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Late one night, a man had gone to a party and had too much to drink, so he decided it would be best to walk home. He found a shortcut through a poorly lit cemetery and, in the darkness, stumbled into an open grave. He repeatedly tried to climb out, but the walls were too slippery, and he fell back into the grave. Finally, in exhaustion, he settled in a corner to wait for sunlight.

A few minutes later, another man in the same condition was cutting through the cemetery and fell into the same grave. He, too, tried desperately to climb and claw his way out, and he was equally unsuccessful.

As he was about to give up in hopeless resignation, he heard the first man’s voice from the darkness: "You may as well give up. You’ll never get out of here."

But he did!

Matthew 4:1-11 (Three categories 1 John 2:16):

• Stones to Bread (Lust of the flesh)

• Kingdoms of the Earth (Lust of the eye)

• Pinnacle of the Temple (Pride of life)

I. Stones to Bread

A. Memorial Stones – Joshua 4:1-8 (ESV)

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

B. Jesus Turned the Lasting Memorial from Stone to Bread – Luke 22:19-20

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

1. Passover and deliverance from Egyptian slavery

2. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder of our deliverance from the enslavement of sin

II. All Kingdoms are His – Matthew 28:18-20

A. Satan is the “god of this world” and craves worship. 2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

B. Christ has ALL authority and honors His Father.

1. Christ’s words and deeds reveal a unique command over nature (walking on water, water to wine, etc.), illness (Bartimaeus, the Deaf), spiritual forces (Legion), and even death (Lazarus, His DBR).

2. His teachings carried weight, inspiring awe and obedience among followers and confounding detractors. Matthew 7:28-29 8 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

3. Unlike worldly leaders, Christ’s authority is not imposed by force, but demonstrated through compassion, truth, and sacrificial love. Romans 5:8

III. The Story’s Pinnacle

A. The Temple’s Pinnacle – Shofar for Sacrifices/9 am and 3 pm

B. Christ’s Pinnacle is not avoiding death like Houdini

John 10:17-18 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

1 Corinthians 2:8 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

C. Christ’s Pinnacle is embracing and overcoming death (1 Corinthians 15:56-58)

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.