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I)       *“Testing of the King”*

A)    File:  matthew 4v1to11 testing of the king.doc

B)    Audio:  Testing of the King

C)    Series:  Matthew

D)    Preached:  October 28, 2007

II)    *Introduction:  Matthew:* 

A)    Jesus as King

III) *READ 4:1-11*

A)    V1 “led up by the Spirit” following the Spirit = following God.

B)    V1 led with a purpose “to be tempted” just like 3:11, “to be baptized” Continuing His ministry of purpose.

1)      *To be tested:*  Examine – try to learn something about someone.

Not the last test He faces:  Matt.

16 – asking for a sign; Matt 19 – a question about divorce; Matt.

22 – a question about the law; Mark 12 – Pharisees and Sadducees try to trap him with a question about taxes; John 8 – a woman caught in adultery; He does it to His disciples in John 6 – asking them how they were going to feed all the people;

2)      But this testing is complete – Luke 4:13 “And when the defvil had ended every temptation…” all kinds.

C)    V2 40~/40 fasting – extremely weak, hungry.

Worst possible time for a temptation.

D)    V1 “the devil” = the slanderer, false accuser

1)      He makes accusation against us before God (Job 1-2; Luke 22:31)

E)     V3 “the tempter came” He will try to offer something to get us to disobey God – like here.

F)     Three tests

1)      All the same – about following God’s will.

2)      All different

(a)    Please Himself:  Physical desires over spiritual needs.

(b)   Prove Himself:  Rather than proving God.

(c)    Protect Himself:  Take the easy way instead of God’s.

3)      All successfully avoided by adhering to God’s will by obeying scripture

IV) *Theological principle:  Jesus was tested as a man*:

A)    Hungry

1)      So weak – angels came to minister

B)    No divine powers used

1)      In fact – that’s the very nature of these temptations

C)    Same tools we have

1)      Holy Spirit

2)      Word of God

D)    Angels – even we have their ministry

V)    *Why is Jesus tested?*

A)    *Not* testing to approve or discover something

B)    Testing to *demonstrate Jesus’ victory* over Satan and sin

1)      Purpose:  to show what the first Adam could not do.

2)      A victory in this battle

(a)    Ultimate victory over the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31) 

(b)   “disarmed” the rulers and authorities “triumphing over them”  (Col.

2:15)

3)      Satan had “no claim” on Jesus (John 14:30) because of his sinlessness

C)    He was tested in order *to be a qualified High Priest*.

1)      Had to made like us in every way to be a high priest and to make propitiation for our sins

2)      Heb.

2:16-18, 4:15-17 sinless and sympathizing

VI) *Test 1 – Please yourself.*

A)    The test – turn stones into bread.

B)    Why is this a challenge?

1)      The answer found in Jesus’ answer Dt. 8:3

(a)    “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

2)      God /allowed/ Israel to hunger – it was His will.

Jesus using this verse shows that it was God’s will for Him to hunger.

(a)    8:2 – the chapter is about God testing Israel in the wilderness for 40 years to see if they would obey His commandments.

(b)   Therefore, God must have given Jesus a commandment concerning this fasting.

3)      Therefore, the test is one of whether or not He was going to do God’s will or His own.

A test He passed.

C)    Jesus’ reply demands some investigation:

1)      Rather than eat, He would rather do God’s will:

(a)    John 4:32-34.

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

(b)   He came to do God’s will.

John 5:30, 6:38

2)      Putting our physical needs ahead of spiritual needs is sin.

(a)    It is ultimately about trusting the Father to provide in time.

VII)          *Test 2 – Prove Yourself*

A)    This time – Satan uses scripture – but with a slight misquote – as in the garden in Gen. 3.

B)    Psalm 91:9-10.

Again, identifying the context reveals the nature of Satan’s mistake.

1)      This is written for those who have made the Lord their dwelling place – the one they love is the Lord.

2)      If he went against the Father’s will – that would not be love

C)    Jesus replies with Dt. 6:16.

1)      Again, a context about obeying the commandments of God.

2)      Jesus actions would test God by putting Him in a position that God could only affect with a miracle.

3)      Illustration – Man on rooftop in a flood.

(a)    Bad diet.

D)    We will receive whatever we ask for /In His Name/.

VIII)       *Test 3 – Protect Yourself*

A)    Satan was offering Jesus rulership over the earth

1)      It was a position he /could /offer.

B)    Jesus had already been promised these things:

1)      Ps.

22:27-28 “*27*All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

*28*For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.”

2)      The same Psalm that begins “My God, My God, why have your forsaken me?” See also Psalm 2:8

C)    The temptation here is one of /shortcut.

/

1)      Why?

Jesus was to suffer the cross – He knew this.

2)      The temptation is pain avoidance.

D)    God’s order of things – it was necessary for Christ to suffer before coming into His inheritance – His rule over the earth!

1)      How else could He sympathize?

Sacrifice?

E)     John 6 – crowds try to make Him king; Matt.

16 – Peter threatens to prevent the cross;

IX) Conclusion of Christ’s temptations:

A)    Having obeyed, Christ can call us to obey.

1)      Proved His worthiness of our respect and obedience.

B)    Having suffered, Christ can call us to suffer.