Temptation of Christ (Luke #11) - Bible Baptist Church

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Text: Luke 4:1-14

To begin here I’d like to read you a verse that is one of the most sophisticated blueprints of the workings of the world. John reduces the motivations and movements of this world down to three basic things: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. This is the foundation and framework from which every worldly decision can be traced. 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. John just identified the blueprints from which Satan operates.

Jesus Christ is tempted 40 days in the wilderness just like Israel was tried 40 years in the wilderness. A day for a year and a man for a nation.

Spiritual power over the flesh

The Holy Spirit leads the Lord Jesus Christ to a barren place. Now, here is the Lord Jesus Christ led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness where there is no food. Jesus Christ is going wherever his Father wants him to go and he’s eating whenever and whatever his Father wants him to eat.
So the temptation is to take care of physical needs in exchange for accepting the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Notice the devil is mentioned when Jesus Christ is almost starved out. Jesus is starving. He’s got to consider his health. This is getting out of hand.
There’s no verse against eating bread, but there are plenty of verses against satisfying the flesh against the will of God.
This is the lust of the flesh.
Jesus, starving, weak, eyes dim and sunk, and he whispers with spiritual strength yet physically feeble, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Spiritual power over the eyes

…the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them…
The devil framed the world in the way he wanted Jesus Christ to see it.
- Shown the glory.
- Not shown; he doesn’t take him to the graveyards or the hospitals. He doesn’t show him hell inside the earth or the lost sinners in hell.
He shows him the great architecture – Skyscrapers and palaces, Taj Mahal, Palace of Versailles, Windsor Castle, Lake Garden Palace in India built on an island, Summer Palace in Beijing, the Biltmore Estate, Vanderbilt mansion, Great Pyramids of Egypt. All these things will I give thee…
- What’s bad about these? Nothing. You would love to own these things. But at what cost?
- You want that house? In luck, that house is for sale. All I need is 30 years of your life.
He shows him enchanting entertainment – the Coliseum in Rome, fans cheering, Dallas stadium, fireworks, people laughing, the Super Bowl, the World Series, Hollywood movies glamourous and beautiful people.
- Kids see baseball and say I want to play baseball. The world and the god of this world says that’s good because we have a spot for you. You can have fun and be a star and maybe make millions of dollars doing it someday!
- What’s wrong with baseball? Nothing, until you hear the deal. I’m just going to need your Sundays.
He shows him an Aston Martin, a Testarossa, a Mustang, Chevy Silverado 3500 High Country, a Ford King Ranch Edition, Superduty, 2023 Ram 3500 Limited Tungsten Edition MegaCab.
- What’s wrong with those vehicles? Nothing is wrong with them.
- I’m just going to need your offerings to the LORD and your Wednesday nights and part of your marriage.
He shows him boats and guns, cattle ranches, boots, cowboy hats, horses, saddles.
He shows you furniture of Italian leather; Neiman Marcus.
He shows you hand bags – Vera Bradley, and shoes, and clothes, Saks 5th Ave in New York.
By the time the devil is done he’s got your Sundays, he’s got your Wednesdays, he’s got your paycheck, he’s got your children’s minds, he’s got your marriage, he’s got your health, he’s got your testimony, he’s got your spirit (angry, bitter, combative, contentious, accusatory, religious, and unclean), and if you’re not careful, he’s got your soul.
1 Corinthians 10:20-21 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: they give up their money, their time, their voice, their energy, their family, and what did they get for it?
(Not trying to discourage, but this is the reality of devil worship. It’s not the Hollywood pentagrams and goat heads.) It’s enticement, enchantment, and entertainment that ties your resources to this world so you are not free to serve the Living God.
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jesus’ answer is in spiritual power, Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Spiritual power over pride

The devil said since you trust God and believe the Bible, how about believing this verse? Why don’t you prove that you live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God? Why don’t you throw yourself off this temple? I mean, your scripture says that if you’re God’s Son then he won’t let you get hurt like that.
This is the pride of life. Pride.
You’re somebody
- The devil uses a verse out of context in order to claim a promise that isn’t there.
- He uses a promise to appeal to pride!
- Just like folks claiming Bible promises that have nothing to do with them.
Answer from Jesus, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Satan’s first step outside of God’s will was pride. And he tempts in the same way.
- The god of this world believes physical attributes are power. The strongest, fastest, richest, and most beautiful people operate well in this world system. And if you accept those terms, you’re more likely to have success in this godless world. For whatever that’s worth.
- Peter’s disagreement with Jesus about going to the cross was about pride.

The power of the Spirit is found in the scriptures.