THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST

Matt 4:1-11

Morning Meditation 1/7/2013

Matthew 4:1, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil."

Please read the entire text. The word “tempt” has two different meanings, which come from two different sources. (1) It means to try as in the case of Abraham and (2) it means to entice as Satan tempted Christ. God’s trials are always for good, Satan’s are for evil. First of all let’s notice,

THE TIME OF THE TEMPTATION

It was after the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit has come upon Him; Matt 3:16-17. It was after Paul had been caught up to the third heaven or Paradise that Satan inflicted him with the thorn in the flesh to try him. Note the order: (1) Owned by the Father: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” (2) Anointed by the Spirit. (3) Tempted by the Devil.

Temptation often comes after a mountain top experience.

THE PLACE OF THE TEMPTATION

It was in the wilderness. Adam was tempted in the garden surrounded by every outward comfort. Christ was tempted in the lonely desert, among the wild beasts. All of Christ’s battles seems to be fought alone. Alone in the wilderness with the devil; alone in the garden with the cup of death; and alone on the cross. “My God My God why hast thou forsaken me?”

Have you ever been tried when you felt all alone; you felt that you were the only one standing for the faith? And you had a pity party and felt like throwing in the towel? There has been many a person who has quit serving the Lord during times like this.

THE TEMPTED ONE

Jesus the Son of God. This shows how truly human Jesus was. Someone has said that Jesus was as much human as if He were not God and He was as much God as if He were not man. God cannot be tempted but as a man He could be. He was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin (Heb 4:15). The pure sinless Son of God felt the force of this temptation; and the closer we are to the Lord Jesus the more we will feel to force of Satan’s temptation.

THE NATURE OF THE TEMPTATION

It could only be from without because Satan could find nothing in Him of the original sin nature. He was the virgin born sinless Son of God from conception. With us it is different. We can be tempted through our own lustful desires.

1.It was a temptation to self satisfaction. Satan said, “Command these stones to be made bread.” The answer of the hungry Christ shows that there is something more precious than bread—the Word of God.

2.It was a temptation to self destruction. “Cast thyself down” Satan seeks to destroy in every Christian the sense of divine Sonship.

3. It was a temptation to self glorification. “Worship me and I will give you all.” He offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world without the cross. The devil offers us the easy way out and it can be tempting if we do not resist him with Scripture.

THE TEMPTER

He is a fallen angel. He is a person of great power. He is called the prince of this world. The Bible has much to say about Satan and his kingdom. He is a spirit being and cannot be seen with the naked eye. We have to know him by faith in God’s Word. He is no less real because he cannot be seen.

But the victory is ultimately ours. We must remember to resist him and we have the promise that he will flee from us if we do. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White