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…
•Nothing hard…nothing as awful as going to the Cross
•Just Bow down and worship me and I’ll give it all to you…
Apply it
I want to do great things for God
The Devil can use that desire to his own advantage too!
A Bait that is set for us
In order for any temptation to be successful there must also be a bait/trap that is set for us
•A trap never looks like a trap to the person its trying to trap
•Instead it looks like an opportunity of a lifetime
•illustration :mouse trap
•Other people see the trap easily
What were the baits that the Devil set for Jesus?
•He used the bait of DOUBT
•If you are the Son of God
•If you are the Son of God then the only way you can PROVE it by telling these stones to become bread
•Don’t let the Devil call the shots
•Don’t let the Devil get to decide who you really are
•If you really want to be cool then smoke this or drink that…!
•He used the scriptures as a bait
•It’s ok to jump off the temple because the scriptures tell us nothing bad will happen to you
•God is love
•It’s ok to do what you are doing because God is love
•God will make sure nothing bad happens to you!
•Don’t put God to the test!
•He showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor
•He showed him the good stuff!
•Cheese looks good to the mouse!
•He shows us the product and tries to hide the price!
•Worship me and serve me
•Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay/cost you more than you want to pay
How temptation is defeated
•Temptation can be defeated
•The devil tempts you to sin but he cannot make you sin.
•He took Jesus to the top of the temple and suggested he jump off but he could not push him off
How is temptation defeated?
1. We need to be led by the Spirit
•“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”(v1)
•“So I say live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Galatians 5:16)
•Meaning of being led by the Spirit
•Where our intellect/will/emotions meet there is a throne
•Before Salvation : Self sits on the throne/self makes all the decision/Christ is on the outside
•Whenever temptation came we fell for it
•After Salvation : Christ through the Holy Spirit sits on that throne/The Spirit wants to lead us/Self fights to get back on the throne
2. We need to live by the Scriptures
•Every time the devil tempted Jesus what was Jesus’ reply?
•“It is written”
•Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God
•You always fight a lie with the truth
•God’s word is truth
•You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free
•The devil is going to focus his temptations on the areas where you don’t know the truth
•If you don’t know what God’s word says about something then that is where the devil is going to focus his temptation
•Think about the areas in your life where you are tempted the most
•Then study God’s word on that subject so you will know the truth and be ready the next time the Devil comes to tempt you
•It is written!
3. We need to love our Savior
•Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” (V10)
•You break the power of temptation by focusing on something else
•Instead of focusing your energy on worrying about the temptation-focus your energy on worshiping the Lord
•Temptation is not only an opportunity to do the wrong thing. It is just as much an opportunity to do the right thing.
• Fix your eyes on Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace
•We need to be led by the Spirit
•We need to live in the Scriptures
•We need to love our Savior
Not what happens if I have already fallen into temptation?
Then we look to see what God has written in his Word
“If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 john 1:9
If we confess our sins
•He will forgive us our sins
•He will free us from our sins
We don’t continue in the sin; instead we walk away from the sin!
If you have fallen into temptation God may want to forgive and free you today
•He wants you to be led by the Spirit
•He wants you to live by the Scriptures
•He wants you to love the Savior
