I. Introduction
A. It was the first camping experience for Jed. As soon as he had pitched his tent, he went for a hike in the woods. In about fifteen minutes he rushed back into camp, bleeding and disheveled. "What happened?" asked a fellow camper. "I was chased by a black snake!" cried the frightened Jed. The camper laughed and retorted, "A black snake isn't deadly." Listen," groaned Jed, "If he can make you jump off a fifty-foot cliff, he is!"
B. This is the only record of Jesus temptation.
1. Turn to 1 John 2:16
2. The first thing I want you to see is that Jesus was tempted in every way we are
1 John 2:16 (NKJV)
For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world.
a. We turn to Hebrews 4:15
3. Take note of what it says here in Hebrews 4:15 concerning Jesus’ temptation
Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV)
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
C. Why was Jesus being tempted now, right after His baptism, what we might call a mountaintop experience, and right before the launch of His ministry?
D. There was one primary reason.
1. Christ was about to launch His ministry
a. An unbelievable ministry that was to determine the eternal fate of every person who had ever lived, is living, or ever would live
b. The weight of its importance, the necessity of personal preparation, and the need for having the right plan pressed in upon Him
c. He had to be prepared
(1) Prepared mentally
(2) Prepared spiritually
(3) Prepared physically
d. How could He prepare Himself?
(1) There was only one way
(2) He had to get alone with God and subject Himself
(a) To gain complete control over His body and Spirit
(b) He had to get completely apart from the world
i) Turn to Matthew 4:1
2. This Jesus did
a. He was "led by the Spirit" to separate Himself from food and from everything else
b. He got alone for forty days and nights in order to be with God
c. He was in earnest, ever so intense over His ministry which was about to be launched. He prayed
(1) He thought
(2) He meditated on the Scripture
(3) And He planned
(4) He bore so heavy a responsibility, and all the strain in all its weight and duty pressed in ever so heavily upon Him
d. Just imagine the pressure and weight pressing against Him
(1) He surely prayed
(2) He surely asked
(3) He may have pleaded
(4) He may have wept
(5) He may have begged for strength and endurance to stand up under all that was to face Him in the upcoming years
(6) The preparation went on for forty days and nights
3. Once Jesus had worked out the plan necessary to launch His ministry, and once
a. He had received the necessary strength to go forth, His personal preparation lacked only one more thing: confronting the temptations that would face Hun in the upcoming years
b. Conquering the onslaught of temptations that lay ahead would complete His preparation
II. Body
A. Jesus in the wilderness
Matthew 4:1-2 (NKJV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. {2} And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
1. Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil
a. Turn to Hebrews 5:8
2. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights He was hungry
Hebrews 5:8 (NKJV)
though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
3. Verses 1 & 2 set the stage for the real message to come
a. Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights
b. Any human would be at the point of utter starvation at this time
(1) And Jesus was human in every way
(2) The passage says that Jesus was hungry
(3) Many people would have moved past being hungry
(a) They would be at the point of being numb
(b) Food would be beyond the mind of many
(c) It might have made them sick to think of food
(4) But, Matthew says that He was hungry
(a) Turn to Matthew 16:23
4. Christ’s temptation: this was not the only time Jesus was tempted.
a. Satan tempted Jesus through Peter when Peter tried to tell Him that His execution was not going to happen
Matthew 16:23 (NKJV)
But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
(1) Jesus commended His disciples
Luke 22:28 (NKJV)
"But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.
(2) The King James uses the word temptation
(3) And Jesus faced the severest temptation of His life in the Garden of Gethsemane,
.
(a) It was there that Satan made a last ditch effort to divert Christ from the cross.
b. The devil knows just where to tempt a person.
(1) In the wilderness: when a person is without bread, when he really has need.
(a) This is the temptation that appeals to the lust of the flesh.
(2) On the pinnacle: when a person is before multitudes.
(a) This is the temptation that appeals to pride-the pride of Me
(3) On a high mountain: when a person sees what is available-sometimes rightfully his, sometimes just desired.
(a) This is the temptation that appeals to the lust of the eyes
i) Turn to Hebrews 11:6
B. Jesus Christ was tempted three times by the devil.
1. He was tempted to prove that He was the Son of God.
a. What was wrong with proving His deity?
b. Proof is not God's way, faith is God's way.
c. Proof is not what God wants; faith is what God wants.
d. God wants to be trusted and loved.
e. He wants to be freely loved, not loved because of force-because some person is constrained by irrefutable proof.
f. There are facts, plenty of proofs that He is the Son of God; but in the final analysis, an act of faith has to be taken.
g. No one has seen God.
h. God cannot be known by the physical senses.
i. To know God a person has to leap by faith, reach out for God in an act of belief, believing that God will reward his faith.
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
j. Jesus Christ had come to establish and construct the way of faith.
k. Therefore, Jesus Christ had to reject anything that led men away from the life of faith
(1) Note that all three temptations had to do with man's senses and the physical world.
(2) If Christ had given in and secured the loyalty of men by feeding bread to the whole world, or by performing a spectacular miracle, or by taking over the kingdoms of this world, life would end and end soon.
