WEBVTT 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:15.120 Karen Beilharz: Welcome to Moore in the Word, a podcast of Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia 00:00:15.390 --> 00:00:21.585 that seeks to glorify God through biblically sound, thought-provoking and challenging talks and interviews. 00:00:22.634 --> 00:00:30.195 In this episode from a chapel service held on Tuesday the 11th of March, 2025, Peter Grice, Bishop of the 00:00:30.195 --> 00:00:37.275 Diocese of Rockhampton, speaks on Luke chapter four, verses one to 15, and the testing of Jesus by Satan. 00:00:38.175 --> 00:00:41.265 He reminds us that Jesus testing proves beyond a doubt 00:00:41.595 --> 00:00:42.795 that he's the real deal. 00:00:43.275 --> 00:00:45.195 He's worthy of our trust and praise. 00:00:45.735 --> 00:00:50.805 Furthermore, as those who serve him, we too will face testing just as he did. 00:00:51.345 --> 00:00:52.965 We hope you find the episode helpful. 00:01:01.260 --> 00:01:05.325 Peter Grice: Gracious Lord, we thank you that you're a communicating God. 00:01:06.405 --> 00:01:11.025 We pray that this morning we would hear your voice, but Father, greater than that, we pray that we'd heed it. 00:01:11.684 --> 00:01:13.035 We pray this in Jesus name. 00:01:13.304 --> 00:01:13.725 Amen. 00:01:14.684 --> 00:01:16.815 Now if you're able, please have that reading open before you. 00:01:16.815 --> 00:01:19.395 It's uh, Luke chapter four, verses one to 15. 00:01:20.655 --> 00:01:24.255 So John and I arrived here slightly earlier this morning and we went for a bit of a wander and 00:01:24.255 --> 00:01:28.815 we popped upstairs and we saw all you first years doing Greek learning about the future tents. 00:01:28.994 --> 00:01:37.304 And it got me thinking, it got me thinking, wouldn't it be nice if there was a, a dramatic change of, uh, policy and Greek. 00:01:38.505 --> 00:01:40.604 Was assessed in the following way. 00:01:41.414 --> 00:01:49.875 At the end of your first year of Greek, you'd be sat down and asked a simple question, do you know all your paradigms, including the participants? 00:01:52.245 --> 00:01:52.845 Yes or no? 00:01:53.145 --> 00:01:54.015 Oh, yeah, yeah, I do. 00:01:54.134 --> 00:01:54.705 Alright, good. 00:01:54.705 --> 00:01:55.395 Tick, you're done. 00:01:59.745 --> 00:02:02.115 And then I got thinking, well perhaps we could apply that to every subject. 00:02:02.685 --> 00:02:05.865 You know, just read a book here, or watch a movie there, or whatever, a podcast and. 00:02:07.455 --> 00:02:08.384 I regret to inform you. 00:02:08.384 --> 00:02:09.405 That's not gonna happen. 00:02:10.664 --> 00:02:11.445 It's not happening. 00:02:12.285 --> 00:02:12.734 Why? 00:02:16.125 --> 00:02:23.535 Because as a potential employer of you, I want to know that you've been pushed. 00:02:24.704 --> 00:02:28.275 I want to know that you've been tried and tested. 00:02:28.394 --> 00:02:31.995 I want to know that you true, and I want to know that you are the real deal. 00:02:32.415 --> 00:02:32.805 Why? 00:02:34.185 --> 00:02:35.595 Because gospel ministry. 00:02:36.359 --> 00:02:46.170 If you are not the real deal, the chances are you won't survive out in a parish, in a ministry, in the mission field. 00:02:46.230 --> 00:02:49.380 It's hard work and you need to be the real deal. 00:02:50.579 --> 00:03:01.560 Now, if that's true for ministers of the servant of God, if that's true for the servants of the Son of God, surely it holds true. 00:03:02.640 --> 00:03:13.260 That the son of God himself must then be the real deal, which then raises the very natural question, well, how would you test the son of God? 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:18.660 What areas would you put the examination? 00:03:18.660 --> 00:03:21.570 Well, it wouldn't be probably Hebrew Bible or New Testament. 00:03:21.570 --> 00:03:25.410 It probably wouldn't be church history or even theology or even Greek. 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:29.910 What would you test the son of God? 00:03:29.910 --> 00:03:31.380 What are his core subjects? 00:03:37.620 --> 00:03:40.109 Can I suggest that there are three? 00:03:40.109 --> 00:03:43.470 Yes, three subjects for the son of God? 00:03:43.470 --> 00:03:45.030 He was tested on provision. 