Encountering Jesus Series

Topic: Encountering Jesus

Text: Matthew 4-1-11

Introduction

•We are in our 3rd week of a new sermon series called Encountering Jesus

•From this series we are learning valuable lessons from different Bible Characters who encountered Jesus

Recap

•The first week we looked at the Apostle Paul

•Lesson #1 Encountering Jesus is dangerous business

•Lesson #2 Encountering Jesus means we will be asked to do things we may be afraid to do

•last week we looked at a mother who should never have encountered Jesus

•Although she lived in the wrong place and belonged to the wrong race she still encountered Jesus because she had great faith

•The lesson: Jesus won’t hide himself from those who have great faith

Today’s message

•We can learn valuable lessons from everyone in the Bible who encountered Jesus

•What about the Devil’s encounter with Jesus?

•Are there lessons to learn even there?

Today’s Text (Matthew 4:1-11)

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

and they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

There are 2 Lessons we learn from the Devil’s encounter with Jesus

•How temptation works

•How temptation is defeated

We all face temptation

•Everyone faces temptation

•I’m too spiritual to be ever tempted/Jesus himself was tempted

The Definition of Temptation

•The definition of temptation-…to be enticed to sin

•Temptation itself is never a sin

•It’s only a sin when we give in to the temptation

Since we all face temptation we need to know how temptation works and how it is defeated

How temptation works

In order for temptation to work 2 things must happen

•there must be an unmet desire inside of us

•There must be a Bait that is set for us

An unmet desire inside of us

In order for any temptation to be successful there must first of all be some unmet desire inside of us

•It doesn’t have to always be an unmet sinful desire

•It can be an unmet legitimate, normal desire

In the case of Jesus

•There was not one sinful desire in Jesus for the Devil to use against him

•Instead the Devil targeted legitimate and natural needs that Jesus had

The Devil knew 3 things about Jesus

1. The Devil knew Jesus was hungry

•The Devil saw that after fasting 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus was hungry so he sought to take advantage of that.

•He said to Jesus “If you are the son of God tell these stones to become bread.”

2. The devil knew that Jesus was about to begin his public ministry

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

and they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

•Let me help you to get started in your public ministry

•Here is a miracle you can easily do to impress people and right way attract followers

3. The Devil knew Jesus came to take back the world from Satan

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

•You don’t have to go to Cross and die to take back the world from me.

• I’ll give back the world to you …If you would just do this small little thing…