Bible Series 2010 - Satan Tempts Jesus in the Desert: Matthew 4:1-11

Wilderness of Judea where Jesus started His ministry.  

The definition of temptation according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is:  "The act of tempting or the state of being tempted especially to evil." (synonym is enticement).  The word is a noun.  Day after day, no matter who we are and no matter where our faith lies, we are tempted to do something we just do not want to do.  So, what stops us from following through with temptation? 

One of the best ways to look at this answer is through Jesus' actions and answers to Satan in Matthew 4:1-11, which reads this way (Life Application Study Bible, NIV, pgs. 1534-1535) "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."'

Then Jesus answered, "It is written, 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."'

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down.  For it is written:  

"He will command His angels concerning you,

and they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

Jesus answered him, "It is also written, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test.".

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  "All this I will give you," he said. "If you will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan!  For it is written, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him."

Jesus fought the devil with words that were strong and true.  He kept the mention of God in his mouth and in his mind and won over the devil with such.  The Word of God feeds the hungry.  Food, materialistic in its way, is not as important as the Word of God.  Jesus was hungry, there was no doubt.  Yet, with the Word of God, which filled him, he was able to send the devil away.

Something else that Jesus mentioned to the devil was not to test God.  We might find ourselves testing Him each and every day.  We ask him through prayer for things that we need and for things that we want.  We are tempted to ask God for deliverance from poverty when our bank accounts and our pockets are void of money/cash flow.  We are then put to the test when we ask Him for such.  God is patient, so must we be.  God hears our prayers and He will act when He feels the time is right.

A footnote in the Life Application Study Bible puts it this way, Matthew 4:5-7:  "God is not our magician in the sky ready to perform on request.  In response to Satan's temptations, Jesus said not to put God to the test (Deuteronomy 6:16).  You may want to ask God to do something to prove His existence or his love for you.  Jesus once taught through a parable that people who don't believe what is written in the Bible won't believe even if someone were to come back from the dead to warn them (Luke 16:31)!  God wants us to live by faith, not by magic.  Don't try to manipulate God by asking Him for signs."

The last sentence in the paragraph above is something that I find myself doing way too much. I ask God for signs, knowing full well that in reading scripture, I learn that this is not the action to take.  So, I am doing what I can to teach this to others.  God is not magic.  He is the Father in Heaven and He is there for us.  He sent Jesus to earth to handle our problems as He continues to do today. 

Something more about temptation is this:  Temptation alone is not a sin.  When we decide to give into it, if we do, then does temptation become a sin.  By giving in to temptation, we are disobeying God. 

So, when you feel like giving into temptation, turn to the Word of God.  Know that Jesus was victorious over anything the devil could throw at him and so can you as you come to follow him. 

Next in line is:  Message and Ministry of Jesus.  The Gospel of Matthew features the Sermons of Jesus which I will begin in the next posting in our blog page.

Again, Alex and I thank you for reading our blogs on this site and please continue to visit our website at www.wix.com/alexdave/misson-2.  Alex did a great job re-working the website and I personally want to thank him for doing this.  It really looks great and we look forward to working with you and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to send them through our website or comment on these posts.

Merry Christmas!