This morning we’re moving forward with what we began last Sunday -  looking at temptation and truth.

We are looking at three temptations that we all struggle with.  And we’re looking at three truths.  Meaning that - as we struggle with  temptations - we don’t have to go there.  God gives us His truth.  So we can see the temptations for the lies that they are.  So we can choose to stay faithful to God and what God has for us in Jesus that’s infinitely better than lies we’re being tempted with.

We’re focusing on Matthew 4:1-11 which is the account of the temptation of Jesus.  Jesus faced three temptations.  Jesus responded with three truths.  Hugely helpful to us with what we struggle with. 

You all did so well with this last Sunday - helping us to stay out of - familiar passage auto-sermon mode - that we’re going to have an opportunity to read out loud together again this morning.

This section here is going to read what Satan says - the temptation part.  This section here is going to read what Jesus says - the truth part.  And this section over here and over here is going to read the narration part - everything else that’s not in quotations.  We’re together?  Okay.  Take a deep breath.

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.”

But He answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you.’  and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to Him, “All these I will give You, if You will fall down and worship me.”

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.

Before we come to verse 5 and temptation number 2 - we need to do a quick flash back to last Sunday to make sure we’re all on the same page.

Verse 1 begins with a “then.”  When we see a “then” in Scripture we need to ask…  “when”?  Then is Scripture’s way of connecting together sequences of events.  “Then” - here in verse one - ties the tempting of Jesus back to the Baptism of Jesus in chapter 3.

Last Sunday we saw that the Baptism of Jesus is about 2 things.  Thing one is the inauguration - or beginning - commencing - of Jesus’ ministry - what Jesus has come into humanity to do.  He is the Messiah - the One anointed by God to be the Savior of the world.

Thing two is the declaration - or announcement - of Who Jesus is.  3:16 - the voice of God the Father declaring:  “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased.”  Meaning that Jesus is deity - God in the flesh of humanity.  Fully God.  Fully man.  And Jesus is beloved of God.  God is pleased in Him. 

That’s huge.  Isn’t it?  What Jesus does.  Who Jesus is.  What Jesus - God - has entered into humanity to do.  The love and pleasure of the Father.  All that is going on at Jesus’ baptism.

Then - 4:1 - then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 

To be tempted - the word in Greek has the idea of a test - like at school or work.  Spiritually - when we’re tempted - when our faith - our trust and relationship with God - when we get tested it reveals more of what’s going on in our relationship with God.

Point being that the Spirit is purposefully bringing Jesus to be tempted by Satan in order to reveal what’s really going on in Jesus - the beloved Son - God in the flesh of humanity - what’s going on in Jesus’ relationship with the Father.  Its a test of obedience and loyalty - of trust - of faith in the Father - in preparation - at the inauguration of Jesus’ Messianic work.

Bottom line:  Will Jesus trust God or not?

We’re together?

Temptation number two:  Popularity.  The temptation to give greater weight to what others think of us rather than who God declares us to be.  “I am what others think of me.”

Verse 5:  Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you.’  and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

The “holy city” is Jerusalem.  This is the temple mount - in Jerusalem - at the time of Jesus.  What Matthew means by “the pinnacle” of the temple - we’re not sure.

There are two possibilities.  Possibility number one is the top of the Temple.  Which was 172 feet off the ground.  About 16 to 20 stories up. 

Possibility number two would have been at the southeast corner of the Temple mount - at the end of the Royal Portico - or porch.  Which was overlooking the Kidron Valley.  140 feet down to street level.  And 300 feet down to the Kidron Valley floor.

By comparison - the deck level of the Golden Gate Bridge - the part we drive and walk across - is about 220 feet above the water level at high tide.  Jon and I walked across the Golden Gate a couple months ago.  I was glad there was railing.  My palms get wet just thinking about that.

Which ever was the pinnacle - the point is that it was way up there and a long way down.

How Satan took Jesus there we don’t know.  Satan obviously has supernatural power allowed him by God.  Point was that he did and there they were.

The Temple complex was ground zero for the nation of Israel.  Without question the most popular place to be.  Meaning huge crowds.  Someone jumping off the pinnacle of the Temple would be a attention getter. 

The guy who jumped off the Empire State Building to show his girlfriend he had guts.  Old joke.

There was a Rabbinic tradition that said this - quote:  “When the king, Messiah, reveals himself, then he comes and stand on the roof of the holy place.”  Based on that tradition some scholars have suggested that what Satan was tempting Jesus with was the idea that stepping off the pinnacle of the Temple would establish him as the Messiah.  Especially if He soft lands instead of becoming a crater.

