NO SATAN I WILL NOT SERVE YOU
MATTHEW 4:1-11
WE ARE CONTINUING OUR SERIES LOOKING AT SOME OF THE EARLY EVENTS AND STATEMENTS IN JESUS’ LIFE AND MINISTRY. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE TIME JESUS WENT INTO THE WILDERNESS AND WAS TEMPTED BY SATAN.
TEMPTATION WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF THE LIFE OF A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN. SATAN WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AT VARIOUS TIMES AND IN VARIOUS WAYS TO DESTROY OUR TESTIMONY AND JOY WE HAVE IN OUR WALK WITH THE LORD.
1 PETER 5:8-9:
8 BE ALERT AND OF SOBER MIND. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR. 9 RESIST HIM, STANDING FIRM IN THE FAITH, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE FAMILY OF BELIEVERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IS UNDERGOING THE SAME KIND OF SUFFERINGS
SATAN CAN BE VICIOUS, DECEIVING, AND UNMERCIFUL IN HIS ATTACKS ON US, AND HE WILL NOT QUIT. HE DID NOT QUIT ON JESUS, HIS LAST TEMPTATION BEING TO COME OFF THE CROSS, WE CAN EXPECT NOTHING LESS.
SIN AND TEMPTATION HAD IT’S HUMAN ORIGINS AT THE TIME OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE, BUT IT’S SPIRITUAL ORIGEN OCCURRED BEFORE THIS. TQO PASSAGES SPEAK OF IT’S SPIRITUAL ORIGEN
REVELATION 12:3-10:
THEN ANOTHER SIGN APPEARED IN HEAVEN: AN ENORMOUS RED DRAGON WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS AND SEVEN CROWNS ON ITS HEADS. 4 ITS TAIL SWEPT A THIRD OF THE STARS OUT OF THE SKY AND FLUNG THEM TO THE EARTH. THE DRAGON STOOD IN FRONT OF THE WOMAN WHO WAS ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH, SO THAT IT MIGHT DEVOUR HER CHILD THE MOMENT HE WAS BORN. 5 SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A SON, A MALE CHILD, WHO “WILL RULE ALL THE NATIONS WITH AN IRON SCEPTER.” D AND HER CHILD WAS SNATCHED UP TO GOD AND TO HIS THRONE. 6 THE WOMAN FLED INTO THE WILDERNESS TO A PLACE PREPARED FOR HER BY GOD, WHERE SHE MIGHT BE TAKEN CARE OF FOR 1,260 DAYS. 7 THEN WAR BROKE OUT IN HEAVEN. MICHAEL AND HIS ANGELS FOUGHT AGAINST THE DRAGON, AND THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS FOUGHT BACK. 8 BUT HE WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH, AND THEY LOST THEIR PLACE IN HEAVEN. 9 THE GREAT DRAGON WAS HURLED DOWN—THAT ANCIENT SERPENT CALLED THE DEVIL, OR SATAN, WHO LEADS THE WHOLE WORLD ASTRAY. HE WAS HURLED TO THE EARTH, AND HIS ANGELS WITH HIM. 10 THEN I HEARD A LOUD VOICE IN HEAVEN SAY: “NOW HAVE COME THE SALVATION AND THE POWER AND THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD, AND THE AUTHORITY OF HIS MESSIAH. FOR THE ACCUSER OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHO ACCUSES THEM BEFORE OUR GOD DAY AND NIGHT, HAS BEEN HURLED DOWN.
REVELATION IS A DEEP BOOK WITH A LOT OF SYMBOLISM AND DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET. THIS PASSAGE SPEAKS OF A HEAVENLY BATTLE TAKING PLACE BETWEEN MICHAEL AND HIS ANGELS, AND AN ENORMOUS RED DRAGON, WHICH V.9 IDENTIFIES AS SATAN.
