JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS MATTHEW 4:1-11
BACKGROUND: Immediately following His baptism by John, Jesus was tested beyond all human comprehension as he was led into the Wilderness. But as we know, these forty days were not the end of his trials, but rather the beginning. Jesus was tempted throughout His ministry even while on the cross.
BUT WHY GO THERE?
BECAUSE OF EDEN Jesus chose to face temptation because that was the tool used by Satan to bring sin into the world through Adam.Jesus is referred to as the “Second Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. JESUS FIRST TACKLED TEMPTATION BECAUSE IT WAS THE VERY THING THAT ENTRAPPED MAN
TEMPTATIONS USED IN GARDEN
Self-Satisfaction FRUIT WAS APPEALING TO THE EYE & TASTE
Self- Centered DON’T YOU WANT TO BE WISE?
Self-Serving DON’T YOU WANT TO BE LIKE GOD? All About Self
WILDERNESS:
Self-Satisfaction DON’T YOU WANT TO BE FILLED?
Self- Centered DON’T YOU WANT TO PROVE YOUR IMPORTANCE?
Self-Serving DON’T YOU WANT IT ALL?
SELF-SATISFACTION (3-4 Satan knew Christ’s physical need at this point and offered Him the one thing that anyone in His condition would crave: Food)
“IF You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
NOT SO FAST, SATAN! 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.” DEUT. 8:3
Christ would not fulfill his desire for bread above fulfilling His desire to God.
Just succumbing to one temptation would have negated Him being the sinless sacrifice for us.
He put God’s will ahead of His own.
SELF-CENTERED (5-7) Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 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.’
HOLD ON THERE, DEVIL!
”Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’
Christ would not dare God to save him. Seeking a sign is not faith but 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.
“We walk by faith and not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
SELF-SERVING (8-11) Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You IF You will fall down and worship me.”
Satan was “offering” Jesus everything in the world.
PROBLEM: Wasn’t his to offer!
Beat It, Beelzebub!
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.’ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Jesus quoted Deut. 6:13
IN ALL THREE REBUTTALS, JESUS LAID DOWN THE LAW
And when Jesus told Satan to go away, Satan had no choice but to obey.
Satan doesn’t have to win!
Satan CANNOT stand up to the power of God!
Satan does not HAVE to win over us!
The temptations that Satan used are common today. In fact, the Lord tells us in 1 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.
TEMPTATIONS: COME IN DIFFERENT FORMS AT DIFFERENT TIMES
WITHOUT WARNING ARE CUSTOMIZED TO US WHEN WE ARE WEAK
BUT! TEMPTATIONS ARE INERT UNTIL WE SUCCUMB TO THEM!
WHEN SATAN THROWS TEMPTATIONS AT YOU,
FOLLOW CHRIST INTO THE WILDERNESS AND THROW THE
TEMPTATION-BUSTING WORD OF GOD BACK AT HIM!
