth while Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist. In this episode and the conversation between these two women, we learned that God is present whether we feel Him or His Spirit or whether we don’t. Whether or not you feel God or His Spirit, renew your trust and your confidence in God’s promises, remember that His Word never fails, and never forget that He cares about the wellbeing of all His creation. God looks at life from a different perspective than we do, and this perspective says, “I want to spend eternity with you.”

Jumping ahead to episode 5, which focused us on Jesus’ miracle at the wedding in Cana, we discovered that Jesus is okay with us believing in Him because of His miracles, but He never wants us to stop there. Jesus’ miracles were given to be signs to help us take notice, and to prompt us to move closer to Him as we see how He displays God’s love and God’s character to our world. Jesus’ miracles were God-given signs for us to take notice, but they should never form the foundation of our faith. Jesus does not want us to build the foundation of our belief in Him on His miracles. Looking at Mary’s example in this event taught us that Mary had faith in Jesus through the relationship she had with Him – a relationship that was built over having spent years with Him.

Jumping ahead a couple more episodes brings us to episode number 7, which focused us on Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be disciples. In this episode, we were challenged with the truth that while we could sit on the sidelines and watch others live lives of faith, only by living a faith-filled life ourselves will we ever truly discover for ourselves whether God’s way is best! If all of us together truly followed Jesus, modeling our lives after His, using His methods, and loving those He loved, I am positive our world would never be the same.

Moving forward to episode 9, we looked at a time when Jesus responded to some Pharisees who were challenging Him about who He was. In this passage, we learned that whenever anyone tried to give Jesus glory, He directs the glory to the Father. Jesus was 100+% focused on helping others and forwarding the glory onto God the Father. This event also challenged us that since we are disciples of Jesus, as disciples of Jesus, which is another way of saying that we model or imitate our lives after His, we are challenged to point all glory and praise upwards to God similar to how Jesus did. While we might not be able to perform miracles like Jesus did, we still are called to acknowledge God for how He has blessed us.

Jumping forward to episode 11, when looking at one of the times Jesus taught on the topic of prayer, Jesus helped us understand that our public relationship with God does not matter as much as our private relationship with Him. While a public and private relationship are important, Jesus tells us that those who only have a public relationship with God have already received their reward, because their relationship with God is not for God’s benefit, but simply for show.

In the next episode, which is episode number 12, Jesus continued teaching but shifted His topic onto avoiding judging others. In this passage, teaching, and event, we were reminded that God has given us way more than we deserve. We also learned that the truth Jesus teaches can also be extended and applied to our relationship with God: If we judge, He judges; if we condemn, He condemns; if we forgive, He forgives; and if we give generously, He gives generously. The type of relationship we have with God is fully within our choosing.

Jumping forward a few episodes to episode number 15, we looked at Jesus teaching what may be His most famous parable, which is the one focused on a farmer sowing seed and some various types of soil that the seed fell on. In this episode, we discovered that in God’s eyes, being fruitful is more important than how fruitful you are. We also concluded this episode by pointing out that instead of worrying if we are one of the less-than-ideal types of soil, perhaps we should instead focus on being like the farmer and spreading God’s word and His message to those in our lives. If we chose to see ourselves as the farmer, not replacing Jesus but instead partnering with Him and His Holy Spirit, we might find ourselves to be more fruitful that we would realize or give ourselves credit for.

A couple of episodes later, in episode 17, we then looked at Jesus resurrecting Jairus’ daughter after being delayed. In this passage and episode, which had a bunch of insights, we were reminded that Jesus is the “Life-giver”, and when given the opportunity to give life, He does so. While we might not experience the miracle of having our lives restored in the same way this girl experienced, Jesus does promise to restore our lives at the end of history when He returns.

This passage and miracle help give us hope that death is not the end. The life Jesus gives is stronger than death. This means that if we ever face sleep-death like this girl did, we know that Jesus will be the first face we see when He wakes us up, and following Jesus waking us up, nothing resembling death will ever be able to take His life from us!

In the next episode, episode number 18, we spent some time looking at Jesus’ challenge to His disciples as He sent them out in pairs to witness in nearby towns. When bringing the themes of this teaching into our world today, we were reminded of the truth that our world today has tried to push God to the sidelines and out of focus. As followers of Jesus, this means that sometimes our faith will prompt us to be ridiculed and made fun of, while other times we may be physically hurt. Regardless of what your experience has been, trust that God is in control and that He has a plan for your life that involves you being saved for eternity. With whatever happens in this life, trust that when we stick with God and with Jesus, we will receive eternal life that will outlast this sin-filled world.

