Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 6th March and for the Week ahead:

Scripture

5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.’” (Luke 4:5-8)

Reflection

The idea of being Lord of the whole world, or a significant part of it, has always been with us, and has always appealed to a certain type of person. To wield unparalleled power and might, to have unlimited resources at your disposal and to reign unopposed. Now it is rearing its ugly head again, with disastrous consequences.

Jesus is exposing it in this extract from the narrative about his 40 days in the wilderness as the utter lie that it is. The devil (meaning ‘the tempter’) is showing Jesus all the world, promising him to be their ruler, if only he, Jesus, will submit to the devil. But Jesus says NO.

What if he would have said yes? Was it really in the devil’s power to give Jesus what he promised? Of course not, because worldly power of that magnitude is hollow and leads only to suffering and disaster. It is flimsy and lacks substance. Before long, it is lost and the sea of time washes it away.

Only God and his gentle reign of compassion and mercy will last forever and ever. In the end, his is the only power worth submitting to and the only one we should serve.

Revd Ylva