Living In Response

Mackerel is a good source of fish oil. Or so says my dictionary under the term “sourcing.” Having often questioned where my fish oil originates from, it is good to have such concerns finally laid to rest. But more importantly, sourcing was what Jesus’ trip to the wilderness was all about. The sourcing of the Father led Jesus into the wilderness and was the focus of each recorded temptation.

The last several months, Stephen Manley has been preaching through Matthew 4 on the temptation of Jesus. And while I have often heard the concept of sourcing, I was struck anew by something he said a week ago. “There is a pattern to Christianity,” he began. With bold passion he stated there are no exceptions to the pattern. Never. Nope. Nada. Not one. “The pattern,” he explained, “is God acts, we respond.”

In the second temptation, satan gives a cultural and Biblical suggestion as to how Jesus should reveal Himself as the Messiah. “Jump off the temple and let the angels catch You,” he prods. The Jews were expecting their coming Messiah to appear in the sky, descending to the temple. In many ways, the devil’s advice appears good, right, Biblical and culturally relevant. But his advice was far from the pattern of Christianity. The devil declares, “you act and let God respond.” Oh how many times I have lived this way. I live, work up, or produce – merely asking God to move upon and bless it. I act and want Jesus to respond; rather than responding to His movement and action. The question posed to Jesus through each temptation was, “Will You source Your life or will You lean back, resting in the flow and source of God?” The same question beckons my answer as well. Oh to continually live in response to Him! Would you join me in renouncing everything but the sourcing of God in our lives? Even that which appears good, right, and even Biblical may very well be the antithesis to Christianity – if it is sourced by us and not by God. May you and I live in continual response to Him.

If you are interested in hearing Stephen’s sermons on “The Trip to the Wilderness” or joining us in the weekly In the Word saturation studies, please visit the resource section at CrossStyleChurch.org