SUNDAY WORSHIP March 16, 2025 11:00AM Datlight Saving Time Begins Sunday's Bulletin Strong and Tender Rev. Allen Ross, preaching Mr. John Strybos, Music Director, Choir: Annette Etheridge, Lauren Mitchell, Robert Orbach, Susie Reisinger 
Come and share the joy of Christ's love with us.
All are welcome! Join us for our
Friendship and Fellowship Hour after 11:00 AM service in Bodge Lounge. 
Join us for the next Showing of
THE LUCK OF THE IRISH A comedy from 1948 starring Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter and Cecil Kellaway (who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in his role). on Saturday March 15, 2025 Pot Luck dinner at 6 PM Movie at 7 PM |
Join us for our Lenten Season
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The second observation Luke mentions is that "the Spirit led Him (Jesus) out into the wilderness." The wilderness recalls that the Children of Israel were in the wilderness. That suggests two different kinds of experiences. On the one hand, the wilderness was the scene of God's revelation to his people. In the wilderness God had made a covenant with his people at Sinai. In this wilderness was the place where God cared for and fed his people with manna.
The wilderness was the land where God forged his people into a strong nation who could go up and take the Promised Land. At the same time, the wilderness was the scene of many open rebellions against God. The wilderness was the arena where one could sense dramatically the presence of both God and Demon. The wilderness was a huge set where the desert storm of the battle of the godly and the demonic could take place. That is precisely why Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Luke cites the fact that Jesus was in the wilderness "forty days." More than likely, what comes to your mind is the fact that the Children of Israel were in the wilderness forty years. The forty days could, therefore, be reminiscent of those forty years and symbolic of that era of God's grace for God's people. What is probably more significant is the fact that Moses had been in Mount Sinai for forty days. Likewise, Elijah's flight from Jezebel lasted forty days when he went to Mount Horeb. In each of these cases these men of God emerged from their experience and greatly strengthened.
Luke reports quite simply, Jesus "was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by the devil, that there were three major temptations. Having been commissioned by the Heavenly Father for his ministry, Jesus had to determine in what form he would carry out this ministry. Having received the approval of his Father, "This is my beloved Son," Jesus had to contemplate how he could best continue to please his Heavenly Father. It took the full forty days to think through and imagine what kind of entanglements he was likely to face.
In the first temptation, Satan tells Jesus to turn stones to bread. There is nothing wrong with wanting to take care of our hunger. But what Satan was asking Jesus to do was to use divine power to care for his hunger. In the second temptation Satan asks Jesus to worship him. Here Jesus was to turn His back on the Father to worship Satan. Jesus reminds us of the importance of this when He quotes Scripture to Satan saying, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him." The third temptation was for Jesus to throw himself from the highest point of the temple, because God would rescue him. Satan wanted Jesus to test God. Jesus knew that. Each time Satan comes to Jesus with a temptation, Jesus responds by quoting Scripture.
The wilderness was the land where God forged his people into a strong nation who could go up and take the Promised Land. At the same time, the wilderness was the scene of many open rebellions against God. The wilderness was the arena where one could sense dramatically the presence of both God and Demon. The wilderness was a huge set where the desert storm of the battle of the godly and the demonic could take place. That is precisely why Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Luke cites the fact that Jesus was in the wilderness "forty days." More than likely, what comes to your mind is the fact that the Children of Israel were in the wilderness forty years. The forty days could, therefore, be reminiscent of those forty years and symbolic of that era of God's grace for God's people. What is probably more significant is the fact that Moses had been in Mount Sinai for forty days. Likewise, Elijah's flight from Jezebel lasted forty days when he went to Mount Horeb. In each of these cases these men of God emerged from their experience and greatly strengthened.
Luke reports quite simply, Jesus "was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by the devil, that there were three major temptations. Having been commissioned by the Heavenly Father for his ministry, Jesus had to determine in what form he would carry out this ministry. Having received the approval of his Father, "This is my beloved Son," Jesus had to contemplate how he could best continue to please his Heavenly Father. It took the full forty days to think through and imagine what kind of entanglements he was likely to face.
In the first temptation, Satan tells Jesus to turn stones to bread. There is nothing wrong with wanting to take care of our hunger. But what Satan was asking Jesus to do was to use divine power to care for his hunger. In the second temptation Satan asks Jesus to worship him. Here Jesus was to turn His back on the Father to worship Satan. Jesus reminds us of the importance of this when He quotes Scripture to Satan saying, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him." The third temptation was for Jesus to throw himself from the highest point of the temple, because God would rescue him. Satan wanted Jesus to test God. Jesus knew that. Each time Satan comes to Jesus with a temptation, Jesus responds by quoting Scripture.
If you would like to learn more about the love of Jesus Christ,
please join us in our Sunday worship on Sunday at 11:00 A.M.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
please join us in our Sunday worship on Sunday at 11:00 A.M.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
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