CHRIST'S TEMPTATION
SCRIPTURE: *Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Mark 1:9-13
INTRODUCTION:
Retirement gives opportunity for meditation and communion with God; even they who are called to the most active life must yet have their contemplative hours, and must find time to be alone with God.
But, Woe to him that is alone. Those who under pretense of sanctity and devotion, retire into dens and deserts, find that they are not out of the reach of their spiritual enemies, and that there they are without the benefit of the communion of saints.
2048 eremos {er'-ay-mos} of uncertain affinity; TDNT - 2:657,255; adjective
AV - wilderness 32, desert 13, desolate 4, solitary 1; 50
1) solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited
1a) used of places
1a1) a desert, wilderness
1a2) deserted places, lonely regions
1a3) an uncultivated region fit for pasturage
1b) used of persons
1b1) deserted by others
1b2) deprived of the aid and protection of others, especially of friends, acquaintances, kindred
1b3) bereft
1b3a) of a flock deserted by the shepherd
1b3b) of a woman neglected by her husband, from whom the husband withholds himself
I Corinthians 7:5 “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”
I. HE WAS LEAD OF THE SPIRIT
A. If we presume upon our own strength, and tempt the Devil to tempt us, we provoke God to leave us to ourselves.
Eph. 4:27 “Neither give place to the devil.”
5117 topos {top'-os} apparently a primary word; TDNT - 8:187,1184; n m
AV - place 80, room 5, quarter 2, licence 1, coast 1, where 1, plain + 3977 1, rock + 5138 1; 92
1) place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space
1a) an inhabited place, as a city, village, district
1b) a place (passage) in a book
2) metaph.
2a) the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly
2b) opportunity, power, occasion for acting
For Synonyms see entry 5875
Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
3833 panoplia {pan-op-lee'-ah} from a compound of 3956 and 3696; TDNT - 5:295,702; n f
AV - whole armour 2, all ... armour 1; 3
1) full armour, complete armour
1a) includes shield, sword, lance, helmet, greaves, and breastplate
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
B. The great thing Satan aims at, in tempting good people, is to overthrow their relation to God as Father, and so to cut off their dependence on Him, their duty to Him, and their communion with Him.
C. Outward afflictions, wants and burdens, are the great arguments Satan uses to make the people of God question their sonship. [Satanic head games.]
D. How comfortable it is, that Christ, who let loose this power of Satan against Himself, does
not in like manner let it loose against us, but restrains it, for He knows our frame.
II. TO BE TEMPTED
A. Is there a Contradiction?
1. Genesis 22:1 "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt
Abraham."
2. James 1:13 "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:"
B. Defining Tempt
1. Genesis 22:1 -->Hebrew
05254 nacah {naw-saw'} a primitive root; TWOT - 1373; v
AV - prove 20, tempt 12, assay 2, adventure 1, try 1; 36
1) to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to test, try
1a2) to attempt, assay, try
1a3) to test, try, prove, tempt
2. James 1:13 --> Greek
3985 peirazo {pi-rad'-zo} from TDNT - 6:23,822; v
AV - tempt 29, try 4, tempter 2, prove 1, assay 1, examine 1, go about 1; 39
1) to try whether a thing can be done
1a) to attempt, endeavour
2) to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quantity, or what he
thinks, or how he will behave himself
2a) in a good sense
2b) in a bad sense, to test one maliciously, craftily to put to the proof his feelings or judgments
2c) to try or test one's faith, virtue, character, by enticement to sin
2c1) to solicit to sin, to tempt
1c1a) of the temptations of the devil
2d) after the OT usage
2d1) of God: to inflict evils upon one in order to prove his character and the steadfastness of his faith
2d2) men are said to tempt God by exhibitions of distrust, as though they wished to try whether he is not justly distrusted
2d3) by impious or wicked conduct to test God's justice and patience, and to challenge him, as it were to give proof of his perfections.
God tempts only in the sense of proving somebody to create confidence in the Lord and
in himself and give him experience. God never tricks us or deceives us to lead to a
person's fall, but rather tests to prove our progress.
Satan tempts in the sense of exciting to sin. Satan's purpose is to cause a person to fall. Satan's devices are for evil.
C. Jesus Knows what it is like to be tempted.
Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as
[we are, yet] without sin.”
