1 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,080 Tonight, the title. Of the message is tested. 2 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,040 And triumphant. The. 3 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:16,960 King proved in the wilderness and then by way of application 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:18,880 for you and I dealing with temptation. 5 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:23,320 Matthew's Gospel. As we've been going through, it 6 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,840 has been more than just a collection of stories about 7 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:29,760 Jesus. And they're not just nice little 8 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,560 tales to tell our children at bedtime, but Matthew's purpose. 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,640 From the very beginning as the. Author of this. 10 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,000 Book is a carefully crafted argument that presents this 11 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,400 Jesus of Nazareth. To be the Messiah, the Christ, 12 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,040 the Promised. One, there's a primarily Jewish 13 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,280 audience in mind in Matthew's writing, and so it was that in 14 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,720 Chapter 1, he began his book with a genealogy. 15 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,400 We looked at that. We considered that by modern 16 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,880 standards of storytelling, is not. 17 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,320 The best way to engage an audience. 18 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,239 But we're a different audience. To the Jewish audience and so. 19 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,280 Matthew starts with Jesus the Son. 20 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,400 Of David there were. Promises that God had given to. 21 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,520 King David, that Jesus. Is the fulfilment of Matthew 22 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,760 starts with Jesus, the son of Abraham, And there were. 23 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,080 Promises a covenant, an agreement that God had made 24 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:24,760 with. Abraham that a descendant of 25 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,600 his. Would be the Messiah and. 26 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,840 Matthew's claim is Jesus is the one, and then later we're told 27 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,360 of the story. Regarding Jesus birth of how it 28 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,840 was that the Angel. Came to Mary and said, And to 29 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,480 Mary and Joseph, you will call his name Jesus. 30 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,360 He will save his people from their sins. 31 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,000 So. This is what you're to name him 32 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,880 and. Immediately the identification 33 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,280 is. Of Jesus of Nazareth being the 34 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,160 one. Who is to come and he'll? 35 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,360 Also be known as Emmanuel. Going back to the prophet 36 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:59,080 Isaiah, meaning God. Is with us and then in chapter 2 37 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,480 we had these. Wise men coming from the. 38 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,080 East, who were guided. By a star and they. 39 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,880 Came on the scene in Jerusalem and they inquired, and they 40 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,440 found themselves in Herod's court and they asked this 41 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,720 question, where is he to be born? 42 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:13,280 What king of the. Jews. 43 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,600 It was about Jesus. Of Nazareth. 44 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,120 It's the Messiah, the promised. One and then when these wise men 45 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,000 arrive at the house where Jesus. Now as a. 46 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,080 Child is it tells us that they fall down and worship him. 47 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,400 Good filthy adoration under Jesus. 48 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,560 Then last week, we looked. As Matthew continues to write, 49 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,240 he introduces. Us to a voice in the. 50 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,520 Wilderness, John the Baptist, he of the camel hair and the 51 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,640 leather belt and eating locusts dipped in honey, and the message 52 00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:48,960 that he declared repent for the Kingdom of heaven is near. 53 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,960 And of the the crowds. Gathering around him, and it was 54 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,440 of Jesus that John the Baptist declared there is one mightier 55 00:02:58,440 --> 00:02:59,840 than. I who is to come? 56 00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:03,920 He is the one promising. I'm not even worthy to bend down 57 00:03:03,920 --> 00:03:06,200 and. Loose his sandals and. 58 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:11,000 Then at the end of Chapter 3, we saw the wonderful picture of the 59 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:16,520 Trinity, the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, Jesus 60 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,080 being. Baptised and a voice from 61 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,840 heaven, being God the Father. Declaring this is my beloved son 62 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,160 in. Whom I am well pleased and. 63 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:26,040 So all along. Chapter 1. 64 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,440 Chapter 2. Chapter 3 has been Matthew 65 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:33,480 presenting Jesus of Nazareth. Is the Christ the Anointed, 1 66 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,240 the Messiah and. Now here in chapter 4. 67 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,800 In these 11 verses that we're going to consider. 