As part of our community’s current series (Covenant and Kingdom), I recently preached on Jesus’ temptations. Over the past few weeks we’ve been grappling as a community with what it looks like to intentionally engage in the three main areas Jesus seems to have been tempted in. Last night at our leadership Huddle we talked specifically about what God seems to be leading us to do to engage with these areas. As we enter into Lent today, I thought it fitting to meditate briefly on these temptations.
The three areas Jesus was tempted in correspond roughly with the three aspects of the fruit that Eve found appealing, and also with what old Apostle John calls “all that is in the world” (1 John 2:16). As such, I believe they are “arch-temptations,” i.e. deeply rooted idols that we will be warring with until the kingdom comes in its fullness. We’ll look at one temptation today, another on Friday, and the third next Monday.