Moving forward to episode 22, we looked at an event where Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy after His disciples were not able to. In this event, we discovered that Our belief is powerful, and unbelief has the power to sabotage the belief we do have. Prayer is the key. While Jesus’ words are directly tied to this situation, I also believe that they are tied to the subject of belief: Belief without prayer is weak. Prayer without belief is futile. However, belief when combined with prayer is limitless.

To wrap up this first part of our two-part finale, let’s remember an insight we discovered in episode 25, which focused us in on Jesus redeeming the woman caught in adultery. In this episode, we were reminded that there are so many places in life where we stumble that it is virtually impossible to never sin again, but in the places where we are conscious of the choice, Jesus challenges us with the truth that choosing sin is never positive from God’s perspective.

Also, remember that God wants you to have the best life possible, and the only things that He calls sin are things that cheapen the vision that He has for you. God ultimately wants you in heaven with Him, and He was willing to go to whatever length necessary to help you see His love for you!

Jesus came to this planet to redeem you from sin, because He loves you and because He wants you with Him in heaven. As we move through this Christmas season, let’s together remember that the biggest reason we celebrate is because of what Jesus came and did for each of us!

As we come to the last episode in our first chronological year podcasting through events within Jesus’ life, we come to a relatively well-known event that, on the surface, paints one of Jesus’ remaining disciples in a less-than-positive light. While many Christians today might look down on this disciple for what he says or how he responded to learning about Jesus’ resurrection, what ultimately happened paints a powerful picture for all of Jesus’ followers about how trustworthy the gospel record is.

I’ve heard some people living today who wished they could live back in the first century so that they could have seen Jesus firsthand. At some points in my past, I have thought this too, or at the very least, thought it would be neat to take a time machine back to be able to witness firsthand what had happened. I believe that seeing a resurrected Jesus was incredibly important for those in the first century, and at times, at least in my mind, I feel at a disadvantage because I am living over 2,000 years after the events that are recorded.

We don’t have to go far in what the gospels tell us happened following Jesus’ resurrection to discover a disciple who had a similar feeling. We don’t know where He was, but when Jesus first appeared to the remaining disciples as a group, Thomas was not present. When Thomas learned he missed out, he makes a very bold statement.

Let’s read what happens. Our passage for this episode is found in John’s gospel, chapter 20, and we will read it from the Contemporary English Version. Starting in verse 24, John tells us that:

²⁴ Although Thomas the Twin was one of the twelve disciples, he wasn’t with the others when Jesus appeared to them. ²⁵ So they told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But Thomas said, “First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won’t believe unless I do this!”

²⁶ A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples ²⁷ and said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!”

²⁸ Thomas replied, “You are my Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!”

In this passage, the detail that probably amazes me the most is Jesus’ response to Thomas when Jesus appeared to the disciples again.

In Thomas’ earlier declaration, he wanted to see and touch Jesus to believe Jesus had really returned to life. However, when we look closely at what John describes, Thomas never touches Jesus. Perhaps we can assume this happened, but it isn’t recorded in scripture. Instead, Jesus responds to Thomas’ doubt by appearing to him, speaking directly to him about what he had said, and Jesus’ message to Thomas prompts him to believe.

Thomas asked to see and touch Jesus, and Jesus responded by showing Himself to Thomas, speaking to him, and inviting him to touch the scars that the crucifixion left. However, while the invitation is present, John does not record that Thomas actually touched Jesus.

While we might think this detail is powerful in itself, what Jesus tells Thomas next is even more significant, especially to us living over 2,000 years later. After Thomas responded that he believed without actually touching Jesus, Jesus responds to Thomas in verse 29, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!”

While Thomas is the disciple who gets looked down on for being the one who won’t believe unless he has seen, in Thomas’ declaration and decision, we get to see and understand more about Jesus’ character.

Firstly, Jesus answers Thomas’ request by appearing the following week. While it could have happened earlier, I suspect this time gap was present to build anticipation for what might come. Ultimately, Jesus returning to appear to the group of disciples tells me that Jesus does care about our wants and our relationship with Him. Sometimes we might see evidence of Jesus’ presence in the moment, but more often, we will have to exercise faith without direct sight.

However, the greatest promise Jesus gives in this passage is not to Thomas, who ultimately got to see Jesus. Jesus’ greatest blessing in this passage is for those who believe without having seen. Thomas could have been one of the first people to be gathered under this banner of “really blessed individuals”, but he stands as an example of many of us who are skeptical first, and only believe after we have been given proof.

Instead, from Jesus’ promise in this passage, all of Jesus’ followers living since this first generation of disciples are blessed because they believe without having seen Him. This includes us living today, as well as everyone who believed from the disciples’ teaching forward through time.

