THURSDAY 10 March 2022 “Desert Battle” Matt. 4:1-11

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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

Have you ever had a wonderful, exhilarating, ‘mountain top’ experience followed, almost immediately, by a deeply discouraging, almost terrifying experience? How did you handle that? How did it affect you, both short and long term, in your life?

This is day three of a 40 day journey following Jesus to Easter 2022. Yesterday we witnessed one of the highest points in Jesus’ earthly life… His baptism in the Jordan river with John the Baptist. It was exhilarating for everyone who witnessed this event for they heard the actual, audible voice of God speaking from heaven “This is My Son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17) Jesus had walked out from the crowd that day, down the river bank into the water, looking very ordinary and perhaps not being recognized by anyone in the crowd. But, with that heavenly announcement, when Jesus walked back out of the river and toward the crowd, everyone’s brow was furrowed and eyes wide open. Who is this guy? Why had a voice from heaven announced that God was pleased with Him?

Matthew’s record simply says: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, Jesus was hungry.” (Matt. 4:1) We know the Holy Spirit had just come upon Jesus as He was baptized by John. So this is now the Holy Spirit taking His powerful role of guiding and empowering Jesus in accomplishing His earthly mission, according to God’s the Father’s Redemption Plan for humanity. Jesus had come to earth for a very specific purpose: to present God’s truth to the world, to give His life as a ransom in full payment of the sin debt price every person has with God, to defeat Satan, sin and death in His victorious resurrection, and finally to return to heaven and sit in authority at the right hand of God, providing full salvation for any person who repents of their sin and fully trusts in Jesus! It is therefore very significant, my friends, that the first thing the Holy Spirit led Jesus to do after His baptism and announcement by God the Father, was lead Jesus out into the desert. Why? I see two main purposes, both of which fit into Jesus stepping into His earthly mission.

First, Jesus needed extended time alone with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit as He launched His earthly, God given mission.

Just as Moses 3 times spent 40 days alone with God on Mount Sinai, (Ex. 24, 33, 34) and Elijah traveled 40 days to meet with God on Mount Horeb, (1 Kings 19) so Jesus needed time with God for clarifying the specific details of the plan before Him. Jesus needed fresh empowerment from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Second, Satan once again was determined to engage a specific strategy to defeat Jesus’ earthly mission.

Already several times Satan had attempted to thwart God’s plan, can you see that in the Christmas story? Do you remember King Herod’s bloodthirsty ravaging of Bethlehem, following his visit from the Magi who announced they had followed a star and were searching for the newborn King of the Jews? Do you remember the many months Joseph and Mary lived as refugees in Egypt? How often was infant Jesus in grave danger there? Having failed in those and perhaps other attempts, Satan is now determined to stop God’s plan with Jesus in a very different way. This time Satan was not seeking to see Jesus killed, but rather see Jesus yield to Satan and thus disqualify Himself from accomplishing His earthly, God given mission.

Matthew describes for us three specific encounters between Satan and Jesus during those 40 days in the hot Judean desert. The first tempted Jesus’ human hunger. After 40 days of His intentional fast from food, so Jesus could focus on His spiritual refreshment with God, He was naturally very hungry. Matthew records: “The tempter (Satan) came to Jesus and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matt. 4:3) Now, if I’m Jesus, starving after 40 days of fasting, that seems like an innocent opportunity… turning some stones into hot, fresh bread, is simple, for Jesus! It will satisfy hunger and prove Jesus’ miraculous power. But Jesus is anointed by the Holy Spirit who gives Him deep, spiritual insight into what’s really happening here, and Jesus repels the devil’s offer with these words: “It is written, ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4)

Do those words sound familiar my friends, especially if you were with me over this past month as we traveled with Moses. He spoke those exact words to the people at the Jordan river, as Moses recounted their history, calling the younger generation to remember all God had done for them, their parents and grandparents as they traveled 40 years in the desert, depending on God for His daily food provision, but also learning God’s life guiding TRUTHs which He gave to His people were even more important than mere food. Jesus was saying the same thing to the devil. God’s truth is more important to life than food. A life sustaining relationship with God is more important than simply bread or even the finest meal you can imagine! May I ask… have you learned that lesson yet my friends? Is it really true for you?

Next, Matthew tells us: “The devil led Jesus to the holy city [Jerusalem] and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you and they will lift you up in His hands…” (Matt. 4:5,6) Now Jerusalem would have been at least three days walk from the desert where Jesus had been in His spiritual retreat. What do you see the devil is tempting Jesus with here my friends? Is it challenging Jesus to test the love of God the Father for His Son? If you are a parent or grandparent, have your kids ever done things that would test your love for them? Do you notice Jesus again only did one thing with the devil? Jesus quoted Scripture, God’s Word, to Satan! “It is written, do not put the LORD your God to the test.” (Matt. 4:7 & Deut. 6:16)

Finally, Matthew records “The devil took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matt. 4:8,9) Where this was, we don’t know, but it’s not difficult for us to see the focus of this temptation, is it my friends? Since the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve had turned away from God and invited Satan into their world, every generation since had repeated that invitation, through their sinful behavior. Thus John’s statement has been true: “The whole world is under the control of the devil.” (1 John 5:19) Think about how deceptive and diabolical this temptation was. God’s Redemption plan required Jesus to experience the rejection of humanity, and die on the cross, in order to pay humanity’s sin penalty, so God could forgive repentant people. If Jesus had bowed to Satan everything would have ended right there. There could never be a God given redemption plan, and every human being, through all time, would end up a slave of Satan in hell for all eternity! Jesus knew that, and so Jesus again responded: “Away from Me Satan! For it is written: “Worship the LORD your God and serve Him only.” (Matt. 4:10 & Deut. 6:13) Again Jesus quoted Moses, and again an unchanging, life sustaining, everlasting truth from God.

Then Matthew writes this summary, powerful statement: “Then the devil left Jesus and angels came and attended Him.” (Matt. 4:11) Luke adds this comment: “until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13) Jesus had passed the test. He’d been victorious with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and in victory angels came to celebrate and care for Jesus in that desert battlefield. Friends, please note Jesus only used Scripture each time. Satan MUST submit to Scripture. And notice the importance of the Holy Spirit empowering and guiding Jesus in these temptations. And finally, notice God sending ministering angels to help Jesus. If you are a follower of Jesus, fully trusting God, when the devil comes to tempt you, the very same resources from God are available to you and me! Do you believe that friends, are you standing firm in that truth wherever you are in our great big world today?

Now my “Walking with Jesus” friends, there’s an old Gospel song often sung in the deep south of America in tent revival meetings, but Jesus’ victory over Satan that day was for the world, and here’s a version being sung by some Asian folks in a room with the curtains drawn. Do you suppose this may be an underground church praising Jesus for HIS victory in their lives? Let’s join them in worship!

Today’s Scripture is Matthew 4:1-11.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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