Matthew 4:1-11

Scripture Reading:

Last Time:

We Met John the Baptizer

He was Preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was Near

He was the Fulfillment of a Prophecy about One Who Would Prepare the Way for the Messianic King

Then Jesus Came to be Baptized by Him

The Sky Opened, the Spirit Came Upon Jesus, and God Spoke from Heaven Calling Jesus His Son

Matthew 4:1-11

Matthew 4:1 (NASB)

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

There’s a Lot in this Verse that Needs to be Dissected

After Jesus’ Baptism, He was Led into the Wilderness by the Spirit

He was Led by God’s Spirit to be Tested by the Slanderer

It was God’s Will for Jesus to be Tested

How Does the Spirit Lead Someone?

Was Jesus Forced Against His Will?

No, He Followed the Lead of the Spirit

Romans 8:14 (NASB)

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

All Christians are to Follow the Lead of the Spirit

The Spirit Leads God’s People to Live According to God’s Will

We can Choose to Rebel Against the Holy Spirit and Live According to Our Fleshly Desires

Or We can Choose to Follow His Lead

How Do You Know is Someone is Following the Spirit’s Lead?

Galatians 5:18 (NASB)

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

You’ll Know Someone is Following the Lead of the Spirit When You See These Characteristics in Their Lives

Matthew 4:1 (NASB)

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

So Jesus Followed the Spirit’s Lead into the Wilderness to be Tested

Revelation 20:2 Tells Us the Devil/Slanderer is the Serpent Who Tempted Eve in the Beginning

Adam and Eve Failed to be the Humans that God Created Them to be

But Jesus is Going to Succeed in Being the Truly Human One, the True Image Bearer of God

Jesus is Replaying History as the New Adam and Eve Who Refuse to Fall for the Devil’s Tricks

He is Also Replaying Israel’s History by Going into the Wilderness

Matthew 4:2 (NASB)

And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.

Notice the Similarities in Deuteronomy 8:2-3

Deuteronomy 8:2–3 (NASB)

“You shall remember all the way which YHWH your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

“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 YHWH.

Matthew is Continuing to Show Us How Exactly Jesus Replayed Isreal’s History

Israel Failed Their Test by Complaining, Committing Idolatry, and Sinning

But Jesus was Successful

Matthew Also Shows Us How Jesus is the New Moses and Elijah

Moses and Elijah Fasted for 40 Days and Nights on Mount Horeb/Sinai

They Both Would then Receive Revelation from God

Moses Would Take that Revelation from God Down to the People in the Form of the Law

Next Chapter, Jesus is Going to be Taking God’s Law to the People on the Sermon on the Mount

After Elijah Received His Revelation, He Went and Found Elisha and Made Him His Disciple

When Jesus Leaves the Wilderness, He Goes and Finds Peter, Andrew, James, and John and Makes Them His Disciples

You Probably Recognize that Last Underlined Part

Jesus is Going to Quote it

Matthew 4:3–4 (NASB)

And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”

The Devil’s First Temptation Started with, “If You are the Son of God”

Did Satan Doubt if Jesus Truly was God’s Son?

No, He was Using Jesus’ Relationship to the Father as a Way to Tempt Jesus

“If You are God’s Son, Why are You Out Here Starving Yourself?”

“You Could Easily Make Food for Yourself Out of These Rocks!”

Would it Have Been a Sin for Jesus to Make Bread for Himself?

Remember Why He is in the Wilderness

He is Replaying the History of Israel When They Were Led into the Wilderness by God and Suffered Hunger

Israel Complained about Their Situation and Didn’t Trust in God to Provide for Them

If Jesus Were to Make Bread for Himself, He Would No Longer be Playing the Part of a Faithful Israel that Trusts God to Provide for Him

For Jesus to Use the Spirit’s Miraculous Power Would be to Show His Lack of Trust in God’s Providence

So Jesus Shot Down Satan’s First Temptation, Choosing to Place His Trust in God’s Providential Care

Matthew 4:5–7 (NASB)

Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand 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, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Satan Took Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem and Attempted Another Temptation

Again, Using Jesus’ Sonship to the Father as a Motivation to Sin

“God Promises to Protect His People, and if You are His Only Begotten Son, then He will Absolutely Protect You!”

“Let’s Test it and Prove it to be True!”

The Devil is Quoting from Psalm 91:11-12

This Psalm is All about How God will Protect Those Who Place Their Trust in Him

But Satan is Twisting it and Jesus Knows it

Jesus Quotes from Deuteronomy 6:16 which Refers to the Water from the Rock Story in Exodus 17

Israel was Testing God by Asking, “Is God with us or not?”