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:45.720 Firstly. 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:47.070 Secondly, pride. 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:48.690 Thirdly promise. 00:03:49.079 --> 00:03:49.260 Okay. 00:03:49.260 --> 00:03:50.550 Firstly, a bit of context. 00:03:50.550 --> 00:03:53.340 In this part of Luke, his narrative arc is as follows. 00:03:53.519 --> 00:03:55.320 We've been introduced to Jesus. 00:03:56.205 --> 00:03:59.445 He is been proclaimed by John the Baptist. 00:03:59.595 --> 00:04:02.355 He's been endorsed by God the Father. 00:04:02.625 --> 00:04:06.165 The Holy Spirit has descended on Jesus at his baptism. 00:04:06.675 --> 00:04:07.755 He's inspired. 00:04:07.755 --> 00:04:15.495 Then Luke takes a little diversion into a genealogy and tracks Jesus lineage straight back to the divine, father himself, back to God. 00:04:19.545 --> 00:04:23.085 Now Jesus is being tested. 00:04:23.790 --> 00:04:26.310 To establish whether he is the real deal. 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:28.800 Firstly, provision. 00:04:29.670 --> 00:04:34.050 Now in the Greek in verse one, it actually starts the second word in his debt. 00:04:34.110 --> 00:04:40.680 But I suspect, and I wouldn't go to the stake on this one, that there is a contrast. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:46.200 You've got this genealogy, these were the leading up to, but in contrast. 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:49.590 You have Jesus the son of God. 00:04:49.770 --> 00:04:52.320 I wouldn't be sure about that, but it's certainly suggestive. 00:04:52.620 --> 00:04:58.860 But what is sure, what is explicit from the text is that Jesus goes in at his spiritual peak. 00:04:58.890 --> 00:05:00.060 He's at his utmost. 00:05:00.060 --> 00:05:01.560 He's full of the Holy Spirit. 00:05:02.789 --> 00:05:06.120 He's returned from the river, the Jordan, to the wilderness. 00:05:06.150 --> 00:05:10.289 He's been led by the Holy Spirit, God's presence. 00:05:13.335 --> 00:05:15.525 This is no trial by ambush. 00:05:16.185 --> 00:05:18.435 This is no trial by ordeal. 00:05:19.125 --> 00:05:25.545 This is part of a divine program that has Jesus' full spiritual participation. 00:05:26.085 --> 00:05:28.155 And in verse two, we have a convergence. 00:05:28.155 --> 00:05:33.375 We have a, an explosion of intertextual typology, and we can reel 'em off without much difficulty. 00:05:33.375 --> 00:05:33.915 What are they? 00:05:34.185 --> 00:05:34.935 Well, the wilderness. 00:05:35.970 --> 00:05:42.480 40, the devil's seductive, silky tones, the son of God compared with the people of God. 00:05:43.860 --> 00:05:46.080 You've got bread and you've got a few others. 00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:50.760 If you wanna dig a little bit deeper, this is a very loaded and rich setting. 00:05:51.210 --> 00:05:55.800 For Jesus' examination, all the bases are covered. 00:05:56.655 --> 00:06:02.025 In this testing as the son of God to work out whether Jesus is actually the real deal. 00:06:02.505 --> 00:06:04.875 So this is going to be a searching examination. 00:06:06.015 --> 00:06:13.575 Now, the word there tempted just means to be tested or pushed or to just to see if he's gonna deviate and go offline. 00:06:14.475 --> 00:06:20.505 And his examiner is none other than the chief accuser himself, the counter advocate, Satan. 00:06:22.620 --> 00:06:25.469 Jesus ate nothing for that 40 days. 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:33.000 I'm assuming that he had some fluid and uh, but basically it was nil, solids by mouth, excuse me, 00:06:36.390 --> 00:06:37.860 40 days without food. 00:06:38.730 --> 00:06:42.480 And at the end of 40 days, terse, Luke, and understatement. 00:06:42.930 --> 00:06:44.400 He was hungry. 00:06:44.730 --> 00:06:45.450 You're kidding, right? 00:06:46.409 --> 00:06:48.600 He was famished, he was beside himself. 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:49.620 He was climbing the walls. 00:06:50.400 --> 00:06:51.510 Jesus was hungry. 00:06:52.530 --> 00:06:57.720 So Q verse three, the examiner, and you can imagine the smooth, persuasive tones. 00:06:57.900 --> 00:06:59.070 It's so reasonable. 