Matt 4:1-11 Temptation - Make a Plan

Matt 4:1-10

Satan is real. Temptation is not sin in and of itself. We must fight the devil by resisting temptation by standing on the word of God

Key Truth: Temptation is a battleground, but God’s Word is our weapon and our victory

Good Morning Glen Meadows. Even though it is cold outside, I hope you feel the warmth of love here. I am Chris Heronema, the Associate Pastor of Adult Discipleship. Our Senior Pastor is on “assignment” in the Caribbean. “Assignment” is code for vacation. I love that yall care enough for him and us that you would allow him to rest and recharge his batteries. And in doing so, I get a chance to preach from time to time. But the best part, Pastor Mack comes back refreshed.

Last week Pastor Luke Roller covered Jesus’ baptism and shared scripture about the Holy Spirit descending on Him and a voice from heaven say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. We are going to see Jesus’ “NEXT STEP”.

Before we get started, I need to set the stage.

I know your Momma told you, you was special. My momma told me I was special too. But, today I am going to show you, in some aspects we aren’t.

1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

We are going to talk about something everyone of us, faces everyday. Chapter 4 of Matthew starts with the Temptation of Jesus in with Wilderness. The idea of temptation may already get you nervous.

You immediately know where and how you are tempted to sin. Just to set you at ease, today is not a “show and tell” day, so I’m not going to ask for volunteers to join me on the stage.

All of us are tempted. Temptation is not sin in and of itself. We must fight the devil by resisting temptation by standing on the Word of God.

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Where does temptation start? It starts with Satan. Satan is real.

I want to describe our enemy, the adversary of God. The NT mentions Satan over 35 times. The NT has many different names for Satan. Some of these are:

“tempter”, “ruler of demons”, “evil one”, “enemy”, “the father of lies”, “a murderer”, “ruler of this world”, “the god of this world”, “the prince of the powers of the air”, “the ruler of the darkness of this age”, an “angel of light”, and “the adversary”. Revelation refers to him as “one who deceives”, “an accuser”, “a serpent”, and “a dragon”. He is also described in a metaphor as being a lion seeking whom he may devour.

The devil may tempt, but cannot coerce a person to sin. He can provide an opportunity but can’t make you partake. “The devil made me do it!” is not a valid argument.

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I love this church preaches right from the world of God every week. And today is no different. Grab your Bible. I want to encourage you to grab a physical Bible. I am working to no longer use my phone as a Bible unless I’m in a pinch. You may use your phone, but a push notice may take you away from what you need to hear today. I text may rob you from instruction. Sports Center may let you know that your cricket team is up by three. So, please work with me to remove distractions.

Grab your Bible, or the one in the seat in front of you. If you don’t have one - take one home. Its not stealing, we want you to be “armed and dangerous” to the enemy.

We believe the Bible is God Breathed. 2 Tim 3:16-17

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

16 All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Today we will be in Matthew 4. Specifically 1-11. READ MATTHEW 4:1-11

The temptation of Christ highlights numerous parallels between Jesus and OT Israel. Deuteronomy 8:2–3 says that the Lord led Israel into the wilderness to be tested for forty years.

Where Israel failed, Jesus didn’t.

Temptation 1

What the devil sees as a temptation, God may simultaneously use as a more positive test to prove Jesus’ faithfulness.

Jesus’ situation is not uncommon to people. We are tempted to give physical needs priority over spiritual needs. The devil tempts Jesus to rely on himself and not trust God.

    3      “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. [1] Dt 8:3

Temptation 2

If Jesus would have taken the temptation to jump, it would attempt to force God to perform a miracle.

The editing of scripture.

  ( 11           For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

*******To guard you in all your ways.**********

  12            They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone. [1]

Ps 91:11-12

Jesus quoted Deut 6:16

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 6

16 “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.

Isreal was in the wilderness and questioned if God was with them. They did not believe until God provided water in the wilderness. If Jesus would have jumped he would be looking for God to do a miracle and would have displayed no faith in God unless God did a miracle. Jesus’ faith was not weak and He did not need a miracle to prove faithful.

Temptation 3

If Jesus had worshiped Satan in order to gain worldly power, it would have indicated that he valued creation more than the Creator and the kingdoms of the earth more than the kingdom of God. Jesus insisted that only God is worthy of worship.

  13      “You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. [1]

  20      “You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. [2]  Dt 6:13, 10:20.

The Kingdoms were already promised to Jesus. The victory is already promised. By bowing down to Satan, Jesus would show is impatience to wait on the Lord. How many times have you been impatient and not waited on the Lord.

Its easy to read through scripture and miss some things.

Lets make some observations:

4:1 - “Then” - Jesus has just had a spiritual victory - He was baptized, the Spirit descended on Him.

