Luke 3:22; Luke 4:1; Luke 4:14
“I can resist anything but temptation,” so boasted Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist, novelist & poet (1854 - 1900). The story of Oscar Wilde reveals the tragedy of this kind of attitude.
Our whole life is bordered by temptations of one sort or another. Everybody is as strong as his/her weakest temptation. The person who ignores this dynamic of humanity is the one who loses in the end.
What tempts you reveals a lot about you.
Money… Sex… Fame… Power… Food… Material things. And the list goes on and on.
Many things do not tempt us and we are “tempted” to think we are better than the people who are tempted by things that do not tempt us.
When my cousin, Mike and I were around 13, we faced a great temptation at my grandfather’s mountain farm. Not far from the house nestled high in a huge tree was one of the biggest wasp nests I had ever seen. We watched the wasps go in and out until we could no longer resist the temptation.
Each of us quickly found a stick large enough to reach the nest. Then, hardly able to control our laughter, we begin tapping on that wasp nest.
At first, it was fun. It was fun to see those wasps come out of that nest as though their world was falling apart. It only made us tap the nest even more vigorously. We were laughing hysterically until my cousin yelled, “Look out. They’re coming our way.” By the time we realized that they had figured out who was tapping their nest, they were literally in our face.
I am not sure how many wasp stings each of us got that day, suffice it enough to say, we hurt for days after.
Every temptation includes two basic factors. Here regardless of the temptation, these two factors will always be there. To understand these two factors is to prepare ourselves against the onslaught of the enemy.
1. First, is the allurement factor.
This is where the temptation aspect begins. Something is luring us in a certain direction. Something on the inside of is attracted to something on the outside.
This is where it all begins and where it all ends.
Everyone has a different allurement factor. What lures one person does not lure another person. Because we have a fallen human nature we are susceptible to this allurement factor. We are greatly affected by outward powers and influences that lead us away from God. To ignore this is to compromise our Christian walk.
2. Second, is the consequence factor.
Every temptation has a consequence attached to it if yielded. If people would realize the consequence of a certain action they probably would not do it. The problem lies in the fact that everybody has the attitude, “It won’t happen to me.”
Most of the time the allurement overshadows the consequence, but the consequence is always there. One moment of fun can produce a lifetime of consequences either bad or good.
We are all susceptible to temptation. How we deal with that temptation is the important factor.
Our temptations do not compromise our relationship with the Lord, but brings to the surface God’s amazing grace for us in times of need.
Every temptation gives us an opportunity to see Satan put in his place by God’s amazing grace. Too often, when we face a temptation we lose the perspective of our Christian life and fall prey to the enemy’s cunning. The stream of God’s infinite grace flows in our direction.
Here in Luke chapter 4, we have the temptation of Jesus. This is a rather important aspect, at least in Luke’s thinking, of Jesus’ ministry. His ministry does not start until after His encounter with this temptation.
As we look at this temptation of Jesus, there are two things we need to understand.
1. How did Satan attack Jesus?
2. How did Jesus respond to that attack?
When I understand these two things, I will be able to understand what is going on in my life and how the Adversary is trying to set traps for me to divert my attention away from the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep in mind, if he gets me to focus on myself he is winning. Whatever takes my mind or focus off of Jesus Christ leads me away from Christ.
One thing we need to note and that is, every temptation gives opportunity to see Satan put in his place through a demonstration of God’s grace in our situation. With this in mind, do not shrink from these temptations but stand, and having done all stand firm.
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Every temptation the facts or plays upon the natural tendency of man. And in this temptation of Jesus, we see a demonstration of how Satan attacks us. Every temptation of humanity falls under one of these temptations of Jesus in the wilderness.
Let’s break it down and look how the enemy attacked the Lord Jesus Christ.
First, it is important to understand the dynamics of this temptation. In Luke 4:1, we see something that is rather significant.
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness…”
The temptation of Jesus did not begin until after the Holy Spirit came upon him. Then, the Holy Spirit leads to that place where he would be tempted. Only the Spirit-filled life can stand up to the temptations of the adversary.
It is important to note that the Holy Spirit was the one who leads Jesus into the wilderness knowing that he will face the enemy’s temptations.
Keep in mind; our temptations do not compromise our relationship with God. Let us not fear temptation because the Holy Spirit is leading us headlong into this temptation, whatever it might be.
As is typical of Satan’s strategy, his attacks always come when we are at our weakest point. Such is the case as we examine the temptation of Jesus.
In the temptation of Jesus, we see three basic categories where Satan focuses his attack. Let me lay them out for you briefly and the next week we will go into more detail.
I. The Body (Luke 4:2-4) How I relate to my body needs.
This is the first attack of the enemy. We can go back through the Old Testament and see example after example of this. What I want you to see here is the basic vulnerability of humanity. This is man’s weakest point. This emphasizes the flesh and the needs of the flesh. At best we are slaves to our carnal desires. The enemy knows how to play off of this weakness that we have.
This includes the carnal appetite of the flesh, which covers a large area of our life. It is here that the enemy finds the easiest inroad into our life.
Jesus had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. The Scripture says, “He was hungry.” This is the natural aspect of our human body. All of us are susceptible to this kind of weakness. It is what is built into the human body. This is the most dramatic result of human depravity.
II. The Soul (Luke 4:5-8) How I relate to the world around me.
This represents the ego of mankind. “I am man, hear me roar.”
Everybody has the ambition to be a somebody. Most people have a highly inflated opinion of themselves causing them to think they are better than somebody else.
If you can see someone worse than you, it is because you do not really know yourself.
People long for fame and recognition. That is a lot of the impetus behind politicians and musicians and actors and writers and you name it. We are proud of what we do and we want other people to share in our pride.
This too is an easy target for the enemy. He promises to build our reputation to the point where the world will recognize our acclaimed.
III. The Spirit (Luke 4:9-12) How I relate to spiritual world.
Notice the place where this temptation took place. In Jerusalem and “on the pinnacle of the Temple.”
This highly suggests the religious element of Satan. I think he is probably the most religious creature in all God’s creation. Moreover, his suggestion is a valid one if you put it in the context of religion.
Conclusion…
The temptation of Jesus warns that the enemy is going to attack us. Notice Luke 4:13, “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.”
There is nobody is persistent and tenacious as Satan in regards to his attack on God’s people.
The reason this temptation of Jesus is important to us is because he was victorious over these temptations you and I can be victorious as well.
Listen to what John tells us in 1 John 4:4, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Because he was victorious over the temptations of the enemy, so we too are victorious over every temptation that should come our way. Jesus Christ is victorious and leads to our victorious because he who is in us, is greater than he who is attacking us.
