Jesus: Strength in Temptation and Divine Commissioning

 

Summary

In reflecting on the early years of Jesus' life, we find that the Gospels provide limited information. We see glimpses of His infancy, His visit to the temple at twelve, and then His baptism at thirty. Jesus grew up in a carpenter's environment, which in His time, involved more than woodworking; it was a physically demanding trade that likely made Him strong and muscular. This background is significant as it sets the stage for His ministry, which begins with His baptism by John at the Jordan River. This event is not just a ritual but a profound moment where Jesus fulfills all righteousness, submitting to God's law. It is also His divine commissioning, where the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, anointing Him for His messianic mission.

The baptism is marked by God's audible declaration, affirming Jesus as His beloved Son. This divine endorsement is crucial as it precedes Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, where He faces Satan's challenges. The wilderness, a stark contrast to the lush Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve were tempted, is a place of desolation and solitude. Here, Jesus, the Second Adam, must succeed where the first Adam failed. The temptations He faces are not just about physical hunger or power but are fundamentally about trust in God's Word. Satan's strategy is to sow doubt about Jesus' identity and mission, questioning the very words God spoke at His baptism.

Jesus' responses to Satan are rooted in Scripture, emphasizing the importance of living by every word from God. He resists the temptation to misuse His divine power for personal gain, to seek glory without suffering, and to test God's promises. Each response underscores His commitment to God's will and His role as the obedient Son. This narrative highlights the centrality of Scripture in overcoming temptation and the necessity of trusting God's Word even in the face of trials.

Key Takeaways:

- Jesus' upbringing in a carpenter's environment prepared Him physically and spiritually for His ministry. This background reminds us that our daily lives and work can be a training ground for God's purposes, shaping us for the tasks He has set before us. [02:13]

- The baptism of Jesus is a profound moment of divine commissioning, where He is anointed by the Holy Spirit for His messianic mission. It teaches us the importance of submitting to God's will and the empowerment that comes from the Holy Spirit for the work we are called to do. [03:43]

- Jesus' temptation in the wilderness highlights the importance of Scripture in resisting the devil's schemes. By relying on God's Word, Jesus demonstrates that true strength lies in obedience and trust in God's promises, even when circumstances are challenging. [12:49]

- The contrast between the temptations of Adam and Jesus underscores the significance of environment and support in spiritual battles. While Adam fell in a paradise with companionship, Jesus stood firm in a desolate wilderness alone, teaching us the power of reliance on God over external circumstances. [09:48]

- Jesus' victory over temptation affirms His role as the Second Adam, fulfilling the destiny of humanity to live by God's Word. This victory assures us that through Christ, we too can overcome temptation and live in obedience to God, empowered by His Spirit. [15:24]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:40] - Jesus' Early Life and Background
- [01:29] - The Carpenter's Role in Jesus' Time
- [02:13] - Jesus' Physical and Spiritual Preparation
- [02:55] - The Significance of Jesus' Baptism
- [03:43] - Anointing by the Holy Spirit
- [04:31] - God's Audible Declaration
- [05:23] - The Wilderness Temptation
- [06:09] - Jesus as the Second Adam
- [07:05] - The Desolate Judean Wilderness
- [08:01] - Contrasts with Adam's Temptation
- [09:48] - The Point of Attack: God's Word
- [12:49] - Jesus' Response to Temptation
- [15:24] - Living by Every Word of God
- [19:51] - The Authority of Scripture
- [23:19] - Angels Minister to Jesus

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 3:13-17 - The Baptism of Jesus
2. Luke 4:1-13 - The Temptation of Jesus
3. Genesis 3:1-6 - The Temptation of Adam and Eve

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Observation Questions:

1. What significant event marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry, and what was its purpose according to the sermon? [03:43]

2. How does the sermon describe the environment in which Jesus grew up, and why is this significant for understanding His ministry? [02:13]

3. What are the key differences between the temptations faced by Adam and Jesus as highlighted in the sermon? [08:54]

4. How does Jesus respond to Satan's temptations, and what does this reveal about His reliance on Scripture? [12:49]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does Jesus' baptism serve as a divine commissioning for His mission, and how does this relate to the concept of fulfilling all righteousness? [02:55]

