“Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘If you will bow down and worship me’” (Matthew 4:8).
As soon as Jesus was baptized and set apart for his public ministry, the very first thing that happened was the temptation in the wilderness. There the devil tempted Jesus for three days with power, notoriety, control, fame.
We know that Jesus refuted and rejected these temptations.
Fast forward two thousand years. I can’t help but wonder if the modern day evangelical church is pursuing the very temptations Jesus rejected in the wilderness. The kingdom of God was never about earthly power, notoriety, fame, or control. It’s about the crazy love story of a God who so loved sinners that he could not imagine an eternity without them in it. So God made a way through his Son’s death and resurrection that whosoever should believe in him – red, white, black, yellow, democrat, republican, American, Chinese, Russian, Iranian, North Korean – WHOSOEVER should believe in Jesus will be saved.
Could it be that we’re pursuing peace in the wrong way?
I will finish this entry with a quote from the renowned philosopher and thinker, Jimmy Hendrix (you do know I’m joking about the philosopher and thinker thing right?)
Jimmy Hendrix said, “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
I think Mr. Hendrix might be onto something.
Praxis: Faith in Action 