“Jesus - let’s explore what God just said about you.  The implications of that declaration.  You’re His Son.  He loves You.  He’s pleased with You.  You’re the Messiah.  What are you doing hanging out in the wilderness?  You should be adored by those people down there.  Step off into your destiny.  Your Father will take care of you.  Just do it.” 

Wouldn’t that get the crowd’s attention?  Watching Jesus slowly descend through the air?  The crowd would undoubtedly go nuts.  “Look!  He’s not hurt.  He must be the Messiah!”

Which would be a great inauguration for Jesus’ ministry.  A easy way to success as the Messiah.  Probably would mean being able to avoid the cross with its agonizing crucifixion and go straight to the crowning of Jesus as the Messiah - the Savior of God’s people.  Think popularity.

The verse that Satan uses to tempt Jesus comes from Psalm 91.  Its important that we understand that quote.

Take a look first at what Satan says.  This is what’s in Matthew:  “He will command His angels concerning you.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” 

Got that?

Now, take a look at the actual passage as its written in Psalm 91:11,12:  “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”

Do you see the difference?  What’s missing is the…   “to guard you in all your ways” part.

That Satan knows Scripture is a no brainer.  That Satan misuses Scripture should be a no brainer.  Satan misusing Scripture to attempt to manipulate Jesus.

What does it mean “in all your ways”?

Psalm 91 begins:  “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”  (Psalm 91:1,2)

Psalm 91 is all about dwelling in God’s shelter.  Abiding with God.  Trusting God.  Living God’s way.  Following God’s will and direction through life.  Its about what it means to live righteous.

Point being:  Those who are righteous - whom God has declared and made to be right before Him - who are living trusting God - obeying God - following God through life - those are the one’s whom God will guard in all their ways.  Their ways being God’s ways.

In other words - Way too many Christians have an American Jesus version of Christianity where God just wants us to be happy and live well off.  Jesus is this warm fuzzy friend next to you.  Just do whatever fits our schedule or our version of what it means to live the Christian life - following what’s currently popular - acceptable - PC in the American Christian culture.

But Psalm 91 isn’t about our picking and choosing what parts of living God’s way we’re going to live out in our lives.  Living trusting God isn’t like going to Hometown Buffet and picking and choosing for ourselves what it means to be obedient to God and then somehow expect that God is going to step in and take care of us when we get ourselves in trouble.

Either we’re living trusting ourselves or we’re living trusting God.  There is no in between someplace.  Satan would love to have us believe there’s a middle ground.  But that middle ground is sin.  Sin is the ultimate selfie.

“So Jesus, step off.  God will send angels to help you down to a soft landing.”  The wow factor for the crowd.  Will Jesus trust Himself or trust God?

The temptation is to seek the approval of the crowd - popularity - outside of the will of the Father.  Stepping off Jesus would have - in His humanity - pursued popularity at the expense of God’s purpose for His life.

Jesus’ answer comes in verse 7:  Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Jesus’ answer number two:  Don’t TEST God.

Jesus quotes Moses - Deuteronomy 6:16 - look at the full quote:  “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.” 

To get where Jesus - and Moses - are going with this we need to grab some background - the “as you tested Him at Massah” part.  Which is recorded for us in Exodus 17:1-7.

Notice the comparison there.  Quarreling with Moses is testing the Lord.  In other words - In Moses’ mind ultimately the people’s issue with Moses isn’t about Moses.  Their real issue is with God.

But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Which tells us about the timing of all this.  Its important for us to understand that this takes place after the ten plagues - after the crossing of the Red Sea - meaning God has taken out Pharaoh and Pharaoh's gods and Pharaoh's army - delivered His people from Egypt.  At Marah God’s people had complained and so God has provided for His people water - miraculously turning bitter water into fresh water.  Between Elim and Sinai God’s people had complained and God has provided Mannah - bread for His people.  All of which God’s people had experienced first hand.  God’s deliverance - protection - provision.

So now they’re at a place called Rephidim - and God’s people are doing what God’s people do best - they’re complaining. 

So Moses cried to the Lord - because this isn’t about Moses.  This is about God and God’s people.  “God, what’s your plan on how to handle this… again?”

So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people?  They are almost ready to stone me.”  Meaning the people’s issues with God have effected Moses’ approval rating.

Harris Poll came out with a survey this month -  where they’d asked people what they thought was the scariest job in America.  Did you see this?  Number one on the list was... politician.  Because of the large amount of responsibility - accountability to a large number of people - public speaking - and rejection.  Which is where Moses was.

By the way Kindergarten teacher was number 4 and parent made the list at number 10.

