“I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” Luke 4:6-7
When was a time you found yourself taking the easy way out? Do you remember how it turned out? If you are like me, you have learned the hard way that taking the easy way out almost always leads to disappointment. It is tempting at the moment, however. Satan knew the power of this temptation when he tempted Jesus while He was in the wilderness. One of the three temptations he threw at Jesus was a temptation to take the easy way out.
This week we are looking at Luke 4, which records the time Satan tempted Jesus. Specifically, Luke 4 talks about 3 temptations that Jesus faced. The second temptation was for Jesus to take the easy way out. Satan came to Him and showed Him, “all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time” (verse 4). He then said, “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them…because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me” (verses 6-7). What Satan was offering here was an opportunity for Jesus to take the easy way out: He could die a horrific death on the cross for all of the wrong things we have done, or he could have absolute power over the earth if He bowed.
The first problem with this temptation, of course, is that worshiping anything but God is idolatry. Secondly, if Jesus did not die for us on the cross, we would not be rescued from sin. Gratefully, Jesus did not give in to this temptation. Instead, he responded to Satan by quoting from Deuteronomy 6. He said, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him’” (Luke 4:8). Jesus knew His purpose to obey and serve God the Father, and He did not deviate from that purpose. He did not take the easy way out, and because of that, He paid the price for our sins.
Aren’t you glad Jesus did not take the easy way out when it came to saving us? While taking the easy way out is tempting and may seem like a good idea at the time, it keeps us from following God and honoring Him with excellence. When we refuse not to take the easy way out, we reap the benefits every time.
Is there an area of your life where you have been tempted to take the easy way out? What is it? Our challenge today is to turn away from that temptation. Right now, let’s do everything with excellence because we are “working for the Lord rather than for people” (Colossians 3:23).
Deuteronomy 6:1-9 (NLT)
“These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, 2 and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
©2024 Sagebrush Church
