FOLLOWING JESUS TO THE WILDERNESS
FOCUS: THE TEXT SHOWS HOW CHRIST DEFEATED SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS IN THE WILDERNESS.
FUNCTION: TO SHOWS THE HEARERS HOW JESUS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE IN DEFEATING SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS.
TEXT: LUKE 4:1-13
Mark Thornton stood 6 feet with his black pin striped suit. This was his 20th year as a Dell engineer. He was the model of success. He drove a BMW, lived in the newest subdivision in town, and had a beautiful wife. He was popular within the community. Mark was a hardworking man with strong religious values. He was a natural leader in every environment.
This is why when there was a new opening for the district supervisor over engineering matrix he was the first man on his boss’s list. His salary would double, his perks would increase, and his benefits would skyrocket. This was a great opportunity for a great man. So Mark accepted quickly.
He accepted knowing that he would be away from his wife and children fourteen days a month. He accepted knowing that he could buy that new Z49 BMW convertible. He accepted knowing that he was going to appear more successful than his brother. He accepted knowing that this promotion would make him look like a more successful man. And he liked that.
Chris Bishop stood 5’11 in his dirty clothes. He has worked as a contractor for the last 10 years. For having no High School education, he has become very financially well off. He was likable, charming, and funning. He could fix anything. His wife loved him and his children wanted to be like him. He was known in the community as a contractor that got the job done on budget and on time.
But Chris had a secret that no one knew about. If this secret ever got out it would ruin his business and his reputation. This secret would destroy everything that Chris has worked for in the last ten years. Chris cut costs on his two by fours and he cut costs on his insulation. Chris would tell his customers that he used the best quality two by fours when he was only using returned two by fours. Also, he said he was using the top density insulation he was using the cheapest insulation he could get. He wanted to get rich and this was an easy shortcut.
Sue Bates was a beautiful 29-year-old lady. She had long brown flowing hair and dark green eyes. She wore a size four dress and stood 5’6. She was the woman that women love to hate because she was so glamorous but she also was the woman that women love because she was so sweet. She was faithful Christian with a strong Christian man as a husband. Everything in life was going her way because her husband was the up and coming rich banker and she was the toast of the social circle.
This was until December 14 when her husband died in a car accident. Her life changed. Five months later she made a deal with God. She wanted to get married again and told God that she was giving Him six months to bring a new man into her life. If God did not bring her a new man she was going to take a break from the church to think about life. She knew that God loved her and he would provide. She was just testing God in her mind to prove His faithfulness to her.
Luke 4:1-13 reads like this. “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days; and when they had ended, He became hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, ’MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’" And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is written, ’YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’" And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; for it is written, ’HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,’ and, ’ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’" And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, ’YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’" And when the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.”
Before we can explore this text about Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, I must tell you a story about other people who were tempted in the wilderness. In this story of the people in the wilderness you do not see or hear Satan but he is ever present in their journey. Satan tempted this nation and the nation succumbed to Satan’s demands or deals.
In the wilderness the Israelites cried out to God for bread or manna as they called it. They doubted God’s ability to provide for them. I believe that God could have sustained His people in the wilderness without them ever eating any bread or water. If God could have split the Red Sea, He could see His people through the wilderness without them ever having to eat. If God could turn water into blood, and killed the first born of the Egyptian people, He could certainly feed his people without using food. But the people cried out to God for food.
In contrast, Luke 4:2-4 reads. “(F)or forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days; and when they had ended, He became hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, ’MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’"
Also, since the Israelites felt that God was not walking with them in the wilderness, they turned their attention to a fake god and worshipped that. The people in the wilderness, at the first sign that God left them, they gathered all the gold from the people and made a golden calf. They bend down on their knees and worshipped this golden calf and gave it the praise of leading them out of the land of Egypt. At the first opportunity, the people turned their backs on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and worshipped a dumb golden calf. Their loyalty lasted only figuratively only minutes into the wilderness.
