December 9, 2016 – 15 Days Until My Head Explodes, Or Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 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. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you, and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.” Luke 4:1-13

In Bavarian Alpine Folklore, the Krampus is a horned, “half-goat, half-demon”, figure who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved children with gifts. The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have considered him to be a pre-Christian figure. Other similar characters would be the “Belsnickel” of German lore, and the “Pere Fouettard of French lore.

The whole purpose of an “Anti-St. Nicholas” figure is to scare children into behaving all year long. Of course, there is nothing more empowering as a parent than to scare your children into thinking a “half-goat half-devil man will steal them away at Christmas if they have been rotten”. It is tempting, but not very Christian.
For forty days, Jesus was tempted by the devil. Temptation is a universal human experience. For Jesus to be tempted gives evidence to his humanity, gives evidence that Jesus was tested just as we are tested every day. What truly gives us hope and should strengthen our will to sustain temptation is the amazing fact that Jesus was able to avoid sinning in the face of such temptation. Time generally wears a person down, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The longer Jesus remained in the wilderness with the temptation, the more that his own will would have been tested. What gives us hope is that we worship the one who, in being human just like us, has given us a model for withstanding temptation, even in the most difficult of trials and tribulations. No, we cannot be sinless like Jesus, but we can receive strength and hope knowing that Jesus was fully human, like us, and knew what it meant to be tempted, like us. And Jesus will be the one to take all of that sin upon himself and win for us eternal life.

Pastor Dave