NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!
Matthew 27:39,40 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the son of God!”
Did any of this sound familiar to you? I am sure it did to Jesus! Remember when the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness following his baptism? Satan began to tempt Jesus by having Jesus rise up in pride and prove himself as the Son of God, but Jesus knew he didn’t have to prove himself to Satan or anyone. While Satan let his pride become his downfall to his sin against God, Jesus responded in humility and loyalty to God his Heavenly Father. With each temptation Satan began, “If you are the Son of God then.” When Satan couldn’t get Jesus to sin against God scripture says that he left for a more opportune time. (Lk 4:13)
Jesus was constantly being tested and tempted during his time here on earth. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way yet did not sin. He was tempted in greater intensity and amount than I believe any other person. While we are tempted, I Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” Jesus didn’t have this privilege. I believe all the gates of hell were unleashed on him. I am sure every day the powers of darkness were whispering in the ears of the chief priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, teachers of the laws and the elders of ways of entrapping Jesus to sin. We might think that Satan, and powers of darkness wouldn’t even try to make Jesus sin knowing that Jesus had created them and he had the power and authority to not only cast them into hell, but to torture them for all eternity. But I suppose in their thinking they had nothing to lose. Jesus had made himself vulnerable in leaving heaven, and setting aside much of his divinity. Now Jesus could feel hunger, pain, frustration and temptation. Now they had a chance to bring God down to their level, and that was being sinful. If they could get Jesus to sin just once that would mean he wasn’t any better than they were, and his standards of righteousness and holiness were unreasonable making God unjust and disqualifying him to judge and send anyone to hell. The best that Satan could bring was brought against Jesus, but he never sinned once.
In Luke 22:41-44 it says, “He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but your be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Jesus was under such temptation to avoid the cross that blood vessels near the surface of his skin ruptured, but he didn’t give in and reject the cross. I Peter 1:20 it says that before creation Jesus was chosen for this very purpose of redemption. Now the completion of this plan was in sight, but the horror of the sins of this world being placed on him was great, yet not greater than his love for his Heavenly Father or for us!
It would be on the cross, just before he would breathe his last breath and gave up his spirit that he would hear once again, “If you are the son of God.” What a temptation it must had been to put all those religious holier and thou people in their place, and come down from the cross. He could have done just like Satan would have, and zapped them with a bolt of lighting or something spectacular to show off his power and anger but he didn’t.
Jesus had his eyes on the finish line the prize before him, the redemption of our souls. Jesus not only met the standards of holiness that we could not live up too, but he far exceeded them. Now his holiness and obedience would justify God’s forgiving us of our sins and unrighteousness.
Our son’s wife Angie Poole is a famous runner. She is in the Bradley University Hall of Fame in two different categories for cross country running. If this wasn’t enough to pop off all our buttons, she was also given the very prestigious honor of being in the the All Centennial Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame for cross country achievement. Her claim to fame didn’t come because she had special natural abilities. In fact it was more the opposite for her. Most runners on her level were tall, and could take long strides. Angie is only 4 foot 11 inches tall! For every stride the big girls were taking she had to take about one and a half. She not only excelled in college, but in other important races that had international runners. She is one of a few that has has won the Peoria Steamboat Classic that has international competition and she did it several times. She started running when she was in jr high. But it wasn’t until she was in high school that running would become a passion. Starting then she would get up early every morning and run ten miles every day. Even when her family would be on vacation while they would be eating in a restaurant, Angie would get her track shoes and clothes and start running down the road. By the time her family finished eating and catching up to her she had put in another ten miles. She could wear out a pair of running shoes in two weeks. The Nike shoe division even gave her shoes to test out for them. Angie is thirty-six and she is still running ten miles a day when her husband and three children are not demanding her attention. She is a running machine! So why was she so good and why does she continue to do it? Well, I believe that it was and still is a passion for her. How she could win with such a disadvantage? I believe was she always had her focus on the prize of the finish line. She didn’t pay attention where other runners were or how she was feeling. Her intensity and committed determination was spurred on by her focus. I am proud to say that she is a wonderful wife for our son Joshua, a wonderful mother and daughter-in law, but even more proud in her love and passion for Jesus and eternity with him.
The Christian pilgrimage is a marathon, and not a sprint as some see it. We face many trials, tribulations and certainly temptations during this time. But we don’t have to do it alone. Paul says in Hebrews 2:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Keep you eye on the goal of being with Jesus for all eternity where there is no more pain, sorrow or death for the old order has passed away. We can have no greater reward than to be with the one that loves us most, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He is worth it!
Prayer: Holy Spirit, please help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, and have him be the love our our heart. Please help us never give up. We ask this in Jesus name.
