03 – “The Devil in the Wilderness” (Seeing Jesus)
Jesus’ baptism is a crescendo of sorts, a crowning affirmation by Israel’s greatest prophet at the time AND Jesus’ Father in Heaven, who says, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.” One would expect that the Lord could ride this kind of momentum into a triumphant public ministry, but he doesn’t.
Instead, the Holy Spirit leads him into a desolate wilderness to be tested by the Devil. The temptations don’t come immediately but after 40 days of wandering and fasting. Only after he is famished and physically exhausted is the battle joined. Pastor Alex helps us see how this reveals the mission of Jesus and unearths valuable spiritual insights for those who wish to follow him today.
If you’d like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we’d recommend The Paradigm. It’s a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/