Going on:  And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.  Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.”  And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.  And he called the name of the place Massah - which means “testing” - and Meribah - which means “quarreling” - because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

In other words - after everything that God has done for us - its not enough.  We’re still wondering if God is for us or not?  The accusations are flying.  The God’s people are challenging God - provoking God - testing Him.  God is on trial and God’s people arrogantly have set themselves up as judge.  God needs to come through for us - once again - when we want God to come through for us in the way we want Him to perform for us.

Which is God in a lamp theology.  I live my life the way I want to live my life - my American Jesus version of Christianity - picking and choosing the parts of obedience to God that fit my lifestyle - and then when I need God I take the lamp off the shelf - the lamp that I keep my God in - rub the lamp and when He comes out I tell Him what I want Him to do for me.  That’s testing God.  Expecting God to fit our litmus test of what we expect God to do for us.

Jesus challenging God by exposing Himself to danger just to see what the Father’s reaction will be - whether God will be with Him or not - is the same sin of the people who demanded that God provide for them - which has nothing to do with abiding with God - trusting in God’s taking care of them - doing things God’s way.

Something else we need to see here.  Moving forward in history - about 40 years - to just before God’s people are about to enter the Promised Land.  In Numbers 20 - which you can read on your own - God’s people come to a place called Kadesh - also called Meribah “quarreling”.  Looking at the map you can see probably where these two places are.

This the next generation.  Different generation.  Different place.  Same issue - no water.  Same complaint - “Moses, you led us out here to die.”

(cartoon - Fletcher)  “Why study the book of Numbers?!”  “Thirty-six chapters of self-centered people who whined every time they didn’t get their way!”  Give us something relevant!”

I hesitated to share that because I thought someone might complain.  The more things change the more they… stay the same.

The difference at Meribah - part 2 - is that while Moses comes to God for instructions and God is very evident in what’s going on.  Then Moses takes matters into his own hands and strikes the rock in a way that’s all about Moses.  Which - as you remember - was what God held Moses accountable for and refused to allow Moses to enter the Promised Land.

At Meribah - part 2 - Moses gets caught up in the rejection of the people - and makes the issue about him - not God.  Moses’ popularity before the people getting in the way of following God’s will to the glory of God.

Are we together?  On the pinnacle of the Temple - Jesus gets it that Satan is not challenging Him but challenging His trust in God.

Satan’s target is God.  His quarrel is against God.  The ministry that God inaugurated Jesus to.  What God declared about Jesus.  Satan’s weapon is Jesus.  The trigger that fires the weapon is the temptation of popularity - of Jesus circumventing the will of the Father - to achieve what glorifies the Son not the Father.

Jesus answer:  “You don’t test God.  God doesn’t perform miracles for our glory.  God does what God wills for His glory - for His glory alone.” 

That’s how Jesus lived.  Hugely instructive for us.  The inaugurated ministry of Jesus - what He has been set apart - anointed to do - in the flesh of humanity - the redeeming work of the eternal Triune God - everything that God the Son - Jesus - does He does by the enabling and guiding of the Holy Spirit according to the will of the Father.  To God alone be the glory.

Living for God’s glory Jesus disappointed a whole lot of people.

Jesus disappointed the people who He grew up with.  In Nazareth - when Jesus made the declaration that He really is the Messiah - they tried to push Him off a cliff.

Jesus disappointed His closest friends - the 12 apostles.  They had their own idea of what Jesus - the Messiah - what He was suppose to be like.  Ideas about position and power and what place they were going to have in His coming Kingdom.  They’re handing on to His coat tails on the way up.  That vision didn’t include crucifixion - His ridicule and rejection by the nation.  They quit on Him.  Judas stabbed Him in the back.

Jesus disappointed His family.  He left their expectations of being a carpenter’s son and went off living a lifestyle that was not culturally acceptable.  Said that His true family were those who followed God.  At one point His family thought He was certifiably nuts.

Jesus disappointed the crowds.  They wanted a Messiah in the Lamp kind of savior that would feed them - fix them - free them from the Romans - give them inspiring sermons - work miracles.  Jesus just didn’t go there.  Often, at the height of what would have been a hugely popular - this is the moment to launch forward in ministry with a huge crowd of followers - paparazzi - Jesus headed off alone to be with the Father - or He started talking about really popular topics like dyeing to self - taking up your cross - leaving your family - giving up everything - becoming homeless.

Jesus disappointed the religious leaders.  They didn’t appreciate His theology and how His teaching and ministry was causing chaos in their day-to-day lives.  He’s a trouble maker.  Upsetting the status quo.  They thought He was possessed by demons.

