Matthew 4: 1-11
At the end of Matthew chapter 3 we read about the baptism of Lord Jesus Christ.
In HIS baptism we also saw the involvement of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
At the end we notice that the Holy Spirit rests on Lord Jesus Christ.
Most importantly we have to keep in mind the third God-head, The Holy Spirit, accompanies Lord Jesus into 40 days and 40 nights of wilderness travel.
In the present scripture portion THE SPIRIT leads the Lord Jesus into wilderness to be tempted by Satan.
So Lord Jesus was never alone in the wilderness.
The temptations of the Lord are to show HIS humanity and HIS faithfulness to the mission God gave HIM to accomplish.
Satan’s main objective was to distract Lord Jesus from HIS main mission to die on cross as the sinless sacrifice.
We see a human Jesus overcoming the temptations with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Another important factor to keep in mind is that Satan knows who Lord Jesus was.
Two times Satan uses the provocative statement “if YOU are the Son of God” indirectly challenging HIM to prove HIS true SELF as Son of God.
But human Jesus was relying upon the power and direction of the Holy Spirit.
During the temptation of our Lord, it is evident that God allowed Satan to have considerable power over human world.
Today Satan is actively involved in our world to deceive people with an alternate worship other than the God of the Bible.
Satan continues to mislead and tempt people to use their God’s give freedom to choose man-made images/idols, perverted human ideas/ideologies and traditions/rituals as objects of worship over the living God of the Bible.
In verse 3, the first temptation comes in the form of Lord’s physical need of hunger.
Satan was provoking the Lord to satisfy HIS physical need by turning a rock into bread.
Lord Jesus resisted that temptation just because HE was identifying with human beings and to feel their hunger as a mere man.
Lord Jesus met each of the temptation with Scripture showing us how to apply God’s given truth to obey HIM and to do God’s will.
Scripture is to guide and lead us faithfully obey HIM and not justify our desires and actions.
HIS first response was to quote a Scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Second temptation comes in the form of defying gravitational force.
Not only Satan provokes HIM to jump from highest point of the Temple in Jerusalem but also quotes a Scripture to prove that Lord will not be hurt at all.
Lord Jesus knows HIS limitations as a man though HE is God – willing to identify with mere human not to defy gravity. Defying gravity without protection is sure death for a normal human being.
Lord Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:16 as an answer.
In HIS answer Jesus clearly identified HIMSELF as God.
Third temptation comes in the form of compromise to worship Satan as a mere man for a gift of all kingdoms of the world.
Here Satan is reaching almost the limits of tempting the Lord.
He knows that God is the Creator and sustains everything that is created.
He knows that even the physical earthly kingdoms belong to God.
Satan knows that God allows him to have control of human lives and the places.
Satan tempts the Lord to become the Messiah of a temporal kingdom rather than a spiritual one.
Even Lord Jesus reached the end of HIS patience and rebukes Satan to leave.
Again HE quotes a Scripture from Deuteronomy 6:13 to remind Satan that only HE should be worshiped.
He reminds Satan once again that HE is God and worthy of worship.
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
From Lord Jesus temptations by Satan we learn that we cannot overcome our temptations with our human strength and will.
We need the power and strength of the Holy Spirit to enable us to face all kinds of temptations big and small and to overcome them with HIS help.
If anybody is struggling with temptations in life pray and seek the help of the Holy Spirit now.
Remember Satan tempts only the believer in the Lord Jesus.
Only a Christian person, a forgiven sinner by grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, knows the Holy Spirit personally.
HE is our present helper, companion, counselor, and power in all the facets of our faith walk.
Do you know Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?
At the end of Matthew chapter 3 we read about the baptism of Lord Jesus Christ.
In HIS baptism we also saw the involvement of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
At the end we notice that the Holy Spirit rests on Lord Jesus Christ.
Most importantly we have to keep in mind the third God-head, The Holy Spirit, accompanies Lord Jesus into 40 days and 40 nights of wilderness travel.
In the present scripture portion THE SPIRIT leads the Lord Jesus into wilderness to be tempted by Satan.
So Lord Jesus was never alone in the wilderness.
The temptations of the Lord are to show HIS humanity and HIS faithfulness to the mission God gave HIM to accomplish.
Satan’s main objective was to distract Lord Jesus from HIS main mission to die on cross as the sinless sacrifice.
We see a human Jesus overcoming the temptations with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Another important factor to keep in mind is that Satan knows who Lord Jesus was.
Two times Satan uses the provocative statement “if YOU are the Son of God” indirectly challenging HIM to prove HIS true SELF as Son of God.
But human Jesus was relying upon the power and direction of the Holy Spirit.
During the temptation of our Lord, it is evident that God allowed Satan to have considerable power over human world.
Today Satan is actively involved in our world to deceive people with an alternate worship other than the God of the Bible.
Satan continues to mislead and tempt people to use their God’s give freedom to choose man-made images/idols, perverted human ideas/ideologies and traditions/rituals as objects of worship over the living God of the Bible.
In verse 3, the first temptation comes in the form of Lord’s physical need of hunger.
Satan was provoking the Lord to satisfy HIS physical need by turning a rock into bread.
Lord Jesus resisted that temptation just because HE was identifying with human beings and to feel their hunger as a mere man.
Lord Jesus met each of the temptation with Scripture showing us how to apply God’s given truth to obey HIM and to do God’s will.
Scripture is to guide and lead us faithfully obey HIM and not justify our desires and actions.
HIS first response was to quote a Scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Second temptation comes in the form of defying gravitational force.
Not only Satan provokes HIM to jump from highest point of the Temple in Jerusalem but also quotes a Scripture to prove that Lord will not be hurt at all.
Lord Jesus knows HIS limitations as a man though HE is God – willing to identify with mere human not to defy gravity. Defying gravity without protection is sure death for a normal human being.
Lord Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:16 as an answer.
In HIS answer Jesus clearly identified HIMSELF as God.
Third temptation comes in the form of compromise to worship Satan as a mere man for a gift of all kingdoms of the world.
Here Satan is reaching almost the limits of tempting the Lord.
He knows that God is the Creator and sustains everything that is created.
He knows that even the physical earthly kingdoms belong to God.
Satan knows that God allows him to have control of human lives and the places.
Satan tempts the Lord to become the Messiah of a temporal kingdom rather than a spiritual one.
Even Lord Jesus reached the end of HIS patience and rebukes Satan to leave.
Again HE quotes a Scripture from Deuteronomy 6:13 to remind Satan that only HE should be worshiped.
He reminds Satan once again that HE is God and worthy of worship.
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
From Lord Jesus temptations by Satan we learn that we cannot overcome our temptations with our human strength and will.
We need the power and strength of the Holy Spirit to enable us to face all kinds of temptations big and small and to overcome them with HIS help.
If anybody is struggling with temptations in life pray and seek the help of the Holy Spirit now.
Remember Satan tempts only the believer in the Lord Jesus.
Only a Christian person, a forgiven sinner by grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, knows the Holy Spirit personally.
HE is our present helper, companion, counselor, and power in all the facets of our faith walk.
Do you know Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?
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