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.