Jesus is Tempted

Pastor Jiang Wen

Translated by John Huang

---

Mark 1: 12-13

When our Lord Jesus was baptized, God the Father spoke from heaven, "You are my beloved Son, and I delight in you." The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. This was a glorious moment when the Father and Holy Spirit of the Trinity witnessed the Word (the Holy Son) becoming incarnate Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God, and he is from the beginning (Micah 5: 2). This scene happened by the Jordan River, John the Baptist saw it, and many Jews saw it, and people began to put their expectation of Messiah onto this man called Jesus of Nazareth. The Holy Spirit did not keep Jesus in the crowd and immediately threw him into the wilderness. The Son of God became the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus obeyed the guidance of the Holy Spirit. From the greenery of the river to the dry land, from the rich land to the wild beast, from the center of the crowd to the solitary place, from the glory of the Son of God to the weakness of the Son of Man after a forty-day fast. Jesus went through the test from "richly having" to "lack of having" in such a huge gap. God also allowed Satan to test Jesus with his physical needs, lust in eyes, pride in this life, and even challenge the special identity of the Son of God, so that Jesus experienced another test of going from "lack of having" to the immediate possession of "richly having" everything he wanted. Our Lord clearly wants to show, with you and me, that he also had to go through the experience of suffering and temptation as well. Moreover, he experienced the suffering and temptation more than we have and yet, he is without sin. For the Lord himself, Jesus did not need to experience such suffering and trials. As a Messiah, he willingly offered himself as the Son of Man to save sinners. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5: 8-10) Dear brothers and sisters, When this virus is raging, when people's heart is fragile, and all kinds of concerns are on your mind, do you think that this is a trial that God allows you to face, and the purpose is to make you gradually complete? Have you thought of Jesus, with flesh and blood like you, enduring and experiencing suffering and trials for you? Oh yes, the Lord Jesus endured and overcome suffering and temptation for you! He understands you deeply, truly being merciful to you, and saves you completely! An ordinary person can tolerate and overcome some suffering or temptation but those acts are merely examples that can inspire you. Other than that, it has no other effects. But Jesus, who is both the Son of God and the Son of Man, endures and overcomes suffering and temptation for you. He is not only your example, but the righteousness that He has accomplished is given to you in Christ and redeemed you. He shepherds you, your true Savior and Lord of life! Many people throughout history were kept to the end in all kinds of trials. Now you are united with your Lord Jesus in faith, and because of his victory, we necessarily will triumph over trials because of him. By faith let Him lead you into the land of milk and honey, which he prepared for you. Jesus said: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matt. 11:28) Please meditate and offer your prayers: how can the various trials benefit me? In these trials, what does Jesus Christ mean to me?