Now let's turn in our Bible again
to Matthew chapter 4, and I'm taking the title for the message
from what is said in verse 1. Matthew chapter 4, verse 1. Let's read this verse again.
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to
be tempted of the devil. Now Matthew chapter 4, verse
2, and when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, was afterward
hungered when the tempter came to him and said, if thou be the
son of God, command that these stones be made bread. And the Lord answered and rebuked
him and said, it's written, man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So the
title of the message then will be taken from those verses, Christ
was tempted of the devil. Was this temptation and assault
of Satan against the Lord Jesus Christ, was it real? Absolutely
so. We read in Hebrews, for we have
not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of
our infirmity, but was in all point tempted like as we are
yet without sin. The Lord Jesus Christ was tempted
But let us always know what the scriptures teach, that he never
sinned against God. It's impossible for the God-man
mediator to sin. The Lord Jesus Christ was a real
man. tempted in all points like as
we are, yet without sin. He had no sin, he knew no sin,
and he did no sin. Such a high priest became us
who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin. The Lord
Jesus Christ is the impeccable Savior, the impeccable Redeemer. He is the impeccable God-man
in his character. His temptation came at the hand
of the accuser of the brethren, came at the hand of the prince
of this world, the god of this world, Satan is called, the devil
tempted our blessed Lord 40 days, 40 nights, and was defeated. Defeated in the wilderness and
finally and totally defeated at the cross when the Lord Jesus
Christ crushed his dominion, crushed his head in the fulfillment
of the word of the Lord from Genesis 3, 15. I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed. It shall
bruise thy head. That is, the Lord Jesus Christ
shall crush the dominion of Satan, and in doing so, the humanity,
the heel of the Lord Jesus Christ was bruised. Satan tempted the
Savior and was defeated. The accuser tempted the advocate,
and was defeated. The devil tempted our deliverer
and was defeated. When the first Adam and where
the first Adam failed when he was tempted of Satan in the garden,
the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not fail at any point
and could not fail. You remember Romans 5, 19, for
by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of another shall many be made righteous. The prince
of this world was totally defeated by the prince of peace. The God
of this world was conquered by the God of gods, the King of
kings, the Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ. As our Lord
accomplished our salvation, At the same time, he defeated Satan. We read in Colossians 2, having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them himself. The Lord Jesus Christ has conquered
all of our enemies. He conquered sin for us. He put
away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He overcame death for
us. He said, I'm he that liveth and
was dead. Behold, I'm alive forevermore. He honored the law of God for
us. He redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us. He brought in everlasting
righteousness for us and freely gives that to us. He is called
the Lord, our righteousness. Blessed is a man to whom the
Lord imputeth righteousness without works. That's the salvation and
the blessing we enjoy in Christ Jesus. Now the first event recorded
in our Lord's earthly ministry after his baptism was this temptation
by the devil. Now remember, all this is happening
by the sovereign good providence of God. Our Lord comes from a
high season of honor and glory after his baptism, and he passed
immediately into a season of conflict, suffering, when he
was assaulted by the devil. In the end of chapter three of
Matthew, we read a low voice from heaven saying, this is my
beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And then in chapter
four, we hear the sneering and scornful words of Satan. If you
be the son of God, you do this. If you be the son of God, you
act this way. The Lord of glory was not without
affliction. sorrow and heartache in this
life. He's called in Isaiah 53 a man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. He was indeed wounded for our
transgression, bruised for our iniquity. God the Father, the
old writer's and the old preachers of the past would always say
God the Father had only one sin, one son rather, with no original
sin, no actual sin, but none without sorrow. One son, the
God-man mediator, with no sin, but none, no sons of God, without
sorrow, heartache, and pain. But I hope in this time of our
trials is the grace and mercy and power of God. Our Lord says
this in John 16 to his apostles before he goes to Calvary's tree,
dying for the sin of God's elect. He said, these words have I spoken
unto you that in me you might have peace. In this world you
shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome. He said, I'll never leave you.
He said, I'll never forsake you. He tells us to come boldly unto
the throne of grace. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in our time of need. Now, what can we learn
from our Lord being tempted by the devil, excuse me, and gaining the victory
over him? Now, here's the first thing I
want us to consider. We too will be tempted of Satan. When he came to tempt the Lord,
he found no corruption in Christ to stir up or to provoke him
to sin against God. We read in John 14, 30, for the
prince of this world is come, and he hath nothing in me. That
is, Satan found nothing in the Lord Jesus Christ that would
agree with him in his wicked scheme and wicked plan. But that's
not our case. There is much in our flesh, our
fallen, depraved flesh, that is subject to Satan's influence
and Satan's temptations that would draw us and tempt us and
cause us to sin. Let us never be surprised. Let it never surprise us when
we are tempted of the devil. Let us rather be expected expect
it and be ready to deal with it according to the word of God.
