The Temptation of Christ
The Temptation of Christ
What happens after you have been on the mountain with Christ? After you have felt the wonderful blessings of God and seen His kindness? The answer to that is not too fun to remember but it is one that explains a lot of our pain in life!
- Moses, after being on the mountain with God and receiving the Ten Commandments feeling His power and strength being in a holy place at a holy time went down the mountain to find what? The children of Israel in a sick orgy worshipping a “golden calf” they had made into an idol and his own brother was the High Priest of this calf!
- Elijah, after being on the mountain praying and seeing God send fire from heaven to burn a sacrifice, the altar, and the water they put on and around it, then prayed and a 3 year drought was ended with a mighty rainstorm! Then became deathly afraid of a queen named Jezebel who said she would kill him. He just gave up and prayed for death!
- Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist, the Spirit descended on Him as a dove, then the voice of God spoke out “behold this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him!” was lead of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted 40 days fasting and then what else the tempter Satan came to try to bring Him down!
Matthew 4:1-11KJV
1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the devil!
1. First tempted to show his power off to Satan to feed his own hunger.
a. Jesus didn’t need the food of this world to feed Himself He only needed to do the will of the Father!
John 4:32-34KJV
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
b. Thinking of our own needs before doing the will of God is sin!
c. He answered this temptation with the Word of God Deut 8:3
2. Next Satan tried to use the Bible to tempt the Lord!
a. Many feel that someone who knows the bible is good but Satan can also quote and misquote it however he likes!
2 Corinthians 11:13-15KJV
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
b. Jesus said it is written again! One scripture doesn’t cancel out another but we MUST compare them and carefully do Gods will!
1 Corinthians 2:13KJV
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
c. He answered again with the Word! Deut 6:16 “thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God!”
3. Finally Satan attempted to tempt the Lord with kingdoms, and the glory of them!
a. Many have tried to explain that since Satan is the prince of this world he could make such an offer but I say this was another of the devils lies!
Psalm 50:7-12KJV
7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. 8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. 9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
b. But Jesus will take this no more! His word is what we need to speak more often “GET THEE HENCE SATAN!”
c. Then the angels came and ministered to him!