The Testing of the King – part 3 (Matthew 4:1-11)
The Testing of the King – part 3
Matthew 4:1-11
As you know we are currently in the middle of a severe battle.
After Jesus was baptized, He immediately entered the wilderness,
And according to verse 1 that this was all according to God’s will.
(1) “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
It was God’s intention that Jesus fight this battle.
It was God’s intention that Jesus enter wilderness university.
One reason was to prepare Him to be the high priest
That you and I desperately needed Him to be.
Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”
When Christ became a man,
It was God’s design to walk Him through an entourage of suffering
In order that He might “perfect” Him in His high priestly role.
Hebrews 5:8-9 “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,”
Furthermore, it is the wilderness temptation that helps us
To clearly see the sinless perfection of Christ.
For every Jew who doubted His perfection…
For every Gentile who doubted His perfection…
We only have to look at the success Jesus found in the wilderness
To understand that this man truly was without sin.
Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”
And so thanks to the temptation, we believe Jesus was sinless.
Thus far we have learned two undeniable attributes of Jesus.
The first was HIS FOCUS
Jesus had spent 40 days and nights without food.
(He was intent on seeking His Father)
He then became hungry, and Satan saw the first opportunity.
He tempted Jesus to take matters into His own hands,
And to turn stones into bread that He might eat.
And Jesus was tempted to do it.
Until the Scriptures entered His mind and He remembered that “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
In other words, God calls His people to focus on spiritual things,
And to trust that God will take care of the temporal things.
And this is precisely the type of focus that Jesus showed.
He left the stones alone, and trusted God to take care of the bread.
Jesus was focused.
The second thing we saw about Him was HIS FAITH
Since Jesus quoted Scripture to guide His every decision,
Satan decided to use a crafty temptation against Him.
This time Satan actually quoted Scripture.
He quoted Psalms 91, that if Jesus were to throw Himself off of the temple,
Then God would be forced to honor His word and step in and save Jesus.
And there again, Jesus was tempted to do it.
(After all, this was Scripture, and Jesus was on the temple)
But just before He did so, another Scripture entered His mind, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
And Jesus remembered that the purpose of the Scriptures
Is not so that we will test God, but so that we will trust God.
And so Jesus decided to trust that God would reveal Him as the Messiah
According to His own plan and according to His own timetable.
He decided to trust God.
And so through the first two temptations,
We have seen His Focus and His Faith.
This morning we look at the final temptation,
And learn yet another attribute about Jesus.
#3 HIS FORTITUDE
Matthew 4:8-11
And please notice the backdrop to this temptation.
(8) “Again”
It reminds us that the devil can seem relentless.
He didn’t give up easily.
Jesus had found victory over the first two temptations,
But Satan still isn’t finished.
Luke 4:13 “When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.”
That seems to indicate that there was more temptation,
Than even we have seen recorded. Satan was thorough.
In fact we already read out of Hebrews how Jesus
Had been tempted “in all things as we are.”
Jesus was under a harsh attack from the enemy.
“Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.”
Now this is the set up for the temptation.
And as we said on the previous one, it seems a little strange to us
To understand why Jesus would have followed the devil anywhere.
Why did Jesus follow him to stand on the temple?
Why now is Jesus following him to stand on the mountain?
BECAUSE THAT IS THE NATURE OF TEMPTATION
(It is difficult to see and understand)
I’ve told you in the previous sermons, and remind you again here,
That this temptation was not as neat and clean as we imagine it.
There was no formal greeting here.
In fact, Jesus never even called Satan by name until verse 10.
And let me show you that real quickly.
(1) “…to be tempted by the devil.”
(3) “the tempter came and said to Him”
(5) “then the devil took Him into the holy city…”
(8) “Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain…”
The tempter is repeatedly referred to as “the devil”
“devil” translates DIABOLOS
“slanderer”
He is one who comes and gossips and slanders other people.
