Overcoming Temptation: Jesus' Example of Obedience

Devotional

Day 1: Obedience as the Foundation of True Life

In the wilderness, Jesus faced the temptation to turn stones into bread, a challenge to prioritize physical needs over spiritual obedience. His response, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, underscores the truth that life is sustained by every word from God, not merely by material provisions. This teaches us that our dependence should be on God, who provides for our needs in His timing and way. Jesus' example calls us to examine our own lives and consider whether we prioritize obedience to God over our immediate desires. [14:00]

Deuteronomy 8:3 (ESV): "And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

Reflection: What immediate desires or needs are you tempted to prioritize over your obedience to God? How can you realign your focus to depend on God's provision and timing today?

Day 2: Trusting God Without Conditions

The second temptation Jesus faced was to test God by jumping from the temple, which would have been an act of manipulating God to prove His faithfulness. Jesus' refusal, citing Deuteronomy 6:16, reminds us that true faith does not test God but trusts Him implicitly. Our relationship with God should be based on trust and obedience, not on trying to control or manipulate Him for our desires. This challenges us to reflect on whether we trust God without needing to see proof of His faithfulness. [22:11]

Deuteronomy 6:16 (ESV): "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you tempted to test God or seek proof of His faithfulness? How can you cultivate a deeper trust in Him without conditions?

Day 3: Worship Through Sacrifice

The final temptation Jesus faced was the offer of worldly power in exchange for worshiping Satan. Jesus' rejection of this offer, affirming worship to God alone, teaches us that genuine worship may require suffering and sacrifice. True worshipers are willing to endure hardship rather than compromise their devotion to God. This calls us to examine our own worship and consider whether we are willing to sacrifice for our faith. [28:58]

1 Chronicles 21:24 (ESV): "But King David said to Ornan, 'No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.'"

Reflection: What sacrifices are you willing to make in your worship and devotion to God? Are there areas where you have compromised, and how can you recommit to worshiping God without compromise?

Day 4: Embracing Our Identity in Christ

Jesus' temptations affirm His identity as the Son of God, highlighting the special relationship and obedience He has with the Father. Our identity in Christ calls us to live in obedience and trust, reflecting our relationship with God. This identity is not just a title but a call to live in a way that honors God and reflects His character. We are invited to embrace our identity in Christ and live out the implications of being children of God. [16:15]

1 John 3:1 (ESV): "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

Reflection: How does your identity as a child of God influence your daily decisions and actions? What steps can you take to more fully embrace and live out this identity?

Day 5: Empowered to Overcome Temptation

Jesus' victory over temptation assures us that He is the Savior who understands our struggles and empowers us to overcome. His example encourages us to rely on His strength and grace in our own battles with temptation. We are not alone in our struggles; Jesus walks with us and provides the strength we need to overcome. This assurance invites us to lean on Him and trust in His power to help us resist temptation. [39:03]

Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV): "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. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: What temptations are you currently facing, and how can you rely on Jesus' strength and grace to overcome them? How can you draw near to Him for help in your time of need?

Sermon Summary

In exploring the narrative of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, we delve into the profound truth that tests and trials reveal our true character and faith. Just as standardized tests in education aim to prove a student's readiness, the spiritual tests we face in life reveal our readiness and commitment to God's will. The story of Jesus' temptation is not merely about resisting sin but about affirming His identity as the Messiah and His unwavering obedience to God.

The comparison between Jesus and Israel is striking. Where Israel failed in the wilderness, Jesus succeeded. After His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, echoing Israel's journey through the Red Sea into the desert. This parallel highlights Jesus as the true and obedient Son of God, fulfilling what Israel could not. His responses to Satan's temptations underscore the priority of obedience to God over self-gratification, manipulation, or compromise.

The first temptation, turning stones into bread, challenges Jesus to prioritize His physical needs over spiritual obedience. Jesus' response, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, emphasizes that life is sustained not by bread alone but by every word from God. This teaches us that our dependence should be on God, not merely on material provisions.

The second temptation, to test God by jumping from the temple, reveals the danger of manipulating God to prove His faithfulness. Jesus' refusal, citing Deuteronomy 6:16, reminds us that true faith does not test God but trusts Him implicitly. Our relationship with God should be based on obedience, not on trying to control or manipulate Him for our desires.

The final temptation, offering Jesus the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, presents the allure of power without suffering. Jesus' rejection of this offer, affirming worship to God alone, teaches us that genuine worship may require suffering and sacrifice. The true worshiper is willing to endure hardship rather than compromise their devotion to God.

In reflecting on these temptations, we are called to examine our own lives. Do we prioritize obedience to God over our desires? Do we trust God without testing Him? Are we willing to suffer for our faith rather than compromise? Jesus' victory over temptation assures us that He is the Savior who understands our struggles and empowers us to overcome.

