INTRODUCTION’
• SLIDE #1
• When we are in a relationship with Jesus, one of the things we are told is to read the Bible, study the Bible, meditate on the things in the Bible.
• We are told in sermon after sermon to spend time in the Word because it will benefit us.
• Then we decided to spend a couple of minutes once reading the Bible (Probably the book of Numbers), and the clouds of Heaven did not seem to open nor did a halo from heaven drop down upon us, so we kind of gave up.
• After we woke up, we concluded that we really did not need to read the Word because “the preacher will tell me what I need to know!” ?
• In our new series, Diving Deep Into The Word With Jesus, we are going to see just how important the Word of God to us and how reading it and even, dare I say memorizing some of it is vital to our growth as well as our spiritual survival.
• In this series we are going to examine how Jesus used the Word in various situations as well as how HIS words that we have recorded in the Bible can be used in everyday practical terms.
• The Bible is a powerful weapon in our arsenal and constant time in the Word will benefit us greatly. There is a reason for passages such Hebrews 4:12.
• SLIDE #2
• Hebrews 4:12 (CSB) For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
• Today we are going to examine how Jesus dealt with an issue we all face on a daily basis, the issue of temptation.
• We need to understand that Jesus had to face temptation. We also need to realize that temptation in itself is not a sin.
• SLIDE #3
• James 1:14–15 (CSB) — 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
• Hebrews 2:17-18 tells us that Jesus can sympathize with us because He was tempted in all manners, yet He made it through those temptations without sin.
• The passage tells us that He can help those who are being tempted.
• So today we are going to see how Jesus used the Word to have victory over temptation.
• We can have the same victory if we will follow His example!
• Let’s begin with Matthew 4:1-4. This passage along with the parallel passages in Luke 4:1-13, and Mark 1:12-13 are where we find the event of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness.
• SLIDE #4
• Matthew 4:1–4 (CSB) — 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he had fasted forty days and forty 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 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
• So, let us begin with our first observation concerning temptation and why it is important to learn how to fight it off.
• SLIDE #5
SERMON
I. Temptation opens the door to doubting God. (1-4)
• This event, Jesus being led into the wilderness to be tempted happens right after the baptism of Jesus where the Father exclaims that this is my Son in whom I am well-pleased.
• One thing we need to be aware of in life is that many times after great spiritual victories, comes great times of temptation.
• Verse one tells us that Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
• The word TEMP means TO TEST, to be put to the test in order to ascertain the nature of someone, including imperfections, faults or other qualities.
• As I said in the introduction, Jesus was tested so He could sympathize with our struggle. It was also meant to show Satan who was in control.
• Satan knew who Jesus was, but he wanted to see if Jesus in His state could withstand a temptation attack.
• Now Jesus showed His full humanity by the fact that after 40 days with no food, Mathew tells us in verse 2 that Jesus was HUNGRY! DUH! ?
• We have other examples of folks going that long without food. Moses in Exodus 34:28, Elijah in 1 Kings 19:8. In our time, Gandhi was known to not eat for long periods of time.
• In verses 3, Satan comes to Jesus and say IF YOU are the Son of God…
• Satan begins with an attempt for Jesus to doubt God. You have to remember up to this point, Jesus had yet to perform any miracles. Jesus was fully human.
• Satan used the same tactic with Eve in the beginning. He tried to get her to doubt God, His love and His provision. With Eve he tried to get her not to trust that God had her best interests in mind.
• So here you have Satan, and you have Jesus who was coming off a 40-day fast!
• GRAB THE STONE!
• Jesus, you are hungry, if you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread, have some nice bread.
• Look at this stone, it kind of looks like a small loaf of homemade bread! Think about how hungry Jesus is. I know after a few hours I would be really hungry.
• What is the harm in turning a rock into bread?
• This is the subtle way temptation works, what’s the harm? What’s the problem with this small area of compromise of your faith? Who will know, who will be hurt?
• So, what is the problem with this request by Satan?
• Satan was trying to tempt Jesus into doubting God.
• The baptism of Jesus marked the beginning of His public ministry. This is when the crowds would begin to gather, and the miracles would begin to flow. Satan is saying, don’t you wonder if you can do it?
• He is also trying to get Jesus to use His power selfishly. Hey Jesus, use your power that you might have on Yourself!
• Also, behind this temptation is the question, what kind of Messiah would Jesus be? Would He be selfish or selfless?
• Ironically, in later miracles Jesus did supply baskets full of bread, but he supplied them for a hungry crowd, not to satisfy himself. And he did the miracles in God’s timing for God’s purposes as part of his mission (see 14:13–21; 15:32–39).
• So how did Jesus fend off this temptation?
• He used scripture! He quotes Deuteronomy 8:3. The context of this verse is a perfect fit for the situation. Moses was reminding Israel of the way they had doubted God by wanting to go back to Egypt.
• Jesus was not going to make that same mistake.
• When tempted to doubt God, we can go to the Word. It worked for Jesus. Jesus did not turn Satan into a frog or He did not use and philosophical arguments, He simply quoted the truth of Deuteronomy 8:3.
• 4 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
• Jesus did not ask Satan to wait for Him to look up the passage on His IPhone app, He simply quoted it from memory.
• Let’s look at verses 5-7.
• SLIDE #6
• Matthew 4:5–7 (CSB) — 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.” 7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”
• SLIDE #7
II. Temptation opens the door to evading God’s will. (5-7)
• Well, Jesus hit a homerun off of Satan in His first at bat, so now Satan winds up for his second attempt.
• He takes Jesus to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple.
• Satan is smart, never forget that. He sees that Jesus is using Scripture to fight him off.
• So, Satan takes a stab at it.
• 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.”
• Satan tells Jesus to throw Himself off the temple and He will not be hurt because of the passage he quotes to Jesus!
• The quote is from Psalm 91:11-12. So Satan knows the Word also!
• Oops, there is a problem. Satan has left out an important part of the verse.
• Look at verse 11 of Psalm 91
• SLIDE #8
• Psalm 91:11–12 (CSB) — 11 For he will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. 12 They will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
• The passage says that God will protect when doing His will.
• WE have to realize that the Scriptures can be twisted or taken out of context. Satan is a master of this technique.
• So, what is the problem with this temptation?
• First, Jesus would be putting His life in danger for no good reason.
• Second, this is a temptation for Jesus to avoid doing God’s will and doing it a different way.
• This is a way to avoid the cross. If Jesus had done this, many would have viewed it and accepted Him as the Messiah. He would have been able to avoid all the persecution and suffering He was going to experience.
• Then He could have set up the Kingdom that the Jews of the day thought the Messiah would set up, and earthly Kingdom with Israel on the top of the heap instead of the eternal Kingdom God was wanting.
• How did Jesus deal with this? PROPER use of Scripture. Jesus uses Deuteronomy 6:16. 7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”
• We are tempted to avoid God’s will in our life when the will takes us down a path we do not want to travel, or a path that is going to be difficult, or possibly a path that will cost us something we do not want to lose.
• We fight that with proper use of the Bible.
• SLIDE #9
• Matthew 4:8–11 (CSB) — 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 angels came and began to serve him.
• SLIDE #10
III. Temptation opens the door to worshipping the wrong thing. (8-11)
• Jesus hits it out of the park again. Satan is going to try one more thing.
• He takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Him the all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
• Jesus, bow down to me and these are all yours!
• This temptation involved getting Jesus to doubt God, as well as trying to get Him to evade God’s will.
• Bow down to me and I will make it easy for you. We tend to worship the easy don’t we.
• Satan was not asking to be worshipped as God, but rather that Jesus would be acknowledging that Satan is the overlord of the world.
• What we have here also is the temptation to follow empty promises.
• Does Satan own the world to where he could give control over to Jesus?
• More NO than YES.
• Ephesians 6:12 tells us that our battle is against the powers of darkness, 2 Corinthian 4:4 says god of this age (Satan) has blinded folks.
• Everything belongs to God; however, the only power Satan has over anything is what we give him. Ephesians 2:2 indicates this.
• We have to avoid being tempted by empty promises. Politicians are masters of the empty promise.
• Vote for me and I will give you xyz. You vote, and XYZ never comes.
• How did Jesus fight this off?
• 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 angels came and began to serve him.
• A quote from Deuteronomy 6:13!
• He first told him to get away, then Jesus reminded him who we are called to worship!
CONCLUSION
• Each time Jesus was tempted by Satan, Jesus simply used and applied Scripture. Think of all the ways He could have chosen to handle the temptations.
• He chose scripture. IF it is good enough for Jesus, then it should be good enough for me.
• Jesus also employed a tactic along with scripture that is found in the New Testament.
• SLIDE #11
• James 4:7 (CSB) Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• Submit to God, resist the devil and he will FLEE!
• Don’t give in, don’t give up. I cannot tell you how many times in my life that a situation is before me and God’s Word helps to lead me in the best direction.
• The word is powerful, read it, memorize it, absorb it, USE IT!
