Hello and welcome back this morning to Church 360. I heard that the Ladies had a great time yesterday at the Brunch. Glad that you all had that time of fellowship together. Thanks to all the hands that put everything together for that event!
Today we are going to take another look at the topic of Temptation through a different lens. So far, we have looked at the Temptation of Joseph. We saw that he “learned, to expect Temptation, to see it for what it is, avoid it if possible, resist it when it finds you anyway, and be quick to flee, quick to run from the grip of Temptation. Lastly, we learned that it is ok to not be the popular kid. Doing right brings ridicule more than it brings accolades and awards.”
Last week we looked at the temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden. We saw tactics that Satan used to fool her and cause all of creation to fall into the grips of the curse. We saw that He loves to tempt us in 3 main areas. The Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life.
We also saw that John taught us to keep our eyes upward. Love God. Love your neighbor. Love God’s Word. Despise the things of this World. The things that attract your flesh, your covetous eyes, and your pride, avoid them. They are not of God, they are from the Adversary. This world is temporary. Those things will be here and satisfy for only a moment, then they will be gone, leaving destruction and pain in their wake. But if we seek God and His Kingdom, those things will never pass away. Those things will last for all eternity.
This morning we are going to look at Matthew chapter 4 verses 1-11.
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. 2 After He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 But He answered, “It is written:
Man must not live on bread alone
but on every word that comes
from the mouth of God.” n
5 Then the Devil took Him to the holy city, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
He will give His angels orders concerning you,
and they will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.” s
7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.” u
8 Again, the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to Him, “I will give You all these things if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written:
Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only Him.”
11 Then the Devil left Him, and immediately angels came and began to serve Him.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Mt 4:1–11.
First, we need to set the stage. We only have two characters present in this temptation. So, one less than last week. Last week Adam was a silent observer and participant. One character is the same, Satan. This week instead of Eve, we have the Son of Eve, the New Adam, Jesus Christ.
Instead of being in a beautiful garden with glorious trees and bushes and flowers all around. With fruit hanging from every limb. Instead of the one being tempted standing there with a full belly, we see Christ in the wilderness. He has been in the wilderness for 40 days. He went into the wilderness immediately after John the Baptist baptized him and his father in heaven had called out, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.”
He went into the wilderness to fast and to pray. The desert is hot! It is dry! Fruit trees and food in general usually do not grow in the desert! I mean other than the occasional dry blade of grass, or a scorpion, or a lizard! But Christ had intentions of fasting anyway. He went 40 days without eating anything. The text makes mention that he was hungry.
Sometimes it is easy for us to lose sight of the important fact that Jesus was fully man. Sure, he was fully God, but he was also fully man! He was hungry. Really hungry!
I sometimes forget to eat. I get busy doing things and forget to eat. I know, not healthy! But I do… But let me tell you, I never forget for more that 24 hours. A day goes by and my body lets me know, “Hey Dummy! You forgot to eat! You are hungry!!” I cannot imagine how hungry I would be after 40 days without food. There are studies that have been done. By this point, your body is actually using and digesting your fat stores and even your muscles to provide your vital organs with the energy they need for you to survive. To say that Christ would have been in a weakened state for this temptation would be a huge understatement.
So, do you see the contrast? The difference between the temptation of Adam and Eve and that of Jesus? Paradise vs Wilderness, Feasting vs Fasting. Quite the picture.
It was in this weakened state that Satan began to tempt our Lord. I think it is very important for us to realize that one of the reasons that Jesus did things the way he did was so that he could identify with us as human beings and so that we could see what could be done in a human body that was filled with the power of God. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Heb 4:15–16.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), 1 Co 10:13.
It is important that we Identify with Christ. He knows what we are going through, He has gone through it. He would not let us go through it if He did not think know that we could come out unharmed just as He did.
It is interesting to me, as I said last week and the week before, Satan does not change his tactics. He uses the same format again and again. He tempted Eve with the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life. Notice as we look at this temptation that he does not change a thing! In each temptation, Satan questions God. He twists what God actually says. Finally, He questions God’s Motives. Let’s look at each temptation and see what we can learn.
Lust of the Flesh
3 Then the tempter approached Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 But He answered, “It is written:
Man must not live on bread alone
but on every word that comes
from the mouth of God.” n
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Mt 4:3–4.
First, Satan questions the Love of God. He doesn’t question God’s ability, but His motives and His will. “Since You are God’s beloved Son, why doesn’t Your Father feed You? Why does He put You into this terrible wilderness?” This temptation sounded like Satan’s words to Eve in Genesis 3! It is a subtle suggestion that our Father does not love us.”
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 18.
But that is not all: Satan is telling Christ to “Use Your divine powers to meet Your own needs.” Warren Wiersbe writes, “When we put our physical needs (Things that your flesh desires) ahead of our spiritual needs, we sin. When we allow circumstances to dictate our actions, instead of following God’s will, we sin. Jesus could have turned the stones into bread, but He would have been exercising His powers independently of the Father; and He came to obey the Father”
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 18.