00:06:59.820 --> 00:07:01.380 See, Satan's had practice. 00:07:01.410 --> 00:07:07.170 He did it in the garden as well, where he just said to eve, look, did God really say et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 00:07:08.430 --> 00:07:09.420 So reasonable. 00:07:10.650 --> 00:07:15.780 It's not an imperative attack, but a subjunctive influence. 00:07:17.010 --> 00:07:18.780 What does he do if. 00:07:19.950 --> 00:07:24.180 If you are the son of God, there's a rock there. 00:07:25.110 --> 00:07:28.410 Turn it into an artisan sourdough loaf. 00:07:28.710 --> 00:07:29.130 Go on. 00:07:29.430 --> 00:07:30.240 You know you want to, 00:07:34.260 --> 00:07:34.890 you're hungry. 00:07:35.520 --> 00:07:37.440 It's a regrettable happenstance. 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:43.620 Surely you can use your power to correct that, turn that rock into bread and remember the manner. 00:07:44.010 --> 00:07:45.420 See, God did it for his own people. 00:07:45.420 --> 00:07:47.220 Surely he'd want you to do it for yourself. 00:07:47.220 --> 00:07:49.830 You can see how the, the line of reasoning goes. 00:07:49.830 --> 00:07:50.910 It's very seductive. 00:07:50.970 --> 00:07:53.220 And to someone who's starving, I think very compelling. 00:07:55.410 --> 00:07:56.430 But what's he doing? 00:07:56.910 --> 00:07:58.110 It's all very reasonable. 00:07:58.110 --> 00:08:06.270 But he's encouraging Jesus, tempting Jesus to use his divine power to serve his own needs, to provide for himself to make provision. 00:08:07.350 --> 00:08:12.180 And in the process, he's accusing God of not providing. 00:08:13.155 --> 00:08:17.235 Of failing in provision of stepping outside the program. 00:08:18.555 --> 00:08:20.925 To serve itself for his own ends. 00:08:21.104 --> 00:08:23.835 And basically to say to God, I've gotta go it alone. 00:08:24.044 --> 00:08:26.925 I can't trust you to provide, so I'll do it for myself. 00:08:26.925 --> 00:08:27.465 Thank you. 00:08:27.885 --> 00:08:30.344 Now to a man starving, that's sorely tested. 00:08:30.344 --> 00:08:31.245 Now, verse four. 00:08:31.245 --> 00:08:34.784 Jesus responds as it's written, sorry, this is ESV. 00:08:35.054 --> 00:08:36.824 Uh, man shall not live by bread alone. 00:08:37.455 --> 00:08:39.405 So that's Deuteronomy eight, three. 00:08:40.125 --> 00:08:45.975 And the context is God testing whether the people of God are obedient after the manner. 00:08:47.040 --> 00:08:55.260 See the manner was provided to encourage the people of God to come back to faithfulness, the wilderness exodus generation, 00:08:55.260 --> 00:09:01.530 that were they gonna trust God or not, even when he provided for them, are they going to trust God's provision? 00:09:02.370 --> 00:09:04.710 The answer, of course, in the wilderness was the answer was no. 00:09:04.710 --> 00:09:13.800 But Jesus uses this text to say, I trust in the word of God, even if my ancestors did not, I. 00:09:16.035 --> 00:09:17.145 Trust God's provision. 00:09:17.505 --> 00:09:18.015 Full stop. 00:09:19.035 --> 00:09:21.165 So that's round one to Jesus. 00:09:21.405 --> 00:09:23.385 Jesus has just been tested. 00:09:23.385 --> 00:09:26.115 The subject is provision that's done and dusted. 00:09:27.585 --> 00:09:29.925 I hope none of you are hungry this morning. 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:34.440 I. But craving food is powerful. 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:41.520 On Sunday night, I flew into Brisbane from Rockhampton in the middle of an ex tropical cyclone. 00:09:42.780 --> 00:09:43.500 Yeah, I know, right? 00:09:43.800 --> 00:09:44.790 And you're welcome. 00:09:44.850 --> 00:09:45.720 We brought it with us 00:09:47.760 --> 00:09:48.660 Brisbane airport. 00:09:48.660 --> 00:09:50.370 The grassy bits were lakes. 00:09:50.550 --> 00:09:54.630 I actually had a serious worry whether we were going to make it because we were, we were. 00:09:54.690 --> 00:09:56.070 There were rooster tails everywhere. 00:09:56.850 --> 00:09:57.990 That's spray. 00:09:59.310 --> 00:10:01.410 I got to my motel, which was fine. 00:10:01.680 --> 00:10:05.160 Across the road there was a Woolies, which was even better, and I thought, right, I need some food. 00:10:05.160 --> 00:10:05.760 I haven't eaten. 