The Testing Of The Son

Introduction

Good evening, and it is my hope that our lives will be just that, holy to the Lord. In the way that we think, in the way our affections are set on things above, and not on things of this earth, and in our conduct as a result of having set our affections on those things. And hopefully the lesson that I will present tonight will help us in that vein. The temptations of Jesus recorded for us in two of the four gospel accounts. It’s easy to remember Matthew 4 and Luke 4. That’s convenient, isn’t it? In Matthew chapter 4, we’ll be looking at Matthew’s text momentarily, where we have recorded the threefold barrage that Satan unleashes against Jesus. We should not conclude that this is the only time that Satan tempts the Lord.

But it is a severe confrontation. He will leave him after this series of temptations for a more opportune time, and perhaps the greatest assault will pertain to the crucifixion itself. But in Matthew chapter 4, immediately following his baptism by John in chapter 3, it says, Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

And after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, in somewhat of a weakened condition physically, as a result of that time of dedication, prayer, and fasting, he then became hungry, and the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. And he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil took him into the holy city, and he had him stand 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 give his angels charge concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

Jesus said to him, On the other hand, it is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. And 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 them, All these things will I give you if you 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 serve him only. Then the devil left him. And behold, angels came and began to minister to him. As I was preparing for this lesson, I noticed I have several things written in the margin around Matthew chapter 4. Sermons that I’ve heard, things that others have said, and I thought I would share some of those thoughts by way of introduction to you.

1. The Threefold Avenue of Sin

Number one, religion is not just an academic exercise. Certainly it’s more than that here in this series of temptations. We’re not just following rules, but the ruler. Another observation that I have, start thinking about God, and stop thinking about yourself. That’s when we get into trouble where temptation is concerned when we’re thinking about ourselves rather than our purpose to please God. And then this, Satan hangs out on my street. He is after us, just like he was after our Lord and Savior. And I thought that was a good thought there as well. Okay, a couple of preliminary observations before I get to the heart of this tonight about this threefold barrage of Satan against Jesus. First point that I want to give to you tonight. And that has to do with the threefold avenue of sin.

It’s not very hard to connect the dots here. If you go over to 1 John chapter 2 and verse 16, 1 John 2 and verse 16, when John says, don’t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Boy, you talk about an applicable text for our time and a challenge for us all. As Christians in this place, in this time, in this age, do not love the world. And then he says, for all that is in the world, and that doesn’t leave anything out, for all that is in the world, all that originates in our world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

And the world is passing away and also its lust. But the one who does the will of God abides forever. And it was in all of these avenues that Satan is tempting Jesus. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. And certainly the temptation out of his hunger to take these stones and make bread out of them is an appeal to his flesh. The lust of the flesh. And then when he makes the pitch regarding the kingdoms, I will give, and of course I’ve switched them here, and more on that in a moment.

You want to be a king? You want a kingdom? I can give you the whole world. Some have debated whether the devil could have really done that or not. He’s the God of this world. I’m thinking he could have pulled it off. But the stipulation was, you’ve got to bow down and worship me. And so he makes an appeal this way. And then the pinnacle leap has to do with the boastful pride of life. An overindulgence in regard to one’s view of self. And to take that leap and to see if angels will come out and assist. And we have a quotation from the Psalms by the devil. The devil knows the scripture. More on that in a moment. Now, the question that comes about, as I have switched temptation to and three, is that if you’ll read Luke’s account, Luke swaps temptation number two and temptation number three.

And that’s caused all kinds of thoughts and questions and expositors’ minds and interpreters’ minds. I mean, which one is telling it in order? And the most natural conclusion is that Luke is. Because Luke is giving an orderly account of the things, but we’ve come to find out as we study a little bit closer that he wasn’t really talking chronological necessarily. There’s some places in the book of Luke where it seems it’s not chronological at all. That’s not the idea of a well-ordered arrangement. And even in this regard, most guess that it is Luke and not Matthew that has switched the two. And he does so intentionally because of Luke’s purpose to talk about Jerusalem, where everything is going. And he has taken him to Jerusalem to the temple.

