A Feast in the Desert

Feast in the Desert

Last week, we began our journey through Advent season, with a look at the subject of ‘Fasting’ and the Christian. I’m urging us, as we make our way toward Christmas, to begin the spiritual discipline of fasting. I trust you are already setting time aside to read your Bible and to pray … those are disciplines of the Christian life. But what about fasting? Not fasting as a diet method - not talking about intermittent fasting. Not fasting as a way to prove something to God so you can twist His arm into a favor ...

2 The Problem

3 The Pleasure

Last week, we began our journey through Advent season, with a look at the subject of ‘Fasting’ and the Christian. I’m urging us, as we make our way toward Christmas, to begin the spiritual discipline of fasting. I trust you are already setting time aside to read your Bible and to pray … those are disciplines of the Christian life. But what about fasting? Not fasting as a diet method - not talking about intermittent fasting. Not fasting as a way to prove something to God so you can twist His arm into a favor ...

Fasting - giving up a meal or two, giving up tv time or giving up digital media, or time at the gym, or time with friends … to spend time alone with the Lord and refocus ...

Lloyd Jones - fasting

Maybe you thought, at the end of that service, ‘Well, that was interesting … but, whew: I’m glad that’s over. Let’s go to lunch!’

And now, let’s get on with something more ‘Christmassy’ - - - - - - - Sorry, we aren’t done yet. I’m not saying ‘don’t hurry off to get your spot at the Sunday Brunch buffet’. I’m also not saying that the Advent season should be a journey marked by misery - depriving yourself of anything that brings pleasure. GO! Enjoy your meal - enjoy the God-given delights of this special time of year. .... My encouragement to you is this: “Throughout the Advent and Christmas season - keep in the forefront of your mind … WHOSE YOU ARE. Remember that you belong to the One who bought you to enjoy more - - so much more than just food and drink and money and sex.” Enjoy the fullness of what God intends for you.

My aim for our time together this morning is that God’s people would see, in a new way - the importance of following Jesus’ example of fasting, so that we are better prepared for the challenges of Christian life in the desert in which you live (more about that later).

And for those here this morning, who do not know Jesus Christ yet - - my prayer is that you would be moved with a holy dissatisfaction for all the sham offerings that the world shoves in your hands and says … “Here is what you need to fill your empty soul.”

Oh, that we would all be drawn .... NOT to fasting in itself, but to the Christ whose coming we long for. Oh to see His Glory!

Oh, my soul is parched with thirst - that God would move in a deeper, fuller way … bubbling over and quenching the thirst of His Church - - Here at Maranatha and beyond.

Oh, that He would do such a mighty work in the hearts of His people here, that through the radiant flow of our anointed, Spirit-empowered LIVES .... that, week by week, God would use us to penetrate the darkness of hopelessness, despair and the death-dealing ways of the world, with the life-giving brightness of Jesus Christ.

And I firmly believe that one of the instruments God WILL use to that end - is the humble, heart-felt fasting (with prayer) of God’s people.

Charles Spurgeon saw thousands upon thousands come to faith in Jesus Christ, during the time of his ministry at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. He said of his church, ‘Our seasons of fasting and prayer at the Tabernacle have been high days indeed. Never has heaven’s gate stood wider. Never have we been nearer the central Glory.”

Oh, I long for us to move out of the cold night of complacency and apathy - to get so near the fire of God’s glory that we burn with a holy passion for Jesus and the glory of His name!

Our text this morning, is

3 Aspects of this Passage that I want to look at this morning:

1 The PLACE 2 The PROBLEM 3 The PLEASURE

1 THE PLACE

Jesus has just been baptized. He emerges from the blanket of Jordan water, to take a breath from the warm air. As he does, the heavens above crack open. The Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, visibly descends on him. And a voice rings out. Not just any voice, but the voice of the Almighty Creator God - RINGS OUT, saying: “This is my BELOVED SON, with whom I am WELL-PLEASED.”