Jesus’ promise in this passage prompts me to wonder what blessing God has for those who have believed without having seen Jesus. Looking at the first century spread of the Christian movement, the disciples seemed to have the full force of the Holy Spirit behind them. However, according to Jesus’ words, those who saw a resurrected Jesus are at a blessing disadvantage because they did see, while those who believed without seeing are truly blessed.

Part of me wonders if we take this blessing for granted, or if we miss out on this blessing entirely because our faith is weak. In my own journey, too often, I will first try to solve my own problems, and only if I cannot come to a good solution do I bring God in with prayer. It’s like I trust myself, but if I fail then I lean on God.

However, Jesus has called us to place God first and trust Him first. This means the first place we are challenged to look for a solution from is God. I doubt this needs to be stopping and kneeling down at every challenge we get, but perhaps it is more acknowledging God during the difficulties of our day and silently keeping the lines of communication open in our thoughts. As challenges come, we can then think or whisper a quick prayer to God and then move forward with His guidance.

Perhaps this way of thinking is connected with some of the blessing Jesus promised in this passage for those who believe who have not seen. This second- or third-hand faith gives God the opportunity to show up in amazing ways to help those who don’t have the previous experiences to be able to see God operating in a much broader way.

Or, perhaps the blessing we receive for believing without having seen Jesus directly is a special gift that God is saving for us when we reach heaven. Honestly, I don’t know what it is, but I do know that every blessing from God is given for our benefit. Every blessing is sent to help us learn, grow, and/or help others on life’s path.

As we have come to the end of this first year of podcasting chronologically through events from Jesus’ life as presented in the gospels, here are the challenges I want to leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and lean on Him as your first resort rather than letting Him be your last resort. When God is where we turn first, we will have oriented our lives properly.

Also, as I always challenge you to do in one way or another, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself in order to learn what Jesus and God are like personally. While most people today have ideas and opinions about what God is like, choose to shape your opinion through the lens of the big themes of the Bible, and you’ll only ever truly discover these themes for yourself if you personally study the Bible – for yourself.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or walk away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

When looking at the details the gospel writers share about the resurrection, Matthew’s gospel includes a phrase that is very powerful, while also being very easy to overlook. The idea implied in Matthew’s gospel is the powerful truth that once a lie has been said or spoken, it is difficult, and sometimes even impossible, to break through that lie with the truth.

Even today, for years, and maybe even decades and/or centuries, myths that have been proven false have kept circulating because some lies are easier to believe than the truth. Some people might say that the Bible is one such myth, but time and time again, even though the ways the Bible has been vindicated are not widely popularized, the Bible contains way more truth than error, even with its flaws.

Within the resurrection account in Matthew’s gospel, we learn that the religious leaders start a lie about Jesus and His disciples, and in the details of this event, we discover how hard it can be to actually change some people’s minds. Our passage for this episode is found in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 28, and we will read it using the New American Standard Bible translation. Starting in verse 11, Matthew tells us that:

¹¹ Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. ¹² And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ¹³ and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

Did you catch that last part of this passage? “This story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.”

Matthew clearly states that the priests and religious leaders start this lie and in many ways, the lie is more believable than the miraculous resurrection that Jesus’ followers proclaimed.

However, if we look closer at this lie, I am amazed that the details of this lie are incredibly incriminating. In this lie, the religious leaders bribe the soldiers to say that they fell asleep while on the job, which is something you would only do if you wanted to lose your job, or in the case of the military at that time, you might lose more than your job if caught sleeping. The religious leaders bribe the soldiers to say that they “failed at their job”.

While believing in a resurrection is challenging on one hand, the lie these religious leaders bribe into existence is surprisingly ridiculous. It is ridiculous to think that some scared disciples could overpower a group of armed soldiers, and it is equally ridiculous to think that these scared civilian disciples could silently and secretly roll the large boulder away from the entrance of the tomb while every single guard slept. Even if some of the guards had been heavy sleepers, all it would take is one twig to break and one light sleeping soldier to foil a plan.

It is also worth pointing out that if every guard was sleeping, there is a logical challenge that said how the guards would know it was the disciples who stole Jesus’ body. If the guards woke up as the disciples were running away, it wouldn’t have been difficult for a soldier to catch someone carrying a heavy corpse, and there would have been a dead disciple, and multiple corpses placed back in the tomb.

All this to say that a guard who failed at his job was liable at the very least to lose his job, if not lose his life. A whole garrison of guards who failed because they fell asleep is the ultimate bad excuse that any sane governor would need to punish. Part of me wonders if word ever did make it to the governor’s ears, and if so, if the governor was actually satisfied with the excuses the priests and leaders gave. Another part of me wonders if the governor discovered the lie and learned that his soldiers actually were overpowered by an angel.

