In the vision of Ezekiel 47 the river flows due East, in the footsteps of God. But the world, the society we live in, has another vision of salvation. Over the next three weeks we are going to transfer the three temptations of Jesus and reveal how they are still temptations for us today. The temptations to travel against the call of God, hence the title, “Due West”.

The first lie of the world is the desire for more stuff. In our society of consumerism, even the government, asks us to shop, to buy! In the world’s story salvation is found through possessions, through money. But in the temptation of Luke 4, though Jesus is hungry he knows there is more than fulfilling his wants and desires (even his needs!)…

“People do not live on bread alone.” ~ Salvation, traveling East, does not come through self control. We can not work our way into God’s favor! Our cravings will not disappear if we stop buying. Instead salvation comes through learning to live, to be satisfied with, the Word of God! The Word that is found in relationship with God! When we are filled with Him, we will find the desire for more stuff is gone. Instead our desire will be for more of Him!

To illustrate the lie I introduced by telling of the time I was stung by bee as a child. My lip was so swollen and damaged I had to go to lip rehab… of course the tale is not really my own, but from Silly Songs with Larry (check it out below). In the same way the world takes up the story of salvation, as though it has a plan and solution for our situation…