Temptation

Matthew 4:

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” ¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (NIV)

Introduction

• Jesus is the Word became flesh and was fully human.
• He was just like one of us being tested by everything we human beings are facing.
• The only different between Christ and us is that he has no sin.
• Hebrew 4:15—For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
• When Jesus entered our world He set aside the power and the privileges of Deity.
• When a physically weakened Jesus, after 40 days of fasting in the desert, was tempted by Satan, He did not seek strength from His divine nature to resist!

1. A test on physical needs

• The first and foremost test Jesus faced was about physical needs of food.
• The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (v3).
• This temptation was absolute real after 40 days of fasting.
• Many of us are able to fast for 4 hours and some may be able to stand for 4 days without food.
• But Jesus fasted for 40 days without food and water.
• In fact that was a supernatural fast.
• Without divine guidance, no one could survive with that long.
• Jesus replied Satan by quoting from the OT in Deuteronomy 8:3— man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

2. A test on real faith

• Satan later took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
• Then Satan tested Jesus and said, “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
• Take note that Satan quoted the Bible from Psalms 91 but in an unbalanced way.
• Satan tried to use the Word of God in a wrong way to test Jesus.
• That’s why in reply, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16— You shall not tempt the Lord your God…

3. A test on cheap way of success

• Again, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.
• Knowing that Jesus came to save the world, the devil offered him a cheap way of success.
• He said, “All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.”
• In reply, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13— You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him…

Conclusion

• Because Jesus met temptation in His human nature, you and I can find victory too, by meeting our temptations as He met His!
• More so, God will not allow you and I to go through temptation beyond our ability to stand.
• 1Cor 10:13— No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
• In every situation, Jesus quoted the Bible in His reply.
• Let us learn to memorise the Word of God and able to quote them anytime, in anyplace, in any situation, in the right way.
• Heb 4:12— For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
• 2 Tim 3:16-17— All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.