But Jesus wasn’t trying to live a life based on what other people thought about Him.  He’s never playing to the crowd.  He’s not looking to the crowd for His self-worth - His self-identity.  Jesus didn’t come to be accepted.  He’s not looking for a job as a itinerant rabbi.  He cleaned out the temple and people went nuts.  But He came to do more than cleanse the temple.  He came to cleanse people’s hearts.

Jesus is beloved of God.  God is pleased in Him.  Meaning that - at His baptism - while Jesus has yet to perform a miracle - yet to do any of that Spirit empowered and guided - according to the will of the Father - inaugurated ministry - or even hang on the cross - Jesus is beloved.  God is pleased.  Jesus is deeply loved and affirmed by God - solely because of Who Jesus is - the beloved Son.

From a relationship of loving union with the Father Jesus lives a life free of the pressures of popularity.  Free of the burden of popularity Jesus is free to live the life that the Father has for Him to live in the flesh and blood of humanity - free to reject the temptation offered by Satan - free to do what is unpopular - free to challenge the status quo - free to live as light in darkness - free to live totally committed to the will of the Father - even free to die in our place on the cross rejected by every single one of us.  To God alone be the glory.

That is hugely instructive for us.  Jesus never bows to the pressure to live a life that wasn’t the life that God had given for Him to live.  It is okay for us to disappoint people as long as we’re living life approved by God. 

Most of us probably put a higher premium on what other people think of us that we’re aware of.  Do you ever ask yourself, “What will people think?”  What should I say or not say in a conversation?  What school should our child attend - or not attend?  Who should I date?  Do I tell someone if they hurt me?  What kind of career should I pursue?  What do I wear?  How could I ever admit I was wrong?  What will they think I start talking about Jesus?  What if I don’t have the answer? 

Do you ever feel inadequate?  Like a failure?  Like you just don’t measure up and never will?

It is way too easy to stress over - to get anxious - to live by fear - feeling totally inadequate - to base our decisions - how we’re living our lives on what others think of us.  All that can put us just where Satan wants us.  Banging away at rocks.  Jumping off of temples.  Living focused on ourselves and what other people think of us rather than living by faith in God - according to His purposes - for His glory.

It may be hard for us to let go of all that.  But we need to get free of all that if we’re really going to live the life that God has created us and called us to live.

Peter Scazzero writes:  “True freedom comes when we no longer need to be somebody special in other people’s eyes because we know we are lovable and good enough.” (1)

The answer to being a slave to finding our identity in what other people think about us - popularity - the answer is to hang on to who God says that we are.

The late Duke of Windsor, who had for a short time been King Edward VIII, died in Paris in May 1972.  That night they showed a documentary on British television that included extracts from earlier films in which the late Duke was shown being questioned about his upbringing, his brief reign, and his abdication.

Each of us needs to hold on to that for ourselves:  Always Remember who you are.

The question is:  Who are we?  Who does God say that we are?

There are a tons of places in Scripture where God declares who we are.  Some of those are on the Life Group Study sheet for tonight.

But I’d like to share just one passage - 1 Peter 2:1-17 -  that is full of God just saying who we are.  Get comfortable.  Not too comfortable.  Keep your eyes open.  As I’m reading be thinking “What does this say about who I am in Christ?”  Grab the truth of who God says you are.

1 Peter 2 - starting at verse 1:  So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation - if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”  And “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”  They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Putting all that in a nut shell:

We’re newborn babies called to growth.

We’re living stones called to fellowship.

We’re holy priests called to worship.

We’re God’s own people called to witness.

We’re aliens and strangers called to holiness.

We’re servants of God called to citizenship. (3) 

We could add to that passages where God declares us to be those He’s brought to peace with Himself, forgiven, recipients of grace, His kids who have an eternal inheritance - the riches of heaven.  And on and on we could go.

Heading out of here into the temptations of out there take time this week to spend time with God’s word finding and focusing on verses that talk about who you are in Christ.  Use the Life Group study sheet to get you going.  Spend some time this week thanking God for who you are in Christ.  Hang to who God says you are.

We need to hear this from our Father:  “My dear child, you must always remember who you are, for if you remember your identity you will behave accordingly.”

_________________________

1. Peter Scazzero, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality - Unleash a Revolution in Your Life in Christ,” Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2006 - see page 77.

2. John Stott, “The Radical Disciple - Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling,” InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2010, page 83.

3. See John Stott, “The Radical Disciple - Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling,” InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2010, page 97.

General reference for this series:  Peter Scazzero, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality - Unleash a Revolution in Your Life in Christ,” Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2006.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.