Sinless Savior
For this Lent Season, I have put together a series of devotionals that will be posted here every morning starting with Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter based on the narrative passages of the Gospel of Matthew. The devotional series will also be the basis for a preaching series every Sunday including Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. The title of the series is Following Jesus. Jesus calls us to follow him, but do we understand what following Jesus really means? I pray that our journey through this series will help us understand it much better.
Some of us are called to lead, but all of us are called to follow. A good follower, in our use of the word, is one who is interested, enthusiastic, and supportive of the person or cause (s)he follows. Christians are called to follow Jesus. Our level of interest, enthusiasm, and support depends on the depth of our admiration for the person we are following. It is fun to watch what fans of Jeremy Lin are willing to do. They cheer. They paint posters. They are present for every game in hope for a win. The enthusiasm is contagious. They are calling it Linmania.
Who is this Jesus? Why should we follow him? Matthew, in the opening chapter of his gospel, presents his genealogy as proof that Jesus is the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the legal heir to the throne of Israel. Jesus is the anointed Messiah to rule over God’s people. In the passage before his tempation, Jesus is presented by Matthew as the Son of God in a supernatural event in which the Father speaks in the presence of the Holy Spirit: “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased” (3:17). In chapter four, Matthew presents more evidence that Jesus is the legitimate Son of God: He overcame the devil!
The Bible is chalk full of leaders whom God called, but failed miserably in one way or another. From Adam to John the Baptist, we find betrayal, doubt, and sometimes blatant disobedience. Among all the biblical leaders, two stand out in Scripture: Moses, representing the Law and Elijah, representing the Prophets. Both of their outstanding ministries were marked by a fast of 40 days and 40 nights and so is Jesus’ which brings the kingdom of God through the new covenant in his blood. He is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. Moses failed. Elijah failed. But Jesus overcame the devil and that’s why he is worthy of a following. He is the Son of David, Son of Abraham, Son of God, our sinless Savior.
Jesus stood up to the devil and proved that God’s Word is better than physical food. In fact, Jesus considered doing the will of the Father his own food, better than any physical bread available - even if he himself could bring it about from stones by his own power. Jesus stopped the devil on his tracks because he was willing to trust God instead of testing him. He did not make any resentful demands on God’s promises for the sake of prestige, but submitted all of his life into his sovereign hands with contentment. Jesus rejected the devil’s idolatrous offer of possessions choosing to worship God alone because he preferred God’s fellowship above any other. The devil tried to ruin Jesus’ ministry, but he could not because he overcame every temptation as a victorious, sinless Savior - that’s why he is worth following!
Jesus calls on people to follow him at least six times in the Gospel of Matthew (Mat.4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21). The following Jesus is talking about is a lot more serious than Linmania. It is not just to accompany him on the road for awhile to cheer and be supportive, but to devote our lives to learn from him and live like him at whatever cost - to become his disciples! He has the power and authority to call us to follow him because he is the sinless Son of God, our Savior. Why is his victory over Satan so important?
His victory over Satan declares him to be the true Son of God. But there are other benefits as well. Jesus’ temptation guarantees us that he can “sympathize with our weaknessess” (Heb.4:15). He is fully God, but he is also fully human and experienced every temptation like us but without sin. He is worth following because he knows our struggle as human beings with temptation. Also, Jesus has set an example for us (1Pe.2:21) to follow. While we continue to struggle with our sin, Jesus wants us to fight against tempation like he did. Using the spiritual disciplines of fasting, prayer, and the Word we can fight the attacks of the enemy (Eph.6:10ff) like he did. He has promised to help us in our hour of temptation to find our way of escape if we follow him with all our hearts (1Cor.10:13).
Father, may my level of interest, enthusiasm, and support for your Son, our sinless Savior, be greater than Linmania. May I devote my life to learn from him and live like him because he overcame the devil and deserves my following.
