On Friday, the world will be star-gazed by a little place called Rio. As you know, it’s time for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. I, for one, love the Olympics. I’m not sure if it’s the athletics, the pomp, or simply the competition of it all. But I love it.
Every 4 years, the world’s best qualify and compete for the prestigious gold medal. First, they qualify. The last several weeks have been filled with the U.S. Trials. But qualifying is not enough. Once they arrive at the Games, they must fight to the bitter end in order to win the title of Olympic Champion.
Recently, I preached from Luke 4:1-13. In this passage, I noticed the cosmic duel between Jesus and Satan. It was a battle of Olympic proportions. Jesus had to qualify to enter the battle. And qualify he did. Testified by the angels, by men, by the Father, by the Holy Spirit, and even by His genealogy (look back through Luke 1-3). Jesus was qualified to be Messiah.
But his qualifications were not enough. He must be victorious where Adam and Israel failed. And the text of Luke 4 shows how he was victorious over Satan’s temptations. And ultimately Luke concludes his Gospel with Jesus’ victory at the cross. But had Christ failed at the temptation, His cross would have had no saving effect.
Jesus is our Champion!!!