MATTHEW 4: 1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "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 by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him 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 shall give His angels charge over you," and, "In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone." Jesus said to him, "It is written again, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God." Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly 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 will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve." Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
1. The First Temptation To Turn Stones Into Bread
Remember, Life is by the Word
- Deut 8:1-3.
-Gen 3:17-19. Eat bread till you return to the ground. Bread cannot prevent death.
-Even manna doesn't prevent death.
John 6:49-51. Your fathers ate manna and are dead... I am the Living Bread.. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.
The devil tries to turn the Living Bread of Life to lifeless stones
Bread:
(1) My Flesh (Jn.6:51-58). The sacrifice of Christ is the source of our new life. Life by His blood.
(2) My Words (Jn.6:63). The message of Christ.
(a) The word of the Gospel (1Pet.1:23-25)
(b) The commandment of the New Covenant. 1Jn.3:11-14. Eternal life and the commandment of Christ.
Lesson 1: Don't sell your birthright for a morsel of food (Heb.12:15-17). Sold by his words (Esau). Esau wept, but that didn’t restore his privileges. Gen.25:28-34. For a pot of stew and bread.
Lesson 2: Don't labor for bread that perishes, but labor for bread that endures to everlasting life (John 6:27). Don’t follow Christ for physical bread. Don’t pray and fast for blessings in this worldly life. Run in order to know Christ and His words. Don’t make your business or family the center of spirituality. Make Jesus the center and satisfaction of your life.
Lesson 3: The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom.14:17). The carnal church vs the spiritual church. The picnicking church vs the power-filled church. The partying church vs the worshipping church. The fashionable church vs the godly church. The worldly church vs the Bride of Christ.
Lesson 4: One's life does not consist in the abundance of things one possesses. Don't lay up treasures for yourself, but be rich toward God (Luke 12:15-21). Your identity and status is not determined by the kind of position you hold or the amount of wealth you have. Don’t be proud. Naked we came and naked we shall depart. Don’t labor to be rich in the world. Labor to be rich toward God.
Lesson 5: The food of the child of God is obedience to the will of God and to finish His work. (John 4:34). He only said "I thirst" after He knew that everything was accomplished.
2. The Second Temptation to Throw Oneself Down From The Top of The Temple.
Don't Forget: Life Has A Divine Purpose
What does it mean to tempt God?
To tempt God means to try to get God to fulfill what you desire rather than you trying to fulfill what God desires. To tempt God means to use tantrums, complainings, grumblings, wailings, or provocative actions in order to force or provoke God to do just want you want. Tempting God flows from self-centeredness. Tempting God flows from lusts of flesh. Exod 17:2-3.
Lesson 6: The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above. (Pro 14:14). The Israelites complained and craved for meat (Num.11:4,33). They tempted God. God gave them meat, but while the meat was in their teeth, the wrath of God came upon them. The good man is satisfied, but the self-centered person is perpetually dissatisfied. He is like a black hole that sucks everything and yet is never full. He is like a bottomless pit and therefore will be cast into the lake of fire. Jude 12. "They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever."
Heaven is only reserved for those who find pleasure in the presence of the Lord: (Psa 36:8-9 NKJ)
8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
9 For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
Lesson 7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Gal 6:7 NKJ)
The Law of sowing and reaping is ordained by God. Miracles exist, but miracles are not an excuse for violating the laws of nature. If you don't brush your teeth, no matter how spiritual you are, your teeth will rot. Faith is not foolish. If you jump from the mountain, you will break your bones. Unless, God has asked you to walk on water, don't try to jump into water unless you know how to swim. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. Don't waste your life in foolish living. Make good investments. Eccl.11:1 - Charity. Sow wisely and purposefully, reap bountifully. Eccl.7:17- Why should you die before your time?
3. The Third Temptation to Throw Himself Down At the Adversary's Feet
Know that Life is for God
There are two kinds of worship in the world: Worship for mammon, Worship in the spirit and truth. Jesus said, you cannot serve God and mammon (or money, riches, worldly profits). The devil cannot think that anyone can serve God selflessly without any profit orientedness. He accused Job of being a utilitarian person. "Touch what he has and he will curse you to your face," he challenged. But, Job put the devil to shame by blessing God when everything was taken away. The devil now tries to tempt Jesus with mammon. But, Jesus came not to be a king of this world, but to put an end to this world and become the Author of the New heaven and earth.
Lesson 8: Bless the Lord at all times and let His praise be continually in your mouth. (Ps.34:1). It also means never curse your fellowmen (James 3:9-12). Eph.5:18-20
Lesson 9: Having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: (Rom 12:6-11 READ). Serve God according to the grace given to us.
Lesson 10: Submit to God, Resist the Devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7)
Lesson 1: Don't sell your birthright for a morsel of food (Heb.12:15-17).
Lesson 2: Don't labor for bread that perishes, but labor for bread that endures to everlasting life (John 6:27).
Lesson 3: The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom.14:17).
Lesson 4: One's life does not consist in the abundance of things one possesses.
Lesson 5: The food of the child of God is obedience to the will of God and to finish His work. (John 4:34).
Lesson 6: The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above. (Pro 14:14). Let God be your satisfaction, don’t tempt God to satisfy your longings.
Lesson 7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Gal 6:7 NKJ)
Lesson 8: Bless the Lord at all times and let His praise be continually in your mouth. (Ps.34:1).
Lesson 9: Having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: (Rom 12:6-11)
Lesson 10: Submit to God, Resist the Devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7)
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