THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS Luke 4:1-13Key Verse 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”
In today’s Bible study we will look at the devil’s persistent temptations to cause Jesus to sin. For many people they consider the devil just a harmless Halloween character. The Bible on the other hand tells us the devil is our spiritual enemy who even right now prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. The Bible does not take lightly what it writes about the devil. It tells us we should put on the full armor of God so we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes. We find the first influence of the devil in Genesis 3 in which he caused Adam and Eve to sin by disobeying the word of God. Therefore it is not surprising Jesus begins his messianic where the first man failed.
Today’s passage gives us front row seats to watch Jesus round after round beat Satan off with the powerful word of God. By studying this passage we will learn the most reliable knock out punch Jesus depended on as he fought against the devil’s temptation was the powerful Word of God. Mental intellect, physical strength, and wisdom apart from the Bible are nothing more than harmless cap guns against the devil. From Jesus Christ’s confrontation in this passage we will learn the only weapon that turns away the power of the devil is a personal belief and obedience to the word of God. Let us now take a front row seat in one of the greatest spiritual fights of all time: Jesus Christ verses the devil. Let us study and learn to depend on Jesus Christ who conquered the devil with the word of God.
Before focusing on verses 1-13 we should look briefly at Luke 4 as a whole. Within it we find Jesus making the announcement he is the Messiah. Immediately after this we find him beginning the real work of the Messiah by driving out evil spirits, healing many people and preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God. In his preparation for this great world salvation we can begin to understand the Holy Spirit’s wisdom in verses 1 and 2. “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” Jesus was about to embark on a work of God that would forever change world history. In fact the work of God Jesus was about to begin has changed and still does affect many lives all around this world. Jesus’ work would be very serious work of God and therefore the Holy Spirit wisely led Jesus into the desert to prepare for it by helping Him to pray and fast for 40 days. As we look carefully at verses 1 and 2 we don’t need much of an imagination to realize those 40 days in the desert were as difficult and hard as any man could endure. First the thought of living in the desert is an oxymoron in itself. I have read in the newspaper about morgues along the boarders between Mexico and United States filled with the dead bodies of those who tried unsuccessfully to illegally immigrate to the United States by walking through the waterless, foodless burning hot by day and freezing by night desert. In the desert Jesus had no food to sustain his strength for 40 days. Then to make his time even more difficult the devil buffeted and attacked Jesus with temptations the entire time he was in the desert. The devil knew Jesus was about to embark on a D-Day attack that would destroy his work and liberate mankind from his cruel murderous powers. Therefore he fired every temptation he could at Jesus for forty days in an effort to ruin his mission as the Messiah. In America we set aside special days such as Memorial Day and Veteran’s day to remember our veterans in the past and now who have left their comfortable homes to place themselves in harms way so we can keep our freedoms, liberties and safe homes. It is very right for us to do this. We also should not forget all our Savior Jesus endured so he could liberate us from Satan’s power. He left his Heavenly Father whom he loved far more than his own life. He left the safe and secure Kingdom of God to place himself in harms way all for the purpose of rescuing us from Satan’s power and saving us from our own sins. We should never forget all Jesus sacrificed and suffered for us. Everyday we must thank him for his great rescue mission. “Thank you Jesus for praying and fasting in the desert for those very hard 40 days. Thank you for enduring the devil’s temptations for 40 days so you could liberate me from his powers.”
Now let us refocus just on verses 3-13. As we read through these verses we notice Jesus responded to each of the devil’s temptations with the words: “It is written” or “It says”. It is as though he knew generation after generation would study this great spiritual battle he did with the devil. Jesus wanted to pass on to us how we can overcome the devil’s temptations. Jesus shows us we can overcome the devil’s temptations through the written word of God. Jesus wants to teach us that knowledge, belief and obedience to God’s word is the weapon God has made available to us, to help us overcome the devil’s temptations. At one time in this country the Bible was respected and required reading material in the public schools. Now, more and more we hear our US judicial system caving into anti-God, anti-bible people. These people sue the schools time and time again to take the Bible, the 10 commandments even the pledge of allegiance out of the school. Time again our judicial system caves into these anti-God lawsuits. What our judicial system is doing is taking the power of God out of our public schools and inviting Satan himself to come and take over our school systems. Humanly I wish for our children’s sake there was some other wisdom we can give them to help them overcome the devil’s terrible influence. But Jesus is very clear. The word of God is the only power that can empower us to overcome the devils temptations. It is for this reason I myself pray specifically God may help appoint bible believing judges. All the guns, bombs, and knowledge of men are completely powerless against the devil. The only power on earth that can turn the devil from you me and young people is the written word of God. Next let us look at how Jesus responded to three of Satan’s temptations.