68 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,160 It it's a driving of the point home. 69 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,160 Regarding Jesus identity. And we might know it. 70 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,280 Yes, of the time when Jesus was in the wilderness and at the end 71 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,560 of those 40 days being. Tempted by the devil? 72 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,000 Satan. But in the most dramatic. 73 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,840 Way. Possible right after this high. 74 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,880 Point of the baptism and the Father's public. 75 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,840 Affirmation, the Spirit. Leads Jesus into the wilderness 76 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,320 to be tested, and the instrument of that testing is the devil 77 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,360 himself. For this reason. 78 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,880 If Jesus truly is the King, Jesus truly is the. 79 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,120 Messiah the Christ the Anointed 1. 80 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,279 Then he must stand. Where the first Adam. 81 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,760 Fell where? At the very beginning of 82 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,360 humanity that the best of all of us, Adam, created from the very 83 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,920 beginning fell if he is truly the Son of God. 84 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:38,000 Then Jesus must prove it, not by avoiding the fight, but by 85 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,200 winning it. That is exactly. 86 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,760 What we see, it's akin. To if there were a musical. 87 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,800 Score here in Chapter 4. It's it's Rocky's. 88 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:49,200 Eye of the Tiger is. Starting up as Jesus is being 89 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:49,880 LED. Out. 90 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,400 Into the. Wilderness here by the Holy. 91 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:57,200 Spirit and while this passage is primarily about Jesus being. 92 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:01,280 Proved through testing in the wilderness to be the Messiah. 93 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,320 This passage also confronts every one of us tonight. 94 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,280 The same reality that. Jesus faced. 95 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,720 Temptation is real. We don't need a show of hands. 96 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,960 If I were to ask a question, have you ever been tempted we 97 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:22,360 all go up with? That and that the enemy is real, 98 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,360 Satan is. Referenced here as. 99 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,200 The devil is referenced here as. The tempter is referenced here 100 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:34,320 as. And that the wilderness Baroness 101 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:39,280 is often where the battle rages and it's most intense. 102 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:43,720 Of heat in our lives and yet in these 11 verses we discover a 103 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,640 Saviour. Who tested in every? 104 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,800 Way as we are yet without sin emerge. 105 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:52,160 Victorious, and now, with his help and power, we. 106 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,640 Too can also overcome temptation. 107 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,200 We're going to navigate through three points. 108 00:05:58,200 --> 00:05:59,440 They're up on the screen for you. 109 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,520 For the note taking type, the wilderness preparation versus 1 110 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,520 to 2. And then the wilderness 111 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,240 pressure. Verses 3 to 10 of. 112 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,960 What Jesus actually went. Through in this testing and. 113 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,520 Then the result. In verse 11, the wilderness. 114 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,200 Power. So let's open our Bibles, if 115 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:17,120 you. Haven't already in Matthew 116 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,160 chapter 4 I'm reading out of the new King James version. 117 00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:25,320 And let's watch the King. Jesus prove who He is in the 118 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,760 place of greatest pressure. Verse one to two. 119 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:35,640 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit capital S Speaking of the 120 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:40,880 Holy Spirit, and into the wilderness to be tempted by the 121 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:46,160 devil, and when he had. Fasted 40 days and 40 nights. 122 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,720 Afterward, he was hungry many times. 123 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:52,360 The Bible understates. Things. 124 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,680 When Jesus is hungry here, imagine. 125 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:58,640 This after 40 days of fasting. He is ravenous. 126 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:02,280 So it's in that. Physical exhaustion, that Jesus. 127 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:08,880 Being yes, 100% fully God, but also 100% fully man is now when 128 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,520 Satan the tempt of the devil. Comes to Jesus. 129 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:13,120 We're. Going to look at out of these 130 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,320 two verses, when, who, where and why. 131 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:24,760 So let's notice first the when. The battle comes immediately. 132 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,800 After the. Glory of the Baptism of chapter 133 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,320 3. That we looked at last week. 134 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:34,080 Remember, the heavens had opened, Spirit had descended. 