PRIORITIZING YOUR PRIORITIES

Luke 4:3 KJV 1900

And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

Priority - something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first or the fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important.

Balaam chose riches over obeying God.

Moses sacrifice the throne of Pharoah to herd sheep.

Judas chose 30 pieces of silver over his calling.

In the great temptation scene of Christ and Satan, Satan advanced an evil priority in telling Christ to make bread out of stones.

This evil priority can stated in different ways. We list ten ways it can be stated.

THE PRIORITY OF OUR WILL

It was not Gods will to make bread out of stones.

Christ gave priority to God’s will over His or anyone else’s will.

THE PRIORITY OF THE BODY

Satan’s suggestion gave priority of the body’s (bread) needs to that of the soul (Obeying God).

This is the priority of the social gospel that puts the needs of the body before the needs of the soul.

THE PRIORITY OF PRIVILEGE

Christ had many privileges. One was miracle power. But he put responsibility (obeying God) above privilege (working a bread miracle). He did not abuse his privileges.

THE PRIORITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES

Christ was in some stressing circumstances. But He did not ditch the commands of God though pressure would seem to justify it.

Satan can produce much pressure in His effort to get us to sin.

Pressure

Bread would give Christ physical pleasure. But it would also give Him soul pain.

So Christ put the priority on purity (obeying God) rather then enjoying the pleasure of the bread. Many today put their priority on pleasure instead of purity. The results are painful indeed.

THE PRIORITY OF SELF

Had Christ done what the devil had advocated (making bread), He would have sinned and thus ended the plan of redemption to save others.

Christ put others ahead of Himself.

This priority required sacrifice.

THE PRIORITY OF THE TEMPORAL

Making bread was to put priority on the temporal and not the eternal.

Christ did not make that tragic mistake that so many do.

THE PRIORITY OF SIGHT

The temptation was one that told Christ to live by sight not by faith.

Bread you can see physically, trusting God to supply your needs you cannot see physically—hence faith was the priority of Christ.