And that’s where everything is ultimately headed. If you’ll look like at Luke 9, I find this interesting. In Luke’s account, Luke 9 and verse 31, the transfiguration scene that Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory, were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. And then in verse 51, and it came about when the days were approaching for his ascension that he resolutely set his face to go to Jerusalem. So that’s the clinching temptation for Luke because of this Jerusalem emphasis in regard to Jesus’ departure. And there’s other passages in Luke that also talk about Jerusalem as the city of destiny. But the important thing here is we see how the devil tempts us and how he has tempted each one of us.

2. How to Defeat Our Adversary

The second thing that we see in this threefold barrage is how to defeat our adversary. As Jesus, on all three occasions, what does he do? He quotes from Scripture.

Couple of passages here.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. Again, it’s not just an academic exercise. We take the word in, we ingest it and digest it, so that in the moments of temptation we know how we ought to respond. This isn’t consistent. What I’m being appealed at here, what the devil is encouraging me to do is not consistent with the word of God that I know. And so we need to use Scripture to fight off his advances. We need to be ready. And understand that when we have been tempted to sin, that the devil is making a very personal attack, just like he did with Jesus in Matthew 4 and in Luke 4. And if you don’t think I’m telling you the truth about that, remember when Peter says to the Lord, right after he says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, and Jesus says, I’ve got to go to Jerusalem and I’ve got to die.

And Peter says, Not so, Lord. And what does Jesus say to Peter? Get behind me, Satan. He’s even using an apostle to get to Jesus, and Peter has already succumbed to his influence. Not realizing, well, on that occasion, I can just imagine Peter’s going, Me? A pawn of Satan. But he wanted him to see who is using him on that occasion. Well, about the sight of Scripture. After the first time, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil quotes Scripture. And it’s very interesting. While he quotes Scripture, his application in the use of Scripture is actually that which brings it into conflict with other passages of Scripture. He’s trying to make this Psalm say what it was never intended to say, that Jesus could somehow reject self-control, to promote or advance himself, and thus leap off the temple and have the angels bear him up in some glorious, self-promoting, nonproductive miracle.

And so he misuses this passage of Scripture, as those do today who twist and they rest the scriptures to their own destruction. 2 Peter chapter 3, verses 17 and 18. And it is the unstable that do so, and the untaught, the unlearned. We need to be careful in our use of Scripture that we do not bring it in conflict with other passages of Scripture. But get the main point here. The threefold avenue of temptation, how to defeat temptation, the citing of Scripture. We need to have, and look, you don’t have to tell the devil by the way this is located in Ephesians. Pretty sure he knows where it is. I bet he knows the entire New Testament. But we need to put those passages, flee you for lust.

3. The Business of Sonship

You may not know where that is, but you might need to recall that in a moment of temptation. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. Let your speech be pure. Free from unwholesome things. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 29. Even if you can’t quote it completely, you know what it says. Use it in the moment of temptation. Okay. Now I want to get to what I really want to talk to you about tonight. That was some stuff that could help. But there’s something going on in these temptations that I had not seen before. And it has to do with the business of sonship. Sonship. In this gospel narrative, which in Matthew’s account was written to a Jewish audience. Perhaps an even greater point is being made here about sonship.

And here is the point. Will Jesus succeed, where Israel has failed. Notice that immediately after his baptism, it says the Spirit led him. He had to go into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Why did he have to do that? Because you see, this is a test of sonship. And it’s based in things that have happened in the Old Testament. I want you to go back to chapter 1, and I failed to see this before. In Matthew chapter 1, the emphasis on sonship. And it starts with the genealogy in verse 1 of Matthew chapter 1. Christ, the son of David, son of Abraham. That’s where this book starts. Sonship. Son of David, son of Abraham. Verse 23. You shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel, which translated means God with us.