135 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:38,280 Like a dove. God the Father's voice boomed 136 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:42,640 through the heavens and and. Spoke of delight over his son. 137 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,320 That's a pretty amazing moment, right? 138 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:49,880 Spiritual High. We could say a mountaintop. 139 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:56,320 Experience for Jesus. You know it's true though. 140 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,960 High moments like this with the Lord, haven't you found that 141 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:07,000 they're often followed by? Hard, difficult moments, tense 142 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,640 times of. Trial testing in our lives. 143 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,400 Jesus knew here in this. Moment what it's like to. 144 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,280 Come down from the mountain top and to step into the valley, 145 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:22,120 into the wilderness, literally into the desert and encounter 146 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,000 the testing. So don't. 147 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,920 Miss this in your life tonight, and if you don't know it to be 148 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:30,280 true already, you. Will at some. 149 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,080 Point in time that. You'll have these. 150 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,000 These moments we might. Describe them as highs where 151 00:08:35,159 --> 00:08:37,360 where God is speaking to you and it's almost like you've got a 152 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,360 Direct Line to heaven and and there's been such wonderful 153 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,159 instruction to come typically out of a a Sunday when we've 154 00:08:43,159 --> 00:08:45,360 gathered we've. Worshipped the Lord and God's 155 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,120 word is. Taught and you're just hearing 156 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,640 and receiving from God, and you're ready to. 157 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,600 Go with the week. Ahead and Monday rolls around. 158 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:56,600 It's like you've come from this spiritual mountain top and down 159 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,800 into the valley and Monday just smacks you with the old one. 160 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:08,760 Two punch in the face. Expected it was Jesus reality 161 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:10,960 here and it's a pretty common pattern throughout the 162 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,440 scriptures. I think of Noah having 163 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,800 experienced what he did with. He. 164 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,560 And his family being saved through the flood. 165 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:20,880 And. And then what do we read? 166 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,080 Of Noah almost immediately afterward. 167 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,160 Him. Falling and testing to 168 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,760 drunkenness. Think of the likes of Elijah 169 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:30,760 and. Having this great. 170 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,880 Victory on the mountaintop, literally of Mount Carmel 171 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:38,840 against the the prophets of Baal and then him fleeing for his 172 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:42,840 life when Jezebel says Elijah, I'm going to kill you and 173 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:46,040 running for a full day exhausted, spent he he sits 174 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:50,080 under a broom tree it describes. For us in One Kings chapter 19. 175 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,640 I think it is. And Elijah cries out God. 176 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,720 Kill me the very. Thing that he's running from 177 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,600 Jezebel. Think of King David at a time of 178 00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:03,800 relative success in his rule and reign as king at a time when 179 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,200 other kings were going to battle. 180 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:06,640 Whereas. David, he's up on the. 181 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,520 The rooftop. And he sees Bathsheba, and we 182 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,160 know the result of that story. So don't miss this in your. 183 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,560 Life that there are. Often these wonderful moments, 184 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:19,880 these these glorious spiritual highs. 185 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:24,520 In our life and you can guarantee and and almost expect 186 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:29,160 there'll be a a wilderness, a desert afterward some kind of 187 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,040 testing, some. Kind of. 188 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,520 Moment like what we're. Reading of Jesus. 189 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,600 Experiencing and going through. But notice in that. 190 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,440 Who is actually behind this scene? 191 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,600 The beginning, it says that the Holy Spirit. 192 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:48,400 Deliberately led him into the wilderness, so this is no 193 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:54,080 accident. What Jesus is going through this 194 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,080 is something that is divinely orchestrated and directed for. 195 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:02,920 Jesus life the same spirit. Who anointed Jesus at the Jordan 196 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,880 now drives him into the wilderness for this divine 197 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,600 combat, this testing that is to come. 198 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,080 Upon him and and. Jesus note is. 199 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:17,080 Going therefore. Smack bang into the middle of 200 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,320 God's will. For his life at this point in 201 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:22,440 time. And there are many times where 202 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,760 difficulties where trials where testing comes upon us and we go, 203 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:30,720 God, how can this? Be your will for my life could 204 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,480 very well be the Holy Spirit. Leading you in. 205 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,840 To such a a testing there will be difficulties, we've 206 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,040 discovered that, but these can often be right in the will. 207 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,080 Of God. For you these we could. 