Luke 4.1-13 Temptation in the Wilderness
Good morning, turn with me in your Bibles to Luke chapter four, we are going to look at verses 1-13, that is on page 859 in the pew Bibles.
We are going to look at Luke’s record of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness this morning but before we look at Luke’s record I want to first read from the book of Hebrews to give us an idea of the purpose of this passage in Luke.
Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16
…he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted…
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Let’s pray.
So understanding that Jesus had to be made like us in every respect, who was tempted in every way that we are tempted yet without sin, when we look at Luke four we can see that Jesus was indeed tempted in every way that we are tempted and that He also provided a strategy for dealing with that temptation.
So let’s take a look at the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and consider the image of the whole conflict of the Christian life.
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ ” 9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ 11 and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
So here’s the Lord Jesus, fresh off His baptism, fresh from the voice from heaven, fresh from the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove, full of the Holy Spirit and led into the wilderness for forty days.
The scholars believe that this wilderness was near the Dead Sea and was in fact a wilderness, a desert, a dry, rocky, desolate place. And there Jesus fasted for forty days alone and was tempted by the devil.
Here are some quick hit facts that we can learn from this passage: first of all, because we know that Jesus is without sin though He was tempted in every way just like us, temptation to sin is not sin. Jesus did not sin by being tempted.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
There is always a way out of temptation, we just need to be willing to look for it and avail ourselves of it when we are tempted to sin.
The second quick hit fact is that the devil is very real and very powerful. The devil is not just a concept or a symbol of evil, he isn’t a mythical figure, nor is he a little red imp with horns, a pointy tail, and a pitchfork. He is very real, he is powerful, though not omnipotent, and he wants you dead.
So as we consider the three temptations that the Gospels list for us we can keep those things in mind, Jesus obviously thought that the devil was a real entity, he was tempted but didn’t sin, and also shows us a way out of temptation, a way to fight it.
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ”
So in this first assault, what was it that the devil was tempting Jesus with? Is this really a matter of just getting something to eat? It says that after forty days He was hungry, what’s the harm in turning a stone into bread?
The answer to that question is found in Jesus’ response. (and you’ll notice a pattern in His responses) He quotes from Deuteronomy 8, I’d like to read His response in its full context, verses 1-5.
The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.
What was at stake for Jesus, what was the devil attacking? He was attacking Jesus’ trust in His Father to provide for His needs.
Just as the Father provided manna in the wilderness for Israel, He could provide for Jesus. As the Son of God He could have turned a stone into bread but that would only be using His power to serve Himself which was contrary to God’s purpose.
What about the second temptation, what was under attack there?
5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ ”
So what was the devil offering here?
Psalm 2:7-8 says, The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
If the nations were already Jesus’ heritage and the ends of the earth His possession, what was the devil offering? He was offering a way to take possession of the nations and the ends of the earth without the cross, without the agony of the scourge, without the nails, without the tomb. All Jesus had to do was turn from God’s will, turn from God’s plan and bow to Satan.
What was Jesus’ response? Deuteronomy 6 and I’ll add a little context to help us understand.
13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— 15 for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
So the devil now tries a new tactic. He says, “You’ve got Scripture, fine, I’ve got Scripture too!”
9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ 11 and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
What is the temptation here, what is the devil attacking? The devil twists the Scriptures to tempt Jesus to put God’s power on display in full view in the most public place there was.
If Jesus was to jump off the top of the Temple everybody would see that the angels wouldn’t let Him fall to His death and everybody would see it, they would all see that He is Messiah and worship Him.
So what’s the temptation? It’s the same as the other two, turn from the Father’s plan and it will be a lot easier for you, a lot better.
And how did Jesus respond? You guessed it, more Scripture! Deuteronomy 6:16-19,
16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. [Exodus 17] 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers 19 by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has promised.
The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is an image of the conflict of the Christian life and what is constantly under attack is our trust in God.
Jesus was tempted over and over to depart from the will of God to stop trusting Him.
The devil tried to motivate Jesus with a sense of entitlement, of pride, and of ease and celebrity, these are not uncommon to us!
John Calvin wrote, “The Son of God did not choose to undertake any contest of an unusual description, but to sustain assaults in common with us, that we might be furnished with the same armor, and might entertain no doubt as to achieving the victory.”
In every way Jesus was tempted to reject God’s will, to stop trusting Him, and in every case Jesus answered with Scripture.
In Ephesians 6:10-18 it says,
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
The devil was asking Jesus, “Isn’t enjoyment better than hunger, isn’t honor better than shame, isn’t riches better than poverty, isn’t life better than death?”
I think, if we’re honest, we would all be tempted to say yes to that question.
But the truth is that none of those things are better if they are outside of God’s will.
Jesus proved that hard doesn’t always equal bad, what matters is that we trust in the Lord whether we perceive our circumstances as good or bad, hard or easy.
The victory is found in trusting the Lord. And He has already paid the penalty for all the times that we would fail.
Jesus trusted the Father even though it meant His death on the cross in our place. We must also trust the Lord no matter the cost for His glory alone.
Amen.