THE OUTCOME OF THIS BATTLE WAS THE DEFEAT OF SATAN, AND A THIRD OF THE ANGELS (V.4) EXPELLING THEM FROM HEAVEN TO THE EARTH. THE TIME-FRAME FOR THIS BATTLE, WAS AFTER CREATION, FOR THEY WERE EXPELLED TO THE EARTH, BUT IT WAS BEFORE THE FALL.
WHAT LED UP TO THIS BATTLE IS FOUND IN ISAIAH 14:12-15:
ISAIAH 14:12-15:
HOW YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, MORNING STAR, SON OF THE DAWN! YOU HAVE BEEN CAST DOWN TO THE EARTH, YOU WHO ONCE LAID LOW THE NATIONS! 13 YOU SAID IN YOUR HEART, “I WILL ASCEND TO THE HEAVENS; I WILL RAISE MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD; I WILL SIT ENTHRONED ON THE MOUNT OF ASSEMBLY, ON THE UTMOST HEIGHTS OF MOUNT ZAPHON. 14 I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE TOPS OF THE CLOUDS; I WILL MAKE MYSELF LIKE THE MOST HIGH.” 15 BUT YOU ARE BROUGHT DOWN TO THE REALM OF THE DEAD, TO THE DEPTHS OF THE PIT.
THE SAME THINGS THAT CAUSED THE FALL OF SATAN, ARE WHAT HE USED TO TEMPT JESUS, AND WHAT HE USES TO TEMPT US. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS A QUESTION OF DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY. IT TEACHES US THAT ALL TEMPTATIONS WILL COME IN ONE OR A COMBINATION OF THREE FORMS:
1. LUST OF THE FLESH
2. PRIDE OF LIFE
3. LUST OF THE EYES
SATAN CANNOT CREATE NEW FORMS OF TEMPTATION AS HE IS LIMITED TO WHAT NATURALLY ALREADY EXISTS, SO HE HAS TO USE ONE OF THESE THREE FORMS. WHAT HE CAN DO IS INCORPORATE NEW METHODS OF USING THESE ELEMENTS. WHAT WORKS ON ONE PERSON MAY NOT WORK ON ANOTHER. SOMETIMES HE WILL USE A COMBINATION OF TWO OR EVEN ALL THREE OF THESE FORMS.
SATAN USES ALL THREE ELEMENTS AGAINST JESUS IN OUR TEXT TODAY. JESUS COULD HAVE STOPPED IT AT ANY TIME, WHICH IN ITSELF WAS A TEST OF HIS OBEDIENCE TO HIS HEAVENLY FATHER. HAD HE DONE SO HIS MINISTRY AND THAT OF THE CHURCH WOULD
BE RUINED. JESUS ALLOWED THESE TEMPTATIONS TO OCCUR TO SHOW US HOW WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED BY FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE.
HEBREWS 4:15-16:
FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO IS UNABLE TO EMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT WE HAVE ONE WHO HAS BEEN TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY, JUST AS WE ARE—YET HE DID NOT SIN. 16 LET US THEN APPROACH GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE WITH CONFIDENCE, SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED.
CONTEXT:
THE CONTEXT FOR THIS PASSAGE IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO CONTEXTS TO CONSIDER. THERE IS A GENERAL OVERALL CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE, PLUS A CONTEXT FOR EACH OF THE TEMPTATIONS.
THE GENERAL CONTEXT HAS THIS EVENT HAPPENING IMMEDIATELY AFTER JESUS’ BAPTISM. WHY THIS TIME IS CHOSEN WE DO NOT KNOW, BUT QUITE POSSIBLY SATAN WANTED TO DESTROY JESUS’ MINISTRY BEFORE IT GAINED MUCH POWER.
ANOTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT JESUS WAS LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO BE TEMPTED. THIS MEANS THAT GOD WILL ALLOW TEMPTATION TO COME OUR WAY. THIS TESTING THOUGH IS ONLY TO OUR STRENGTH IN CHRIST.
1 CORINTHIANS `10:13: NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MANKIND. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN ENDURE IT.