208 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:48,440 Call them holy. Spirit orchestrated moments, and 209 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,400 we don't like those. We say, oh God, Get Me Out of 210 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,160 this. But for some. 211 00:11:54,160 --> 00:12:00,440 Reason God alone knows why the Holy Spirit leads us through and 212 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:04,560 into this it was the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the 213 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:07,160 wilderness in this moment. Now where is this wilderness? 214 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,880 It's the Judean wilderness. Some of us have been there on 215 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,360 our. Trips to Israel, 56 kilometres 216 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:20,240 long, 24 kilometres wide. A Baron Rocky wasteland dropping 217 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,960 down. Into the Dead Sea temperatures. 218 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:29,720 Can soar in intense ranges of heat past. 45°C. 219 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:35,440 And here, in this lowest place on earth, is this very picture 220 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,880 of. Isolation and discomfort. 221 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:43,560 For Jesus, the intensity of heat physically during the day and 222 00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:46,880 then the dropping of temperatures at night to 223 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:51,600 freezing points. And here it is that Jesus fast. 224 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,960 Stains from food for 40 days and 40 nights. 225 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:58,600 Just as we read in the Old Testament. 226 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,840 Of of Moses and Elijah before him doing so. 227 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:07,000 And by the end, if any of you have ever conducted any. 228 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,600 Fasting physically in your life. You know how? 229 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,840 Physically depleted. You are, especially for this 230 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:20,040 length of time, genuinely hungry, genuinely weak. 231 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,560 At this point in time. Physically, and so Matthew adds 232 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:28,320 this detail to the story for us so that we never forget the Son 233 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,520 of God is fully. Human. 234 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,520 He felt everything that we feel and. 235 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:41,120 Matthew tells us. He was hungry, and here's 236 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,440 probably. The main question that you have 237 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,800 with regard to what we're reading here, why? 238 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,040 Why this set up for Jesus? Why the the? 239 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,440 Holy Spirit leading. And and into the wilderness and 240 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,440 into the desert and then of Satan coming that we're going to 241 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,960 read in a moment with the testing and the tempting. 242 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:02,080 Let me. Outline 2 I think profound. 243 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:07,760 Reasons that stand. Out for why this first to 244 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,880 reveal. Again, Matthew's intention all 245 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,640 the way. Along to reveal who this Jesus 246 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:17,920 of Nazareth is to prove through. Testing. 247 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,080 That's what the word. Temptation means a better. 248 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:28,200 Understanding of it is testing is to reveal that he is. 249 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,000 The Messiah. That he. 250 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:35,520 Is the promised one. Paul will pick up this. 251 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:39,480 Idea in First Corinthians chapter 15, verse 3045. 252 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:43,680 And he will call Jesus this he will call him. 253 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,280 The last Adam. And there's an interesting 254 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,640 parallel. In connection with the first. 255 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:55,320 Adam and Jesus, who Paul calls the second Adam here in the. 256 00:14:55,320 --> 00:15:00,960 Wilderness you see the 1st. Adam faced Satan, the enemy, the 257 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:04,440 Devil, the tempter. In a perfect garden. 258 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:12,520 With every need supplied, with his belly well nourished, with 259 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:16,720 him certainly unable to say I'm hungry or I'm physically weak. 260 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,840 And he failed, did Adam, when the tempter, when the tester, 261 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,520 the enemy, Satan came, and he plunged all of humanity 262 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,240 thereafter into ruin. As a consequence of this 263 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,040 failure. And so Adam stands as the best 264 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,240 of humanity and and thereafter, all through the Old Testament, 265 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:41,240 we see the patriarchs and. The kings and the prophets. 