This is one of those amazing, mountaintop experiences. What affirmation for the beginning ministry of Jesus Christ. God is saying here: “No matter the circumstances of trial and suffering that My Son will endure … NONE OF IT COMES BECAUSE I DON’T CARE. Not just DO I care .... He is my PLEASURE.”

I hope you realize that if you are a child of God - if you are here this morning - and you have put your faith in Christ’s finished work - I hope you realize that these words apply to you, too.

Notice the first thing that the Holy Spirit does, after the ‘mountain-top’ experience of Jesus’ baptism. Chapter 4:1 - “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” After the Father expresses His love for the Son, the Spirit leads him into the place of testing … the wilderness - some translations call it the DESERT. That’s exactly what it is. this is a place of desolation. This is where the scorching sun withers the vegetation. Grass and flowers and fruit - they don’t survive here. This is a place hostile to life. This is the territory that you hurry through as fast as you possibly can. Not Jesus.

This story should grab and shake us awake. Here is Jesus Christ - God in human flesh. He is at the starting line of the most important mission in human history.

On these shoulders, rests the salvation of the entire human race. Not a single person will escape an eternity under the holy anger of God, without His suffering, death and resurrection. And the all-wise plan of God - - is to begin the public journey to the cross, with a test of suffering … and Jesus prepares for that test, with a fast.

Do you see how Jesus’ desert experience mirrors our life in this world? You can’t fully understand it until you see how he responds to the devil’s test. The first test in , “And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’”

“You are the Son of God … so you should be feasting! You should be celebrating ...” ...

Jesus’ response in v. 4 is so familiar to so many of us here. Jesus replies, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

You’ve heard the words before - but what you may not be as familiar with, is where Jesus is quoting from. “It is written”, he says. But where is it written? It’s written in actually. “… remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. (3) And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

In Deuteronomy - the nation of Israel is in the desert - being prepared. Imagine being an Israelite - there. Slavery is all you have EVER known. Your family went down to Egypt by choice and things started out pretty well — Joseph saved the nation, after all. But that warm welcome didn’t last long. Now, for hundreds of years - generation after generation - - all your people have ever known is slavery.

BUT GOD - God heard your desperate cries for rescue. He has reached into the prison cell of Egypt - He has overpowered the mighty Pharaoh who kept you in bondage - God has proven His power and mercy by picking you up, leading you through a parted sea and destroying the Egyptian army, rushing to take you back. You are free. And more than that - God has promised not just freedom, but blessing. There is a Land He has promised you - flowing with milk and honey - a land of delight. But He’s not going to just pluck you from slavery and plop you into the promised land. First, He will prepare you. That’s why the desert. This is the wilderness of preparation.

Do you see the connection between Israel and you, Christian? You, who have put your faith in the finished work of Christ alone - you’ve tasted the joy of sins forgiven - For the first time, EVER, you have found true meaning for your life - everything makes sense - you know what it is to be, no longer a slave to fear, but to be a child of God … and you have this blessed hope of an eternity … not as less than you are … but as infinitely more the you than you are now - an eternity of unhindered JOY!

But for now … oh, for now, you journey through this - this desert. All around you - everywhere you look, there is sign after sign to remind you that this is a dry and thirsty land.

THAT’S YOUR EXPERIENCE. For some of you - it is especially your experience at this very time of year. Christmas is supposed to be feasting and celebration and joy … “JOY to the world!” we sing. And you love the time - you enjoy the worship and the feasting and the fellowship and so much about the season … but still, every Christmas brings with it, pangs of hurt, pain … reminders of another year without your loved one here to celebrate with you - - or a family that didn’t turn out the way you thought it would ...

Take heart, this Advent season - Jesus, your Lord, began his ministry … identifying with us, in the desert. He quotes from the very text at this pivotal moment at the beginning of his public ministry.

2 THE PROBLEM

In verse 2, “And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” I guess so. As if he isn’t already aware that this desert is a harsh, unforgiving place - imagine the physical weakness, the suffocating sense of need - as Jesus looks around and there is no nourishment in sight.

