March 9, 2025 Alt Version

The Journey Through Temptation

Bible Passage: Lk 4:1–13, Je 29:8–14

Scripture: “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil.”

Prayer

Opening:

I love movies involving treasure hunts. So this morning let’s play name that movie!

Goonies.

One characteristic that the main characters in these movies all have that I want to focus on this AM.

RESILIENCY DEFINITION - the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties

Resilience is forged from the challenges the characters face. They call upon skills they didn’t know they had, they utilize past learning’s to solve new challenges.

This happens in the movies and in our lives. Because life is full of adversity.

That leads us to this AM’s scripture.

Context:

After Jesus is baptized...

The Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days.

40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil.

This point in Jesus’ ministry He had not been tested. This is where in the movie we see character being developed. The devil tries to take advantage of this by targeting weaknesses typical in humanity:

Basic need - Hunger, when we get hungry we get weak...easily agitated. Jesus admits here He is a man but still is not swayed. [Man shall not live by bread alone]

Appeal for power and authority - feeding human insecurities and desire for control and influence. [You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall serve]

Devil - prove it! Daring Jesus like a little kid. YOU WON’T! Jesus calmly...I have no reason or need to prove anything to you. [do not tempt the Lord your God]

Resiliency in the Temptation

Jesus walked out of the desert. Got through the storm,

The devil departed from Him until an opportune time...Always another storm

The adversary in the story (which is what Satan translates to in Hebrew). Leaves the scene for now only to return later.

Why do we need Spiritual Resiliency?

There is always another storm.

We talk about the storms during our prayer time. We pray for ourselves as we go through it and those we know who are in the midst of it.

How do we build SPIRITUAL Resiliency?

The same way we learn anything else. Putting in the effort.

What does goodness look like?

The Apostle Paul and his writings:

EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL RESILIENCE

“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be humbled, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to facing plenty and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” -Philippians 4:11-13

HOW TO GROW SPIRITUAL RESILIENCE

“I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” -2 Timothy:6-7

Paul wrote these letters while imprisoned. He talked about his faith holding it all together. Minimizing the lows and appreciating the highs.

Message:

Our lives are a series of challenges mixed in with periods of calm.

Takeaways:

Building Spiritual Resilience happens during the times of calm and is tested in the trial.

SHOULD I GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR THE HOUSE WHEN THERE IS A FIRE.

There is another storm coming.

We can strengthen our resilience by not just reading the scriptures but wrestling through them.

Not a race!

Understanding why they were written, the circumstances around the author and the people it was written to.

Wrestling brings something close so you are ready and able to apply it in your life?

Resiliency emerges from the time we dedicate to strengthening it...

Go to the gym & eat better to be resilient physically from illness and injury.

We meditate, take time for ourselves, see friends to be resilient from daily stress of careers, raising families, managing life as it comes.

I invite you to dedicate the time, wrestle with the scripture, strengthen Spiritual Resilience...so you can get through the next storm...and all the ones that follow.