Matthew 4:1-11 | Pastor Kathryn Alban
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INTRO:
We are going to be looking at Jesus temptation in the wilderness.
This scripture comes right after Jesus’ baptism, when he was 30 years old. Jesus is baptized by John the baptist then goes into the wilderness to spend 40 days of fasting.
This is significant because God revealed the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai1, and the people heard them directly from God. After this Revelation, Moses ascended Mount Sinai and remained there fasting for 40 days before receiving the two stone tablets of the covenant1.
Jesus is bringing a fulfillment of that covenant, and again we see him start off with a 40 day fast.
At this point the devil comes to tempt Jesus. No remember that Jesus was without sin (the only person without sin). Satan comes at this weak point and tries to make the Messiah fall.
Now I was thinking about writing this sermon a few weeks ago, then when it came to write this Sunday’s sermon I was unsure. So I went to the liturgical calendar and guess what the scripture was?
Yep, Matthew 4:1-11 so I guess God wanted all of us to hear this this morning.
In this scripture we will learn how to defend ourselves again the temptation of material comfort, testing of God, and becoming loyal to things other than God.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and 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 will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Point 1: Submit to God
The first temptation of Satan is practical...food. 🍲
Jesus did just spend 40 days fasting!
Alone: describe the TV show and how difficult it is for individuals to go without food.
We would watch these survivalist out in the wilderness and once their food source was gone...they were calling in.
“Take me out of the game”.
The crazy thing is Satan comes to Jesus, hadn’t eaten in 40 days and brings up a call out button!
And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”
Just like the contestants in this survivalist show, Jesus had the power (and Satan knew this) to even turn stones into bread.
The temptation wasn’t merely about food; it was about how Jesus would operate during his ministry—through self-directed power or through obedience to God’s plan.
Would Christ choose the easy way...or God’s way?
{Satan} he wanted the Lord to assert His independence. ..To turn stones to bread would be to assert His independence of the will of the Father.
Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999), 167.
How does Jesus respond...
But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Jesus quoted God’s word 📖
Jesus’ response was not just one of rejecting food to rely on God’s provision.
It was rejecting self-gratification, self-service...and instead chose God’s will, God’s plan, God’s perfect word.
By quoting God’s word rather than wielding his own power, Jesus models the posture of obedience that Israel should have maintained—and that believers should emulate when facing their own temptations.
There are things that we need in this world to live, but nothing, nothing compares to the Word...the very breath and presence of God.
When faced with the easy way (self-gratifying and self-serving).....Do you choose what is easy / pressing that call out button.....or do you submit to God’s Way.
For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
How do we defeat temptation? First Submitting to God’s way, instead of what is easier. Let’s see what is next...
Point 2: Know God’s Word
Then the devil took him to the holy city and 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 will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
So Next Satan thinks he is getting a little smarter...
Jesus just said he lives on the word of God...so get this, Satan uses The Word of God to try to make Jesus fall.
This is why it is so important to understand the context behind a scripture and view it with the Bible as a whole.
Satan quotes this scripture from Psalms 91, kept the devil knows God’s Word too, and he does this to try to convince Jesus that it’s ok for him to throw himself off of this structure cause “in God’s word it said that he will send angels to protect him”.
Satan is distorting scripture
Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
Boom...hits him with scripture again 📖
Jesus saw right threw Satan’s scheme.
In one commentary it says:
Testing of God comes not from trust, but from the lack of it. Trying out the promises of God to “see if they really work” is a sign not of sure faith but of fundamental doubt. It implies that we are in God’s position; we not only know God’s promises, but we also know how, when, and where God is supposed to fulfill these divine promises. If God doesn’t perform in just that prescribed way, either God must be a liar or there is no God. Putting God to the test dramatically reverses our relationship to God; we are in charge, and God is treated as our servant.
Thomas G. Long, Matthew, ed. Patrick D. Miller and David L. Bartlett, Westminster Bible Companion (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997), 38–39.
How do we defeat temptation? First Submitting to God’s way, second know God’s Word.
If we are going to live in a world that in constantly trying to tell us what is right, sometimes even using the word of God...We have to be familiar enough with the word of God to know when something is off...
“My body my choice”...well God’s word says our body are His temple
“Live your own truth”...Let’s try living God’s truth.
We have to be familiar with God’s word...
Point 3: Know God’s Place
Let’s continue reading...
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”
Ok here Satan throws out all tricks...he presents Christ with and get’s straight to what he has to offer Christ...the World 🌎 .
There are a number of times in scripture that Jesus refers to satan as the prince of this world.
This title represents Satan’s current dominion over human systems and institutions that operate in rebellion against God.
The foundation for this claim traces back to humanity’s fall. God originally gave Adam dominion over the earth, but through disobedience and heeding Satan’s voice, humanity forfeited that right and surrendered dominion to the devil.
Here Satan is trying tempt Jesus into rule over the world 🌍 .
Remember that Satan is not like God...he is not all knowing and did not know fully know God’s plan.
But Satan here is trying to fast track Christ to, what he thinks he desires, ruling over the world.
Reading this reminded me of king David:
In 1 Samuel 16, God chose him. The oil was poured. The promise was clear.
But the crown did not come with the anointing.
Instead, David went back to the field.
Then into service.
Then into hiding.
Then into caves.
And here’s where it connects deeply:
Twice, David had the chance to take the kingdom early.
In 1 Samuel 24 and 1 Samuel 26, Saul was vulnerable. David’s men even said:
“This is the day the Lord spoke of… Now is your opportunity!”
It looked like God was handing him the throne.
But it was a shortcut.
David refused.
He said, essentially:
“I will not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.”
David understood something profound:
To gain the kingdom the wrong way would cost him his soul.
Satan is saying, “Jesus no more suffering, you can go straight to ruling...all you have to do is worship me.”
This is what so many people fall prey too. Many pastors even.
God has a plan...if we know God we know that His plan is not to our timing or desires.
But then over here is another plath...it’s shorter but appears to lead to the same way.
-We as Christians can get caught up trying to live for God but slip into appeasing others, keeping the peace instead of God’s truth, finding comforts of the world instead of comfort from the Comforter.
Yes, ok God’s plan may not be what you expect, might not be the easiest, BUT it is the best thing you could ever imagine.
Jesus’ response:
Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
At this point Jesus has had enough...commands Satan to leave.
And then quotes scripture for the third time...Deuteronomy 6:13
Satan is referred to as the prince of the world BUT God is KING.
Jesus knows where true authority lies...Jesus also know’s that his mission was far greater than this world 🗺
The world is all Satan had to offer, God’s offer is greater.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Jesus new that this world was what his body died for but was not where his soul belonged.
And he knew that Satan, in the end has no authority...other than what we give him.
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,
Conclusion:
If you are a Christian.
If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior of your sins and surrendered to God...the prince of this world HAS NOT CLAIM on you either.
Amazing...Satan has no authority other than what you give him.
Are you going to give him authority over your family?
Are you going to give him authority over your marriage?
Are you going to give him authority over your body?
Are you going to give him authority over your children?
Are you going to give him authority over your heart?
....NO.
“I shall worship the Lord and Him only shall I serve!”
So when satan comes to tempt us...when he tempts us with the easy way out, when he twists God’s word, when he offers us things of this world, how will we respond?
We have been talking about the Word of God. I can not stress it enough. You have got to know God’s word, gain an understanding of God’s character as a whole and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your decisions accordingly.
How do we defeat temptation?
-Submit to Him
-Know God’s Word (It is the tool that even Jesus used after every temptation)
-Know God’s Place (He has Authority and his plan goes beyond the things of this world).