And Joseph kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son. It says in verse 25. Jesus is Abraham’s son, he’s David’s son, thus he’s God’s son. And the Christ, he is the son of David. Jesus implies that himself in Matthew 22 and verse 42. Now flip over to chapter 2. Chapter 2, 14 and 15. This curious reference. Remember, Herod wants to kill all the two year olds, and so what did Joseph and Mary do? They take Jesus down to Egypt. That is not just a koinky dink, as we say. This happens for a reason. He arose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.

In the Hosea reference, it’s talking about, of course, the nation of Israel. You never would have thought that it had any reference to something that was going to happen in the New Testament in the life of Jesus, but then lo and behold, here’s Jesus, the infant Jesus. He goes down to Egypt, and as a son comes up out of Egypt, just like Israel came out of Egypt. Hold that thought for just a moment. And then we come to his baptism that just happened right before the temptations. And what is the voice from heaven? What does the Father say? This is my beloved son. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And so we’ve had this emphasis all the way along in Matthew 1, Matthew 2, Matthew 3, out of Egypt I called my son of David, son of Abraham.

This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Now we have this temptation unfold. It’s not just that Jesus and Israel shared a geographical coincidence. Egypt represents something. Egypt represents the power of this world. Israel is a type of Christ. Both were brought forth from the power of this world. Both were brought forth or delivered to be God’s son. Let me show you this. In Exodus chapter 4, in Exodus chapter 4, and verse 22. What does God say to Pharaoh? This is interesting. Exodus 4 and verse 22. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord, Israel is my son, my firstborn. So I shall say to you, let my son go, that he may serve me. But you have refused to let him go.

Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn son, and that’s the tenth plague, right? Israel’s my son, let my son go. In Deuteronomy chapter 1, flip over there, and you might want to put a string if you have a string for your Bible in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy chapter 1 and verse 31. In the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, he says to Israel. Okay, now where are they? In the wilderness. In the wilderness, the Lord your God carries you in the wilderness. How did he carry them? Just as a man carries his son in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place. You see, God carried Israel in the wilderness. Jesus was compelled or impelled or led into the wilderness for this temptation, and it had to be so.

4. Will Jesus Succeed Where Israel Failed?

He has to pass the test. Will Jesus succeed where Israel failed? And that’s why when you come to 1 Corinthians chapter 10, and Israel, they all were baptized into Moses in the cloud. They were all delivered from Egyptian bondage. They all ate of the same food and drank of the same drink. Nevertheless, with most of them, God was not well pleased.

They failed. You see, as sons. Exodus chapter 16. Then the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I will reign bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day portion every day that I may test them. Why did he send the manna? That I may test them whether or not they will walk in my instruction. And in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 20, and Moses said to the people, do not be afraid, for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of him may remain with you, so that you may not sin. Hmm. How many days did Jesus fast in the wilderness? Forty days. Does that number sound familiar at all? How long was Israel in the wilderness?

Forty years. It’s not just happenstance that this testing wasn’t 30 days and this testing wasn’t 50 days, but that it was 40 days, because again, what is it emphasizing? The fact is that sonship is the theme and the central issue that Matthew is dealing with. And did you notice the nature of the questions that the devil is asking? If you are the Son of God, Son of God, command these stones to be made bread. Now he’s not saying, now, I’m not really sure if you’re the Son of God. He knows exactly who he is. This is not a question mark here, but your identity is the Son of God. Let’s see some of that power that you possess. Command these stones to be made bread. And again, if you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.

He’s trying to get him to compromise all the way along. Throw yourself down, for it is written that he will give his angels charge concerning you. Jesus could not bail himself out by an exercise of his divine power for personal interests. Now, these quotations.

If you are the Son of God, first quotation. Man shall not live by bread alone. Here’s the Son. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Jesus did not come to bask in the privileges of deity and glory, but to suffer and serve as a man.