Another detail about this lie doesn’t make sense in my mind. This additional detail is why someone would promote a rumor about themselves failing at a task when their failure could cost them their life. People usually brag about successes, and what the soldiers share is a monumental failure. The soldiers’ failure is such a bad failure that it almost isn’t believable as well.

However, let’s take another step back. In this event, the priests and leaders had already convinced themselves that Jesus was not special or significant, and specifically that Jesus was not from God. The religious leaders repeatedly pushed back at Jesus while He was teaching, healing, and spreading good news about God. These religious leaders built their lie about Jesus long before crucifixion and resurrection weekend.

The lie the religious leaders believed about Jesus not being from God was behind them pushing for Jesus’ execution, and it is what led them to bribe the next lie about a stolen body into existence. In the minds of these religious leaders, Jesus could not have been raised from the dead because Jesus was clearly not from God. Instead, the only explanation left was that His disciples stole the body.

What happened that weekend surrounding the religious leaders bribing a lie into existence is fascinating for another reason. Because soldiers were present guarding the tomb, in an ironic turn of events, the priests and Jewish leaders were the first to learn about the resurrection. While the women were confused at an empty tomb and headed to share their confusion with Jesus’ disciples, the chief priests and religious leaders are receiving a report about the resurrection from the soldiers they posted at the tomb.

In a similar way that many people don’t think of, at the beginning of the gospel of Luke, the priest Zechariah is the first to learn about God paving the way for Jesus through His forerunner John the Baptist. Now at the point Jesus is resurrected following His crucifixion, the priests are again the first people to know about the resurrection – and these priests have enough witnesses among these guards to validate the story in a court.

While the disciples take the testimony of the women who visited the empty tomb as enough evidence to go check it out for themselves, the religious leaders get their testimony from men and dismiss it in favor of their lie. This isn’t meant to be a sexist statement; instead it is a statement focused on the first century culture and time.

Looking again at the lie the religious leaders bribe into existence, we discover that this lie is easily dismissible. The simple event that would need to happen to dismiss this lie is actually seeing the resurrected Jesus and then the lie would be exposed as a lie. Over the forty days between Jesus being resurrected and ascending to heaven, this is what we discover happened. Over that span of time, Jesus appeared to individuals and groups in a variety of ways leading up to His return to heaven.

However, how do we know which story is true? How can we know whether Jesus really was resurrected or whether His disciples stole the body? Only one of these records can be true.

Like we began this episode by saying, a lie is almost impossible to unstick once it has been spoken or written, and even decades after Jesus’ resurrection, when Matthew sat down to write out His gospel letter, he points out that this lie was still circulating. When faced with these two conflicting ideas, how should we judge the validity of each?

In my mind, the first thing to look at is the evidence of those who believed when they died. Hundreds of first century believers were executed for their belief in the resurrection, and they all died believing the resurrection was a historical fact. Every one of Jesus’ remaining eleven disciples was executed for their faith, and each one believed the resurrection was a historical fact.

To counter this narrative, Matthew’s gospel shares a private conversation between the priests and the guards, meaning that either Matthew made up a source for the lie, or one of the guards defected and told Matthew the truth. I suspect that Matthew would have had soldier friends from his time as a tax collector, so Matthew learning and including a detail in his gospel the other gospel writers didn’t is not surprising to me.

In closing, while in most cases, lies are easier to believe than the truth, the simple truth we should remember is that wherever lies are present, the truth will come to light eventually – and when it does, it is up to us to examine the evidence and choose the truth. In this case, our eternity depends on it!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and look for things that reveal His truth. While lies are often easier to believe in the short term than the truth, the truth is the only reality that will ultimately set you free.

Also, as I always challenge you to do, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself so you can accurately identify truth from error when you see it. The Bible has stood the test of time and has reliably helped people for thousands of years.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Over the past year, which I’ve loosely called our first chronological year moving through the gospels, we have been progressively moving forward through Jesus’ life and ministry looking at events that happened while He was here on earth. This episode marks the climax of Jesus’ life and ministry, and it focuses our attention onto something that happened while Jesus was hanging on the cross. While it is very tempting to jump to a different gospel that might give more or less insight on this event, the way Matthew frames what happened while Jesus was hanging on the cross is amazing in my mind.

Let’s read what happened. Our passage for this episode is found in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 27, and we will read it from the New International Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 38, Matthew tells us that:

³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

While reading this passage, I am reminded of a question I had a while ago. This question wondered whether Jesus had one big temptation that Satan pushed His way over the course of His life.