That is precisely what the devil has been doing to God.
“If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
(Make God prove His provision)
“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down…”
(Make God prove His protection)
And so throughout the text, he is called the devil, or the slanderer.
But it is not until verse 10 when Jesus recognizes him and calls him,
Not the devil, but “Satan”
“Satan” translates SATANAS
“adversary”
After the final temptation, Jesus recognized him.
These temptations were coming from the one who opposes God.
At that moment it clicked with Jesus,
And all he had to say to Satan was “Go!”
Now, because Jesus never calls him Satan at the outset,
It becomes clear to us that during these temptations,
There was a certain level of confusion involved.
These were thoughts that Jesus was literally having and entertaining
(don’t forget that He was a man)
He was literally being tempted to do these things.
And when He fought through the temptations by quoting Scripture,
He was not quoting them to Satan, He was quoting them to Himself.
And so when we read that “the devil took Him to the holy city”
Or that “the devil took Him to a very high mountain”
We realize that it is most likely that the devil did not come in bodily form and say, “Hey follow me, I want to show you something”
But rather, in a much more crafty sense,
The devil put thoughts in the mind of our Lord to tempt Him.
What that means is that Jesus went up on the mountain,
He started thinking about “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.”
NOW WHY WOULD HE THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS?
Because He is the heir of those things.
He is the King of Kings.
He is the Lord of Lords.
All of those kingdoms and all of that glory is His inheritance.
Psalms 2:7-8 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.”
In one sense it is no different than a believer
Taking a moment to stop and think about heaven.
Jesus was taking a moment to focus on the prize.
And there is nothing in the world wrong with that.
In fact, Jesus is commended for having such perspective.
Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Scripture commends Him for focusing on the prize.
Just as you and I are told to
“fix your minds on things above, and not on earthly things.”
So there is nothing wrong with Jesus
Taking a moment to think about His inheritance.
THEN COMES THE TEMPTATION.
(9) “and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”
Here Satan is offering to give Jesus what will one day be His.
Now some would say, “Who is Satan to offer such a thing? He can’t give that.”
But that’s not true.
It was Satan’s to give.
1 John 5:19 “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”
3 times Jesus uses this title for Satan
John 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 he is called “the god of this world”
In Ephesians 2:2 he is called “the prince of the power of the air”
The point is that Satan had absolute ability to give this to Jesus.
Adam was created as the heir of the world, but he sold that right to Satan in the garden. Satan then came to be known as the usurper.
And right now, this world is his kingdom.
But that brings us to another question.
IF IT WAS ALL GOING TO BELONG TO JESUS EVENTUALLY ANYWAY, WHY WOULD JESUS BE TEMPTED TO TAKE IT?
Because of one little word I just used – “eventually”
Satan was offering it now, God was offering it eventually.
God’s plan for Jesus to be king of the world required Him
To live a sinless life, die on a cross, rise from the dead,
And someday return to fight for His kingdom.
Satan’s plan for Jesus to be king of the world only required Him
To “fall down and worship” him.
IN SHORT SATAN WAS OFFERING THE PRIZE
WITHOUT ANY HARDSHIP SUFFERING OR PATIENT ENDURANCE.
I hope you see the parallel to our decision to take the wide or narrow gate.
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
False prophets still offer this same temptation today.
They promise heaven and eternal life with no suffering and no hardship.
Of course it is a lie. That way doesn’t end in life, but in destruction.
True life is only found through the narrow way.
And this is what Satan was offering Jesus.
I’ll give you all the comforts and privileges right now,
And there is no need to suffer at all.
Satan was asking Jesus to take the wide road.
If He had, He obviously would have been putting other gods before God, and that sin would have rendered him unable to save.
But no doubt Jesus was tempted to do it.
WOULDN’T YOU BE?
Until Jesus had yet another Scripture enter His mind.
(10) “YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.”
Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:13
Jesus knew that what He was tempted to do,
Was not correct because it violated the word of God.