The second temptation. He quotes, Deuteronomy 6 16. And so I said, keep your string there. Go to Deuteronomy chapter 6. He’s already quoted Deuteronomy 8. Deuteronomy 6 16, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test as you tested him at Messiah, he says to the people. And then finally, he quotes Deuteronomy 6 and verse 13. You shall fear only the Lord your God, and you shall worship him and swear by his name. In the third temptation, the devil says, loving philanthropist that he is, let me do it for you. Let me help you out in your quest. I’ll give you all the kingdoms of this world. You know, he only wants our best. But he wants Jesus to settle for less. As we were talking about this morning, weren’t we?

Remember, when we follow Satan’s illusion, there’s the sound of clinging shackles that we need to be concerned about. We need to hear those because Satan’s offer is always inferior or less. Okay, so these three quotations from Deuteronomy. Couldn’t he have quoted some other passages in the Old Testament? Isn’t it interesting in this threefold barrage that he quotes verses all around the same place? Did he only know Deuteronomy? Deuteronomy 6 through 8. Or could it be that it has something to do with this business of sonship? And as Moses is speaking to Israel about what it means that they are God’s son, and that God has tested them. And what this should mean when they get to the land of Canaan because they are God’s sons. And you go on to read Deuteronomy 8 in the first context, Deuteronomy 8 3.

5. The High Honor and Challenge of Sonship

Here’s what God did for you. Your clothing didn’t wear out. He led you, he did all of this. And when you get into the land that he’s going to give you that flows with milk and honey, don’t forget me. What did Israel do? They failed. They failed as sons. Jesus passed the test that Israel failed. Alright. So where am I going with this? I want to talk to you for a moment in a very practical way about the high honor and challenge a sonship. A challenge that Israel failed. We have two models. One of failure and one of success. Will we succeed as Jesus succeeded as a son? Or will we fail as Israel failed? And isn’t that the point of Hebrews chapter 2? Hebrews chapter 2, verses 1 through 3.

We can say, well, the United States of America is a great nation, but it never was the chosen people of God like Israel was. And that’s correct. But the Lord’s people, since the first century, have always been the chosen nation. And incumbent with that are great responsibilities and a high honor. In Hebrews 2 and verse 1, it says, we, those who are of his holy nation, must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, he says, This. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard.

As awesome as Sinai was. As awesome as it was to be led by the pillar of fire by that, the cloud by day. I don’t know, I’m more impressed by the pillar of fire at night. Wouldn’t that be cool? Every night to be led by the pillar of fire. As amazing as that was, and to be to drink water from rocks. As amazing as that was to be God’s nation, the Son of God, as Israel was, we’re more privileged than they.

You know, it’s pretty tough with Israel in the Old Testament. Where do they get that? They’re not getting that from Hebrews chapter 2. He’s saying, we’ve got more, and because we’ve got more, we’re held to a higher standard. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Look, Jesus is offering us a model in this temptation. How to react as a son. And so there are three ways that I want to talk to you briefly about that we can fail as God’s son. Number one. You talk about the descendants of Israel who failed. First century the Pharisees. We’ve been talking about them because they’re opposing Jesus in our study in the Gospel of John. And I’ve said to you, if we think those attitudes are not present today among the covenant people of God, we’re missing it.

It is a very natural pitfall for those that emphasize we’ve got to do things the right way. To start emphasizing the right way of doing things and to become inconsistent in that and to start establishing rules that go beyond God’s rules, it is a very natural temptation, and to develop the kind of self-elevating self-righteousness, we’re the people of God. We have this special position and we think more of ourselves than we ought to think. That’s why there’s warnings about that in the New Testament. If you don’t think modern day Phariseeism is a plague for 21st century Christians, I’m here to tell you it is. And if we develop those kinds of self-righteous, self-promoting, self-elevating thoughts that destroyed those Pharisees spiritually, we’ll fail as sons.

Checking off the checklist.

