The temptation of Jesus by Satan in the wilderness is mentioned briefly in Mark and given more thorough treatment in Mathew and Luke. One of the temptations, as told in Luke 4, is for Jesus to have all the nations of the world under his authority, complete with all the splendor and glory that entails.
"The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Jesus rejected the temptation, and yet the church has behaved ever since as if he had not. The church teaches that Jesus is the Lord and savior of all nations and everyone is required to worship him or suffer dire consequences. But is that what Jesus wanted?
Why do we assume that God/Jesus wants/needs/demands our praise and adulation? Jesus never once asked for that or required it of his disciples. And he rejected it when offered to him by satan. And yet we persist in this idea that he will condemn those who do not worship him.
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