The Temptation of Jesus

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, his cruelty was unrelenting.

What are you doing here starving to death. If you're the son of God. You shouldn't have to put up with this humiliation and self-denial.

If you are the son of God, you should be able to look at the stones and train them in the bread and have the breaking of the five breakfast from these star you're probably familiar with this dramatic episode in the life and ministry of Jesus. You know the story pass the test and resisted Satan's best efforts to bring them down but are you familiar with why Jesus had to go through such torture in the wilderness today on Renewing Your Mind, Dr. RC Sproul turns to the gospel of Luke to help us understand how Jesus temptation isn't necessary and crucial aspect of our redemption when his disciples came to our Lord. They asked this question. Lord, teach us how to pray and in response to that request. As we know Jesus gave to them by model prayer that is since been called the Lord's prayer in which he gave to them. Those matters of priority for which they should entreat the Almighty in their prayers and among those petitions is one that is sometimes confusing to us, for Jesus said to them when you pray, say, Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, and the very English translation of that text we have something of confusion in it the first place. There's nothing more repugnant to the Christian mind and the idea that the holy and perfect and righteous God, whatever lead anybody to be good to sin. God never entices us to disobey him as St. James Southwest. Let no one say when they are tempted that there tempted of the Lord, but rather our temptations arise from within. They may be excited and flamed by outward voices. But God himself never inclines us to sin. In the second part of that petition.

Lead us not into temptation is translated, but deliver us from evil, evil in the abstract evil in the abstract, evil and general would be found in the Greek word Panet wrong, but in this case it is the Greek word Panet Ross, which literally means not evil. In general, but the evil one. The word Panet Ross is a title ascribed by sacred Scriptures to the Prince of lies to Satan himself, and so Jesus saying, pray that you not be put to the test that you may be protected from the hands of Satan. Throughout biblical history. We see those occasions where people are put to the test. But nowhere in Scripture do we see test says significant as the test that was given to our earthly parents, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and now here at the very beginning of the ministry of our Lord Jesus when he is driven into the wilderness.

There to be tempted by Satan. We've already seen in this gospel the link between the first Adam and now this new Adam and so we read here in sacred Scripture that after Jesus had been baptized was filled with the spirit is returned from the Jordan and that he was glad he was driven into the wilderness by that same spirit that descended upon him like a dove at the Jordan River.

It was the Holy Spirit sent by the father to drive the son, and to this place of testing in the Judean wilderness. If the blitzkrieg of hell coming against our Savior on the first instance as we looked at this and Matthew's gospel and others that we see certain strong contrast between the occasion of the temptation of Adam and Eve in the temptation of Jesus.

Consider the setting the setting for the test of Adam and Eve was a glorious garden of paradise are gourmet feast was set before our first parents of all the trees of the garden they could eat freely in this beautiful place, but showed no evidence of the fall of nature are no briars, no thorns, no pain, no death and Adam was subjected to his temptation while he was in the presence of his helpmate where he had come Banyan ship and was not exposed to the wiles of the serpent while he was alone, his belly was full. His partner was there and he had encouragement and support. But Jesus was driven into the Judean wilderness.

If you've ever seen it. It's one of the most godforsaken pieces of real estate place that is deserted even by normal wildlife, not the gardener being but the Judean wilderness.

Jesus was sent there.

Not with the helpmate, not with a companion but being as it were in solitary while he's was exposed to Satan again. Adam was tempted on a full stomach. Jesus was subjected to a fast that lasted 40 days Jesus went on a hunger strike, as it were, that went almost 6 weeks in duration without a single morsel of food Scripture. Sometimes the master of understatement. They tell us that after this time he was hungry course.

He was hungry. Any human thing would be hungering after starving for 40 days and so we see that radical differences between the circumstances of the tests that came to our first Adam and now the tests that comes to the second Adam, but as I've mentioned before, and I want us to see again this morning. The similarities in the test. The point of attack of Satan on Adam and Eve and on Jesus was of exactly the same place when Satan came into the garden with his craftiness of what there's guile. The approach the woman with a question half God said did God say that you can't be of any of the trees of the garden course. God didn't say that Satan knew he didn't say that, with the suggestion was implicit there that if he put one restriction on new email as well have put them all on John Paul Sartre.

If you're not autonomous you're not really free and Eve's first response was to fight for the Angels and for the integrity of her creator say now now now now Mr. serpent Hayden say that he set up all the trees of the garden we may freely pretty good but one restriction he said it would touch that one over there, we will surely die. Now the subtle implication becomes an explicit contradiction. Satan's, you will not die. God says I Satan says non-nine God speaks the truth. Satan utters the lie. The lie that contradicts boldly and clearly the veracity of what God said you see what's at issue in the original temptation he who you believe. Who do you trust who speaks the word of truth, who you trust and now the son of God in the wilderness of Judea. Here's the words of the devil. The same point of attack as Satan comes and said if you are the son of God turn the stone into bread. If you are the son of God, what are you doing here starving to death.

If you're the son of God. You shouldn't have to put up with this humiliation and self-denial.

