Introduction: Last week we discovered that pride (wanting to be like
God) was at the root of Satan’s sin and fall from heaven. We also
found that pride (wanting to be like God) was the cause of the entry
of sin into our world. Since this is the way in which the war between
Jesus and Satan began, how does this play out in our daily lives? My
daughter sometimes says that she has “issues” with me. Just what are
these “issues” between God and Satan in which we are now combatants?
Let’s dive in and find out!
- Trusting God
- Read Matthew 4:1-3. Perhaps we can best understand the
main issues in the controversy by studying how they played
out between the two chief combatants. - Put yourself in Jesus’ place. Would you take Satan’s
suggestion? - What, if any, issues do you see involved in this
suggestion? (Satan is challenging Jesus’
position and power as the Son of God.) - Would it be a good idea to make something
to eat after not eating for 40 days? What
if we state the issue the way our children
do – “What’s wrong with it?” (It seems to
be a matter of dependence. Will Jesus
depend on Himself to work out this problem
or will He trust God to provide.) - There is an important context issue that we do
not want to miss. Read Matthew 3:16-17. Does
this give new light to Satan’s temptation in
Matthew 4:3? (Yes. God just said that Jesus was
His son. Satan suggests God is wrong and that
Jesus should so something to prove God is
right.) - Read Jesus’ response in Matthew 4:4. How does this answer
Satan’s temptation? How did Jesus understand the
temptation? (This “nails down” the trust issue. Jesus saw
this as an issue of trusting what God had just told Him –
that He was the Son of God.) - How does Satan bring this same trust issue to your life?
- Does Satan challenge whether or not you are a son or
daughter of God? - Does Satan challenge whether your confessed sins have
been forgiven? - Does Satan challenge you to depend upon your own
power rather than God’s power? - How would Eve’s temptation have ended ( Genesis 3:3-5)
if she had responded the same way that Jesus
responded? - Did you notice that the temptation of Eve and the
temptation of Jesus both involved food? Is that a
coincidence? (Maybe — but I don’t think so. Food is a
basic necessity. Food is essential and helpful, not
sinful. Satan will come to us with something that is
essential and good to try to undermine faith in God.) - Have you seen this in your life? Satan takes
something that is essential and uses it to cause you
to distrust God? - Read Revelation 12:17. How does the message of Revelation
12:17 apply to Satan’s first wilderness temptation of
Jesus? (First, we have Jesus’ testimony in Matthew 4:4
that we must trust God’s word instead of our own power.
Second, obeying God’s word (“commandments of God”) is a
very clear indicator of whether or not we trust God.) - To review, what “issues” do we find in this first
wilderness temptation? (Whether Jesus is the Son of God?
Whether God can be trusted? Whether we should rely on our
own power or God’s word?) - Obeying God
- Read Matthew 4:5-6. Would you be tempted to throw yourself
down from a high building? - Why do you think Satan used this temptation? Can you
see any logic or cunning in it? (This is a reaction
to Jesus’ response to the first temptation. Jesus
said in response to the first temptation that He was
going to trust God to care for Him and not His own
power. Satan says, “OK, let’s see how much you trust
God, throw yourself down from this high point.”) - Have you ever seen Christians go from one extreme to
another? Is this the work of Satan? (I think this is
an example of this type of temptation. Jesus properly
refused to take matters into His own hands in the
first temptation, so Satan suggests He go overboard –
completely forget about His own responsibilities —
and trust God to save Him by jumping off a high
building.) - Notice the location of this temptation? Where is it?
(It is the temple in Jerusalem!) - Why would Satan tempt Jesus in “church?” (This
is another “comfort zone” temptation. We need
food, so Satan tempts us in that context. We
should worship God, so Satan tempts Jesus when
He is at the place of worship. We need to always
be alert to sin.)
- Read Matthew 4:7. How do you understand Jesus’ answer?
(This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 6:16) - On the face of it, jumping off high buildings is not
one of my temptations in life. Was this an “issue” in
the fall of man? (Yes. When Eve walked near the
forbidden tree, when she talked to Satan, she was
voluntarily putting herself on dangerous ground. She
was “tempting” God to protect her in dangerous
places.) - Is this still a major “issue” between God and Satan?
(Yes. Over the years I have class members who quote
Ben Franklin, “The Lord helps those who help
themselves” or who cite “common sense” as a Biblical
virtue without being able to pinpoint where that
principle is found in the Bible. I think it is found
here. This temptation shows that we are “partners”
with God in staying away from temptation and danger.
We may not be tempted to jump off high buildings, but
I’ll bet you are tempted to wander towards
temptation.) - How would you specifically apply Jesus statement “Do
not put the Lord your God to the test” in your life
this week? (Don’t place yourself in unnecessary
danger. Avoid “hanging around” sin – especially in
areas in which you know you are weak. Wear seat belts
when you drive. Don’t drive recklessly. Watch your
diet, exercise, don’t smoke. Keep your tension levels
lower by trusting God in emergencies — which is the
context for Deuteronomy 6:16. (The story, if you
would like to review it, is found in Exodus 17:1-7.)) - Worship God
- Read Matthew 4:8-9. What issue do you see here? (Remember,
last week we learned that sin originated in Satan because
he wanted to be like God ( Isaiah 14:13-14). Here, Satan
asks Jesus to give him the worship that should only be
given to God. In that way Satan could be “like God.”) - The first temptation was very subtle. This does not
seem subtle at all. Why would Satan think Jesus would
“fall” for this temptation? (In the first two
temptations Satan questioned whether Jesus was the
Son of God. Here, Satan no longer questions Jesus’
authority. Instead, Satan offers Jesus a “shortcut”
to his mission on earth to win back the world for
God. The temptation for Jesus is to avoid the pain
and suffering that lie ahead in winning back the
world.) - How is this one of the “issues” in our life? (It is
easy to follow God when it costs nothing. The real
issue in our life is “Who do we serve” — when it
costs us something?) - Read Matthew 4:10. What answer does Jesus give to this
temptation?
- How can you apply this answer to your life? (Jesus
has two elements to His answer. First, he wants to
avoid being in the presence of Satan. Second, He says
that He will worship and serve God only.) - How about you? Do you avoid things that tempt you? Do
you not only worship God, but also serve Him?) - Friend, how about you? Do you trust God? Is it your goal
to be a partner with God, and show your loyalty to Him, by
determining to obey His will? Will you trust and obey even
when it costs you something? All of these are fundamental
issues in the great controversy between Jesus and Satan. - Next Week: The Contenders
