To be spectacular is so much our concern that we, who
have been spectators most of our lives can hardly conceive that to be unknown,
unspectacular, and hidden can have any value.
How do we overcome this all-pervading temptation? It is important to realize that our hunger for the spectacular - just as our desire to be relevant - has very much to do with our search for self-hood. Being a person and being seen, praised, liked, and accepted have become nearly the same for many. Who am I when nobody pays attention, says thanks, or recognizes my work? The more insecure, doubtful, and lonely we are, the greater our need for popularity and praise.
Jesus responded to the tempter: "You must not put
the Lord your God to the test." Indeed, the search for the spectacular
glitter is an expression of doubt in God's complete and unconditional
acceptance of us. It is indeed putting God to the test. It is saying: "I
am not sure that you really care, that you really love me, that you really
consider me worthwhile. I will give you a chance to show it by soothing my
inner fears with human praise and by alleviating my sense of worthlessness by
human applause."
************
By Rev. Pavle Cekov
Text: Matt.4: 1-11
Introduction:
Jesus Christ was tempted by the Devil throughout his
ministry. The Bible says: "...but we have one who has been tempted in
every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin." (Heb 4:15) The
temptations of Jesus were real. The Bible says: "Because he himself
suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being
tempted." (Heb 2:18) From the temptations of Jesus in Matt.4: 1-11 we can
learn two important things: First, to know the process of temptation, and
Second, how to overcome temptation.
I. TO KNOW THE
PROCESS OF TEMPTATION
Knowing the process of temptation is very important for
us if we want to overcome our temptations. Jesus Christ was tempted in the same
way as Adam and Eve. We are all tempted in the same way too. It doesn't matter
if we are members of the local church or Church leaders. The process of
temptation is the same. So let us look at the process of temptation:
A.
First: temptation starts with doubts
(Matt. 4: 3-4) "if you are the Son
of God, tell these stones to become bread." The first temptation was on
the level of His physical nature, to turn stones to bread. He was hungry and
the devil gave him a suggestion of what to do. The devil tempted Jesus through
his human physical wishes. In the same way Adam and Eve were tempted. We church
leaders are tempted too. But for Jesus God's will was more important than the
satisfaction of His hunger. Every day the devil is bringing before us doubts
regarding our physical needs. Especially those who are far away on the mission
field. Can God provide your physical needs? What about world evangelization?
Can God provide all our physical needs in order to fulfill the task? We need to
depend and trust on Him. Let us learn the lesson from the people of Israel in
the desert. Each day they needed to learn to trust and depend on God.
B.
Second: The temptation was to deny the word of God.
(Matt.4: 5-7) "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, ... 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."
The second temptation was on the level
of His spiritual nature to prove His faith in God. At the same time it was an
appeal to manifest Himself spectacularly to Israel. Jesus was not willing to
depart from the will of God in the spiritual realm. Jesus depended and believed
in the word of God. Israel was tempted in the desert in the same way. God promised
to them the land of Canon but they denied God's word. Because of it, that
generation died in the desert. When we reject the word of God as leaders and do
not trust and depend, than we will fail for sure. Adam and Eve fail because
they do not keep and trust the word of God. "The righteous will live by
faith." (Romans 1:17)
C.
Third: temptation was to defy the person of God
(Matt.4: 8-10) "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." The third temptation was on the level to defy the person of
God. This temptation involved the purpose of His coming into the world. Jesus
came to redeem men, not to rule them. Satan's way, still followed by many,
required no suffering and death, but Jesus chose God's way, the way of the
cross.
II. HOW TO
OVERCOME THE TEMPTATIONS?
We know that the first Adam failed and did not overcome
the temptation. Why? Because he was weak spiritually. But we praise the Lord
for the second Adam who is the Lord Jesus Christ. He triumphed over Satan. How
did the Lord Jesus Christ overcome temptation?
A.
First: By the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 4: 1)
"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit
into the desert..." The Holly Spirit led Jesus. With his leadership and
power He was able to overcome this temptation. Jesus was not led by His natural
desires (sinful nature) but He lived in accordance with the Spirit desires. It
was not the same with Adam. He was lead by his flesh and not with his spirit or
by the Holly Spirit. "Those who live according to the sinful nature have
their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance
with the Spirit have their minds on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful
man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."
(Romans 8: 5-6) As leaders, we need to live in accordance with our spirit and
not our natural desires if we want to overcome temptation. Also God gave us his
Holly Spirit. With His power we can overcome the devil.
B.