Satan we know in the scripture he's called a murderer, he's
called a liar, who vexed Job, who used Judas, who overthrew
David for a season, and Peter, and he is still the adversary
and accuser of the brethren. That is why the scriptures warn
us to beware of Satan's devices. He is a master deceiver. He is
still a liar. The Apostle Paul says, Satan
should take advantage of us. Let us beware of his devices,
lest he take advantage of us, for we're not ignorant of his
devices. When the messenger of Satan came
to Buffet Paul and to Badger Paul, the Lord said to him, My
grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect
in weakness. The Lord said to Peter, when
he was tempted, the Lord will not forsake us in the time of
trial. Remember, our Lord said in Matthew,
rather Luke 22, the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has
desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I
prayed for you that your faith fail not. when thou art converted,
strengthen the brethren. Now, like what Peter writes in
his epistle, 1 Peter 5, 7, casting all your care upon him, for the
Lord careth for you, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary,
the devil, hath a roaring line walking about, seeking whom he
may devour. But the God of all grace, who
called you unto his eternal glory, will make you perfect establish
you, strengthen you, and settle you in Christ to whom be glory
both now and forever. Now here's the second point that
I would bring to your attention and have us to know. Satan attacked
the Lord Jesus Christ in these three areas of our humanity that
are so subject to temptation and weakness. John writes about
it this way. He describes our weakness in
the flesh this way, 1 John 2, 16. 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 this world. We have this lust of the flesh,
this fallen sinful flesh. We have this lust of the eyes,
and we have this pride of life. Now, let's look at those three
things in these temptations of Satan assaulting the Lord Jesus
Christ. In Matthew chapter 4, verse 3
and 4, we read, When the tempter came to him, he said, If thou
be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But
he answered and said, It is written that man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of
God. Could the Lord have Made these stones into bread? Yes,
he could have. But the Lord never performed
a miracle to relieve his own suffering. The Lord's hunger
was real. 40 days, no food. Remember, he
was doing what God the Holy Spirit led him to do, fasting and praying
for 40 days. Satan tried to get the blessed
Savior to live not by faith, but rather by sight. He tried
to tempt him to distrust his father's care. cast doubt upon
him, if you are the son of God, you would not be having these
problems. If you were the son of God, you
would not be hungry. The Lord Jesus Christ refused
to live by sight, refused to satisfy the lust of the eye,
refused to live by carnal reason. He was determined to live by
faith. trusting the Lord God his father who promised to provide
all things for his people. Our life does not exist just
in natural bread only but by every precept and decree of almighty
God. The Lord will provide for us
and he has so generously and eternally in Christ. He's blessed us with all spiritual
blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Our God shall supply
all your need according to his riches in glory through the Lord
Jesus Christ. May God help us, may God enable
us to live and walk by faith, trusting the Father's wise and
sovereign providential care of us not to walk after the lust
of the eyes and unbelief, but rather walking and living by
faith looking to the Lord Jesus Christ Now here's the second
area we read in Matthew chapter 4 verse 5 and 7 Let me read this
to you. Then the devil takes him up into
a holy city talking about Jerusalem and saideth the Lord Jesus upon
this pinnacle of of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be
the Son of God, cast yourself down, for it is written, He shall
give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands shall
they bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against
a stone. And the Lord Jesus Christ said
unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God. Here he has to do and tempting
Satan is tempting the Lord with what we call the pride of life,
urging the Lord to act in a reckless manner. In daring presumption,
he takes him to the pinnacle of the temple there in Jerusalem
and suggests that he cast himself down. And by doing so, he would
give public proof that he really was sent of God. That's nothing
but pride. Here Satan quotes Psalm 91 and
twist and rest and misuses the scripture abuses the scripture
to promote his own wicked motive, his own wicked lie, just as he
did in the garden with Adam and Eve, when he said, you shall
not surely die, or God has said, you'll be like him, knowing good
and evil. Satan still uses the same tactics
today with carnal and fleshly men, one of Satan's favorite
Weapons, he uses, is the Bible, the Word of God. And again, the
Lord rebukes him with the word, thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God. Now thanks be unto our great
God, our God and Savior Jesus Christ, for not yielding to the
many assaults of the wicked one. The Lord of glory must obey the
Father's will. His glory was far more important
to him than the fickle approval of men by jumping off a building
and being unhurt or showing off in the flesh. He didn't need
that. He knew he was sent of God with
God's purpose to accomplish our salvation. Thank God we have
a Redeemer and a Savior who could not and would not yield to Satan
upon any matter, but rather always one about seeking the will of
the Lord, seeking to do the work of the Lord to his glory. This
is a very high priest that God has provided for us and the one
that we need. His faithfulness, his obedience
unto God is our righteousness before God. For in, we read in
Hebrews 2, 18, for in that he himself has suffered being tempted,
he's able to help them that are tempted. He's able to help them
that are tempted. Now thirdly, in Matthew chapter
4, verse 8, down through verse 11, the next temptation has to
do with the lust of the flesh. Look at verse 8, in Matthew chapter
4, the devil taketh him up, into an exceeding high mountain, and
showeth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of
them, and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee,
if thou wilt fall down and worship me." What a terrible thing to
suggest. What a terrible thing to say.