4834 sumpatheo {soom-path-eh'-o} from TDNT - 5:935,798; v
AV - have compassion 1, be touched with a feeling of 1; 2
1) to be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathise with
2) to feel for, have compassion on
III. TEMPTATIONS
A. Unexpected quarters.
Our temptations often come from unexpected quarters. The wily bird-catcher, to ensnare certain birds, usually employ fowls of the same feather. The unguarded bird does not dread its fellow, and is tempted into captivity. Beware of the cajolery of the old tempting devil. He may delude you through those who most resemble yourself. The captive lark in the hands of the tempter is more dangerous to the lark than the dreaded hawk. The worldly Christian may be
more dangerous than the avowed enemy. Handfuls On Purpose Volume II pg 299
B. Systematic Attack
This temptation is a scientific and systematic attack upon a Man. Organized and systematic attack upon a Man in every department of his life.
Matthew 4
1. (3–4) An appeal to the physical nature --> bread. Satan uses natural desires.
Tempted to self-satisfaction.
2. (5-7) An appeal to the spiritual nature --> trust in God.
Tempted to prove spiritual trust.
Tempted to self-destruction.
3. (8-10) An appeal to vocation--> purpose.
Here are the kingdoms of the world for which Thou hast come, take them from me.
Tempted to self-glorification.
C. Temptations may be evidence.
Temptations may be evidences of spiritual life and wealth. Why is it that the Dead Sea
Has never the "deep-sounding roar" of the ocean? Because it is dead. Why is it that it
is never visited by the flight of gulls, or pelicans, or seamews? Why is it that all
"migratory birds sweep over it without even a pause to seek for prey?" Because it is
dead. Why is it that the unconverted [ and luke-warm or worldly Christians]
are not visited with the temptations of the Christian? Because of the same reason.
HOP VI pg 292
D. Don't Tempt God
The moment a man begins to tempt God, to prove trust; he proves that he does not trust. the moment a man begins to do something heroic to demonstrate trust, he gives evidence that trust is lacking. Perfect trust is quiet, and waits. Trust trembling, wants to do something heroic to make it steady.
IV. WHY CHRIST WOULD NOT TURN THE STONES TO BREAD
Satan uses a natural desire and distorts it to do that which is against nature.
A. Because He would not do what Satan bade him do, for that would have looked as if there
had been indeed a compact between Him and the prince of devils.
B. Miracles were wrought for the confirming of faith, and the devil had no faith to be
confirmed, and therefore He would not do it for him.
C. He would not do miracles for Himself.
D. He would not do anything that made it look like He distrusted the Father.
Satan tempted Christ to satisfy a natural desire by using His spiritual nature without reference to the will of God. G. Campbell Morgan.
V. CHRIST WAS
A. Owned by the Father
B. Anointed by the Spirit.
C. Tempted by the devil.
Some know little of the tempting because they know little of the anointing.
The place most frequented by Satan is where holiness dwells.
VI. CAUTIONS
A. High places are slippery and dangerous.
High places in the church are, in a special manner, dangerous. They who excel in gifts, who are in eminent stations, and have gained great reputation, have need to keep humble; for Satan will be sure to aim at them, to puff them up with pride, that they may fall into the condemnation of the Devil. Those that stand high are concerned to standfast. (How are the might fallen!!!!)
B. Cast thyself down.
The Devil could not cast Him down, though a little thing would have done it, from the
top of a spire. The power of Satan is a limited power; "hitherto he shall come, and no further."
Whatever real mischief is done us, it is of our own doing; the Devil can but persuade us, he cannot compel; he can say, "Cast thyself down" he cannot cast us down. Every man
is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and not forced, but enticed.
Therefore let us not hurt ourselves, and then, blessed be God, no one else can hurt us
(I Peter 3:13).
James 1:13-15
VII. IT IS WRITTEN -> The written Word is our defense.
A. It is possible that those who are the Devil's children may yet know very well what is
written in God's book.
II Corinthians 11:14-15
(v. 14) “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
(v. 15) “Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
B. It is possible for a man to have his head full of Scripture-notions, and his mouth full of Scripture-expressions, while his heart is full of reigning enmity to God and all goodness.
Well done is better than well said. Ben Franklin
C. There is maybe only one thing greater than the written Word of God: the Living Word
Made Flesh.
CONCLUSION
There is a Satanic attack against each and every individual. The attack may take several forms
as Satan tries to seduce our carnal appetites or cause conflict in our relationship with God. We must be aware and be prepared to face these battles. The Word of God is essential in maintaining victory over the enemy of our soul.
(Multiple resources were used producing this message such as the AGES Digital Library,
G. Campbell Morgan, Matthew Henry and Handfuls On Purpose. I made citations for some
of the resources.)