00:10:06.450 --> 00:10:07.500 I got to Woolies. 00:10:07.710 --> 00:10:13.770 The guy in front of me had just been served, and then the announcement came round that F OSS had gone out. 00:10:14.190 --> 00:10:16.830 The whole system in Australia, in Woolworths. 00:10:17.730 --> 00:10:22.380 I was one guy behind being served with my basket full of stuff, man. 00:10:24.780 --> 00:10:29.340 So I then had the ignominious 10 minutes of putting it all back in the shelf where I got it from. 00:10:29.910 --> 00:10:32.700 I tell you what, I was tempted to slip that Snickers just quietly. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:34.410 I didn't, I didn't. 00:10:34.410 --> 00:10:34.710 Okay. 00:10:40.230 --> 00:10:44.490 I left hungry and then I rewrote this talk, so I, we'll see. 00:10:49.080 --> 00:10:50.550 Sorry, I'll just grab some water. 00:10:50.610 --> 00:10:50.640 Uh. 00:10:54.990 --> 00:11:00.449 So I think, um, I speak with a measure of credibility about hunger, God's provision. 00:11:00.510 --> 00:11:01.709 Let's just pause for a second. 00:11:02.280 --> 00:11:05.610 Firstly, I wanna raise an important caveat before we go on. 00:11:06.150 --> 00:11:08.819 This is the reading from the first Sunday in Lent. 00:11:09.810 --> 00:11:12.270 And it can be used as a case study. 00:11:12.630 --> 00:11:13.980 Jesus abstained. 00:11:14.250 --> 00:11:18.780 So must the faithful spend 40 days abstaining in the preparation for Easter. 00:11:18.780 --> 00:11:22.890 That's, that's a fairly traditional, uh, lic Oh, and other interpretation. 00:11:22.890 --> 00:11:24.480 So, you know, people give up chocolate. 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:24.930 You're kidding. 00:11:24.930 --> 00:11:25.200 Right? 00:11:26.550 --> 00:11:29.490 I had a friend in ministry who gave up cigars. 00:11:29.490 --> 00:11:30.360 He was a non-smoker. 00:11:32.225 --> 00:11:33.690 He, he thought it was funny. 00:11:33.990 --> 00:11:37.530 Anyway, is this what the text is telling us to do? 00:11:37.530 --> 00:11:38.580 Is it what it's saying? 00:11:38.580 --> 00:11:43.650 I. Well, Leon Morris, in his commentary, he thunders No, no, it's not Jesus. 00:11:43.650 --> 00:11:49.410 The son of God is being tested to see whether he is the real deal as the Son of God. 00:11:49.410 --> 00:11:49.860 Full stop. 00:11:49.860 --> 00:11:50.520 However, 00:11:52.650 --> 00:11:56.610 and I want to unpack this further on, uh, as followers of the Son of God, 00:11:57.270 --> 00:12:02.189 question, uh, will there be implications and consequences for the people of God? 00:12:02.220 --> 00:12:04.170 So let's just keep that in intention. 00:12:04.350 --> 00:12:06.240 So do we abstain for Lynch? 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:06.569 Sure. 00:12:06.569 --> 00:12:06.990 Why not? 00:12:07.995 --> 00:12:11.625 But make sure you're focusing on the son of God, not your own devotion. 00:12:12.735 --> 00:12:13.005 Okay? 00:12:13.395 --> 00:12:15.435 So if you want to give up something, 00:12:17.895 --> 00:12:22.335 make Lent, bring Jesus into focus, not your own devotion into focus. 00:12:22.335 --> 00:12:23.355 That's what I'd say about that. 00:12:23.985 --> 00:12:32.715 The second thing, and this is we all know this, you can already see that Jesus is responding to Satan's baths by using the word of God, the shield. 00:12:33.824 --> 00:12:36.225 The sword, whichever image you want to use. 00:12:36.615 --> 00:12:41.685 Now, that's famously well known, but it's not a bad point to note at this point. 00:12:41.895 --> 00:12:44.655 I wanna return to greater application later on. 00:12:45.180 --> 00:12:47.070 But let's proceed to the next test. 00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:48.270 Jesus'. 00:12:48.270 --> 00:12:49.470 Next examination. 00:12:49.470 --> 00:12:51.360 We move from provision to pride. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:52.560 Verse five, please. 00:12:52.920 --> 00:12:58.680 So verse five, there's some sort of miracle going on where Satan takes Jesus on 00:12:58.680 --> 00:13:03.810 a bit of a global show and tell instantaneously all the kingdoms of the world. 00:13:04.460 --> 00:13:07.610 I paraded before him in all their pomp, circumstance and glory. 