BIG IDEA:
JESUS AS THE SECOND ADAM DEFEATED THE TEMPTATIONS OF SATAN BY RELYING ON THE WORD OF GOD IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT
INTRODUCTION:
We know that there is no temptation but such as is common to man. We know that Adam and Eve were defeated by Satan in their temptation encounter in the Garden of Eden. Here as Jesus launches His public ministry right after His baptism, He goes head-to-head with the 3 key temptations presented by Satan and defeats him in every area. Jesus as the Son of God and the Suffering Servant will not be deterred from the Redemptive Mission assigned to Him by the Father. There is no short-cut to a life of obedience and submitting to death on the Cross. Jesus has gained the victory for all those who will run to Him and trust Him when confronted with temptation.
(:1-2) PRELUDE – THE 5 CONDITIONS OF THE TESTING
A. Led by the Holy Spirit
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
and was led about by the Spirit”
B. Isolated in the Wilderness
“returned from the Jordan . . . in the wilderness”
C. Endured a Period of 40 Days
“for forty days,”
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Deut. 9:9 – experience of Moses on the mountain
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Deut. 8:2 – 40 years of testing in the wilderness
D. Tempted by Satan
“being tempted by the devil.”
E. Fasted
“And He ate nothing during those days;
and when they had ended, He became hungry.”
I. (:3-4) FIRST TEMPTATION – FAILURE TO TRUST GOD’S PROVISION –
Can God care for me? Goodness and Love of God attacked
SUFFICIENCY — Lust of the Flesh
A. (:3) Satan’s Challenge
“And the devil said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’”
Geldenhuys: Satan attempts to incite Jesus to dissatisfaction, impatience and self-will. Why should He undergo such privation any longer – while He has the power of making bread even of the stones? Why should He deny Himself and submit to the laws of an ordinary human existence and so run the risk of starvation if He is able to change all by an authoritative utterance? This temptation of the evil one is thus directed against the chief requisites for the execution of His calling as Messiah: His consciousness of His vocation, His faith in God and His self-renunciation.
B. (:4) Christ’s Response
“And Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
Donald Miller: Refused to become an economic Messiah – refused to be diverted from the pathway of suffering by meeting man’s superficial needs in place of his deepest needs. He also refused to use his power to minister to his own needs.
II. (:5-8) SECOND TEMPTATION – FAILURE TO TRUST GOD’S KINGDOM PROGRAM –
How does God want to accomplish His agenda? Wisdom of God attacked
SUPREMACY – Pride of Life
A. (:5-7) Satan’s Challenge
“And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, ‘I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.’”
The temptation is to take a short-cut and bypass the Cross
G. Campbell Morgan: His way to the possession of the Kingdom was a way through death, the way of the Cross, the way of travail. Satan said: Do not take that way; here is a short cut, use this method.
B. (:8) Christ’s Response
“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
Donald Miller: Refused to become a political Messiah – Much as Jesus must have wished political deliverance for his people, he saw that their real needs lay deeper. They, and the whole universe, needed deliverance from Satan. Through the power of suffering love, he would “put all his enemies under his feet” (I Cor. 15:25).
III. (:9-12) THIRD TEMPTATION – FAILURE TO TRUST GOD’S PROVIDENCE –
How does God want to deliver and exalt me? Sovereignty of God attacked
SUSTAINABILITY — Lust of the Eyes
A. (:9-11) Satan’s Challenge
“And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, He will give His angels charge concerning You to guard You, 11 and, On their hands they will bear You up, Lest You strike Your foot against a stone.’”
B. (:12) Christ’s Response
“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Donald Miller: Refused to become a miracle-working Messiah – one who would win the allegiance of men by wonders. God’s promises are not give to be used for selfish ends.
Geldenhuys: Jesus, however, again firmly repels the suggestion of the devil that He should test the faithfulness of God by exposing Himself to danger in a self-willed, unlawful manner and then expecting God to preserve Him. He does not for a moment waver in His trust in God and is not going to put Him to the test – for, indeed, he who tests God in this fashion proves thereby that he does not trust Him completely.
(:13-15) POSTLUDE
A. (:13) Satan Departs Until Later
“And when the devil had finished every temptation,
he departed from Him until an opportune time.”
B. (:14) Jesus Returns to Galilee and His Reputation Spreads
“And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit;
and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.”
C. (:15) Jesus Begins Effective Public Teaching Ministry
“And He began teaching in their synagogues
and was praised by all.”