God Had Provided for All Their Needs, but They Still Complained in Order to Try and Force God’s Hand to Act for Them

This is What Satan is Trying to Get Jesus to Do

“If God Really Sees You as His Son, Then He Wouldn’t Let Anything Bad Happen to You!”

“Go Ahead, Test it Out!”

Jesus Knew that God Will Take Care of Those Who are Faithfully Doing His Will

But Trying to Force God to Act on Your Behalf is Selfish and Sinful

So Jesus Shot Down Satan’s 2nd Temptation, Choosing Rather to Trust that God will Protect Him Without Trying to Force God’s Hand

Matthew 4:8–10 (NASB)

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 things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ”

The Devil’s Final Attempt was Taking Jesus on a High Mountain and Showing Him the Kingdoms of the World

This is Like God Taking Moses Up to the Top of Mount Nebo and Showing Him All of the Promised Land Before His Death

The Devil Pulled Out His Greatest Weapon Against Jesus on this One

He Promises Jesus that He will Make Him the King of the World that He is Meant to be, and He Doesn’t Have to Suffer for it

Satan Could Turn the Hearts of the People Toward Jesus

He Could be the Political King of Kings that Everyone Already Expected Him to be

All He had to Do was Worship the Devil as His King

This Plan had to Sound Better than God’s

Be King Right Now Without Suffering and Death or Suffer and Die to be King

But Without His Death, There Would be No Atoning Sacrifice, No Forgiveness of Sins, No Living Forever, and No Hope for Humanity

Jesus Told Satan (the Adversary, the Enemy) to Get Out of There

We See Satan Use Peter to Try this Same Temptation Again in Chapter 16 and He Receives the Same Response from Jesus

Jesus Quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13, Where Moses is Telling the People to Stay Faithful to God When They Enter the Promised Land

They Failed at this, but Jesus is the New and Faithful Israel

Matthew 4:11 (NASB)

Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

The Devil Offered to be Jesus’ Benevolent Master

But as Soon as Jesus had had Enough, Satan Fled like a Whipped Puppy, Proving Who the Real Master is

We Never See Satan Try this Hand to Hand Combat with Jesus Again

He has to Try Sneakier and More Deceptive Methods

But Jesus will Win Every Time Until He Completely Smashes the Serpents Head on the Cross

Jesus’ Test is Finally Over and He Passed with Flying Colors

God Now Sends Angels to Serve Him and Bless Him for His Faithfulness

Application

Remember, Satan Uses Our Desires Against Us

Everything He Tempted Jesus with was Something that Jesus Desired

Jesus Desired Food, Providential Care from His Father, and to be King Over His Creation

Satan Tried Using Those Desires to Cause Him to Act Against God’s Will for Him

He Continues to Do the Same to Us Today

What are the Things We Often Desire in this Life?

Money, Happiness, Love, Sex, Possessions, Family, Friends, Recreation, Purpose, etc.

None of Those Things are Evil or Sinful

But They are Often Sought After with Sinful Motivations and in Sinful Ways

That is What Satan Does

He Promises that He can Deliver Our Desires in Better Ways than God

James 1:12–16 (NASB)

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

This is Why Self-Control is Such a Difficult but Needed Fruit of the Spirit

We Must Take Control of Ourselves and Our Desires and Not Let Satan Have an Opportunity to Make Us a “Better Deal”

James 4:7 (NASB)

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

If We Submit to God’s Will, Satan will Flee, Just as He Fled from Jesus

It May Feel Like 40 Days of Starvation, but Faithfulness Always Pays Off in the End

That Leads Us to Our Other Application

God Always Keeps His Promises to His Faithful Children

James 1:12 (NASB)

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:17 (NASB)

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

When We Faithfully Endure Temptation, God Delivers on His Promise of Eternal Life

And We Can Know that Everything Good We Experience is from God Himself

That is So Comforting to Me

And We See the Truth of James’ Words in the Account We Read Today

Jesus Desired Food, God’s Providential Care, and to be King Over His Creation

Satan Tried to Get Him to Have His Desires in Ways that Weren’t According to God’s Plan

But Jesus Faithfully Waited for God to Bless Him with His Desires

One He Passed the Test, the Angels Came Ministering to Him

Ministering is Serving with an Emphasis on Serving Food

Do You See How His Desires are Provided for by God?

He is Given Food, Providential Care, and Served as a King by the Angels of Heaven

God Provides Good Gifts for His Faithful Children

Don’t Fall for Satan’s Tricks in Order to Have Your Desires Right Now

Faithfully Wait on God and He will Provide You with What You Truly Need and What Will Bring You Lasting Joy