So Jesus resists temptation in the wilderness, but the temptation didn't end there. I would imagine that one of the hardest things Jesus faced would be that those closest to him chose not to follow his teaching. John 6:66 says that "from this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." A few days earlier, there were 5,000 people following Jesus. Today? Not so many.
The road to the cross is unconventional and it is not easy. It calls us to ready our hearts for the good days and the bad days. Sometimes we will resist all of the temptations of the world only to find that the crowds have deserted us. Following Jesus takes us from the wilderness to the desert and ultimately to the cross. And there will surely be bumps in the road along the way. Jesus' disciples said "This is a tough teaching, who can accept it" (John 6:60)? The journey is tough and unconventional, and as such, reminds us that we are following in the footsteps of Christ, who suffered terribly.
So when have you encountered speed bumps in your journey? How did you deal with them?
We will be meeting this Thursday in the Guilford College Community Center at 7:00. Hope to see you there!
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