And the Lord said to him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only. shall thou serve. Then the devil
leaveth him, and behold, the angels came and ministered unto
him. Now, this has to do with the
lust of the flesh or gaining fame and fortune by ungodly means,
seeking power and prominence by worldly means at the expense
of compromise. Just worship me, the devil says,
and all things will be OK. Satan is a notable liar. The
Lord Jesus calls him the father of lies. He has no real power
to give, no glory to give. He acts as though he's a sovereign
over the world. Just compromise and worship me.
He seeks unlawful dominion over man and to grasp worldly power
by compromising. Just worship me. In Luke chapter
four, We have more information that Luke gives us here in Luke
4 verse 6. The devil said, all power will
I give thee and the glory of them for it is delivered unto
me and to whomsoever I will I give it. What a liar that Satan is. Our Lord described him in John
8, you of your father the devil. And the lust of your father will
you do. He was a murderer from the beginning and a boat not
in truth because there's no truth in him. When he speaks a lie,
he speaks of his own for he's a liar and the father of it. How foolish is Satan. The world
already belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. He created all things
by the word of his power. He already has all dominion and
power. He made it all. He owns it all.
Satan has nothing to give, no life to give but death, no honor
to give but dishonor. Don't be fooled by his temptation. Let us therefore never compromise
the gospel to satisfy the flesh. Let us always seek to worship,
honor, and glory in the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel.
Let us always seek to worship our God. He alone is worthy.
Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive all honor glory, blessings,
and power. Let us stand for the gospel of
Christ and never compromise the word of the Lord, but rather
let us contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints. The Father seeketh such to worship
him in spirit and in truth. Now, a couple of closing thoughts.
from verse 11, then the devil leaveth him and behold the angels
came and ministered unto him. Now let us beware of the temptations
of Satan. They are real and they are dangerous. Let us not be ignorant of his
devices. Let us resist him and rebuke
him as the Lord did with the word of truth. We read in James
chapter four, Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the
devil and he'll flee from you. Draw an eye unto God and he'll
draw an eye unto you. The acts and thoughts Satan suggests
to us are often in appearance trifling and unimportant. But
when the principles of the gospel are involved and the worship
of God is involved, we must be very careful to follow God's
will, his purpose, according as it is written in the word.
Let us not be ignorant of his devices. Let us quickly flee
to the Lord Jesus Christ for grace to help in our time of
need. Now, here's a second closing
thought. Let us also learn this valuable
lesson to make much of the scripture. Let us always use it against
the trickeries of the devil and the temptation of our flesh as
the Lord Jesus Christ did in that day of his temptation. David
writes in Psalm 119, through thy precepts I get an understanding,
therefore I hate every false way. The word is a lamp unto
our feet and a light unto our salvation. Let us make much of
the word of God. If we would know the way of salvation
as it's revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ, let us seek to
know what the word of God teaches about salvation and Christ, able
to make us wise unto salvation. If we would know the way to escape
the temptations of Satan, let us bury ourselves in the word
of God and worship him only. Paul writes about it in Ephesians
6, above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall
be able to quench all the fiery dark to the wicked, take the
helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word
of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication
of the saints. May God be pleased to bless this
word to our heart and give us understanding. These temptations
are real, but we have in Christ an everlasting consolation. We
have in Christ an everlasting salvation to the glory of our
Lord Jesus Christ.