Posted on 01/19/2022 5:40:21 AM PST by metmom
“‘On the other hand, it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test”’” (Matthew 4:7).
The Lord Jesus had two good reasons for not participating in a worldly spectacle such as jumping from the temple roof. First, such sensationalism is captive to the laws of diminishing returns. To generate and hold people’s allegiance to Him merely by stunning signs, Jesus would have needed to produce greater and greater signs. People would never have been satisfied and would always have demanded just one more miracle, one additional showy event. Real faith would not have been certain; they would have been lovers of sensation more than God, which similarly could happen to any of us who don’t trust God’s already revealed will.
Second, and more important, for Jesus to participate in sensational signs would have demonstrated a profound mistrust in His heavenly Father and a presumptuous, faithless testing of God. But that’s what the devil wanted so that Jesus’ sin would shatter His claim to divinity and ruin humanity’s hope of salvation. Such an action would have questioned the Father’s providence and love—and the wisdom of His redemptive plan.
If our sinless Savior and Lord shunned sensationalism, we as imperfect men and women ought never to live recklessly or carelessly, expecting God to rescue us when we get into earthly trouble or spiritual peril.
Ask Yourself
Perhaps you don’t consider yourself a risk-taker. But looking honestly at your own life, do you spot some behaviors that are spiritually risky, actions that presume on the grace of God? In humble repentance today, surrender these things to the Lord. Receive, but don’t force, His great mercy.
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
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Why Jesus Rejected Sensationalism - Devotional
GracetoYou.org ^ | 2008 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church
Posted on 1/19/2022, 5:40:21 AM by metmom
“‘On the other hand, it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test”’” (Matthew 4:7).
The Lord Jesus had two good reasons for not participating in a worldly spectacle such as jumping from the temple roof. First, such sensationalism is captive to the laws of diminishing returns. To generate and hold people’s allegiance to Him merely by stunning signs, Jesus would have needed to produce greater and greater signs. People would never have been satisfied and would always have demanded just one more miracle, one additional showy event. Real faith would not have been certain; they would have been lovers of sensation more than God, which similarly could happen to any of us who don’t trust God’s already revealed will.
Water into wine, curing blindness, leprously, and other diseases, walking on water and calming a storm, feeding 4,000, with two loaves and a few fish, turning out the money changers, and rising from the grave.
Jesus absolutely did go in for sensationalism, but did so on his own time, not on demand from a audience like some trained monkey.
did go in..?
Great point.
He didn’t do that stuff for sensationalism but to minister to others and validate his message.
During his time on Earth as flesh and blood, yes "did."
OTOH...
Malachi 3:10 niv
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
Agreed his miracles were for exactly that purpose. They would seem small compared to the creation of the universe but he also did that too of course..
Luke 7:22
Jesus said to the messengers sent by John,
“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard.
Blind people are now able to see,
and the lame can walk.
People who have leprosy are being healed,
and the deaf can now hear.
The dead are raised to life,
and the poor are hearing the good news.”
Douay-Rheims Bible
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