The Wilderness (Part 2)

Luke 4:2b-4

“He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” 

Have you ever been hungry?  Really hungry?  Try going 40 days without eating and see how hungry you are at the end of the fast.  Of course, Jesus is divine but, while he was on earth he was also 100% human as well as 100% divine.  This means that He suffered the same kinds of things humans suffered.  So, the fast in the wilderness was real suffering for Him.

It is interesting that Satan waited until the end of the fast to tempt Jesus.  Jesus was at his weakest, physically and mentally when Satan reminded Him of His divinity.  “You have the power to feed yourself at any time.  Do it.  Turn those stones to bread.”

Jesus replied that there is more to life than physical comfort, more to the body than the stomach; there is the spiritual side of life that involves the heart.

Jesus’ ministry was about changing people, not outwardly, but inwardly.  Yes, he healed the sick and fed the hungry, but those things usually proceeded or resulted in an inward change of the affected people.

The touch of Jesus changed people outwardly and most importantly inwardly.

Take His hand. Change your heart.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)