Title: Temptation of Jesus
Theme: Showing how these temptations relate to us.
Text: Luke 4:1-14
Introduction
(1) Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
I believe this is the key to understanding this passage. Jesus was being led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. He was taking him through some things to prepare for his greatest ministry.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct [3] your paths.
James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. (14) But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
This not a temptation to sin but a testing of strength. God does not tempt us to sin.
Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; (19) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
Could Jesus really have given in to this temptation? Yes. What he is doing here is showing us how to over come it.
(2) being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
Here we read of three temptations. I believe that they are a summary of many. We are told he was tempted for 40 days. Wow that is a long time.
Temptation of Performance
(3) And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."
If you are the Son of God. He is questioning Jesus identity. He knew who Jesus was. We see that throughout the scriptures there is no doubt. The thing is if he could only get Jesus to doubt who he was.
Temptation: you perform for me.
What is wrong with performance? Once you perform one time you have to perform over and over again. Secondly now you are working for him.
We are tempted to perform for people. Women are tempted to perform for men. They do all kinds of things to attract them. Obliviously men can follow the same pattern but I see women give up so much to be the connected to a man.
Response: “Dependence on God’s approval”
(4) But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' "
Answer: depend on the Lord not just on the physical meeting of my needs
Exercise profited little
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
The devil wanted Jesus to perform. He was trying to get his focus off the Lord and on what he could do.
Temptation of the “Short Cut” – Easy Way Out
There is a lot to lose here.
(5) Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
(6) And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
(7) Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."
The devil was offering Jesus a kingdom without the cross. Why go to all the trouble and pain to win the world when it can be handed to you on a silver platter. No suffering, No Struggling, No Sacrifice. But a crown without the cross would mean that there would be no forgiveness for our sins.
Biblical – Abraham, Sarah and Ishmael
Compromise is a short cut
The temptation to take short-cuts is the temptation of compromise, and the cost of compromise is your integrity.
Response: worship God only
(8) And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For] it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "
Don’t make permanent decisions on temporary circumstances.
Patience and the sovereignty of God.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
To face the temptation of the “Short -Cut” and compromise is to learn to worship God! - Matthew 4:10 - 11
Jesus quotes Duet 6:13 Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
Worship is our response to seek God and love God in all situations
Service is our response to God to follow Him in all situations
Consider these verses: Romans 12:1 - 2; Joshua 1; Joshua 24:15; Philippians 4:13
This doesn't seem like much of a temptation. God owns it all so what can the devil offer to Jesus. Well mainly he could offer a short cut.
Devil's limited perspective. The devil thought that Jesus main purpose was to be the king.
Matthew (feeding the 5,000) they wanted to make him king
If this is all that Jesus wanted it could be fulfilled in a moment.
Answer to the temptation: take the emphasis off of him and onto God.
Temptation
(9) Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
Here again we see the word "if". This is a question of Jesus' identity.
(10) For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,'
(11) "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "
Throw yourself down. This again is performance but there is a deeper temptation. Not just perform but to test God. Put God at his control.
Response: Don’t tempt the Lord
(12) And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' "
tempt - push, force God's hand
Misuse of scripture
Inaction “faith without works is dead”
Tempt: 1. to prove, test, thoroughly
2. to put to proof God's character and power
MSG 12 "Yes," said Jesus, "and it's also written, 'Don't you dare tempt the Lord your God.'"
Answer: Trust the Lord and his perspective.
Conclusion
(13) Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
(14) Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
Response
If feel like the Lord is speaking to some people this morning. 1) the performer 2) the compromiser 3) the tester