00:13:07.760 --> 00:13:11.030 There's more typology there if you wanna drill into that as well. 00:13:11.030 --> 00:13:17.090 Kingdoms of the world versus Kingdom of God, all shapes of size in an instant and overwhelming instance. 00:13:17.210 --> 00:13:18.020 Go and pick one. 00:13:18.020 --> 00:13:19.130 No, no, no, no. 00:13:19.280 --> 00:13:20.060 Don't pick one. 00:13:21.680 --> 00:13:22.280 Have the lot. 00:13:22.910 --> 00:13:23.330 All of it. 00:13:23.990 --> 00:13:24.710 It's all yours. 00:13:26.330 --> 00:13:30.650 And notice in verse six, there's a focus on authority and glory. 00:13:31.185 --> 00:13:32.505 Can I rephrase that? 00:13:33.045 --> 00:13:35.295 Power and prestige. 00:13:36.075 --> 00:13:41.355 Power and prestige are that intoxicating cocktail that drives imperial ambition 00:13:41.355 --> 00:13:47.055 across the globe and across the ages, and Satan sells Jesus, I can do this. 00:13:47.115 --> 00:13:48.195 It's been given to me. 00:13:48.195 --> 00:13:49.155 It's been delivered to me. 00:13:49.155 --> 00:13:50.685 I can give all this to you. 00:13:50.685 --> 00:13:51.135 Really? 00:13:51.645 --> 00:13:52.335 He can't do that. 00:13:52.605 --> 00:13:53.865 That's not in his contract, is it? 00:13:54.465 --> 00:13:55.365 Well, actually it is. 00:13:57.900 --> 00:14:00.090 Two Corinthians what, which we've heard a bit of today. 00:14:00.090 --> 00:14:00.960 Two Corinthians four. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:01.320 Four. 00:14:02.430 --> 00:14:05.160 Paul describes Satan as the God of this world. 00:14:05.790 --> 00:14:09.750 Now, if Satan couldn't offer the world, well, it would be a pretty hopeless test, wouldn't it? 00:14:10.050 --> 00:14:11.280 Jesus would say, look, get knotted. 00:14:11.280 --> 00:14:11.970 You can't do that. 00:14:12.810 --> 00:14:13.230 That's it. 00:14:14.370 --> 00:14:23.550 As it stands though, this is a very, very shrewd, very telling test. 00:14:24.855 --> 00:14:29.475 So Jesus calls these bluff, but the real test is this. 00:14:30.135 --> 00:14:33.285 What sort of kingdom are you going to be? 00:14:34.905 --> 00:14:37.605 What do you desire, son of God, so-called? 00:14:38.355 --> 00:14:44.175 Do you desire, power and prestige as the world or the path of pain and sacrifice? 00:14:45.555 --> 00:14:48.375 In verse seven, comes as a very nasty sting in the tail. 00:14:48.375 --> 00:14:49.365 Almost a passing thought. 00:14:49.365 --> 00:14:52.395 Oh, by the way, if I'm gonna do this transfer. 00:14:53.625 --> 00:14:59.085 You are gonna have to transfer your allegiance from God the father, to the father of lies. 00:14:59.895 --> 00:15:00.525 Think about it. 00:15:01.695 --> 00:15:06.555 Wow, all this will be yours, but at some price, what an offer. 00:15:07.785 --> 00:15:14.895 It's glory without Gethsemane stronger than the foundations of the earth. 00:15:15.045 --> 00:15:17.145 All shall love me and despair. 00:15:20.189 --> 00:15:28.439 Thank you, Tolkien, but as gala Gladio rejects the ring of power in verse eight, Jesus does not flinch. 00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:32.880 He dispatches the offer and bolsters it by the word of God. 00:15:32.880 --> 00:15:37.020 Deuteronomy chapter six, verse 13, worship and serve God alone. 00:15:37.770 --> 00:15:43.439 It's a very tight echo and resonance with the first commandment, and Jesus prevails using scripture once more. 00:15:43.620 --> 00:15:45.240 First round, provision tick. 00:15:45.270 --> 00:15:46.380 Second round, pride. 00:15:46.439 --> 00:15:46.890 Done. 00:15:47.820 --> 00:15:55.140 In doing so, Jesus rejects pride, power, and privilege, which shapes so much of our society and enterprise. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:59.460 You may be tempted, uh, in ministry. 00:15:59.520 --> 00:16:02.760 'cause you, someone almost certainly will say to you, oh, I'm okay. 00:16:02.760 --> 00:16:05.220 I live, I, I I followed 10 commandments. 00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:06.330 Have you heard that? 00:16:06.690 --> 00:16:08.160 I have multiple times. 00:16:09.420 --> 00:16:13.860 If you're feeling very cheeky, say to the person, well, can you recite them from one to 10? 00:16:16.765 --> 00:16:19.495 If you're less so, I'm probably more pastorally inclined. 00:16:23.275 --> 00:16:26.335 Just say to them, look, how do you go following the first commandment? 