Matthew 4:5-7
It is interesting the slight change of tactics that Satan makes in tempting Jesus: he starts using Scripture to support his temptation. Of course he uses it out of context and to support a faulty premise which Jesus recognizes very quickly but I'm not sure that I would. Especially because it would have been tempting: Satan is playing on a desire that Jesus already has but is tempting him to achieve that desire in an unholy way or to twist the desire towards something that is unholy. The desire that Satan is playing on here is the desire for significance and he is telling Jesus that the way to be significant is to do something spectacular - jump off the temple and live. If Jesus did that, he would be sure to draw a crowd and be famous.
I think that my youth ministry (and youth ministries - and probably churches - in general) face this temptation all the time - we argue that the end justifies the means. We will do anything to draw a crowd, justifying it by saying that we then have the opportunity to speak truth in their lives. The life of Jesus and the teaching of Scripture clearly teaches that the method we use to share the message is part of the message itself. In other words, in order to battle this temptation we must constantly ask: what does the method communicate? Is it at odds with the message I want to communicate? This is why, as an aside, I am so against the bait and switch approach to evangelism - it communicates that lying or deceit is ok as long as truth is proclaimed at some point in the event.
I think I also face this temptation in the constant pressure to do bigger and better than last time. Specifically for Identity, we're already asking the question of how we can do better. Of course careful evaluation is needed but if it's just about drawing a bigger crowd or being more spectacular, I think we've lost our focus. Jesus reminds me that there is something more important at stake then drawing a crowd and that is the agenda of Christ.
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1 comment:
I agree 100%. Too often evangelists use the bait and switch, and catch people by surprise. We know the power of Jesus and that should be enough. My only worry with something like Epicentre is that this could happen, but from the meeting that didn't seem to be the case. May we just rely on God and his power and not use gimmicks to get kids in the door. May we be upfront about the message of Christ, and not trick people into it. The decil is the one who uses tricks and deciet, we don't need to we have the power of God working in us and through us.
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