Without investing our hearts in our adoration of God. We fail. We fail as sons. Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. That’s the great and first commandment. And that applies to all that we do, including our worship. When we do like Israel did. Nevertheless, with most of them, God was not pleased. They craved evil things. Do not be immoral as they were. Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 10. Do not crave evil things as they did. He knows those same kinds of pitfalls and challenges face us. The question is, are we going to succeed as sons where Israel failed? And listen to this as I get this wrapped up tonight. I’m glad I got here in 30 minutes.

6. Succeeding as Sons

I want to talk to you for a moment about succeeding as sons. Remember this verse? Beatitudes. Blessed are the peacemakers. What’s the how does it go from there? For they shall be called the sons of God. There it is. Sonship. That’s why we need to be peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Then look at this. Luke 6 and verse 35. I want you to see some of these passages. Love your enemies. Want the best for your enemies. Desire their salvation. Pray for them is the idea. Serve them however you can. Do good. Lend. Give to others. Expect nothing in return. And your reward will be great. Oh. Why is that? Because you’ll be like your father. You’ll be sons of the most high.

For he is kind. He is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Sometimes we’re going to exact evil for evil. They’ve done me evil. I’m going to do evil in return. We’re not like our Father. He did good to evil men. That’s why we’re to pray for our inner side. And that’s what makes us different. We don’t return evil for evil, but we give a blessing instead. So that we can be like our Father, sons of the Most High. Sons, heirs. In Romans chapter 8, verses 14 through 17. Heirs, just like Jesus in Romans 8, verses 14 and following. You who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. That’s why you pursue the fruit of the Spirit that we talked about this morning.

When you have those qualities in your life, you’re a son. You’re acting like a son. You’re acting like Jesus the Son did. And so those who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God when we’re doing these things. This book testifies. The Holy Spirit testifies that we’re God’s sons. And if children heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him. And then flip a page over to Romans 9 and verse 25. I will call those who are not my people my people. That was God’s plan. Gentiles. That’s the context of Romans 9.

And her who was not beloved. Remember one of Hosea’s kids, Loamin was his name. Name him Loami, not my people. Israel’s behaving terrible, not a son should. Loam me. But God is going to take Loami, and He’s going to make people out of them. And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, but they shall be called sons of the living God. I will be a father to them. And they will be sons to me. I will walk among them. I will dwell in them, Jesus says. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, cleanse yourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, holy to the Lord as we’ve sung. Why?

Because we’re God’s sons. He’s our Father. And as I mentioned, once not a people, but now you are the people of God. Holy nation. Royal priesthood. A people for God’s own possession. How many times have we had to crawl back to the Father’s throne? And plead for forgiveness because we’ve been the prodigal son that we talked about this morning. And asking him not to reject us as sons. And how often has he opened his arms and come running toward us and killed the fatted calf for us? I’ll tell you why this is important. I believe that the realization of the fact that we are his sons, and the high privilege that it is to be his son will help us in the fight against temptation. And that’s why the issue of Jesus being God’s son is so important in these series of temptations.

And that’s the lesson.

Conclusion

We have heard it so often, children of God, and such you are. John says in 1 John chapter 3, we’ve heard it so often that it becomes ordinary. May it never be ordinary that we see ourselves as his sons. Heirs with Christ, joint heirs with him, and may we fight our adversary, and may we do so equipped with the word of God, knowing that God has high expectations of his sons. Will we succeed where Israel failed? We who are the spiritual Israel of God. And if you’re in this audience and not a Christian tonight, it’s about obedience to the Lord for the cleansing of your sins. It’s about washing your sins away. This opportunity provides you the opportunity to have salvation. But more than that, you can rise to walk as a son of the living God.

And the Son in heaven offers to help you. He is not ashamed to call us brethren. We have the Son to assist us, to provide grace and mercy at a time of need. And so if you need to respond to the invitation, understand what a great offer God makes to you while we stand and see.