00:16:27.445 --> 00:16:31.615 How do you go no other gods before me? 00:16:37.920 --> 00:16:40.075 It means that we treat God as God. 00:16:41.515 --> 00:16:44.155 The kingdom of God is not about power and prestige. 00:16:44.835 --> 00:16:47.325 It's about service and sacrifice. 00:16:48.585 --> 00:16:50.955 Pride has no place in that economy. 00:16:51.645 --> 00:16:54.495 So the final test, I'm gonna call it Promise. 00:16:54.495 --> 00:16:56.955 Did you notice how all of the points started with pr? 00:17:02.180 --> 00:17:02.470 Okay. 00:17:03.105 --> 00:17:04.875 We move from promise to presumption. 00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:08.100 So verse nine, there's another minor miracle. 00:17:08.100 --> 00:17:13.020 Jesus and Satan are teleported to Jerusalem, the temple, the centre of God's presence, 00:17:13.020 --> 00:17:17.580 the refuge for the people of God, the epicentre of the Jewish nation and spirituality. 00:17:17.730 --> 00:17:22.230 He's at the pinnacle of the temple, and we are a bit unsure as to where exactly that was. 00:17:22.320 --> 00:17:23.760 It's up high on a roof somewhere. 00:17:23.760 --> 00:17:24.120 All right. 00:17:25.590 --> 00:17:29.070 Beckoning 200 feet or so below is the floor of the Kidron Valley. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:33.060 Jesus is up there swaying in the breeze. 00:17:33.930 --> 00:17:35.820 What a place to test this promise. 00:17:36.540 --> 00:17:38.400 And Satan now changes tack. 00:17:38.820 --> 00:17:41.280 He reverts back to the first test. 00:17:41.310 --> 00:17:46.140 If you are the son of God, throw yourself off in one dramatic, definitive, presumptuous, 00:17:46.140 --> 00:17:51.720 indulgent, flourish, and see what God does because, and this is where he gets tricky. 00:17:52.170 --> 00:17:54.635 G, grab tie, perfect passive. 00:17:56.100 --> 00:18:01.260 The formula of scripture, it is written, it stands written, and remains standing That. 00:18:05.325 --> 00:18:07.215 His angels will guard you. 00:18:07.965 --> 00:18:09.165 They'll bear you up. 00:18:09.645 --> 00:18:12.045 You will not strike your foot against a stone. 00:18:13.695 --> 00:18:14.355 He's quoting. 00:18:17.385 --> 00:18:21.465 Let's see what God does do this spectacular gesture. 00:18:24.945 --> 00:18:27.465 It's a promise affirming gesture, is it? 00:18:28.305 --> 00:18:28.665 No. 00:18:28.725 --> 00:18:29.235 No, it's not. 00:18:29.775 --> 00:18:32.145 It completely ignores verses one to 10. 00:18:32.385 --> 00:18:34.215 The context is controverted. 00:18:34.935 --> 00:18:36.465 Psalm 91. 00:18:36.945 --> 00:18:40.005 It talks about the protection that God offers, the faithful I. 00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:48.405 It is not a crass invitation for God to demonstrate his character and his credentials, his own faithfulness. 00:18:48.495 --> 00:18:52.575 And for the third time, Jesus calls this out again using the Bible. 00:18:52.575 --> 00:18:54.975 This time, Deuteronomy chapter six, verse 16. 00:18:54.975 --> 00:18:55.725 Don't test God. 00:18:56.445 --> 00:18:59.955 The wilderness generation did so read Psalm 95 if you'd like to. 00:19:00.375 --> 00:19:02.535 God doesn't need to prove himself. 00:19:02.835 --> 00:19:04.605 God's promises are trustworthy. 00:19:04.665 --> 00:19:06.015 His word is true. 00:19:06.345 --> 00:19:07.305 Don't test God. 00:19:07.305 --> 00:19:07.995 And that's that. 00:19:09.750 --> 00:19:12.330 And that was that three tests done and dusted. 00:19:12.330 --> 00:19:19.980 Verse 13, all the angles were summed up in these three Loki of provision of pride and a promise. 00:19:20.490 --> 00:19:23.970 The testing of Jesus as the son of God is complete. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:27.659 It's satisfied, and Jesus, the son of God is the real deal. 00:19:28.254 --> 00:19:34.615 Satan is defeated and he goes off stage and is backgrounded by Luke until 22 3 00:19:34.975 --> 00:19:40.254 when he performs his part in Jesus being betrayed where he whispers in Judas ear. 00:19:40.585 --> 00:19:46.375 So Satan's done and the result is Jesus returns in the power of the Spirit. 00:19:46.375 --> 00:19:49.165 So you got that nice sort of spiritual bookends of this perpe. 