IT ALSO MEANS THAT JESUS KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE TEMPTED EVEN BEFORE IT OCCURRED. WE KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE TEMPTED. WHAT WE DON’T KNOW IS WHEN OR BY WHAT MEANS.
CONSIDER HOW JESUS PREPARED FOR THE TEMPTATIONS. HE PRAYED AND FASTED FOR 40 DAYS. THIS FAST WOULD HAVE TAKEN TREMENDOUS WILL ON THE PART OF JESUS AND HAVE A TERRIBLE PHYSICAL EFFECT UPON HIM. A HUMAN BODY CAN GO WITHOUT FOOD FOR 21 DAYS, ALTHOUGH A FEW HAVE SURVIVED, FOR MORE THAN 40 DAYS. ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN, THIS 40 DAY FAST WOULD LEAVE JESUS CLOSE TO THE POINT OF PHYSICAL DEATH.
THE TEMPTATIONS HAPPENED IN THE DESSERT, AND THERE ARE TWO REASONS FOR THIS:
1. THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO TEMPT JESUS THAN A PLACE THAT IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH DEMONIC ACTIVITY.
MATTHEW 12:43: “WHEN AN IMPURE SPIRIT COMES OUT OF A PERSON, IT GOES THROUGH ARID PLACES SEEKING REST AND DOES NOT FIND IT.
SATAN WAS AT HOME IN THIS DRY, DESOLATE AND BARREN LANDSCAPE.
2. JESUS’ DIALOGUE WITH SATAN DRAWS A PARALLEL BETWEEN HIS EXPERIENCE AND THE TEMPTATION OF ISRAEL IN DEUTERONOMY 6-8. THE 40 DAYS OF FASTING ALLOWS US TO REFLECT ON THE 40 YEARS OF ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS, AND WOULD LEAD TO JESUS’ REBUKE OF SATAN. BOTH SPENT TIME IN THE WILDERNESS TO PREPARE THEMSELVES TO FULFILL GOD’S WILL FOR THEIR LIVES.
POINT ONE: VICTORY OVER THE LUST OF THE FLESH
WHEN WE HEAR “LUST OF THE FLESH” MOST PEOPLE WOULD LIKELY THINK OF SOMETHING PORNOGRAPHIC. HERE THOUGH WE FIND THAT THE LUST OF THE FLESH IS ANYTHING THAT CAN ATTRACT OUR PHYSICAL SENSES TO THE POINT THAT IT EFFECTS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IN THIS CASE AFTER 40 DAYS WITHOUT FOOD, FRESH BREAD IS USED.
JESUS HAD BEEN FASTING 40 DAYS AND THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT HE WAS HUNGRY. HIS HUNGER MAKES A VULNERABLE AREA THAT SATAN TRIES TO EXPLOIT.
THERE ARE SOME MONUMENTAL EVENTS IN THE BIBLE THAT LASTED 40 DAYS.
1. THE DURATION OF THE RAIN AT THE TIME OF THE FLOOD.
GEN. 7:4,12
2. THE LENGTH OF TIME MOSES STAYS ON MT. SINAI.
EX. 24:18, 34:28.
3. THE LENGTH OF TIME ELIJAH SPENT RUNNING AND HIDING IN THE WILDERNESS.
AS WE STUDY THIS TEMPTATION NOTE THAT THE DEVIL’S “IF” IN V.3 IS NOT AN EXPRESSION OF DOUBT, FOR BOTH SATAN AND JESUS KNEW HE WAS THE SON OF GOD.
THE “IF” OF V.3 SHOULD BE LOOKED ON AS A CHALLENGE. A BETTER WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, THEN USE YOUR PRIVILEGED STATUS TO TURN THESE STONES INTO BREAD, EAT AND LIVE.”
SATAN WAS TEMPTING JESUS WITH THE EASIER WAY. JUST USE YOUR POWER AND MAKE YOURSELF SOMETHING TO EAT. GOD IS USING YOU TERRIBLY TO PUT YOU IN THIS POSITION, AND IF YOU ARE TRULY HIS SON YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SATAN WAS USING PSALM 82:6-7 AS A SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR HIS TEMPTATION.