Second: by the power of the word of God (Matt. 4: 4, 7, 10)
"It is written: Man does live on
bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Jesus
was able with the power of the word of God to overcome the devil. There is such
a power in the word of God. Apostle Paul experienced the power in the word of
God. That is why he is saying: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it
is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentiles." (Romans 1: 16) The word of God is our sword
with which we attack our tempter. "...the sword of the Spirit, which is
word of God." (Eph 6: 17)
C.
Third: By the power of Prayer and Fasting (Matt. 4: 2)
"After fasting for forty days and
forty nights, he was hungry." Jesus was known for his prayer. Very often
He was praying. Look in (Mk 1: 35). Jesus was praying and fasting and therefore
he was able to overcome the temptation. We leaders today need to learn this
lesson from Jesus.
********************
by Victor Hoagland, C.P.
The temptations of Jesus in the desert probably reveal his
human side as much as any other gospel story.
Though scripture says he was “like us in all things except
sin”, we tend to see Jesus unlike us: a miracle worker, an assured teacher, a
master of circumstances, someone above it all.
But look at him in the desert, weary, vulnerable, struggling
for footing in a dangerous land. Was much of his life really like that?
Think of the demands people made on him. The blind man
shouting from the roadside, the paralytic lowered from the roof, the woman
pleading for her daughter were just some of the many who pressed their cares on
him at every turn. Did he tire of it all?
Is the Evil One’s first suggestion, that he turn stones into
bread, a lifelong temptation Jesus had to lay down this everyday burden, the
burden of doing good, and rest?
his ruined temple to restore;
beyond thy mortal strength to bear?
Is thy omnipotence indeed
too sorely pressed in this our need?
Lord, art thou weary? --Janet Erskine Stuart
And what of the other
temptations in the desert? Think how pressured he was by the political and
religious establishments of his day to conform to their standards and be quiet.
Just go along, they said, and you have a place with us, even a place of honor.
Jesus called those powerful people “children of the devil”.
Yet was he tempted to conform and go along just the same?
Even his own disciples were his temptors. Listen to their
advice to him: “Leave this place and go up to Judea, so that your followers
will see the things you are doing. No one hides what he is doing if he is well
known. Since you are doing these things, let the whole world know about you.” (
Jn 7:3-5)
Why waste time here in out-of-the-way Galilee? Use your
spectacular power, they told him. You can be a world-wide success.
He must have responded to them as he responded once to Peter:
“Get behind me, Satan.”
The desert temptations must have been temptations Jesus
faced everyday. If they are, how like us he is: tempted to give up under our
daily burdens, tempted to compromise and follow the crowd, tempted to seek some
extraordinary power rather than the quiet power found in ordinary life.
Can we be like him?
Tempted, but still victorious?
Will he
not deliver us?
Lord Jesus,
we would rather see
you strongthan hungry and weak.
Forty days alone,
no miracles, no eager
crowds,no friendly space to buoy you up,
no companion but the Evil One.
This is not the
Jordan
where the Father
said:
"Here is my Son,
listen to him."
And the Spirit, like
a dove,watched your every step.
Here alone,
you are a weary man,tired by the daily strain,
at the limits of your strength.
Where would we learn
this story,
but from you?And did you speak of a lifetime
more than forty days
Were your days like ours?
"Turn these stones into bread."
Were there days like
desert stones,when you walked in waterless places,
and grew weary doing good?
"All these kingdoms will be yours, if..."
Were there dayswhen promises looked better broken;
right and truth only unreal dreams;
and life secure somewhere else?
when the journey step by step,
simple words and simple deeds,
hardly seemed to make a difference?
By the mystery of your temptation in the desert,
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us.
********************
HOW SIN DEVELOPS...
1. The first stage is TEMPTATION (14)
a. This stage involves two things:
1) LUST (desires, NKJV) - a strong desire for something
2) ENTICEMENT - an opportunity and encouragement to satisfy
the desire
b. Put into a mathematical formula:
Temptation = Desire + Opportunity
c. E.g., a small boy is TEMPTED to steal some cookies when he
WANTS them (desire) and has a good chance to get them and
not be seen (opportunity)
d. But remember, it is NOT a sin to be TEMPTED - cf. the example
of Jesus, He 4:15
2. The second stage in the development of sin is SIN ITSELF (15)
a. Temptation leads to sin only when you yield and ACT upon it
b. Sin therefore requires the added step of ACTION
c. Putting it again in mathematical terms:
Sin = Desire + Opportunity + Action