“Then” He was led away by the Spirit to be tempted.

The same Spirit who has anointed Jesus in 3:16 now leads him to the place of temptation but does not himself cause the temptation, which is attributed instead to the devil.

The Spirit does not Tempt

The Devil can not act independently of God.

The devil is the adversary — let’s get this straight, an adversary = NOT AN EQUAL

Jesus just fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and He was hungry.

Jesus just had a spiritual victory and he was hungry (physically tired).

Some of the strongest spiritual opposition happens after a great victory or when we are tired and in physical need. Be on Guard at these times. Mustard up the energy to be alert!

People are tempted to give physical needs priority over spiritual needs.

Notice: The devil approaches Jesus

V3 - the first attempt - the tempter approached Him

V5 - the devil took Him

V8 - the devil took Him

Notice: Devil questions Jesus’ identity

V3 - If you are the Son of God

V6 - If you are the Son of God

V9 - Satan gives up on the line of questioning and tries to make a deal.

Satan knows who Jesus is. Later in the Gospels, the demons immediately know who Jesus is.

In the same way he questioned the identity of Jesus, Satan may tempt you in a way that questions your identity in Christ. He may remind you of your past to try to convince you to give into temptation. He may remind you of who you are so you reject Jesus.

Now Notice: Jesus used scripture. Jesus said, “it is written”

The temptation of Christ highlights numerous parallels between Jesus and OT Israel. Deuteronomy 8:2–3 says that the Lord led Israel into the wilderness to be tested for forty years.[1]

V4 - Jesus said, “it is written”

V6 - Satan tries this tactic - “for it is written” - he takes out part of the scripture and takes it out of context. The devil knows scripture. He removes parts of scripture and twists it. He presents a counterfeit as legit.

V7 - Jesus told him, “it is also written”

V10 - Go Away Satan!, “for it is written.”

If you notice Jesus uses scripture to break the temptation and shut the Tempter up. True Scripture ends the debate. Scripture is the instruction we measure our lives against. Scripture is our map.

These tactics are not uncommon for Satan. Satan tempted Adam and Eve.

Temptation Gen 3 Matt 4

Appeal to physical You may eat You may eat by changing

Appetite of any tree stones to bread

Appeal to personal You will not die You will not hurt your foot

gain

Appeal to power or You will be like You will have all the

glory God world’s kingdoms

Where Israel and Adam and Eve failed the temptation. Jesus was tempted but did not sin.

How do you resist temptation?

My family resisted bad situations by playing the “What if” game.

The “What if” Game - you are most venerable when you are not paying attention.

Not planning will lead to destruction. Have a plan.

I knew we were successful at the What If Game, when it became instinctive.

Soho London. We were tired, we had walked all over London. We were hungry.

Yalla Yalla is a Beruit restaurant in an alley.

We had a map, we took a short cut.

We knew better. There was a dark alley.

We were in the light, two brick walls and darkness filled the alley.

The lights of the next street gave a great silliquette of the alley. Nothing in the alley.

No one in the alley,…… until there was someone in the alley.

Four men in dark clothes were standing in a nook.

The “what if” kicked in….. and so did my wife’s passing gear. She left me in the alley.

She knew to get out of the darkness, get into the light, and go where the map leads.

We got out of there before our presence tempted those dudes to commit the sin of robbery.

They may have been in Bible study, but we didn’t hang around long enough to find out.

Develop your “what if” when temptation comes. When danger is near, have a plan.

Jesus knew the Word. Jesus did not take the short cut.

How to fight temptation :

1. Be Alert - Satan can tempt at any time. Be more alert after a spiritual victory or time of growth and when you are hungry and tired.

2. Don’t go in the high grass - the devil like a lion seeking whom he may devour.

He approach Jesus. Know that he will come for you too. This does not mean to not go after the lost, this means don’t charge into the places where you are prone to sin.

If you are to be tested, make sure its the Spirit leading you and not satan taking you. Satan wants to destroy you, you life, your family, and your influence.

3. Be Armed- “For its is written” Know scripture. Know it well enough so that you can combat temptation. Know it to where you can spot the fake - you may not know exactly why its fake, but recognize and then dig deeper it determine why.

Key Truth: Temptation is a battleground, but God’s Word is our weapon and our victory

Hebrews 4:15-16 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Conclusion:

Alter Questions:

You may need to bold go to the throne ask for help

You may need to spend time memorizing scripture to help in the time of need.

Do you need to soak in scripture so you can recognize a counterfeit.

Are you tired of fighting temptation unarmed and alone? Do you need to get the peace that can only come from God?

You may be in the lions clutches now, come to Jesus and be rescued. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. He came to be our ransom. For the wages of sin is death. That death is a separation from God. He paid your penalty, will you trust him?