Wow. Doing some brainless work I downloaded this sermon on the temptatons of Jesus in the wilderness. Actually, I was listening to another one, got distracted, and this one came next so that I accidently heard the beginning of it.

Rich presents the idea that Jesus was fundamentally tempted about what the Son of God deserved to experience. Certainly the Son of God shouldn’t have to suffer, right? Surely he deserves a better life.

This perspective certainly matches that of the author of Hebrews:

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12)

You would think that Jesus’ sinlessness eliminates him from this sort of thing, but this comes after the climax of Hebrews 10.37 to 12.3 which literally begins and ends with Jesus (the LXX version of Habbakuk 2.4 giving a messianic sense). Furthermore, the author of Hebrews has already tied Jesus suffering to his learning obedience:

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5).

And this is not simply the example of a pious human being. This is the revelation of the true god:

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1).

I can’t improve on Lusk’s pastoral application for saints tempted to sin, but I’ll try to summarize. When you think that you are going through something that you shouldn’t have to put up with. When you think your spouse is unworthy of you, for example. You are believing something false about being God’s son. You’re not called to what’s worthy of you. You’re called to serve others.

Convicting stuff.