The Temptation of Jesus, Part 3Matthew 4:1-11

We must worship and serve God alone, even at great cost, if we are to achieve His

purposes

I. Jesus’ third temptation

James 1:14-15

14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

A. The Temptation1.Satan’s authority to make the offer

John 12:31 "Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

Luke 4:6 And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

A. The Temptation

1.Satan’s authority to make the offer

2.The appeal of the offer

– To establish a rule of perfect justice in an evil world

– To achieve that perfect rule without the suffering and servanthood required by God’s plan

Achieve the right result (perfect rule, Messiahship) by whatever will work (false

worship), especially if you can avoid hardship and suffering.

B. The sin

Fall down and worship Satan

Deut 6:10-15 "Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, 12 then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 "You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. 14 "You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, 15 for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.

Col 3:2-7 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

C. The response

1. To Satan:

– Trust God to crush Satan (Rom 16:20)

– Don’t give opportunity (Eph 4:27)

– Stand firm in God’s armor (Eph 6:10-20)

– Be on the alert (1 Pet 5:8)

– Resist in humility (James 4:6-8)

2. To God:

– Worship

– Serve

Rom 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

C. The lessons

1. It is sin to allow anything to replace God as the object of our worship

2. We must recognize how tempting it sometimes is to compromise our worship in order to achieve a good result

3. When we honor God without compromise in the way we live life we can trust the results to Him

4. God’s way is often the way of suffering and trial