2. How does the sermon explain the significance of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness compared to Adam's temptation in the Garden of Eden? [09:48]

3. What does the sermon suggest about the role of Scripture in Jesus' responses to temptation, and how does this emphasize the importance of God's Word? [15:24]

4. How does the sermon portray the contrast between Jesus' and Adam's environments during their temptations, and what lesson can be drawn about reliance on God? [08:54]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your daily life and work. How might your current environment be preparing you for God's purposes, similar to how Jesus' upbringing prepared Him for His ministry? [02:13]

2. Jesus' baptism was a moment of submission to God's will. Are there areas in your life where you need to submit more fully to God's plan? How can you take steps toward that submission this week? [02:55]

3. Consider a recent challenge or temptation you faced. How did you rely on Scripture to guide your response? If you didn't, what Scripture could have helped you in that situation? [12:49]

4. Jesus faced temptation alone in the wilderness. How do you handle spiritual battles when you feel isolated? What steps can you take to ensure you rely on God rather than your circumstances? [08:54]

5. The sermon highlights the importance of trusting God's Word even when circumstances are challenging. Is there a promise from God that you find difficult to trust right now? How can you strengthen your faith in that promise? [15:24]

6. Jesus' victory over temptation affirms His role as the Second Adam. How does this assurance of victory through Christ impact your approach to overcoming personal temptations? [15:24]

7. Reflect on a time when you questioned your identity or mission, similar to how Satan questioned Jesus' identity. How did you overcome that doubt, and what role did faith play in your response? [12:49]

Devotional

Day 1: The Carpenter's Preparation for Ministry
In the early years of Jesus' life, He was raised in a carpenter's environment, a trade that was physically demanding and required strength and skill. This upbringing was not just about learning a trade but was a preparation for His future ministry. The physical strength He gained from this work likely contributed to His endurance during His ministry. More importantly, it was a spiritual preparation, teaching Him patience, diligence, and the value of hard work. This background reminds us that our daily lives and work can be a training ground for God's purposes, shaping us for the tasks He has set before us. [02:13]

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going." (Ecclesiastes 9:10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you view your current work or daily tasks as preparation for God's future purposes in your life?


Day 2: The Divine Commissioning at Baptism
The baptism of Jesus by John at the Jordan River was a profound moment of divine commissioning. It was not merely a ritual but a significant event where Jesus fulfilled all righteousness by submitting to God's law. At this moment, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, anointing Him for His messianic mission. This event teaches us the importance of submitting to God's will and the empowerment that comes from the Holy Spirit for the work we are called to do. It is a reminder that our own commissioning by God involves both submission and empowerment. [03:43]

"And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him." (Matthew 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to submit more fully to God's will, and how can you seek the Holy Spirit's empowerment for your mission?


Day 3: Scripture as a Weapon Against Temptation
Jesus' temptation in the wilderness highlights the importance of Scripture in resisting the devil's schemes. In a desolate and solitary place, Jesus faced temptations that were not just about physical hunger or power but were fundamentally about trust in God's Word. By relying on Scripture, Jesus demonstrated that true strength lies in obedience and trust in God's promises, even when circumstances are challenging. This narrative underscores the necessity of grounding ourselves in Scripture to overcome temptation. [12:49]

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105, ESV)

Reflection: What specific Scriptures can you memorize and meditate on to help you resist the temptations you face today?


Day 4: The Power of Reliance on God
The contrast between the temptations of Adam and Jesus underscores the significance of environment and support in spiritual battles. While Adam fell in a paradise with companionship, Jesus stood firm in a desolate wilderness alone. This teaches us the power of reliance on God over external circumstances. Jesus' victory in the wilderness shows that even in the most challenging environments, reliance on God and His Word can lead to triumph over temptation. [09:48]

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper reliance on God in your current environment, especially when facing challenges alone?


Day 5: Living by Every Word of God
Jesus' victory over temptation affirms His role as the Second Adam, fulfilling the destiny of humanity to live by God's Word. His responses to Satan were rooted in Scripture, emphasizing the importance of living by every word from God. This victory assures us that through Christ, we too can overcome temptation and live in obedience to God, empowered by His Spirit. It is a call to align our lives with God's Word and trust in His promises. [15:24]

"But he answered, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."'" (Matthew 4:4, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to ensure that you are living by every word that comes from God, rather than relying solely on your own understanding or desires?

