40: The Temptation of ChristSample

 5. Signs

John 2 ends with many people believing in Jesus during the Passover Festival "when they saw the signs he was doing." In a strange turn of phrase, the author, John, tells us that Jesus, even acknowledging the many who proclaimed belief, did not entrust himself to them or in some translations "believe himself" to them. This particular paradigm is worked out in the early verses of the next chapter, but it's clear that the people came to a belief because the many signs and wonders Jesus performed. That is, they believed because of what they saw, not necessarily because they believed in or even understood who he was.

In Luke's account of the third temptation, the devil stands Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple and says to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here." The devil astutely cites Psalm 91 and God's order to the angels to protect Jesus from harm. This temptation has everything to do with proof. That is, if God loves you, let him prove it. And, in this specific case, there is Scripture to back it up. Much like the Passover crowd that follows because of the signs, Satan is tempting Jesus to give the world a sign of his kingship from the seat of both the known world and its religious center. Very often we, too, want something we can see; something we can measure or hold in our hand like a piece of paper or a signature. The problem, of course, is that these things don't save us any more than Jesus' miraculous signs saved those on hand at the Passover.

The security we have in Christ isn't quantifiable and when our ultimate goal becomes quantifiable proof we have to a large extent placed limits on our understanding of who God is and the redemptive power of Jesus. Jesus does not deny the truth of the Scripture, but he does take issue with the context. He responds, "Do not test the Lord your God." This is faith. There will be signs along the way to mark our journey towards greater Christ-likeness and understanding -- but this is only God's grace. We are not to count on these signs, as welcome as they are, in place of faith that God will ultimately prevail and his will be done.

Talk It Over:

1. If explaining to a non-believer, how would you define "faith"?

2. Describe a time in your life when you felt like you really needed a sign from God.

3. How has God revealed himself to you through prayer, circumstances, and relationships?