The Unbearable Challenge of Freedom

We may readily affirm that Jesus Christ is the truth who sets us free to love and leads us into fullness of life. So we may readily affirm that freedom is one essential aspect of our core identity as truly human beings; or, again, of the core identity of our Christian personality.

Sadly, each one of us humans still has two distinct and opposing personalities: one Olympian, structured in terms of the false Olympian gods; and one Christian, structured in terms of Jesus. Worse, our thoroughly Olympian society and culture greatly strengthen our Olympian personality at the expense of our Christian one.

The Third Temptation: Controlling Even God Matters Most (Luke 4:9-13)

In this series of three definitive temptations, the devil wants Jesus to be savior his way. First he tempts Jesus to affirm that reality matters most. Values like truth, freedom, and love aren’t measurable and therefore don’t exist or matter much. Jesus disagrees, affirming that Abba’s words matter most.

The Second Temptation: Controlling Reality Matters Most (Luke 4:5-8)

5 Then the devil led [Jesus] 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, New Revised Standard Version)

The First Temptation: Reality Matters Most (Luke 4:1-4)

¹ Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, ² 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. ³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:1-4, New Revised Standard Version).

Jesus has just been baptized by John. He is about to start his brief but singular public ministry.

To prepare him for this, the Spirit leads him into the wilderness (v. 1). The wilderness is a place where we are completely on our own. There is no one there to help when danger confronts us.

Desacralizing Money by Using It to Support Christ’s Alternative Society (Acts 2, 4)

 ⁴⁴ All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. ⁴⁵ They would sell their property and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed (Acts 2:44-45, Good News Translation, here and following).

Possessions Bind Us to Pluto (Luke 18:18-25)

Today a certain ruler asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18-25). For now, let us define eternal life as an unconditional companionship with Jesus which survives our death.

Jesus starts with the basics: You know the commandments. Today’s embarrassing truth: Jesus could not assume we Christians know these basics. To refresh our memories, these are the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17): (1) no other gods, (2) no idols, (3) no misuse of the name of Yahweh, (4) keep the Sabbath, (5) honor father and mother, (6) no murder, (7) no adultery, (8) no stealing, (9) no false witness, and (10) no coveting (wanting what others have). Let us note that the first four commandments concern our relationship with Yahweh; the second six, our relationships with our neighbors.

Hoarding and Self-indulgence or Sharing (Luke 12:13-22)?

Global society and culture are Olympian; that is, they are structured in terms of devotion to six gods that the ancients thought lived on Mount Olympus. These six Olympian gods are (1) Jupiter, god of politics; (2) Mars, god of war; (3) Vulcan, god of technology; (4) Venus, goddess of sex; (5) Pluto, god of money; and (6) Bacchus, god of consumption.

Globally, every one of us human beings has two personalities. Each one of us is both fully Olympian and fully Christian. Our Olympian personality conforms to social and cultural norms by devoting itself wholeheartedly to those six false yet enticing Olympian gods. Our Christian personality devotes itself to Jesus Christ. Which personality we express varies from one moment to the next.

In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus contrasts devotion to the gods with devotion to Abba (God the Father) through him (God the Son) by the power of the Holy Spirit.