Jesus Defeats Temptation!
Notes
Transcript
Jesus was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness for preparation.
It was a time of time of testing.
God cannot be tempted, neither does He tempt anyone. But He allowed His Son to endure temptation at the hand of Satan in order to prove His Lordship.
He was tempted in all point like we are, “yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15)
John says that all sin falls into one of three areas – lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes or the pride of life. (1 John 2:15-17. Do not love the world) Genesis 3:6 “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
Temptation is defeated by the Word, Worship, and doing the Will of God.
The Lust of the Flesh (3-4)
The Lust of the Flesh (3-4)
The flesh seeks to have us meet natural desires in an ungodly manner.
Satan loves to tempt our flesh when we are physically tired and emotionally drained.
“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”
Did Jesus have the power to do it? Yes, he turned water into wine. He made eyes see with mud. He raised the dead to life.
Jesus overcame by the Word of God.
“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Quoting from Duet. 8:3 where Moses tells the people of Israel that God led them into the wilderness and allowed them to hunger to teach them that life is sustained by His Word, not merely the physical.
Overcome the passions and impulses of the flesh by dependence on the Word of God.
Lord, cause us to hunger for your Word that we might know You!
The Lust of the Eyes (5-8)
The Lust of the Eyes (5-8)
Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and promised them to Jesus if He would bow down and worship Satan.
Satan is called the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31) and the “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4).
This present world lies in his power (1 John 5:19 – we are of God little children, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one)
Satan showed Jesus all the enticements and glory of the world.
The world’s pleasures seek to entrap us in what is temporary.
Jesus overcame by worship. He looked beyond this world to that which is eternal. He valued His relationship with the Father more than temporary pleasure.
“Away with you Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall serve.” (Deut 6:13).
Flee youthful lusts, but you can’t flee them if you are trying to hold on to them.
Story of Josh and the snake.
Overcome the lust of the eyes by the worship of the One True God!
The Pride of Life (9-14)
The Pride of Life (9-14)
The Pride of life is seeking to control our life apart from God. It turns God into our servant rather than our Lord.
This evidenced in the prosperity Gospel and name it claim it style preaching.
It twists God’s promises and then demands that He fulfill them.
Satan took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple.
The temptation was to prove His Sonship, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written.” The Father had already declared Jesus is the Son!
He took a passage about trusting in God (Psalm 91:11,12) and changed it to justify tempting God, demanding He act.
It changed an attitude of humility (trust) into an act of pride.
Pride seeks to live independent of God’s authority.
Jesus defeated pride by submission to the Father’s Will.
He quoted from God’s rebuke of Israel for angrily demanding Moses produce water in the wilderness. “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”
He was submitted to the will of the Father. He showed dependence upon the Father.
John 5:19 “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
Overcome the pride of life by submission to the will of the Father.
Remember who you belong to and yield yourself to Him!
Jesus returned from the wilderness of testing in the power of the Spirit!