In reverse of the Israelites behavior, Luke 4:5-8 reads. “And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is written, ’YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’" Bill Gates does not attend services any place because he says he can get too much work done in the mean time. He has put money ahead of God. Two Olympic runners would not complete because their event was on a Saturday and they were of the Seventh day Adventist Church. They placed worshipping God above the Olympics. What in your life do you place above God?
Finally, the Israelites were grumbling and complaining in the wilderness. They desired to go back to Egyptian bondage. They were unhappy with the situation and with the God who was responsible for the situation. They placed demands on God. They attempted to tell God how He should run the show. They were discontent with their God. They sought to go back to Egypt and continue to be slaves. The people cried out for signs of God. They lost their confidence in the God who just split the sea, and delivered His people from bondage. They felt saver back in Egypt than they did with their God in the wilderness. They were testing their God.
Now look at Jesus in Luke 4:9-12. “And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; for it is written, ’HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,’ and, ’ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’" And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, ’YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’"
There was a time in my Christian walk when I was afraid to pray for specific things. I was worried that God would not answer my prayer. I thought that my faith would be hurt because I expected God to grant all of my wishes. It took me sometime before I would ask the Lord to grant my prayers. Then I realized that I can ask for whatever I wished but I still would have faith in God to grant that which was best for me. I needed not to think about testing God and if he does not provide he is not loving toward me but that he is always loving to me and will give me what I need to be a better Christian man.
This story of Jesus in the wilderness by tempted by Satan is also a story about the Israelites being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Though the Israelites displeased God in the wilderness and were banded from the promise land, Jesus pleased God in the wilderness and won the victory over Satan. The Israelites were tricked by all of Satan’s tempts, while Jesus conquered all of Satan’s games. You will notice that Christ used the same information that the Israelites happen in defeating Satan. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, Deuteronomy 6:13, and Deuteronomy 6:16. The Israelites failed in their wilderness test, but with the same information Jesus was victorious in overcoming Satan.
Where the Israelites failed, Jesus succeeded in these three temptations. These three temptations are common in all of humanity. They express themselves in different forms but they are essentially the same.
Jesus overcame the temptation of self-gratification. He would not fulfill his desire for bread above fulfilling His duty to God. He put God’s will ahead of His own wishes and desires.
Jesus overcame the temptation of self-promotion. Jesus would not trade his soul to Satan for the easier route. He would not try to bypass the cross in God’s plan of salvation. Christ would not seek the power and sell His soul to Satan for it.
Jesus overcame the temptation of self-importance. Christ would not dare God to save him. Seeking a sign is not a virtue of faith but of unbelief. Jesus knew God was faithful so he did not have to test God in order to prove this to Himself. He was confident in his relationship with His father.
The same sins that the Israelites succumbed to are the same sins that we suffer with today. All sins fall in three categories. Listen to I John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Mike Vestal told my class this story about a man that he was helping. This man came into his office to receive some advice. He told Mike that his Real Estate dealer tried to kiss him and he kissed her back. He wanted to know if he should tell his wife or not. Mike told him he should. After a little while he told his wife and everything was fine. His wife forgave him and pretended like nothing happened. The problem was that the man would not stop dealing with this agent for real estate. Mike told him that he was on shaky ground and he was asking for trouble. The man told Mike that he could handle the situation and nothing would ever happen again. This man was putting himself in the pathway of sin.
A few months later, this same man comes into Mike’s office. He had the sad guilty face on. His head was down. Mike said he knew bad news was coming. He said that he sleep with this lady who was his realtor. He felt awful and guilty. Once again he told Mike and asked him if he should tell his wife that he sleep with this girl. Mike said yes. Well the man went home and after a few days told his wife about his cheating. Now the wife and this man started coming to Mike for counseling. The problem was that the man would not give up this lady as his real estate agent. After awhile the man told everyone that he was not with this lady sexually any longer and that they relationship was strictly professional.
After a few months, the man came back into Mike’s office and declares that he is having an affair with the lady who is his real estate agent. And that he is thinking about leaving his wife.
This man entered into the wilderness of temptation and Satan won the victory. We all have entered into our personal wildernesses at some point in our lives and the question is have you been defeated by Satan or have you defeated Satan.
By, Matthew Morine