00:19:50.070 --> 00:19:55.110 He goes and he preaches and he's glorified. 00:19:55.110 --> 00:19:56.220 By all did you catch that? 00:19:57.120 --> 00:19:58.260 Glorified by all. 00:19:58.350 --> 00:20:00.420 And so thus, our passage is finished. 00:20:01.170 --> 00:20:04.575 He proves equality is the real deal and he gets it done. 00:20:05.355 --> 00:20:05.575 He. 00:20:06.075 --> 00:20:09.315 He gets the word out, the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:20:09.825 --> 00:20:13.395 The tests are done provision, pride, promise. 00:20:13.965 --> 00:20:19.725 And unlike the wilderness generation, Jesus prevails Jesus as the son of God is the real deal. 00:20:19.815 --> 00:20:20.925 So let's wrap this up. 00:20:21.435 --> 00:20:30.765 In the two minutes, I probably don't have, I want to make some fairly tight application to us, at the very least. 00:20:30.765 --> 00:20:35.055 Firstly, and most importantly, this passage yells at us. 00:20:35.415 --> 00:20:38.625 That with all his testing, Jesus has credibility. 00:20:38.655 --> 00:20:40.035 He is the real deal. 00:20:40.065 --> 00:20:42.045 He is worthy of our trust. 00:20:42.405 --> 00:20:45.285 Full stop, trust. 00:20:46.575 --> 00:20:48.975 Don't test first thing. 00:20:50.715 --> 00:20:58.515 Second thing is a little bit more nuanced, so bear with me as ministers and all of us are in ministry, all of us. 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:06.480 As ministers who serve the son of God, I'm gonna say we will face testing. 00:21:07.560 --> 00:21:09.960 Now, I wanna bolster that assertion with some Bible. 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:12.660 Luke, chapter 11, verse four, in the Lord's Prayer. 00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:14.190 Lead us not into temptation. 00:21:14.310 --> 00:21:18.060 Charisma, the same word that was used throughout, uh, Luke four. 00:21:18.360 --> 00:21:24.690 Same word, Matthew six 13 ads, but deliver us from evil or in some text, the evil one. 00:21:25.784 --> 00:21:28.095 Hebrews chapter four, verse 15. 00:21:28.095 --> 00:21:29.145 Jesus sympathized. 00:21:29.175 --> 00:21:34.215 'cause he was tempted Peros like us, but he didn't fall. 00:21:35.804 --> 00:21:39.074 So Jesus' Venn diagram is this big, the big circle. 00:21:39.915 --> 00:21:41.715 Ours is littler, but it's in it. 00:21:42.165 --> 00:21:42.945 That's what it's saying. 00:21:43.665 --> 00:21:45.105 You will be tested in ministry. 00:21:45.105 --> 00:21:49.095 And I want to conclude by using the three subjects in Jesus' examination. 00:21:49.095 --> 00:21:49.935 Firstly, provision. 00:21:50.745 --> 00:21:51.645 Now we know this. 00:21:52.935 --> 00:21:55.275 God provides for faithful gospel ministry, right? 00:21:55.305 --> 00:21:56.055 Yeah, of course. 00:21:56.985 --> 00:22:05.085 And then once you're in ministry and you've got a family and you've got a heritage listed house with a roof that leaks, 00:22:06.465 --> 00:22:13.005 and then you've got a parish that's getting frustrated and the giving goes down, and then you start asking the question. 00:22:14.025 --> 00:22:20.475 You realize as you look at the monthly p and l, that your livelihood depends on donations from volunteers. 00:22:21.360 --> 00:22:29.520 And you get that crippling pang of vulnerability and that nagging small voice will, or even can God provide 00:22:32.970 --> 00:22:37.650 leaders not in temptation, God can and will provide provision. 00:22:38.370 --> 00:22:39.510 Secondly, pride. 00:22:40.470 --> 00:22:43.350 Your youth group doubles in the second week of term. 00:22:46.350 --> 00:22:48.120 You preach on the Sunday morning. 00:22:49.080 --> 00:22:52.440 And the parish bully comes up to you and says, that's the greatest sermon I've ever heard 00:22:56.100 --> 00:22:56.340 offer. 00:22:56.340 --> 00:23:00.270 Trees go up, numbers go up, enrollments go up, 00:23:03.270 --> 00:23:03.810 can happen. 00:23:05.130 --> 00:23:09.390 And then the nagging small voice says, well, it's, it's really about me now, isn't it? 00:23:11.055 --> 00:23:11.655 Aren't I good? 00:23:13.754 --> 00:23:17.595 The jealous, abusive seed of narcissism takes root. 00:23:19.155 --> 00:23:20.685 Lead us not into temptation. 00:23:21.615 --> 00:23:22.754 God comes first. 