The Same Old Tricks, Played Again and Again

The Devil has nothing new to offer, but he is so good at the same old tricks, he doesn’t need to. We keep getting played by them! Here’s what I mean: In the beginning, the devil tested Adam and Eve, convincing them that God’s word was untrue, that, if they ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they would, in fact, not die, but be just like God. He convinced them that the fruit was good to eat, and that they were, in fact, obligated to do so, how noble it was to disobey the voice of God. “You’ll be just like God.” Their eyes were opened, but only to the fact that they were naked. While they did not die right away physically, spiritually they were cut off from the source of Life, God Himself. And, they have long, since, gone back to the dust.

In Luke 4, we see Jesus being tested by the devil. First, Satan, as he did with our ancestors, tried to tempt Jesus with food. By turning stone to bread, Jesus could have fed Himself, and He was capable to do so, but in doing so, He would not have been like us (I can’t turn stone in to bread), and it would have meant that He could not complete his mission to save humanity as a human. Secondly (in Luke, Matthew and Mark have this trial last), Satan attacked Jesus with His mission: “all of the Kingdoms of the world in their splendor have been given to me, I can give them to whomever I wish, and I will give them to you if you worship me.” Jesus was tempted by the mission He was given! In other words, “you don’t have to die for this, I’ll give them to you! Just worship me, and prove to the world that my rebellion is correct!” And, thirdly, Jesus was tested by the Father’s Love: “throw yourself from the pinnacle of the Temple, for surely He will command His angels concerning you, son of God!”

How did Jesus succeed where Adam, Eve and we fail? He went to the Word of God! Three powerful words followed by the Word: “It is written.” Adam and Eve fell because they disregarded the Word. We fail because we do the same. Jesus succeeded, and, indeed, went to the Cross because He not only kept the words, but He lived them! What does this speak to us? Obedience is the one thing Satan can’t stand. He says “do as you please, be your own god.” This, for a time, gets us what we want, but eventually the bill comes due: we have to pay for the rulership we have, and the end is always our destruction. Jesus lived a life according to all the righteous requirements of God and died the death we deserved, bearing the wrath of God on Himself so that we could have freedom through Him! The choice is still the same: be your own god and cause your own destruction, or surrender to the One who gave His life for you, and there you will have life and freedom!

Luke 4:1-12

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness or forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,

and him only shall you serve.’”

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

to guard you,’

And

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

1 Peter 5:1-11

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.