10^th February, 2008  

Kiwi-Korean Combined Service Sermon by Rev. Neil Johnston

“Spiritual Growth comes by understanding the Word”

(Genesis 2:15-17;Matthew 4:1-11)

Spiritual Growth is the second of our major themes as we review our giving to the church during these weeks of February. We began with Worship and today we consider the importance of spiritual growth.

The temptations of Jesus give a pattern for the growth to maturity of Christ in us.

Jesus had a problem. He was hungry. But the hunger wasn’t going to kill him.

We too are often hungry for material things, but this hunger will not kill us.

For instance, Television ads and movies can make us hunger for material things. Television ads are designed to make us hungry.

Our hunger to consume can be very great – but “doing without” doesn’t kill us, in fact it can make us stronger.

The energy to resist the temptation comes from the Word:

The Scripture says: A person does not live by bread alone

Jesus had another problem.

The responsibility of being the Son of God was very heavy. There was part of him that wanted to avoid that responsibility. The crowds were hard work.

Confronting others in a creative way was not easy.

Why not be part of the problem sometimes, instead of being the solution.

He wanted, like us all,  to live a long life and do all the things that every one else did, have children and grand children, be accepted and respected in the community,

He didn’t want to die on a cross like a common criminal.

It’s not easy when your thirty, and can do anything, to choose a way of self denial.

Why not let it all go? Why not drift for a while and let the world go by?

If you are the Son of God, God will take care of you whatever happens. He will not let you be hurt.

Why not leave the hard work to someone else?

Throw yourself from the highest point of the temple. Be the first sky diver and land gently on the earth. What a spectacle? What a performance?

Later on, at Gethsemane, Jesus would throw himself into the abyss, but only when he believed it was the will of the Father. And at that point, he says to those who will kill him.

Don’t you know that I could call on my father for help, and at once he would send me more than twelve armies of angels?

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Jesus had a third problem.

He was a very gifted person. An eloquent speaker, he could control large numbers of people with his oratory and stories. Why not use these gifts for political ends, his own ends? Why not seize political power from the hated Romans and begin an empire that would never end?

The thought must have been very attractive.

“But the scripture says: Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”

Jesus grew in stature with every decision he took.

He made the right choice when a decision had to be made.