First, “Man does not live on bread alone.”
Look at the end of verse 2 and verse 3: “and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” We see how cunning the devil was. He waited till Jesus was the hungriest before attacking him with the temptation by which he has been able to successfully destroy thousands of generations. Paul speaks of these people the devil has and is destroying with this temptation in Philippians 3:19: “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach.” The devil tempted Jesus that he must first serve his stomach’s hunger more than God. He is telling Jesus; “Jesus, place first priority on solving your hungry stomach then you can think about spiritual things such as God’s word, your mission and his promises.” This is the temptation by which the devil was able to cause Esau to give up his Spiritual privilege of being the oldest Son. Look at Genesis 25:29-32. “Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I am famished! Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” Esau felt he was about to die of hunger so he sold all his intangible privileges and rights found in his birthrights as the eldest son. At the moment when Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew, in his mind he thought: “Later I’ll be able to get my birthright back.” This was not to be. Hebrews 12:17 tells us: “Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.”
Now let us look at Jesus’ response to this first temptation. Look at verse 4; “Jesus answered, “It is written; ‘Man does not live on bread alone.” In Matthew 4: 4 we find this same verse but the completion of what Jesus said: It reads: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus’ countered blow reveals men and women are not just physical beings like squirrels, birds and monkeys. We need more than just food to live. Jesus’ words reveal we are spiritual beings like God the creator who created us in his image and likeness. How often have you heard people say: “Bible study does not pay my mortgage. Bible study doesn’t put food on my table. Bible study doesn’t help me pass my classes. Bible study doesn’t get me a job.” I disagree with all these because Bible study is exactly what I believe has put food on my table to giving me my job. More importantly the Bible disagrees with all these. Look at Deuteronomy 8:3 which is the passage Jesus pulled this bible verse from. It reads: “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” God purposely caused the people to hunger and then he fed them all for the purpose to teach them what they needed more than food to live on was the word of God. Actually the more we think about and start to believe in this word of God we begin to discover that it frees us from the devil’s lies of food first and allows us again to put God and his precious word first in our lives.
Jesus did even more to help set us free from the devil’s lie that we need the bread of this word to survive. Once his disciples were overwhelmed with worry. They worried about where their money for their next meal would come from. They worried how they would provide food and clothing for their families. Their faces became full of panic and fear. Then Jesus freed them from all their worry and fears by giving them his great promise found in Matthew 6:33. He told them: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things, will be given to you as well.” Our country’s own history proves the truth of Jesus promise to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness when it was first pioneered by Europeans in the 17th century. Those who placed obedience to God’s word as first importance pioneered a place called Plymouth, Mass while those who placed finding gold and other treasures pioneered a place called Jamestown, Va. The world book writes that Jamestown suffered one dreadful disaster after another until in 1699 it fell in total decay. Then there was the pioneering of Plymouth Colony up in Massachusetts by colonists who were looking for a place to practice religious freedom, which means putting God’s word first. The World Book reads; “Plymouth Colony and the Pilgrims have become for all Americans a lesson of how a people with little more than courage, perseverance, and hard work could build themselves a home in a hostile world. Their bravery set an example for future generations of Americans.” Let me add to what the World Book did not write. The Pilgrims set an example for Americans that when a person or people seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness God will provide all else.
I know one shepherd who was working around a UBF center more than 20 years. He started crying because he became overwhelmed with worry how he would survive and provide for his family. In his despair Matthew 6:33 came to him: “Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be given you as well.” At that moment he resolved to give his life to seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.” Since that moment Jesus has been faithful to his promise. Never once has he been in need as he placed first priority on seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
Second, Worship the Lord and serve him only.
Round one was over and we saw Jesus won the round by relying solely on the word of God. In the next round the devil comes at Jesus with a temptation he has used to slaughter millions of people. Look at verse 5-7: “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” In this temptation the devil led Jesus to a very high place which according to Matthew’s account was a high mountain. From this vantage point the devil showed Jesus in an instant all the kingdoms of this world with all their authority and splendor. He promised it all to Jesus if only he would worship him. This may be the same view the devil showed men like Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Hitler and Stalin. When men see this instantaneous vision of world domination, immediately they become intoxicated by it. They pledge their body, soul and mind to worship the devil for the right to rule the kingdoms of this world. For us we may not be given from the devil such a great temptation to rule the world. It could be obtaining a perfect GPA, a pay raise or job promotion. A few years ago here at University of Maryland one student held his professor at gunpoint to force her to change his final grade. Numerous times I have heard how men have lied and distorted reports about other men so they could ruin their career and improve their own career. However the true path to greatness has never been seen by a vision. It has only been seen in the pages of the Bible. Jesus first revealed it to his disciples in Mark 10:43-45. He told them: “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus showed serving others, not ruling others, is what the Kingdom of God recognizes as true greatness.