PSALM 82:6-7: “I SAID, ‘YOU ARE “GODS”; YOU ARE ALL SONS OF THE MOST HIGH.’ 7 BUT YOU WILL DIE LIKE MERE MORTALS; YOU WILL FALL LIKE EVERY OTHER RULER.” 8 RISE UP, O GOD, JUDGE THE EARTH, FOR ALL THE NATIONS ARE YOUR INHERITANCE.
SATAN’S INTENT HERE IS CLEAR. IF GODS AND SONS OF THE MOST HIGH CAN DIE LIKE MEN, AND KEEP IN MIND THAT JESUS BEING HUMAN COULD DIE AS WAS PROVED ON CALVARY, THEN WHAT HARM WOULD THERE BE IN EXERTING ONE’S PRIVILEGED STATUS AS SON OF GOD BY PERFORMING A MIRACLE FOR HIMSELF, ESPECIALLY IF NOT DOING SO COULD MEAN YOUR DEATH.
SATAN WAS TRYING TO GET JESUS TO REJECT GOD’S WILL AND CHOOSE ANOTHER PATH. HE DOES THAT TO US AS WELL. HE MAKES A SHORT CUT LOOK VERY GOOD. IT’S OK TO CHEAT ON YOUR TAXES, PEOPLE DO IT ALL THE TIME AND YOU REALLY NEED THE MONEY. SATAN WAS TRYING TO MAKE JESUS SIN BY LUSTING AFTER HIS OWN PHYSICAL LIFE AS BEING MORE IMPORTANT THAN OBEYING GOD.
CAN WE NOT TRUST GOD TO MEET OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS? CAN WE NOT TRUST HIS WORD? MATTHEW WRITES:
MATTHEW 10:29-31:
29 ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A PENNY? YET NOT ONE OF THEM WILL FALL TO THE GROUND OUTSIDE YOUR FATHER’S CARE. 30 AND EVEN THE VERY HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED. 31 SO DON’T BE AFRAID; YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN MANY SPARROWS.
JESUS RESPONSE TO THIS TEMPTATION TAKES US BACK TO HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL WHEN THEY WERE IN THE DESSERT FOR 40 YEARS. THEIR CLOTHES DID NOT WEAR OUT. THEIR EYES DID NOT FAIL. JESUS REJECTS SATAN’S ADVANCES BY QUOTING DEUTERONOMY 8:3:
DEUTERONOMY 8:3-5:
3 HE HUMBLED YOU, CAUSING YOU TO HUNGER AND THEN FEEDING YOU WITH MANNA, WHICH NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR ANCESTORS HAD KNOWN, TO TEACH YOU THAT MAN DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF THE LORD. 4 YOUR CLOTHES DID NOT WEAR OUT AND YOUR FEET DID NOT SWELL DURING THESE FORTY YEARS. 5 KNOW THEN IN YOUR HEART THAT AS A MAN DISCIPLINES HIS SON, SO THE LORD YOUR GOD DISCIPLINES YOU
TWO LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS TEMPTATION:
1. THE MOST FEROCIOUS TEMPTATIONS WILL OCCUR WHEN PEOPLE ARE BY THEMSELVES. SATAN WILL NOT TEMPT BELIEVERS WHEN AROUND OTHER BELIEVERS AS WE CAN DRAW ON EACH OTHER’S STRENGTH.
2. TEMPTATIONS OFTEN COME IN LIFE’S WILDERNESS EXPERIENCES.
JAMES 1:2-4:
CONSIDER IT PURE JOY, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHENEVER YOU FACE TRIALS OF MANY KINDS, 3 BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE. 4 LET PERSEVERANCE FINISH ITS WORK SO THAT YOU MAY BE MATURE AND COMPLETE, NOT LACKING ANYTHING.
THIS SERMON HAS A SECOND PART:
