Title: The Temptation of Jesus
Theme: Learning to say no to temptation.
Text: Luke 4:1 - 13
Opening Scripture
Luke 4:1-13 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into* the wilderness, (2) being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. (3) And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." (4) But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' " (5) Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." (8) And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' " (9) Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. (10) For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,' (11) "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " (12) And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' " (13) Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
There are three major events that happen in Jesus’ life mentioned here in Luke 3 & 4
First you have the baptism of Jesus recorded in the first three gospels. John doesn’t elaborate in this but he does announce about Jesus
Joh 1:29 "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
That is enough said within itself. Jesus Christ the one who has come to take away all sins. Any sin. Even up to the sins of all the world.
Sin - strongs definitions
- Transliteration: Hamartia - Phonetic: ham-ar-tee'-ah
- Definition: 1. equivalent to 264
a. to be without a share in b. to miss the mark c. to err, be mistaken d. to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong e. to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin
Again we are remined in Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. God did not leave us here but sent Jesus His only Son to die for us so that we might be forgiven. Sin might be “taken away”.
Luke describes Jesus baptism in Luke 3:21 - 22
Luk 3:21-22 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. (22) And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."
In this we see the interaction of the Father (voice), Holy Spirit (dove) and Son (baptism).
Next we see the temptation of Jesus as we read from the opening. We will view more of that in a moment.
After this we see the calling of Jesus.
Luke 4:18-21 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; (19) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (21) And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
This verse is quoted from Isaiah 61, a prophecy of the coming Messiah. Jesus is declaring its fulfilment but also His calling. This verse is a verse of freedom. First, we see a freedom from sin but notice now we see a freedom from:
• Broken heartedness
• Captivity
• Blindness
• Oppression
This is Jesus’ calling. This is His purpose.
Today if you are not walking in this freedom, you are missing what God has called you to fully be. Some walk-in spiritual prisons that hold them back from being all that God has called them to be.
The Temptation of Jesus
Sandwiched in between Jesus’ baptism and calling is the temptation of Jesus. This morning, I want us to close by making a few notes on this passage.
Note: We will be tempted as Jesus is tempted. God will not tempt us (James) but it is the devil (or his cohorts) that tempts us. Satan is real and an enemy of our soul. He will speak to us and tempt us. But we can overcome him as Jesus did in this passage.
I. Similarity to 1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)
Three basic areas of temptation.
A. Stones to bread SELF-SATISFACTION Lust of the flesh – provide for self
Luke 4:3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."
Notice he does not say pray to the father and ask him to turn them into bread.
Tempting the goodness of God
B. Worship Satan SELF-GLORIFICATION Lust of the Eyes - take the easy way ”Easy way to the kingdoms of the world”
Luke 4:5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."
C. Cast off the temple SELF-DESTRUCTION Pride of life - get ahead of God
Push the envelope to show the world who He really was. Get ahead of God’s plan.
Luke 4:9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,' 11 "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "
Notice the devil could not cast him but told him to cast himself.
Temptation to test God and see if he was really in it. Maybe healing or blessings. Just in case to make sure.
To presume upon the power and protection of God
Temptation to have all the world. Maybe by the gift that Christ has given us. Maybe we get tired of being good and see that those who are not seem to be just as happy and content as we are.
This could be at a time when we are remembering the experience that we had. It will not always be a high
I like the way Jentzen Franklin put it. We mainly focus on 3 Temptations (Jentzen Franklin) – Sin, Society & Satan – but truthfully our Main enemy: settlement
II. Notice the build up to the temptation Preparation
A. Baptism “This is My Son in whom I am well pleased”
The affirmation from the Father
Romans 8:15-16 For I did not receive a spirit that makes me a slave to fear, but I received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him I cry, "Abba, Father." (16) The Spirit himself testifies with my spirit that I am a child of God. (adaption is mine)
B. Prayer and Fasting
C. Being filled with the Holy Spirit
D. Led by the Spirit
Galatians 5:16-18 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (17) For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The Lord is never going to leave you where He cannot take care of you. We read this last week. David said, “Where can I go to escape from your presence?”
III. Jesus Overcame the Devil with the Word of God
Here three times Jesus was tempted (although it is actually implied that He was tempted for 40 days) and all three times He says, “It is written”. He quotes from the Word of God to overcome the temptation of the enemy.
Quote Scripture. But notice when Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone," He was saying, "I am not going to live by bread alone. The material realm is not going to have priority for Me." When He said, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God," He was saying, "I am not going to do it because the Word forbids it." When He said, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve," He was saying, "I will serve My Father and Him alone." – Jon Courson Commentary on Matthew 4:11
Why? Our foundation of Doctrine and Truth.
We can overcome the devil also. With the Word of God. Ephesians 6 “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God”
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
`
IV. The Power of NO
There is a refreshing and power that comes with saying no.
No means we are saying yes to something bigger and greater.
No to temptation means we are surrendering to God’s will.
Matthew 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
No means we allow God to minister to us. Teach us and show us the way.
Conclusion
What do you need to say no to today? The voice of the enemy speaking in your ear. The life that is not following the ways of God? The draw of the world vs. the call of God to salvation?
God will take care of us. He will help us.
