LIFE’S AREAS OF TEMPTATION
Matthew 4:1–11
ILLUSTRATIONS People in other nations who print signs in English often make interesting, and sometimes humorous mistakes. A sign in a Paris hotel read, "Please leave your values at the front desk." Many a traveler far from home and its restraints has done exactly that. Real values cannot be laid aside that easily; not if they are sincerely held! We cannot take the advice of Oscar Wilde who wrote; "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it." That's funny at first, but the longer you think about it you find it sad. Sin, temptation, spiritual values, cannot be lightly brushed aside with shallow humor.-(Robert Shannon, Preaching March/April 1998)
After the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted or tested by the devil. Depending on the intention at hand, the temptation or test can be positive in which one proves his or her faithfulness or trustworthiness. Or it could be negative, in which one is entice to fail. The test could come in the form of challenge, seduction, burden, sufferings, threat, and an offense.
In the case of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ it was both – to prove his trustworthiness and to entice him to failure.
The temptation of Jesus is not just relevant to our Lord as the Messiah but also instructional for all of His followers. If the Christ was tempted, then His followers would experience it too. What I would like for us to focus on is the areas of our personal lives that the devil intends to attack us. Christ’s personal experience with the devil gave us an insight which aspect of our lives we would experience temptation or testing.
How does the devil tempt us?
1. Every person would be tempted in the area of what is NECESSARY IN LIFE (vv. 2-4).
The first temptation is related to His needs. The text said that he was hungry since he fasted for forty days and forty nights. The devil assumed that he needs to eat and challenged to use His power if he is truly the Son of God to turn the stones into bread. “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
The response of Jesus indicates what is necessary in order for man to live in this world. The devil implied that bread alone is what we need to live. Bread is a metaphor for our physical or material provisions. Jesus however indicates that bread alone is not enough. He said that we live on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
“Word” refers to the spoken word of God as recorded in the Scriptures. Spoken word of God signifies His will, desires, and plan for our lives. Bread will give you the energy to live but the Word of God would give you the guidance on how to live safely, wisely, productively, relationally, ethically, and morally.
ILLUSTRATION Your automobile needs gasoline to cause the engine to run but without a map you won’t be able to go to your destination safely and promptly. In the same way, man needs material provision in order to live but Word of God would show him how to live meaningfully and significantly.
The devil however deceives us by suggesting that what we need is simply the material provision. He wanted us to believe that if our material needs are met then we are good. As a result, a lot of people today are focus on securing their material needs and ignoring their spiritual needs which is more essential in life.
John 4:32–34 (NIV) 32But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
Jesus indicated that the will of God provides purpose and meaning of His existence. When that purpose is achieved then he accomplished the reason for His coming. Life is not just about existing but understanding the purpose of our existence and achieves it. In order for us to understand the purpose of our existence, we turn to the Word of God that reveals every aspect of our existence.
Therefore it is of prime importance that we understand what it is really necessary in order to live. The devil tempts us so we would fail in life. In addition, we need to pass this test of knowing what is necessary in life in order for us to invest in more lasting endeavor.
1 John 2:16–17 (NIV) 16For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
This passage tells us that material provisions though necessary can only address what is temporary. The necessity of knowing God’s will as revealed from His Word would enable us to invest or use our lives in the elements that last for eternity. The Word of God reveals to us the prime importance of relationship with God, with our family, and with our neighbor. It is not enough that we live in the community but we interact and relate to the people in the community.
2. Every person would be tempted in the area of his trust on the DEPENDABILITY OF GOD’S WORD (vv. 5-7).
The devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. Then he challenged the Jesus to throw himself down anyway he said: 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.’” Since the devil recognized that Jesus gave primary importance to God’s Word, now he wanted to know how much trusted the Word of God. Jesus responded by saying:
“It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” The term “test” in this statement is similar to the word “tempt” in verse 1. Literally, the word “test” in verse 7 means to try to learn the nature or character of someone or something by submitting such to thorough and extensive testing. Therefore what the devil wanted Jesus to do is to put God to thorough and extensive testing to learn whether he is truthful to what he said.
