Matthew 4:1-11

 ***Week 2 Memory Verse***

If your right eye causes you to sin,

pluck it out and cast it from you;

for it is more profitable for you that

one of your members perish,

than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

And if your right hand causes you to sin,

cut it off and cast it from you;

for it is more profitable for you that

one of your members perish,

than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 

Matthew 5:29-30

 

 

Read MATTHEW 4:1-11!

 

Satan Tempts Jesus

**Because we are going to be studying Genesis 3 along with our text in Matthew, our "Time of Refection" will be to write down the 3 ways Satan tempted Eve and the 3 ways he tempted Jesus side by side in your journal as you follow the study below!**

 

Before we start studying about the temptation of Jesus, I would like to look back to Genesis and see the parallels between how the devil tempted Eve in the garden and the temptation of Jesus.

 

I once heard a sermon about this and I would like to share with you what I learned.  Please read Genesis 3.  I'm going to just focus on verse six where it says "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it."

The devil tempted her in three ways.

#1 Lust of the flesh- Eve saw the fruit of the tree was good for food.

#2 Lust of the eyes- It was pleasing to the eye.

#3- Pride of life- Also desirable for gaining wisdom.  

Now, lets look at our scripture and see how the devil tempted Jesus.  Keep in mind that Eve gave into temptation and it led to the fall of man, but Jesus overcame temptation and lived a sinless life here on Earth.

Matt. 4:1 says Jesus was LED BY THE SPIRIT. This is very important that we understand this was God's will for Jesus to be tempted.  4:2 says he fasted for forty days and nights and He was hungry.

4:3 says the tempter came to him and said "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread".

 

If you are the Son of God??? The devil has no ground to stand on saying that. I want you to look right above where you are reading at Matthew 3:17. God says "This is my Son, whom I love: with him I am well pleased." There is no question. It's in black and white.  The devil loves to make you doubt your position in Christ Jesus.  4:4 but Jesus answered, "It is written: man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

 

Round one #1 Lust of the flesh....JESUS WINS!

Lets move on to verse 6. 4:6 "If you are the Son of God, he said "Throw yourself down. For it is written: "He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

 

So this time the devil starts off with some scripture quoted from Psalms 91: 11-12, but he leaves off some of that scripture that says "to guard you in all your ways." Did you know the devil knows scripture sometimes better than we do, but be of good cheer, because our Jesus defeated him and will fight our battles for us.

 

Then Jesus answered him 4:7 "It is also written; 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'

If Jesus fought the devil with the Word of God, how important do you think it is that we read our Bibles?  In Ephesians 6:17, God only gives us one offensive weapon when He tells us to put on the full armor of God. Guess what that weapon is?  It's the sword of the Spirit, which it tells us is the Word of God.  So next time you feel like you are being tempted, I want you to look up scripture that pertains to what you're going through and fight with the Word of God, your sword of the Spirit, and you will win the battle. I could stop right there and feel like the Lord has taught us so much in these few verses, but the devil doesn't always stop with round one or two even though. I wish that he did.

 

Round two #2 Lust of the eyes.....JESUS WINS!

 

In 4:8 The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 4:9  "All this I will give you," he said, "If you will bow down and worship me."

Right here, the devil tells him no need to continue in this life and do the work Gods called you to do. No need to go to the cross (I bet that was in the back of his mind this whole time. If he will just slip up, I won't be defeated.) No need for the resurrection just bow down and worship me. 

4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'  

 

Round three #3 Pride of life.....JESUS WINS! 

 

In the end JESUS WINS!

 

Then it says in 4:11, Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Hallelujah!!!

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  MELISSA POWELL is the wife of 7 years to James, and step mother to two children.  She works full-time and still serves as Co-Director of Children's Church at Freedom Fellowship in Silsbee, Texas. 






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