2025.02.02. Sermon Notes. Matthew 4 – MINISTRY BEGINS with the Temptation of Christ. Battling Temptation with GOD’s WORD. LEAD us not into Temptation!
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA: After being baptized, anointed and presented to the world as GOD’s Beloved Son, JESUS is led by the Spirit into the Wilderness, where HE defeats temptation with GOD’s WORD, and then begins HIS ministry in calling the world to repentance to enter GOD’s Kingdom.
Scriptures: Matthew 6:13, Matthew 4:1-25, James 1:13, Deuteronomy 8:3,
Psalms 91:11-12, Deuteronomy 6 :16, Deuteronomy 6 :13, James 4 :7,
1 Corinthians 10 :13, Hebrews 4 :14-16, Ephesians 6 :11-17, Isaiah 9 :1-2
Last time, at HIS Baptism, JESUS identifies HIMSELF with Sinful man,
the HOLY SPIRIT anoints HIM, and then the VOICE from heaven introducing JESUS to the world as GOD’S BELOVED SON, in WHOM GOD is well pleased.
Now, JESUS identifies HIMSELF with sinful man once again, in severe temptation.
From Baptism to Temptation
Anointed by the Holy Spirit and led into the Wilderness and then attacked.
From the Voice of GOD in the heavens, to the hiss of Satan the tempter.
From the LORD's Prayer given to the disciples.
Matthew 6:13 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Does GOD lead us into temptation? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Let us understand what JESUS taught us in this prayer HE gave to the Disciples, by HIS Example in the Wilderness.
A LESSON FOR EVERY BELIEVER CONCERNING SPIRITUAL WARFARE.
Matthew 4:1-25
Satan Tempts Jesus (Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1–13)
(1-2) Jesus is led to the place of temptation.
1 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.
TEMPTATION MORE SEVERE – by the devil himself
JESUS endured temptation so that HE could identify with us, but also demonstrated HIS holy, sinless character.
FASTING 40 days and 40 nights. Starving to death.
Forty days and forty nights: This is a familiar period of testing in the Bible, both in the days of Noah and for Israel in the wilderness. Jesus will succeed where Israel as a nation failed.
(3-4) The first temptation: an appeal to the lust of the flesh.
3 Now when the tempter* came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
*James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
“WHEN the tempter came”
Notice that Matthew writes WHEN the tempter came.
POINT: It is not a question of “IF” the tempter will come, but “WHEN” he will come. We will face temptation until we go to glory.
“IF YOU are the Son of GOD” Satan challenges JESUS to prove and demonstrate HIS deity through signs/works.
4 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.’ ”
Deuteronomy 8:3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.
POINT: GOD’s WORD is a weapon of our warfare.
LESSON: GOD’s WORD is effective if we understand how to use it.
Jesus countered Satan’s seductive and dark lies by shining the LIGHT of GOD’s TRUTH upon them.
Knowing the TRUTH of GOD’s WORD will set you free.
If we are ignorant of GOD’S WORD and HIS TRUTH, then we are poorly armed and weak in the fight against temptation.
(5-7) The second temptation: an appeal to the pride of life.
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him 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 shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
Psalms 91:11-12 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
“For it is written”
Even the devil can use this phrase.
We can be certain that the devil has memorized the Bible himself, and is an expert at quoting it out of its context to confuse and defeat those he tempts.
Here the devil quoted Psalms 91:11-12 but took it out of its context to say, “Go ahead, Jesus; if You do this the Bible promises angels will rescue You, and it will be spectacular self-promotion.”
This text is wrongly applied, because it was not used to teach or encourage, but instead to deceive.
(SPURGEON) “Satan borrowed our Lord’s weapon, and said, ‘It is written’; but he did not use the sword lawfully. It was not in the nature of the false fiend to quote correctly. He left out the necessary words, ‘in all thy ways’: thus he made the promise say what in truth it never suggested.”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ”
Deuteronomy 6:16 “You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah.
It is written again, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God.”
Jesus replied with Scripture applied correctly.
He knew that attempting to force or manipulate God the Father into such a demonstration would tempt God, which the Scriptures strictly forbid.
(8-10) The third temptation: an appeal to the lust of the eyes.
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 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.’ ”
Deuteronomy 6:13 You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name.
“All these things I will give You…”
Remember, Shortcuts come at a cost.