Jesus said “I don’t need to jump from this pinnacle simply to test whether God is true to His promise of saving me.” Beware that the moment you have decided that the Word of God is essential on how to live in this world, then the devil will challenge our faith in the Word of God. The devil would test us how much we trust the instructions and promises of God.
Jesus’ response to the devil was a quotation of Deuteronomy 6:16.
Deuteronomy 6:16 (NIV) 16Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.
Do you know what happened in Massah?
Read Exodus 17:1–7 (NIV) The whole Israelite communities set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” 3But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
This story reveals to us when we put the Lord our God to the test. We test our God when we murmur complainingly or angrily because we don’t have what we want. We test our God when we accuse Him of wrongdoing and evil intent. We test our God when we doubted His presence among us. We test our God when this murmuring, accusing, and doubting resulted to quarreling one another because our current needs are not immediately provided.
The devil would tempt us by placing us in a situation where we are tempted to murmur, complain, accuse God, and doubting God’s presence in our midst. Jesus said “don’t put the Lord your God to the test.” In the first place, He is God. Secondly, He is good. Thirdly, He cares for you and I. Don’t doubt the Word of God. Obey it, be patient, be good, and expect God to act.
3. Every person would be tempted in the area of his LOYALTY TO GOD (vv. 8-10).
When the devil realized that Jesus not only give priority to God’s Word but also totally trust God’s Word, he tried to bribe Him to get His allegiance and loyalty. The devil said: 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
What he promised the Lord was actually what belongs to Him because he is the Son of God. Temporarily he left all this glory and splendor to do the will of God. But after He completed his mission, the Father gave back the glory He used to have.
John 17:1–5 (NIV) After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
So the devil tried to deceive the Lord by promising what he had in exchange for worship and service. Jesus said: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” This tells us that the only one that deserves our worship is God. He is the Creator and we should not worship His creation like Satan or the devil.
Here you can see the desperation of the devil or Satan in order to be worshiped by mankind. Jesus said, “Don’t be deceived and don’t be tempted to accept the bribe in exchange for our allegiance and loyalty to our God. Our worship and service belongs to our God.
Primarily because He is God, he created us with a purpose, and he provided us not just our temporal needs but also our eternal needs. His words are guide and assurances that He would take care of us not just now but for eternity. How does the devil bribe us? He wanted us to take the short cut to the satisfaction and comfort in life in exchange for giving our worship and allegiance to him.
The satisfaction of our needs requires work, obedience, faith, and sufferings like what the Lord experienced. There are no shortcuts to the will of God. If we want to share his glory, we must also share in the suffering. That is why there is wisdom in delayed gratification. Instant gratification of needs would sometimes lead us to compromise God’s principles.
We take the shortcuts, we cheat, we violate other people’s rights, we step on other people’s toes, and we take advantage of the innocence and kindness of others. Don’t be deceived, if the devil is right and good he would not cause to do these sinful ways. Only God is truly good and perfect, therefore only Him must be worship and served. Therefore worship the God who provides for our needs and who is truthful to His words and promises.
CONCLUSION
ILLUSTRATION Little by little, Centralia, Pennsylvania, is dying. According to an AP report, population is down to 21. Centralia used to be home to over 4,000. What is the problem? It is an underground fire that has burned continuously beneath the city since 1962! The fire is burning a particularly slow burning type of coal in the mine that runs beneath the city. The fire has caused hot spots, buckled highways and parched grass.
So it is with temptation. It is a fire that never fully goes out. While it happens at an unseen level, if left to itself, it will eventually cause damage to every aspect of our lives.Obviously, temptations are designed not only to hate God but to keep as away from God. But Jesus showed that we should not succumb to temptation because God is totally dependable and worthy of our worship.
Beside by His experience of temptation, he gave us a preview of how devil would attempt to deceive us. Don't be deceived, believe in God and His word.