If you are the son of God, you should be able to look at the stones and trained them in the bread and have the breaking of the fast breakfast from these so it that is you really are the son go over the last words of Jesus heard that his baptism before the Spirit drove him into the wilderness to remember the heavens opened and the voice of God was heard audibly. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

God's word came to Jesus at his baptism at his anointing to be the Messiah and that pronouncement from God was this you Jesus are my son, my beloved son, my son, who fills me with pleasure and then Satan comes with the suggestion that God's word is not true that God's word cannot be trusted and at what time do you large that temptation. Then, in a time of pain in the time of suffering in a time of want one. He's hungry in his humanity and his humanity has to be wondering if I am the son of God were mine doing in this godforsaken place. The wonderful suggestion Satan. I just have one small problem with them.

It is written which words among the Jews was code language for the Bible says it wasn't just written in the midrash in the town mood was written in sacred Scripture, so Satan Satan's temptation is countered by Jesus quoting the Bible. It is written, man shall not live by bread alone all Satan bread would taste so good right now but I don't live just by bread but by every word that comes from the mouth of my father. And right now my father will not allow me to eat that bread so you can forget about that. Well, Satan is not, undaunted, he then takes him to a high mountain shows him all the kingdoms of the world and the second of time the devil said him all of this authority. All the authority that goes with the monarchies of every kingdom on this planet. I will give to you because it's mine to give. I am the prince of this world and I can give authority to kings to politicians to whomever I place and I'll give you all of the authority every nation that you see and all I ask. Jesus is that you worship me just for second nobody's looking biologist warned me a slight genuflection is all it takes. You don't have to go to La Crosse you don't have to suffer and die in order to be decaying at the walk that Via Dolorosa the receive authority for the little bended knee right here and right now all you Jesus said fabulous offer but please get behind me Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve Satan get tired of hearing. The Bible says.

The Bible says.

The Bible says that Jesus was like some backwoods fundamentalists. That's all I can say under this temptation.

The Bible says I can't do this because the only one I'm allowed to worship and to serve his God Hassan Satan gets a decent wow this guys really connected to the Bible if I'm going to trip them up. I've got a fight fire with fire, and so Satan decides to quote some verses of his own. Oh Satan has the book memorized. He knows the Bible better than you do. They knows the Bible far better than I do it at his fingertips is just that first principle of hermeneutics. You'll know what hermeneutics is. Hermeneutics is a plumber that lives in Apopka. No hermeneutics is is that law or rule of interpreting sacred Scripture. The first rule is that Scripture interprets Scripture which means the Holy Ghost is his own interpreter. You don't set one portion of Scripture against another, and so Satan ignored that and she said to Jesus Bible says he'll give his angels charge over you to keep you in their hands that bear you up like you.your foot against a stone. This is on the pentacle of the temple that he says let's see let's see if you can really trust the word of God, you keep quoting to me.

The Bible says that you believe it that should somewhat if it's really true that the Angels are being given charge over you jump off the temple pinnacle here.

Nothing to worry about. Normally you aren't able to fly with you, the son of God and that great fall to the ground. If you don't sprout wings on the way won't do any damage to you because the Angels can fly and they'll bear you up last you – your foot against a stone. Jesus answered and said him quotation of Scripture is accurate, but your interpretation of it conflicts with everything else the word of God says, and I jump from this pentacle I would be putting God to the test and it is not allowable for mandate. The task God hates testing may have to jump off of this chapel to know that the Angels will guard me because my father says it, I don't need to test it and I don't need to test him because as Jesus would say later, his word is truth. And now Satan in his frustration leaves the Savior, but his departure is not permanent and only temporary. Throughout his earthly ministry. He's lurking in the shadows hiding behind every bush speaking even through the lips of his own disciples were Jesus has to recognize it in Peter's protests against our Lord's going to Jerusalem to be delivered. Peter said never Jesus said get behind me Satan is not you talking Peter it's the same old guy. It's the same old message, but I know in whom I have believed, and I trust him like Job in the middle of his that said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. And amazingly in the other accounts as soon as Satan departed. Suddenly the heavenly host that had been there the whole time manifested themselves to Jesus and ministered to him.

He received the angelic supports the angelic corral of triumph that would have been given to the first Adam had he not succumbed to the temptations of the devil before he ever began his earthly ministry as soon as it was anointed for the Messiah had to pass this test.

In the past. At every point. Not only in those 40 days but up until he drew his last breath in which he said father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. The whole world attacks the word of God there in the enemy's pocket that we as Christian people are to live by every word that comes from his Jesus showed us what it means not only to believe the word of God, but to put it into practice.

We put a message from Dr. RC Sproles first fiber sermon series from the gospel of Luke today here on Renewing Your Mind were grateful that you joined us.

We returned to the series.

Each Lord's day and I hope you are getting to know this gospel more deeply week by week. You can find this same detail and Dr. Sproles commentary on Luke's Gospel. Contact us today with a donation of any amount and will be happy to provide you with a digital download of this nearly 600 page commentary. Our offices are closed on the source day, but you can give your gift and make a request online and Renewing Your Mind.org.

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