Key Takeaways

1. Obedience Over Self-Gratification: Jesus' response to the temptation of turning stones into bread teaches us that true life is found in obedience to God's word, not in satisfying our immediate desires. Our dependence should be on God, who provides for our needs in His timing and way. [14:00]
2. Trust Without Testing: The temptation to test God by jumping from the temple highlights the importance of trusting God without needing to prove His faithfulness. Our relationship with God should be based on trust and obedience, not manipulation or control. [22:11]
3. Worship Without Compromise: Jesus' refusal to worship Satan for worldly power underscores the call to worship God alone, even if it means enduring suffering. Genuine worship may require sacrifice, but it leads to true fulfillment and eternal reward. [28:58]
4. Identity and Sonship: Jesus' temptations affirm His identity as the Son of God, highlighting the special relationship and obedience He has with the Father. Our identity in Christ calls us to live in obedience and trust, reflecting our relationship with God. [16:15]
5. Victory Over Temptation: Jesus' victory over temptation assures us that He is the Savior who understands our struggles and empowers us to overcome. His example encourages us to rely on His strength and grace in our own battles with temptation. [39:03]
** [39:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:33] - The Nature of Testing
[03:15] - The Scandal of Cheating
[05:34] - Parenting and Adversity
[07:43] - Jesus' Testing in the Wilderness
[08:48] - Israel's Wilderness Experience
[09:41] - Jesus' Obedience and Identity
[10:41] - The Purpose of Temptation
[11:37] - Jesus' Hunger and Humanity
[14:00] - Obedience Over Self-Gratification
[15:11] - Understanding Sonship
[16:15] - The Special Relationship of Sonship
[19:09] - Trust Without Testing
[22:11] - The Correct Attitude Towards God
[28:58] - Worship Without Compromise
[39:03] - Victory Over Temptation

Sermon Clips

"After they went through the water, they went in the desert, in the wilderness, to be tested by God. And Jesus is doing the same thing. He went through the waters of baptism, and now he's going into the wilderness to be tested. God gave his expectations to the Israelites in Exodus 24, and the people of Israel promised all these things, they said, we will do. Now, if you know, Exodus chapter 20 is where you find the Ten Commandments." [00:08:48]

"Yet where Israel failed, Jesus prevailed. Look at verse 1 of Matthew chapter 4. It says, Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came. And said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." [00:09:41]

"But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. So we see Jesus here is led by the Spirit. He is working in obedience to the Father. Sort of like what the Israelites were supposed to do, right? The purpose is, given in verse 1. Why is he going out into the wilderness? To be tempted by the devil." [00:10:41]

"The Greek word for tempt is the same word that's used for test, and most commentators believe that both is being used here in a way, because the only difference is the person's intention, right? It's the same event, but the devil's intention is to get him to fall, right? God's intention with this is that he proves who he really is." [00:10:45]

"The verse that Jesus quotes here in what we read in Matthew 4 is Deuteronomy 8 .3, and it sheds more light on why God allowed the Israelites to become hungry. I'm going to read the whole verse, Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 3. It says, And he humbled you, this is talking about God, God humbled you, the Israelites, and he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." [00:12:15]

"Jesus is called the Son of God to point to that special relationship that he has. So sonship, is a figure of speech used frequently in the Bible which communicates a unique family relationship and individual status. And it might seem like I'm over -explaining these things. However, living in a modern secular society that has effectively broken down the family, it has made it seem like sonship just has to do with genetics." [00:16:15]

"One commentator remarks about this temptation, says, The devil's suggestion, however, is to test out the literal truth of God's promise of protection by, notice this, deliberately creating a situation in which he, that is God, will be obliged to act and save his son's life. In this way, man may become the Lord of God. You think about that?" [00:22:11]

"Deuteronomy 6, 16 -17 puts a contrast between you shall not, in verse 16, and you shall, in verse 17. And what's the whole point of this? Is that the correct attitude? The correct attitude towards God is not manipulation, but obedience. You shall not put him to the test, but you shall obey everything that he says." [00:24:30]

"Let's look at our final temptation in verse 8. And what we're going to see here is the main point is that the genuine worshiper of the one true God is willing to suffer rather than compromise his worship. Look at verse 8. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Most people say these are probably visionary experiences." [00:28:58]

"Then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. And what we see in verse 8 is Satan's final temptation here that's recorded for us. And Satan's temptation primarily to Jesus is that, Jesus, you can have the crown without the cross. You think about that?" [00:29:56]

"Think about that phrase that God the Father said, again, over Jesus. You are my son in whom I am well pleased. This is a combination. One, we see you are my son is a Davidic promise, and whom I am well pleased is actually from Isaiah, the song of the suffering servant. What's going to happen to that servant? He's going to be crushed for his people." [00:30:10]

"Jesus was tempted to put his needs over God's will. He was tempted to manipulate God. He was tempted to avoid suffering. When reading through the temptations casually, these ideas are easy to miss because they're so subtle, right? C .S. Lewis, in his book, Screwtape Letters, one of the demons in that book says this, Indeed, the safest road to hell is the gradual one, the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." [00:35:43]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?