Quotes

"We have mentioned that the gospels give us little information about the early years of Jesus' life. We hear of His infancy, we see Him in the temple when He's twelve years old, and then the next time we see Jesus is when He comes to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, and He's thirty years old." [00:00:11]

"Now the Bible does tell us that He grew up as the child of Joseph and Mary, and that presumably He grew up in a carpenter's environment. And that can be a little bit misleading to us. It's fascinating that when we look at the teaching of Jesus, in the parables that He teaches, for example, that He constantly draws His material from the normal patterns of life of His day -- many, many references to agriculture." [00:00:40]

"But the number one reference in Jesus' teaching to images drawn from the society of His day is from the field of stonemasonry, and that could be a little bit surprising to us because we don't think of Jesus as being in the construction business, but rather of His having been a carpenter. But therein is the rub. The carpenter in these days was not simply a cabinetmaker or one who worked with woodwork, but he was chiefly a builder, and it was a quite arduous task." [00:01:10]

"Well, in any case, we've seen part of the significance of the baptism of Jesus inasmuch as Jesus came, presented Himself to John by the River Jordan, and John protested against his baptizing Jesus and wanted Jesus to baptize him. And we recall that Jesus said, 'No, suffer it now, John. This is necessary because I have to fulfill all righteousness.'" [00:02:41]

"And there is that significance to the baptism that Jesus is willingly and voluntarily submitting to every dimension of the law of God. But there's another important element that we have to understand with respect to His baptism because we are told on the occasion of His baptism that the Holy Spirit descends from heaven in the form of a dove upon Christ." [00:03:08]

"This is His ordination; this is His divine commissioning for His messianic vocation. This is when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Him to make Him God's anointed or God's 'Christos,' because the title, 'Christ,' means 'the anointed one.' So Jesus is now anointed for ministry, and He is ordained by God and set apart to begin the vocation for which He had been sent into the world in the first place." [00:03:43]

"Now the other element in the record of the baptism that is significant is that we are told that God spoke audibly from heaven on this occasion. There are three times in the New Testament where we have the record of God's speaking audibly, and in every one of these occasions, the message is substantively the same; namely, it is an announcement from heaven declaring Jesus to be His Son." [00:04:25]

"And so we read in the record that when the dove descends upon Jesus and the voice came from heaven, the voice announces this: 'You are My beloved Son. In You I am well pleased.' And then the Scriptures tell us that immediately after His baptism, the same Spirit that has anointed Him, the same spirit that has descended upon Him now impels Him or drives Him into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan for forty days." [00:04:55]

"Now you will recall that we, at the very beginning of this series of 'Dust to Glory,' considered the probationary period of Adam and Eve when they were in the Garden, and how they were assaulted by the serpent. And the serpent prevailed over them and got them to sin. Now one of the most important motifs of the New Testament with respect to Jesus is that Jesus, in His messianic office, has to fulfill many responsibilities, one of which is to fulfill the role of the Second Adam or the New Adam, the representative of a new humanity, and to achieve victory where the first Adam suffered defeat." [00:05:48]

"And so in behalf of His people, it is, as it were, Jesus is driven back into the place of tempting, and He is subjected to this rigorous test. It's like an ordeal of fire through which He must pass in order to be qualified to go public with His ministry. So that His first mission is not a public mission, but it's a private mission undertaken in the desolate arena of the Judean wilderness." [00:06:35]

"And if any of you have ever had the opportunity to visit the Holy Land, I doubt if you could ever forget your visual impression of the Judean wilderness, where the only indigenous wildlife includes wild rabbits, snakes, scorpions, and a handful of birds. That's it; it is one of the most intimidating, desolate pieces of real estate on this planet. And it was into that environment that the Spirit of God drove Jesus to be alone." [00:07:25]

"Now I've talked many times about the comparisons and contrasts that exist between the tempting of Adam and the tempting of Jesus. Remember the environment in which Adam and Eve were tempted. The place or the setting of the assault of Sa -- of the serpent against them was in a gorgeous, lush, garden paradise. They were attacked and assaulted by Satan in the midst of an experience where they were given the privilege of eating freely from all of the fruit of the trees of the Garden." [00:08:09]

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Transcript
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