which tune do we move to?

Did your Mum say you had to be home 10pm?

Is it really wrong to go over the speed limit?
I know it says no littering, but it is just an apple core.
"Did God say, you would die  …?"

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is out in the wilderness, and he is tested.   This passage is read at times as showing the importance of knowing some verses of scripture to keep temptation at bay, but notice the first 2 tests are also quotes of scripture.

Temptation doesn’t come with flashing lights saying danger, beware, turn back. Temptation comes disguised as opportunity, as realism.

Look at the temptations of Jesus –

• turn stones into bread,  go on, you’re hungry, why not?
• test God, go on, you are God’s son, surely God will protect you?
• you want to rule the world, I can help you with that, just worship me, and I will sort it all out for you…

a sermon I heard years ago, was about how we are tempted in areas of our strength. Me running a marathon, that is not a temptation, that is an impossibility. Me saying I will cook dinner for all of you tomorrow is a temptation, it is possible I could pull it off – but why would I? to show how clever I am? To show what a good cook I am?

These passages both ask – who or what do we listen to? 

Do we listen to the voice of grace and forgiveness in our lives?

Or do we listen to the voice of shame and guilt?

One of the questions I am frequently asked is: will God forgive me?

 The messages we get in our life are so often messages of failure, guilt and unworthiness, that we doubt that God will treat us any differently. Even though we hear the gospel each week, sometimes it seems it does not reside within us. What are the messages that you listen to, what messages do you allow to shape your life?, what are the words that stick!

 A quote I have put on my wall:

“It is the God we know, not the God we know about, that is ultimately of the most importance”

 The God I know, the God who I have felt in my life when I have been open to listening; the God I see in the gospel narratives about Jesus; the God I hear in the words of the prophets – this God speaks a message of good news. A message that reminds me of who I am – a loved child of God.

The challenge with being a loved child of God is that so many of the game rules for living are different.  No longer do we need to prove ourselves worthwhile, lovable, good looking or clever; no longer do we need to defend ourselves against insults; no longer do we need to show off our house or family or car.

 Being a disciple, being part of the body of Christ, is living to a different tune.  The tune we sing - the tune that our life moves to -  is one of service, mercy, forgiveness,  a tune of grace and love. No longer does our life move to the tune of greed, guilt or glamour.

 We choose which tune is the melody of our life.  It can be hard when we moving to a different tune to those around us.

Each day we are being challenged to leave behind the identity that God gives each one of us, and take on the identity of pride, guilt and failure.

Jesus chooses to live into his identity, he chooses not to play the game of self-fulfilment and short cuts to world power. Jesus chooses to march to God’s beat, to the kingdoms tune.

Which identity do we live into, which tune does our life move to?