This is what Jesus Christ preached, but at this point when this great temptation was before his eyes, could he now practice what he preached? Look at verse 8: “Jesus answered: “It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” Again like a expert swords man Jesus drew the word of God and struck down this most irresistible of all temptations. Let us look carefully at the word of God Jesus expertly chose to use. It is found in Dt 6:13: “Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.” This is exactly what Abraham did when he obeyed God’s direction to sacrifice Isaac his one and only son whom he loved. When God saw Abraham only one arm sweep away from slaying his son the Bible says: in Genesis 22: 12. “Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” We see what God was really looking from Abraham was to see if he really feared God and to see if he would place God before the precious blessing God gave him.
This is what it means to be God’s people. Jesus taught to live for God means to worship and serve him only. Parents and teachers often give career goals to become a doctor, lawyer, or politician. But the Bible teaches first and foremost we must live to worship God and serve him only. All along life’s paths we will find the devil constantly coming into our lives tempting us to live for other intoxicating desires. Once I went to the home of a student to bring him to Sunday worship. As we left his house his friends were watching an exciting movie on the TV. The student expressed his sorrow that he was going to miss the movie because he was going to Sunday worship service. The next Sunday I invited him again to come to Sunday worship. This time he said he couldn’t come. Unfortunately I think the temptation to worship the TV was too hard to over come. This kind of distraction from worshiping God and serving him is not only common to new believers it also steals our attention from worshipping and serving God. There are many exciting videos. Yet they can become very intoxicating, causing us to give our heart to them. The worship and service God is looking for comes from giving God the first love of our heart. God commanded his people in Deut 6:5: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” There are so many intoxicating ambitions and things to do that can steal this love from God. Therefore we must constantly be reminded why God created us. What is the purpose God placed us on this earth. Is it to watch exciting movies? Is it to serve our own ambitions or the desires of other people? Jesus taught us God created us so that we would worship him and serve him only. This should be the number one compelling purpose behind all human accomplishments we set out to do. Whatever we do it should provide a way for us to worship God and serve him only. Abraham wanted a son. However gaining a son was not an end in itself for Abraham. Instead he used his desire to have a son to worship God and serve him only. What should our life goal and purpose be? According God’s word it should be to worship God and serve him only. When this becomes our daily life goal and purpose we will not bow down and worship the devil.
Third, Do not put the Lord your God to the test
The devil lost two consecutive rounds. Nothing in the devils arsenal could counter the powerful word of God Jesus very skillfully used against him. Therefore the devil next thought: “If I can’t stand against God’s word then maybe Jesus can’t stand against God’s word. Therefore in the next temptation the devil uses God’s own words to temp Jesus. Look at verses 9-11 “The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple, “If you are the Son of God,” he said, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Satan thought for sure Jesus would have to kill himself in his zeal to obey God’s word. Actually Jesus did have to die to obey God’s word but not at the devil’s time at God’s right time. Often the devil will twist God’s word causing people to unwisely and injuriously do something they say God’s word told them to do. Notice how Jesus resisted this temptation. Look at verse 12: “It says ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Jesus very wisely used a word of God to discern a twisted word of God. This is why it is important for each believer to independently become a bible scholar. There was once this man named Jim Jones. He started out as a magnetic evangelist who also helped many homeless, poor people. Later he led his large flock to Guyana to build their own paradise. In the end he led them all to drink grape juice laced with arsenic. Jesus said: “It also says: “Do not test the Lord your God.” Jesus knew what the whole word of God said so he was not misled by the devils misinterpretations. Each of our goals as believers should be to learn what the whole word of God says. Then we can make sure what we do for God is based on a correct interpretation of the word of God.
Look at verse 13: When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” This verse shows us the devil did not throw in the towel. He went back to rearm, regroup and find a better opportunity to attack Jesus. This is how the devil works in our life. Today by the grace of God and the Word of God we overcome the devil’s temptation. Nevertheless, the devil will never throw in the towel in trying to tempt us. He will bide his time and wait for a better opportunity to attack us. What we must always remember according to 1Corinthians 10:13 is that No temptation has seized us except what is common to all men. Our God is faithful. He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. When we are tempted God will also provide a way out so that we can stand up under it.
In today’s passage we learned God provided for Jesus a way out of the devil’s temptations through the word of God. Based on the word of God Jesus taught us we do not have to live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Through Jesus who resisted the devil’s temptation we learned God made us for the highest and most noblest and everlasting purpose, to worship him and serve him only. Lastly let us commit ourselves to become scholars of the whole Bible so we do not test the Lord our God.