(3) Why?
(4) Because all die. All waste away.
(5) The world is physical and material, corruptible and dying, deteriorating and decaying.
(6) It does not last.
(7) That is just the way of the physical world and all within it.
(8) This is the very reason Jesus Christ has come-to conquer the physical world of decay and death, and to usher in the eternal world of the spirit-by the way of faith.
l. Therefore, Jesus had to live the life of faith Himself.
(1) He had to walk the way of faith, of trusting and believing God Himself.
(2) He had to reject the devil's proofs and show and lead men by faith.
2. There are special times when communion with God is absolutely essential
a. First, after a mountaintop experience such as Christ's baptism and the attendant signs and recognition
(1) The opening of heaven
(2) The decent of the Holy Spirit
(3) And the words of the Father, “This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased
b. Second, before a great trial or time of temptation
c. Third, periods of great service for God
3. It is a grave mistake to go before the public or to return from the public without spending time alone with God
a. The public, at least some of the public, will lay accolades at the feet of God's servant
b. Temptation lies just ahead.
c. Preparation is essential.
4. The devil attacks anywhere and everywhere, in the wilderness and in the city when surrounded by others
a. But temptation is especially strong at certain points.
(1) Right after that mountaintop experience
(2) Right before the launching of a new work.
(3) During severe moments of weakness: physical and mental.
(4) During times of apparent failure and depression
(a) Turn to 1 Corinthians 10:13
5. Note three facts about the person who really knows God and is set on serving God.
a. The more a person seeks to serve God, the more he can expect to be tempted.
(1) Note how heavy and intense the temptation was against Christ.
b. The more a person seeks to serve God, the more he needs communion with God.
(1) Time alone with God is essential.
(2) A quiet time in God's Word-meditating, communing, and worshiping, is an absolute essential for the believer
c. Spiritual strength and maturity do not exempt a person from temptation.
(1) Everyone is tempted, even the Son of God Himself.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
6. Christ met temptation by doing three things.
a. He was led by the Holy Spirit
b. He spent time alone with God
c. He had memorized Scripture and used the Word of God to answer Satan
(1) Turn to Ephesians 6:10-18
7. The devil is the tempter.
a. He is the one who tempted Christ.
(1) He was the spiritual power who attempted to destroy the purpose of Christ
b. The believer must prepare for the combat
Ephesians 6:10-20 (NKJV)
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. {11} Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {12} For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. {13} Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. {14} Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, {15} and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; {16} above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. {17} And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; {18} praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
8. What should the believer learn about fasting from the Lord's experience?
a. Jesus fasted for forty days.
b. He was facing an important and critical moment in His life; the weight was pressing in upon Him.
c. He needed special preparation.
d. Therefore, He separated Himself from the world; He got alone with God.
e. He was so sincere and intense that He even separated Himself from food.
f. And so ought we
(1) There are some who cannot forgo food even for a few hours
(a) It would mean certain death because of some illnesses
(b) But, those may forgo other earthly pleasures
(c) Get alone with God
(d) To commune
(e) To worship
C. Christ was tempted in three ways
1. He was hungry, and so Satan tempted to create bread from the rocks
a. This was an attack by the lust of the flesh
(1) Turn to Matthew 4:4
b. It doesn’t have to be bread
c. It can be sex
d. Or any other pleasure of the body
e. And what was Jesus’ reply
(1) Jesus quoted Scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3
Matthew 4:4 (NKJV)
But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
2. Jesus was taken to the pinnacle of the temple and was tempted to prove that He was Son of God
a. This was an attack by the pride of life
(1) Turn to Matthew 4:7
b. We know that we are not the first born Son of God, but Satan’s temptation comes in much the same manner as he tempted Jesus
(1) We are tempted to exalt ourselves
(2) We are tempted to misappropriate Scripture
Matthew 4:7 (NKJV)
Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'"
(3) This is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16
(a) Turn to Matthew 4:10
c. Jesus was taken to a high mountain and shown the great civilizations of the world
(1) He was very likely shown the Egyptian at their peak
(2) The Greeks
(3) The Babylonians
(4) Perhaps the United Kingdom that could boast that the sun never set on the Kingdom
(5) Maybe the United States in it golden age
(6) Satan told Jesus, I’ll give you all this if you will fall down and worship me
(7) He had every right to make that offer
(a) He had taken possession of creation when Adam and Eve sinned
(b) And so, it was stolen property he could offer
(c) It was Jesus’ property
i) He had created it all
(8) Here is temptation by the lust of the eye
(a) And we can be tempted as well
(b) But again Jesus quoted Scripture
Matthew 4:10 (NKJV)
Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
(c) This is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:13
i) Lets turn to 2 Timothy 2:15
D. Scripture was Jesus only weapon
1. It was not an accident that Jesus had those passages memorized
2. The Jewish religious education required Scripture memorization
3. We turn to 2 Timothy 2:15 and with this we close
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
a. I have said over and over again, the King James has this right
b. Study, work hard to memorize Scripture so that you have it ready when the need arises
c. Now turn to 2 Timothy 3:16-17
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