Furthermore, when the tempter asked for worship,
Jesus also knew who He was dealing with.
The first temptations made Satan a little difficult to spot,
But when he asked for worship,
Jesus knew exactly who He was dealing with.
Satan has always wanted God’s glory.
Isaiah 14:12-13 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.”
A desire for God’s glory was the reason for Satan’s fall.
When Satan asked for worship, Jesus knew exactly who He was.
AND THEN WHAT DID JESUS DO?
Two words – “Go Satan!”
Jesus didn’t rebuke him.
Jesus didn’t bind him.
Jesus didn’t mock him.
Jesus didn’t taunt him.
JESUS SIMPLY RESISTED HIM
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
James 4:7 “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
The art of mocking or binding or rebuking the devil
Was a thought originated by false prophets.
Jude 8-10 “Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.”
It was the false prophets who originated
The idea of mocking or rebuking the devil.
Jesus simply resisted him, and when He did.
(11) “Then the devil left Him”
We call that victory!
And it is so fitting that you and I take a moment
And recognize how to have victory over temptation.
TURN TO: EPHESIANS 6:10-17
I would point out to you one more time that there are 6 pieces of armor
And that they fall into two main categories.
1) CUSTOMARY ARMOR (“having girded” “having put on” “having shod”)
The armor that the soldier always had on.
• The Belt of Truth
• The Breastplate of Righteousness
• The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace
If a soldier was ever without any of these pieces
He was not ready for battle and he was already defeated.
Certainly Jesus already had these on (and we must as well)
But I really want to point out the second category of armor.
2) COMBAT ARMOR (“in addition taking up” “take”)
This is the armor the soldier put on when he knew he was fighting
• The Shield of Faith
• The Helmet of Salvation
• The Sword of the Spirit
CAN YOU SEE THAT JESUS FOLLOWED THIS BLUEPRINT IN HIS BATTLE?
He trusted God’s plan, when He didn’t understand it.
He fought the battle in the mind, but overcome it.
The weapon that won the battle was a reliance upon God’s Word
We win the victory against temptation exactly the same way.
Jesus won this battle.
AND WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT HIM HERE?
– His Fortitude
He could have taken an easier road…
He could have tried to bypass suffering…
He could have tried to escape the cross…
But instead, He chose to endure.
And we have seen the fortitude in Him throughout the gospels.
One of the best passages is:
John 12:23-28 “And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
Jesus knew what lay ahead, yet He pushed through to it anyway.
And I would be remiss if I failed to reveal
That this is the same He expects of us.
Matthew 10:21-22 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
Jesus expects that we will follow His lead.
When tempted with bread, He maintained FOCUS
When tempted with proof, He maintained FAITH
When tempted with hardship, He maintained FORTITUDE
And by resisting temptation He overcame the devil.
THE KING PASSED THE TEST
(11b) “and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.”
WHAT IS THIS?
This is God making good on His promise.
Jesus didn’t make bread because He trusted God to provide,
These angels came and met that need.
ARE YOU TELLING ME THEY BROUGHT FOOD?
1 Kings 19:4-8 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
WHAT ELSE WOULD THEY SUPPLY?
How about a little confirmation.
Remember as Joshua was in the wilderness overlooking Jericho.
Joshua 5:13-6:5 “Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. “You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. “Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. “It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.”
Joshua needed confirmation and the Lord provided it.
Certainly these angels did the same for Jesus.
They reminded Him that the kingdom would be His
And that God really would show Him to be the Messiah.
And so Jesus’ wilderness experience ends
With God doing exactly what He said.
Again, let me encourage those of you who are presently in “Wilderness University”
1) Have Focus
2) Have Faith
3) Have Fortitude
You are not alone, and God has not forsaken you.
He will do what He promises.
1 Peter 5:6-10 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
That is the blueprint Jesus followed,
And it is the blueprint for you and I as well.
