The Temptations

The First Temptation

How many of us here today on this first Sunday of Lent are facing trials, or temptations, or feel as if we are at a time of wilderness in our lives? After his baptism and just before the beginning of his public ministry Jesus went through trials, temptations, and through the wilderness. When we are following God’s will, our enemy the devil will do anything to throw us off. I once had a chaplain tell me if it seems like everything in your journey is running smoothly, it’s time to change lanes.

Before digging into Christ’s encounter being tempted by the devil lets look at the first temptation where Adam failed.

Genesis 3:1–7 NLT

1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’ ” 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

Since this first temptation the devil has been twisting God’s words to deceive his people and throughout history time and time again humanity fails in their test.

Thanks be to God he provided a Second Adam in Jesus Christ full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit through the wilderness. Jesus didn’t face the wilderness trials, or the temptations of the devil on his own. I have good news for those of us who follow Christ into the wilderness neither do we.

The season of Lent is a call to repentance, a call to prayer and a call to fast. It’s a time for us to say not my will but yours be done. As we see Jesus begin his earthly ministry of doing the will of God, we are reminded that it came with wilderness trials and temptations, but Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit through the wilderness. The biggest thing we need to remember today is this, because of Christ we too are full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit through the wilderness.

The Temptations

*Full of the Holy Spirit and Led by the Spirit.

A Spirit filled life does not mean free of wilderness experiences or free of temptations.

It means the Spirit is there to carry you through it.

Role of the Holy Spirit

John 14:26 NLT

26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

First Temptation is a physical need. Hunger

* If you truly are the Son of God

Jesus responds with scripture Deuteronomy 8:3

Deuteronomy 8:3 NLT

3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Since the start of the pandemic people are tempted by the physical need of hunger.

Second temptation is using the human desire for political power in exchange for Idolatry.

Again Jesus responds with scripture. Deuteronomy 6:13

Deuteronomy 6:13 NLT

13 You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name.

The church today is still tempted by politics.

The third temptation is testing God. Will God do what he says?

Now the Devil uses scripture, God’s words hmm this sounds familiar, to test Jesus again.

Again Jesus responds with scripture. Deuteronomy 6:16

Deuteronomy 6:16 NRSV

16 Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.

Today with everything going on in our world, in our lives, in our church we may be tempted to test God.

* He left him until the next opportune time.

Luke 22:39–46 NLT

39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” 41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. 45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

Full of and by the Holy Spirit

Hebrews 4:14–16 NLT

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Jesus full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit did what Adam, Eve, and the rest of humanity could not do. By the Spirit he defeated everyone of the devil’s temptations.

Because of Christ we too can defeat temptations and trust the Holy Spirit to guide us through the wilderness.

Our enemy the devil is still out there as roaring lion seeking who he may devour. He still tempts God’s people today by appealing to their physical needs. He still tempts God’s church with promises of political power, if they turn from following Christ and follow political figures. Finally he still tempts by twisting God’s words, and sowing seeds of doubt that encourage us to test God.

Brothers and sisters, thanks be to God that the same Spirit that filled Christ and led Christ through the wilderness is in us and leading us. How is the Spirit calling us to respond in these temptations? Are we allowing him to lead us through the wilderness. Thanks be to God if we realize we’ve been duped we can repent and return to following Christ.