CSSA 1-4-02 - JESUS IS TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS

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77. JESUS IS TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"

Aim

To show how Jesus overcame the temptations in the wilderness

Straight after his baptism Jesus went into the wilderness where he was put to the test. As he had always done in the past thirty years of his life, Jesus had an answer ready from the word of God as he faced each trial. It was the word of God in his mind which he believed with all his heart that made him obedient to his Father's will.

Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1: 12-13; Luke 4: 1-13

IN THE WILDERNESS

After the excitement of his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus no doubt felt the need for some quiet time away from the crowds. He needed time to think about the work God had for him to do and time to pray to his Father. John had pointed him out as the Messiah and he must now begin to show the people the way of salvation. The work he had to do would not be easy. He would face many difficulties and eventually a terrible death. The good news of the Kingdom must be preached to the people, but he himself would suffer and die. All these things lay ahead, but he would gladly do them all ^ufor the joy that was set before him" (Heb. 12:2). For forty days he fasted in the wilderness, having only the wild beasts as his companions. Then at the end of forty days, when he was tired and hungry, the tempter came to him.

THE TEMPTER COMES WITH QUESTIONS: Matthew 4:1-11

Who the tempter was we do not know, but he came to see if Jesus could prove that he was the Son of God, as the voice from heaven had proclaimed at his baptism. He came to tempt Jesus, that is, to put him to the test, to see what power he really had. Of course, Jesus had the power of the Holy Spirit, given to him by his Father when he was baptised. He knew he was the Son of God, and that the power he had been given was to be used for God's glory, not his own.

So the tempter said to him, ^€If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread" (Matt. 4:3). What a temptation that was for a man who had not eaten for forty days! He was very hungry, but God had not given him the power of the Holy Spirit just to please himself. Jesus had an answer ready in his mind: "It is written, Maji shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (v4). It is more important to feed on God's Word by reading the Bible than to worry about feeding our bodies. So he would not turn those stones into bread.

Then the tempter suggested that he throw himself down from the highest tower of the Temple and said, "Ifthou be the Son of God, cast thyself down" (v6). The tempter himself knew that God's angels would care for His Son (see Psa. 91:11-12). Jesus, however, knew how wrong it would be to put his Father to the test. He knew God was with him all the time. Jesus said, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (v7). So he would not do it.

Then the tempter wanted Jesus to use his new power to overthrow all the kingdoms of the world and fall down and worship him. He wanted to share the power and glory of them all. God had certainly promised that His Son should be King over all the earth, but there was a work to do first. He must first suffer and die, before God would give him the glory and honour and the kingdom. "Get thee hence, Satan", said Jesus to his enemy (as the word "Satan" means), "for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (v10).

HOW JESUS OVERCAME TEMPTATION

Did you notice that every time Jesus was tempted to sin, he had an answer ready from the Word of God? Look at the verses from which he took his answers in Deut. 8:3, 6:16 and 6:13. They were all taken from the words of Moses spoken to Israel. In Deut. 8:3 Moses spoke of the time when the Jews complained and murmured, because they did not believe God had the power to provide them with food and water in the wilderness. Moses told them that natural bread was not the most important thing, but rather the Word of God, for that is the true bread. God will always provide food and water for those who believe His Word. To such people, who believe in Him, He will also give eternal life. How much better then is that true bread which God provides.

LESSON FOR US

There are three ways in which all of us are tempted, the same three ways in which Jesus was tempted. The natural desires of us all are called "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16). If we are only interested in pleasing ourselves, then we will sin against God in one or more of these ways.

Everything that the world offers can seem very attractive. The Bible, however, teaches us: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world" (1 John 2:15-16).

The Lord Jesus Christ knew how to overcome all temptation, because his mind was filled with the Word of God. He did not allow his feelings of hunger, pride or ambition to put aside the Word of God. So by reading our Bible every day and thinking about what is written there, we will have an answer ready for every temptation. This is how we overcome sin and please God.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

You will notice in Matthew 4 and Luke 4 that the tempter is called "the devil". This is not a name, but tells us what he was like. It means someone who sets himself against God by speaking lies. For example, Judas Iscariot was called a "devil" because he accused Jesus falsely and betrayed him to the rulers of the Jews (John 6:70-71). This tempter who came to Jesus in the wilderness wanted him to use the great power of God to do things which were not right. We too, can be a "devil" whenever we sin against God.

Jesus said to the tempter, "Get thee hence, Satan" (Matt. 4:10). "Satan" is a Hebrew word put straight into our English Bibles. It means an opponent or enemy. Again, it is not a name. Jesus only called Peter "Satan" when he spoke unwisely; his words were not helpful, but were the words of an enemy. So the tempter in the wilderness was a enemy of God and Jesus turned him away with the words of God.

QUESTIONS

Short Answers

Where did Jesus go after he was baptised?
How long did Jesus stay in the wilderness?
What did Jesus do in the wilderness?
Who came to Jesus at the end of his days in the wilderness?
What did he want Jesus to prove?
What book of the Bible did Jesus get his answers from?
Why could Jesus not be king straight after his baptism?
Where can we always find an answer that will help us please God whenever we are tempted?