Matthew 4b
Matthew 4 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Turn to Matthew 4 as we continue our look into the “Testing of Jesus.” Just a little review from last week. In NT Greek, the word for temptation is often the same word for test. As with any word, especially in Scripture, context is critical in determining the meaning of the word. So understand that
1) Temptations (peirazō) are primarily designed to shift our trust and allegiance from God and His truth to self and a different truth.
2) Tests (peirazō) are primarily designed to reveal truth.
- the truth of our nature and who God is, etc. That is what I believe occurred here chapter 4 – this is more of a test than a temptation.
Now whether we face temptations or tests, one of
The key to victory over tests and temptations
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
This is a no brainer. Looking back at the times I failed and sinned … did I submit …? As we look at Matt. 4 and the testing of Christ, we can see this James 4 principle in action - this how Jesus emerged victoriously. If it worked for Jesus. It will work for us.
As I mentioned last week, there are multiple layers to this event in Matthew 4 - two of which we touched on last week. So let’s look at another layer, and then next week we’ll jump ahead into the Passover season leading up to the cross, then we’ll come back.
In Matthew 4, we meet this
Devil (Grk. diabolos) - adversary.
in Grk, whom we call the devil. Similar to the Heb. satan – not a name. This adversary, I believe, tested Jesus mostly because he was seeking information. At the end of Matthew 3 Jesus was baptized by John, the Spirit came down, and God the Father said,
and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
That’s encouraging, but it's deeper than that. I believe
This is connected to Gen. 3, 6, 10, 11, and the Deut. 32 Worldview.
I’ll go through this quickly. In Gen. 3, we find the original rebel, a serpent creature talking with Adam and Eve. This word serpent in Heb. is Nachash – a bronze serpentine shining one – not a talking snake. This Nachash was possibly a disgruntled Divine Council member (i.e. a rebellious fallen son of God (small s). In Gen. 6, we find other council members (sons of God) who had also rebelled. In Gen. 10, 11 (Babel), and Deut. 32, God gave the nations over to these sons of God, who eventually led the nations astray. So when God said, “This is my SON!” He likely meant, “This One is not like the others,” (John 3:16). When God said this, it raised some eyebrows in the spiritual realm. How so? Back in
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
God promised that one day a Serpent-Crusher would come. Ever since then, this particular nachash, the devil has been seeking to destroy the seed of the woman from whom the Serpent-Crusher would come. So when God said, “This is my Son,” the devil and all the forces of darkness went on Red Alert. (Pirates of the Caribbean – cursed coin). The devil had to find out, “If He’s the One, I need to get Him before He gets me.”
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.’ ”
In other words, “When I’m doing the will of God, He sustains me.” The devil was trying to get Jesus to reveal the truth of His nature, but Jesus said, “I’m not playing your game.”
As I studied, I wondered how does this apply to us. Do this – insert the words because and entitled.
The devil might say something like this to us, “Because you are a son or daughter, you are entitled to ________.”
I wonder how many Christians fall into sin, or become disillusioned with God, or walk away from the faith because of a false sense of entitlement. The enemy comes and whispers, “Because you’re a Christian, you’re entitled to healing, prosperity – entitled to an easy life, you’re entitled to let others do Kingdom work, entitled to ‘bread’ whenever you want it.”
Curious.
Where might I feel entitled? Or God’s holding out?
I want my bread now. Bottom line here for Jesus and us is this -
Will I trust God (i.e. His plan, provision, time).
This was just a little test. Devil needs to up the ante.
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.’ ”
This is interesting, the devil quoted Psalm 91:11-12 – which was and is a spiritual warfare Psalm but became Messianic Psalm – pointing toward Christ. However, what’s funny is that the devil failed to quote verse 13.
You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
This is a Psalm about the Serpent-Crusher.
What’s more interesting, and we need to realize this in our lives is that the devil did not lie. He spoke the truth – just not the whole truth. I suggest it was misapplied truth.
We need to be careful with truth, because even
Truth when misused can deceive and lead astray.
Even when we hear truth, we need to test it and confirm it in the right context. So understand that when the enemy speaks truth, it’s only to deceive and to shift our trust and focus.
I think the devil was trying to plant a seed. “If you are the Messiah, you want people to follow you. Imagine, jumping off the temple, the angels catching you, setting you on the ground, and all these people who see it will know you are the Messiah!”
If Jesus would have done this, it would have revealed His identity too soon and would have interfered with God's timing and plans. Would have changed the whole trajectory of His ministry and journey toward the cross. Do you see the application? We cannot be impatient with God and get ahead of Him. We can’t take His plans and timing into our own hands.
Slightly different note - what does it mean to test God? Simply means to put God in a bad or no-win situation. If Jesus would have jumped, that would have forced God to make a choice – to act or not to act. Allow Jesus to go splat – or rescue. Either way – God would have lost; devil would have won. So,
Testing God with our arrogance or stupidity is never advisable.
By now, I think the devil is convinced – this is the One. Now it’s time to play
Let’s Make A Deal!
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.
So what does this last part mean to us? Again, the devil was telling the truth, but behind the truth was deception. He would have given it all to Jesus (that’s the truth) – but in exchange for what? Allegiance, slavery, worship.
The devil gives nothing for free. There is always a hidden fee.
that traps, causes pain, slavery, death, separation from God …. The devil reminds me of a wonderful children’s book - “If you give a mouse a Cookie.” Then …. Always something more.
So what can we take away from this testing of Jesus? Several questions.
Trusting:
Will I trust God, and His provision, timing, plan? Where am I tempted to not trust God? Where might I feel entitled? What are my weaknesses that I need to be aware of?
Testing:
Have I or am I testing God? Am I making poor choices and living in a way that forces Him into a no-win situation. Might I be disillusioned with God because …?
Worshipping:
Will I worship (bow down) God only? Might I have other voices, gods, loves, that I worship above God?