Satan has authority over this world and its governments. The temptation could not have been real unless there is some real sense that Satan does “possess” all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Away with you, Satan! For it is written
Once again, Jesus replies with Scripture, commanding the devil to leave.
11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
JESUS WINS!
POINT: And we can too.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
POINT: These temptations of Jesus also remind us that it is no sin to be tempted, as long as the temptation is resisted.
See Ephesians 6:11-18
Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry (Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:14, 15)
(12-16) Fulfilling prophecy, Jesus brings light to the region of Galilee.
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.
HERE we learn that John the Baptist has been put in prison
13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”
Isaiah 9:1-2
1 Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,
As when at first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
Leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum:
The people rejected Jesus in His own hometown of Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum.
Matthew lived in Capernaum
Peter also had a house in Capernaum
Leaving Nazareth, Jesus did not go to live and make His home in Jerusalem or Judea. Going to Jerusalem would seem to be smarter career planning for the Messiah, but Jesus dwelt in Capernaum in a house.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet
Matthew sees Jesus’ ministry in Galilee as a fulfillment of prophecy.
“Light has come” to this region, largely populated by Gentiles.
“REPENT” the first Word in Revival
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
(17) A general description of the message of Jesus.
Jesus began to preach. His main occupation.
Repent:
Just as John preached repentance, The gospel Jesus preached also began with a call to repentance.
It’s interesting that Jesus waited until John had been put in prison to begin preaching.
For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
As the SON of GOD come down from Heaven, indeed the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived.
POINT: JESUS was making it known that we must change our thinking and how we live, and to enter into GOD’s Kingdom NOW.
(18-22) Four men are called as disciples.
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples (Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11)
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men
In that day, it was customary for a rabbi to have disciples follow him, to be with Him constantly and to learn from Him.
Follow Me a command for anyone who desires GOD’s KINGDOM
They immediately left their nets… And immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him:
An immediate response. A great example for us with a sense of urgency.
(23-25) A description of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee.
Jesus Heals a Great Multitude (Mark 1:35–39; Luke 4:44; 6:17–19)
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
Teaching in their synagogues … preaching the gospel of the kingdom
Healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease
POINT: JESUS’ MINISTRY HAS BEGUN to reach the world with the GOOD NEWS.
EQUIPPING FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Ephesians 6:11-18
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.
ARMED WITH GOD’S WORD (BELT OF TRUTH)
BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - We have no righteousness outside of the righteousness of CHRIST. Living a right life, rooted in God’s Word is powerful in protecting our heart, killing our flesh, and defeating the enemy
WALKING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD (BOOTS/SHOES) AND Carrying the Message of GOOD NEWS, HOPE and PEACE.
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;
STAND FIRM IN YOUR FAITH (SHIELD)
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
PROTECT YOUR MIND (HELMET) Don’t let the enemy’s words deflect you.
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - GOD’S WORD wins the battle
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT - IN DIRECT COMMUNION WITH 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—
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
From Water Baptism to identify with sinful man and be anointed by HOLY SPIRIT and announced from the heavens to the world as GOD’s Beloved Son, JESUS would be led into the wilderness by Holy Spirit to fast and pray 40 days and 40 nights, after which the Tempter attempted to lead HIM into Temptation, but was defeated by the WORD of GOD and commanded to leave, JESUS began HIS Ministry on earth and call us to repentance and into the KINGDOM of GOD.
As believers in CHRIST, we have all been called into the Ministry of JESUS, the call of the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS. And with this calling, Satan will try to take us off course.
JESUS teaches us how to deal with the Tempter WHEN he comes.
From JESUS, we learn how to deal with Temptation and the lies and deceit of the Tempter.
We must recognize that we are in a time of testing.
We must submit ourselves to GOD.
We must be firm in our Faith in CHRIST for WHO HE IS.
We must resist and stand for righteousness.
We must know GOD’s WORD and how to use it properly.
We use the POWER of HOLY SPIRIT within us and command the tempter to leave.
We stay in constant communication with GOD.
Get into GOD’s WORD. It is the POWER of GOD that accomplishes its purpose.
KNOW GOD’S WORD and get it in you, and THE TRUTH will set you free!
IT IS ALL A MINDSET that needs to change from the Physical to the Spiritual.
REPENT - Change your understanding to know that GOD'S KINGDOM (The Spiritual) is NOW.
We are called to LIVE in this SPIRITUAL KINGDOM today.
And when you do, your Ministry begins!
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Pastor Bill
