See Jesus Defeat The Devil

David versus Goliath. Thousands of years after their brief battle it is still used to describe conflicts. You have probably heard the comparison several times in recent days following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Clearly Russia is Goliath and Ukraine David. But don’t we also regularly hear the famous conflict connected to everything from politics to sports? We often use the expression “David vs. Goliath” to describe a confrontation or battle where the opponents or the armies are not evenly matched.

So let me ask you a question. Why was our Old Testament Lesson for this Sunday the account of David defeating Goliath? Normally, the three Bible readings (Old Testament Lesson, Epistle Lesson, and Gospel Lesson) for our worship services are connected in some way to a central theme or idea. And most often that main idea is found in the Gospel Lesson—from an event in Jesus’ life or from his teaching. Since our Gospel Lesson for today is Luke’s account of Jesus being tempted by the devil what is the connection to David and Goliath?

Let’s consider some possibilities. Are we comparing Jesus to David and Satan to Goliath? Some might say we would need to switch that around, right? Jesus is far superior to Satan. He is God. He has all of the attributes of God. He is almighty, he is present everywhere, he is eternal and all-knowing. As a created being, and a fallen angel, Satan has none of those attributes. But remember that Jesus gave up the full and constant use of his attributes as God in order to serve as our Savior. He met the devil’s temptations as you and I meet them. So, in that sense perhaps the “David vs. Goliath” comparison is fitting. Also, as our service folder pointed out David and Goliath were following a custom known as “battle by champion.” Two opposing armies would each send out their best warrior to fight each other. The whole army of each champion would share in his victory or his defeat. We see this in Jesus’ temptation. The demons send their champion: Satan. Humanity's best warrior, Jesus Christ, steps forward to meet him. In this battle he does not use his divine power. He uses the same weapon we have, God’s Word. Because Christ fought the battle against Satan as one of us, he won that battle for all of us. Jesus is our perfect substitute. Even as the devil rages against us, we can face him and his temptations unafraid, confident that our champion, Jesus, has already won the victory over him. Today we are invited to:

“See Jesus Defeat the Devil”

I. See the success of your sinless substitute

II. See the simple defense he invites you to use

Someone might say that our Savior isn’t a fair example to use when it comes to resisting temptation. After all Jesus is the Son of God. Wasn’t it easy for him to resist the devil’s temptations? It is true that Jesus never stopped being God. But the Bible tells us that he chose to not to use his divine power to give himself an extra edge in living a perfect life in our place. We could say he veiled or covered up his divine power when serving as our Savior. In Jesus’ “state of humiliation” as we call it in confirmation class, he faced the devil with the same abilities as we have. Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin.” Jesus faced Satan’s temptations and overcame them. He did that as our substitute for all the times we have failed to resist temptation.

The gospel lesson for today began with this information. “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” Why did God the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil? Don’t we say in the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation”? And James 1:13 clearly states that God does not tempt anyone. “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” So what’s the deal with Jesus being led into temptation? Wasn’t this a foolish idea to make Jesus vulnerable to temptation in this way?

To answer those questions, we need to recall the two basic ways that Jesus served as our Savior. Jesus came to let the curse of our sins fall on himself. In this Lenten season we will again hear about his suffering and death in all its gruesome details. But not only did Jesus enter the world as the sacrifice for our sins, he also came as the living substitute for sinners. He had to succeed where Adam and Eve failed. As the “Son of Man” he was expected to face temptation and not fall into sin. This he was sent to do in the place of every man, woman, and child who has sinned or will sin when tempted.