That’s where the devil comes in - v. 3, “And the tempter came and said to him, ‘IF you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread’.”

Here is the problem: How will Jesus deal with His hunger? Think about it - He has options. He’s the Son of God - spoke the universe into existence … He has a million different options. He could have turned these stones into nourishment - - the most delectable, freshly baked, steaming, whole-grain bread ever baked, could have danced across his tongue, simply by Him speaking the word. It would have been done; would have been done in an instant - - and it would not have been sin. It’s His prerogative as God. “Grab something. Make yourself comfortable!” That’s the devil’s message here.

It’s the same message he taunted Jesus with at the cross. “IF you really are the Son of God - come down from there.”

He could have done it - and in an instant, shut- up every one of His critics. He could have come down from that lonely, agonizing cross - - and had every one of His enemies cowering in fear at his feet.

… And you and I would have died in our sins. It would have been devastating for me … and for you. He could have escaped the suffering, could have gone back to heaven with zero suffering - up into the clouds he could have gone, and with him, would have gone all of our our hopes for life beyond the wisp of smoke that is our existence here. He would have gone back to heaven as the eternal Son of God - - - but He would have gone without me.

Jesus’ mission was to come and be the suffering servant of the LORD … buys peace and life and hope for others at the cost of His own suffering.

So the problem for Jesus, during this wilderness test is this: “Where will I go for satisfaction, when I’m tempted to exchange the stones IN God’s will .... for the bread that lies OUTSIDE of His will?

He prepares himself for this temptation how? By fasting.

Question: How do you prepare to suffer? Fortunately or unfortunately - we live at a time in history, in a part of the world where it is possible to candy-coat our existence … most of the time. You can numb your senses with food, and drink … and noise. Whenever that incessant ache starts to rear its head again … that reminder that you were made for more than this world offers … what do you do?

CS Lewis: “A man's physical hunger does not prove that man will get any bread; he may die of starvation on a raft in the Atlantic. But surely a man's hunger does prove that he comes of a race which repairs its body by eating and inhabits a world where eatable substances exist. In the same way, though I do not believe (I wish I did) that my desire for Paradise proves that I shall enjoy it, I think it a pretty good indication that such a thing exists and that some men will.”

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

The pull is so strong, isn’t it? JUST STUFF MORE INSIDE .... I’ll make myself busy. I’ll grab another piece of chocolate … I’ll grab my phone and open up Instagram or facebook or twitter … and try to scroll the emptiness away. Digital fast!

You can get away with that when things are easy. But what will you do when trouble hits? When the circumstances of life rip apart your sails with hurricane force? Will you be able to find joy … THEN?! In the black night of trial, how can we expect to find our joy in God - - if we have been so distracted in the daytime, stuffing ourselves with cotton candy?

In my Grade 12 year …

Basketball season - - teacher’s strike. That meant teachers couldn’t carry on with

Richard Foster: “More than any other single discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Chrsit. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting - these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David said, ‘I humbled my soul with fasting’ (). Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear - - if they are within us, they will surface during fasting. At first we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger. Then we know that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ.”

3 THE PLEASURE

shows us how Jesus decisively wins the battle. “But He answered, ‘It is written, Man shall NOT live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’.”

Jesus succeeds at the very point where Israel failed in the wilderness. Do you see that? Israel tastes the power and love of God … He comes to this people in the prison cell of Egypt’s slavery .... He snatches them out takes them to freedom ....

And they say, “Thanks God - but where’s the food? We want some FOOD!!”

Does that sound familiar?

You are here today - and you have tasted God’s goodness - - every day of your life.

Every breath you have breathed; every meal you have eaten; every time your heart has pumped blood through your veins …every day in a thousand different ways - - you have enjoyed the gifts of God.

We all enjoy the gifts of God .... but let me ask you: Have you come to love the GOD OF THE GIFTS?

Jesus prepares His heart by prayer and fasting , so that when the devil’s temptations to settle for less come along … He is ready.

Man shall NOT live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.