00:23:23.115 --> 00:23:23.835 Not us. 00:23:24.075 --> 00:23:24.555 Not me. 00:23:25.965 --> 00:23:27.315 Thirdly and finally, promise. 00:23:28.365 --> 00:23:37.605 Testing God's fidelity using anything from the car, parking, prayer, so relevant in Newtown to the less trivial recovery of a sick loved one. 00:23:38.175 --> 00:23:39.345 Will God do this for me? 00:23:39.945 --> 00:23:43.095 And that nagging small voice, does God even keep his promise? 00:23:45.075 --> 00:23:46.004 Is he trustworthy? 00:23:48.735 --> 00:23:53.925 Lead us not into temptation because God makes and keeps promises. 00:23:53.925 --> 00:23:54.435 Period. 00:23:55.935 --> 00:23:58.035 You've been very patient with this bush minister. 00:23:58.185 --> 00:23:59.115 I'm gonna close. 00:24:00.764 --> 00:24:07.335 The testing of Jesus was provisioned pride and promise, and it proves Jesus credentials as the son of God. 00:24:08.190 --> 00:24:13.230 Jesus, as you all know, is tried, tested, and true is the real deal. 00:24:13.620 --> 00:24:25.350 So can I just leave you with every blessing as you prayerfully promote, preach and proclaim Jesus the real deal. 00:24:26.040 --> 00:24:29.129 The Son of God, can I pray for us? 00:24:32.550 --> 00:24:35.970 Gracious Lord, we thank you that in Jesus we have your son. 00:24:36.990 --> 00:24:38.429 The word became flesh. 00:24:39.689 --> 00:24:42.120 We thank you that we can trust him. 00:24:42.780 --> 00:24:44.850 We thank you that we can trust you for provision. 00:24:45.179 --> 00:24:50.429 We thank you that we need not be proud, and we thank you that your promises are true and trustworthy. 00:24:50.429 --> 00:24:55.950 I. We pray that we would follow you and that we'd be the real deal, and we pray this in Jesus' name. 00:24:56.340 --> 00:24:56.640 Amen. 00:25:05.520 --> 00:25:10.230 Karen Beilharz: Thank you for listening to Moore in the Word, a podcast of Moore Theological College. 00:25:10.814 --> 00:25:15.465 Our vision as a College is to see God glorified by men and women living for 00:25:15.465 --> 00:25:20.175 and proclaiming Jesus Christ, growing healthy churches and reaching the lost. 00:25:20.895 --> 00:25:27.135 Moore College is dedicated to helping all Christians know God better and make him known throughout the year. 00:25:27.375 --> 00:25:32.385 The College opens its doors to men and women from across Sydney and the world through live streaming. 00:25:32.445 --> 00:25:39.075 The College invites Christians everywhere to participate in talks, seminars, and workshops that address topical ethics issues, 00:25:39.405 --> 00:25:43.425 highlight the latest research and explore what the Bible says about gender roles. 00:25:44.205 --> 00:25:49.725 Discover the events of the College through its Centre for Christian Living, the Priscilla & Aquila Centre and the library. 00:25:50.385 --> 00:25:52.695 All event details are on the Moore College website. 00:25:53.024 --> 00:25:53.925 Search moore. 00:25:54.014 --> 00:25:59.655 That's moore.edu.au/events to find out more. 00:26:00.315 --> 00:26:04.004 That's moore.edu.au/events. 00:26:09.825 --> 00:26:14.625 You can find out more and register by going to the Moore College website moore. 00:26:14.715 --> 00:26:17.385 That's moore.edu.au. 00:26:18.675 --> 00:26:22.875 If you have not already done so, we encourage you to subscribe to our podcast 00:26:22.875 --> 00:26:26.774 through your favourite podcast platform so that you'll never miss an episode. 00:26:27.435 --> 00:26:32.445 For past episodes, further resources, and to make a tax deductible donation to support 00:26:32.445 --> 00:26:39.645 the work at the College and its mission, please visit our website at moore.edu.au. 00:26:41.565 --> 00:26:47.325 If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend and leave a review on your platform of choice. 00:26:48.165 --> 00:26:58.125 We always benefit from feedback from our listeners, so if you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at comms@moore.edu.au. 00:26:58.125 --> 00:27:05.715 The Moore in the Word podcast was edited and produced by me, Karen Beilharz, and the Communications Team at Moore Theological College. 00:27:06.310 --> 00:27:10.120 The music for our podcast was provided by MarkJuly from Pixabay. 00:27:10.930 --> 00:27:11.800 Until next time.