This temptation ends with Christ quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 to defeat Satan. Christ of course knew that a steady diet of reading and obeying God’s Word is more important than eating physical bread or food of any type!
Now, time for some simple but effective application. So far, we have talked mainly about what happened, but what do we do when we find ourselves in similar circumstances? What do we do when Satan causes us to begin doubting what God has said? Doubting God’s motives for our lives? What do we do when he tempts us with the physical world and we start thinking about giving up the that which is spiritual in so that we can have what He is offering?
I think the only solution is to follow Christ’s example. Christ used Scripture to combat the Tempter.
So, a few things to say here. First, You must know God’s Word! I don’t mean that you have to have every single passage memorized, not that it would hurt! But you should know it well enough that verses come to your mind with ease. Know it well enough that you could grab a Bible and find a passage with little effort. You cannot counter the word of the Deceiver if you do not have God’s Word hidden in your heart. It is a light and a lamp.
I have more application, but lets look at the next temptation first.
Pride of Life
5 Then the Devil took Him to the holy city, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
He will give His angels orders concerning you,
and they will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.” s
7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.” u
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Mt 4:5–7.
Again, Satan is attacking in a similar way to what we saw in the Garden of Eden. “Did God really say?”
“Satan took the Lord Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, probably 500 feet above the Kidron Valley. Satan then quoted from Psalm 91:11–12 where God promised to care for His own. “If You really believe the Scriptures, then jump! Let’s see if the Father cares for You!””
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 18.
Jesus answers in a similar way as well, just like the first time with one small change. Jesus quotes the same exact same portion of scripture as the first time, a different verse. But it real thing to see here, is what is missing. See, Satan did quote the Psalms, he even did it correctly… But he left out a verse! He omitted the qualifier.
“We can prove almost anything by the Bible if we isolate texts from the contexts and turn them into pretexts. Satan had cleverly omitted the phrase “in all Thy ways” when he quoted from Psalm 91. When the child of God is in the will of God, the Father will protect him. He watches over those who are “in His ways.””
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 18.
Christ responds with Deuteronomy 6:16: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” “We tempt God when we put ourselves into circumstances that force Him to work miracles on our behalf. The diabetic who refuses to take insulin and argues, “Jesus will take care of me,” may be tempting the Lord. We tempt God when we try to force Him to contradict His own Word. It is important for us as believers to read all Scripture, and study all God has to say…”
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 18–19.
Again, it is You must be able to Understand God’s Word. So many of us might know what the bible says, but do not know what it means. Don’t allow yourself or others to twist and pervert the Word of God.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), 2 Ti 2:15.
Now let’s look at the last temptation in our passage.
Lust of the Eye
8 Again, the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to Him, “I will give You all these things if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written:
Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only Him.”
11 Then the Devil left Him, and immediately angels came and began to serve Him.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Mt 4:8–11.
This temptation in many ways is the most humorous to me. Here is Satan, who wants more than anything to be God, offering God, the things that only God can offer. See the problem with the lie? He should have known that this one wasn’t going to work! But this tact had worked so well for him before. It closed the deal in the temptation of Eve. “I can make you like God, I can give you the knowledge of God, I can give you the kingdom of God, if you eat of the fruit… if you bow down and worship me.” Lies, Lies, Lies!
Satan offers us all the joys and riches of the world. Things that Scripture says will rust and the moths will eat. Here in Saipan it is the Termites! But God says, “Follow me. Obey me. Listen to me, and I will give you eternal riches and invite you into my Kingdom to live forever with me!”
As the prince of this world, Satan could offer these kingdoms to Christ (John 12:31; 14:30). But Jesus did not need Satan’s offer. The Father had already promised Jesus the kingdom! “Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen [nations] for Thine inheritance”
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 19.
Jesus replied as He had the first two times, with the Word of God out of Deuteronomy, “Duet. 6:13: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Satan had said nothing about service, but Jesus knew that whatever we worship, we will serve. Worship and service must go together.”
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 19.
See Jesus, as the author of Scripture, knew that we must be able to Apply Scripture to have a victory over temptation. Sure, He knew that Satan could not give him the Kingdoms of the world, because His father had already promised them to Him… But even more than that, He knew that Worship meant service. Under no circumstances would he worship Satan, because he served His Father God alone.
I wonder. Who do you Serve? Because that is who/what you worship.
And this how Christ stood against Satan’s fiery darts of temptation in the Wilderness. He Knew, Understood and Applied Scripture. All things that you too can do. Satan will surely back off of you for a while too, if you follow our Lord’s example in dealing with the temptations that are used against you. Study the Word, not just for content, but for understanding and application.
