Overcoming Temptations - Lessons From Jesus’ LifeSýnishorn

Third Temptation of Christ 

In the third temptation of Jesus according to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is shown the kingdoms of the world from the top of a very high mountain. A new offer is now placed before Him—if He shifts His allegiance, all that He sees will be given to Him. The offer is one of absolute world domination, giving Jesus the opportunity to be the ultimate world ruler. At the heart of this temptation is the question of power. How do we acquire power and what do we do with it? Though we might not all be world rulers or country rulers, we all have power in some way or the other. We all exercise a level of power in our different situations. We can either use it for good or use it to propagate our own self interest. 

In this final offer by the devil, Jesus responds by saying, “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only”.  Jesus, powerful as He is, chooses to serve God with the power He has. He refuses an offer by which He could have used His power for His own self interest and submitted it to the feet of the Father. Just and true rulership can be harnessed only by absolute devotion to God. If we do not give ourselves to God then we will use the power we have for our own benefit, in the process condemning all those whom we exercise power on and ourselves to inconceivable harm. History is  proof that rulers who have used their power to propagate their own self interest have led themselves and their nations in a downward spiral to chaos. 

Only by giving our complete allegiance and loyalty to God can we ever use our power in the right way. Whatever position God has placed us in, we are answerable to Him. Through our loving God who always wants to guide us and by our loving submission to Him, we can use our power to advance the Kingdom of God.