David Lose, Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, preaches from Matthew 4:1-11, the story of Jesus’ temptation. Lose says that the authors of Matthew and Luke believe that “in the story of Jesus’ temptation we see the history of the world encapsulated in the experiences of this man [Jesus], and that in the account of his refusal to give into temptation, we hear nothing less than the good news that in God’s only Son there is hope for all humanity.” Jesus resists temptation and trusts in God’s words at his baptism. Lose says, “It’s because Jesus received his blessing and identity…in his baptism, he can endure the wilderness and withstand the temptations hurled at him because he knows he is God’s beloved child.” We, too, are God’s beloved children, and Lose reminds us to let this fact guide us through our temptations.
Manuscript available: click HERE