A Commitment Test
Jesus’ temptations in Matthew 4:1-11 emphasize four factors. (a) They followed His baptism: how will we live out our new life as believers? (b) The Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness: God will be with us in
our trials. (c) Jesus’ identity as God’s Son was never in question: the issue was how He would express it. His ability to identify with all our weaknesses is in the human reality that he could be tempted, not in whether He is capable of sin or not. (d) He triumphed and began His ministry: we have hope of overcoming and serving. This text records the methods Satan used (and uses) to distract God’s servants. First, he emphasizes the needs of the flesh—“command these stones to become loaves of bread.” (v. 3) The devil’s attack was to get Jesus to make meeting physical needs the center of His ministry … a great strategy! Focus on genuine needs; treat physical needs as the ultimate need. It was idolatry then and is idolatry today: worshipping physical things rather than worshipping the Lord. Second, he promoted the lure of sensational religion—“throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘they will bear you up.’” (v. 6) This kind of religion is always self-glorifying; is always God-dishonoring; is always miracle-dependant; and is always Scripture-abusive. Sensational religion keeps us at a safe distance from God, with no danger of any change. God wants us to love Him for who He is, not what He does. If He had jumped, Jesus would have jumped right out of God’s plan. Third, he stirs the desire for power—“all these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” (v. 9) The devil went straight to the bottom line and offered Jesus the best that he had to give: power, but at what a price! Power gives authority over others; it promises easy success; it offers resources to do good. But He would have to reject God’s plan. And anything out of God’s plan is ultimately service to Satan.
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.