1.6 Commitment

STAGE 1: Facing Reality

FALSE WISDOM

DISTORTING THE TRUTH

COMMITMENT

Aim: To challenge false wisdom with the spirit of Jesus, in order to commit ourselves to the wisdom of God.

Reading

Jesus’ temptations and resolute commitment (Mt 4:1-11):

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread”. But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’”.

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’, and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone’”. Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’”.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me”. Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan, for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him’”. Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Comment

The devil urges Jesus to adopt for his life and ministry the wisdom of the world:

In the area of body: “Command these stones to become loaves of bread”.
In the area of performance: “Throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’…”
In the area of possession: “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me”.

The suggestion is: “Take shortcuts, and everything will be well with your health, your career, your property!” But Jesus refuses to take the devil’s advice and resolutely commits himself to the wisdom of God as follows:

Feeding on God’s Word precedes finding material bread: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”.
Trusting God precedes human doing: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”.
Possessing God precedes having things: “Worship the Lord your God and serve only him”.

Personal Reflection and Sharing

What dimensions of worldly wisdom do I feel committed to challenge and let go of in my life today?

What is my most convincing argument for doing so? And how is Jesus’ example inspiring me?

[1-6] CALL RESPONSE COMMITMENT PRAYER