At the start of Jesus’ ministry, He is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where He was tempted, and the three temptations He faced are very significant. Also, throughout His ministry, Jesus is faced with many challenges. However, in the last weeks, days, and hours of Jesus’ life, He seems to be faced with one temptation that appeared to intensify the closer He comes to it – and that temptation is avoiding the cross.

Nothing about crucifixion weekend was a surprise to Jesus. While the disciples were all surprised with the crucifixion, and while Judas Iscariot happened to be the betrayer, none of the disciples believed Jesus would ultimately face the cross. Even Judas Iscariot, who chose to betray Jesus, believed Jesus would maneuver a way out of the religious leader’s trial and hostile plan. When Judas Iscariot realized Jesus wasn’t seeking to free Himself, Judas tried in vain to undo what he had done. Prior to the banquet where Jesus is anointed with expensive perfume, Judas likely didn’t have any clue that a traitor would show up within the twelve closest followers – or even that he would be that guy.

In my mind, leading up to the cross, I suspect Jesus’ big temptation was simply to avoid the cross and all the pain that would be associated with it. Even though no one in Jesus’ life could see it, for over three years of ministry, and over a decade more during His time living at home, Jesus knew and understood the cross as His end goal.

However, in our passage for this episode, Jesus has succeeded fighting off this temptation, because He is now on the cross. While some might think that Jesus’ temptations would now be minor in comparison, a new temptation presents itself and this new temptation might be even more powerful than the temptation to avoid the cross. Before being nailed to the cross Jesus had the option of, and the temptation to, avoid it entirely; after being nailed to the cross, Jesus faced the temptation to come down off of it.

While reading this passage and focusing on what the crowd says while they are mocking Jesus, we see a clear challenge and temptation for Jesus to prove who He was. We also see Satan behind all these challenges. In each of the three temptations in the wilderness, Satan beings by saying the words, “If you are the Son of God”, and here in our passage, this same challenge is repeated in the last half of verse 40, “Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

The only way this temptation works is if Jesus really had the power to come down from the cross. The two rebels did not have this power, but Jesus did. It was fully within Jesus’ ability to come off of the cross. However, if Jesus had chosen to display this power, everything He would have worked to accomplish would have been lost. If Jesus abandoned the cross, Satan would have won – and the empty belief the priests and Jewish leaders were promising to give to Jesus would have meant nothing.

The insults thrown at Jesus while He is on the cross range from challenging Jesus’ ability, to challenging His mission, to tempting Him with additional people who will believe, all the way to challenging Jesus’ faith and trust in God.

In the few minutes we have left in this episode, let’s look closer at these temptations.

The first temptation Jesus faced was challenging His ability to come off of the cross. However, it did not occur to those present that, Jesus also had the choice to stay on the cross. Jesus chose to stay on the cross because His mission was more important than showing off His ability.

The second temptation Jesus faced challenged His mission. However, no one present even suspected or considered that hanging on the cross was the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission to this earth. Jesus fulfilled His mission on the cross because it is the way for His followers to receive salvation.

The third temptation Jesus faced challenged Him as the king of Israel. However, this temptation only works for someone who is interested in seeking glory, status, and position for themselves. Jesus was crowned King, but He chose to only accept this glory from God the Father after ascending into heaven and not from a group of hate-filled humans.

The last temptation that Matthew draws our attention onto is whether God would want to rescue Jesus from the cross. From Jesus’ perspective, this is a challenge of doubt, but it also is a challenge that is more directed towards God the Father Himself. In a similar way to Jesus’ big temptation being centered on the cross, whether it was avoiding it or coming down from it, God the Father’s gets drawn into this temptation because at His Son’s greatest moment of need, the temptation is present to rescue Jesus from the cross.

However, in all these temptations, both Jesus and God the Father kept a larger time frame in view. All the temptations present in this event focused on the moment of pain, and shortening or avoiding it. While I am sure it was difficult to do in the moment, both Jesus and God kept their perspective on eternity. While this moment in time is arguably the darkest point in all of human history, God the Father and Jesus kept their perspective on the big picture, and on how this sacrifice would open the way for all of God’s people to experience eternity with God in heaven.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you do to, intentionally seek God first in your life and if you are facing a big temptation or a challenge to your faith, consider meeting the problem with a broader frame of time. While problems we face today seem big, if we expand out the challenge we have today and look at it from the perspective of our lifetime, almost none of today’s problems seems that big.

For encouragement and because I always challenge you to do so, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself. As you read and study, look for examples of how God has worked behind the scenes to help those who trust in Him. I’m positive you will discover more places where God helped than you first realized or thought.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!