266 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,640 And the priest and the best of humanity on their best day would 267 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:48,840 be unable to stand up against the testing that Jesus endured 268 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,080 for a day, 2, maybe 3, maybe a week. 269 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:57,080 Some of the best of us. But not 40 days, not 40 nights. 270 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,120 And Jesus. Proves here. 271 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:06,280 Through his capacity to endure. The testing that he is who he 272 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:10,680 says he is, that he is who Matthew is writing about him as 273 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:14,760 the Messiah, the promised one proven to be the. 274 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:16,960 King of all Kings. And the Lord of all. 275 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:22,360 Lords. Now the last Adam as opposed to 276 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,240 the first Adam. Perfect garden, well nourished. 277 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,560 Where is Jesus? Second Adam. 278 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:29,960 The last Adam, as the scripture also says of him. 279 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:35,000 In a barren desert, hungry and alone. 280 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,200 And what did? Jesus, do fold. 281 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:41,200 Fall into a heap? No, he. 282 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,080 Stood firm. He stood firm. 283 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,280 Again, on the outside, Jesus 100%. 284 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:51,160 Flesh and blood, just like us. But on the inside, remember who 285 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,760 he is. He is God. 286 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,960 There's something different. About this man. 287 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:02,360 He is the God man and through this test the Spirit is saying 288 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:07,079 here is effectively a a ship, the ship of salvation that you 289 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:11,000 can board with absolute confidence that where others may 290 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,319 have failed this. One Jesus will never fail you. 291 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,160 And again the. Best of humanity on their best 292 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,920 of days would fail in this testing, but not Jesus. 293 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,000 He held. Up under the testing and he is 294 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:31,320 therefore the promised 1 the Messiah. 2nd in this testing it 295 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,600 is to. Relate to us to not only 296 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,720 sympathise with what we experience and go through, but 297 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,280 to empathise, to know fully. Well. 298 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,920 Hebrews tells us this the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, 299 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,920 that because Jesus suffered in a moment. 300 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:52,720 Like this was tempted he is able to help you and I in our. 301 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,280 Testing in our tempting Hebrews, chapter 2, verse 18 tells us 302 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,480 that. In Hebrews chapter 4, we're told 303 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:04,240 that we don't have a high priest, Jesus, who is not 304 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,440 sympathetic to us. Who has no. 305 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,120 Clue no idea what it's like to be human in this fallen world 306 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:12,720 and to experience testing and tempting and. 307 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,240 Trials and tribulations, but Jesus. 308 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:16,600 We're. Able to now go to. 309 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,680 Him and Hebrews four chapter. 15 says we can go. 310 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,600 Boldly to the very throne room of God, and obtain. 311 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,200 Grace and help in time of need. Because he went through this. 312 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,200 Because the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness. 313 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,000 And after 40 days and nights of fasting. 314 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,680 He was tempted and tested. By the enemy, By Satan. 315 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:42,400 So his wilderness here is. Preparation, not punishment. 316 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,160 It's the place where the king would prove. 317 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:50,360 Himself able to be trusted and depended upon without battles 318 00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:54,240 because he has already fought and won this victory. 319 00:18:55,520 --> 00:19:01,880 Here's the ultimate one. So that's the first point. 320 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,720 Again, the wilderness preparation. 321 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,040 Let's consider the second the wilderness pressure. 322 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:10,240 Let's read through. All these verses verse. 323 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,920 Three through to 10. As we consider now what it. 324 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:14,800 Was that the tempter? The devil? 325 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:21,800 Satan came to Jesus and queries and tests Jesus about now when 326 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,480 the tempter. Verse 3 came to him, he said if 327 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:27,280 you are in a. Better understanding of that. 328 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:30,400 Word if in English. Is is this since? 329 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:35,720 All right, so. At the end of chapter 3, Voice 330 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,400 from Heaven. God the Father said this. 331 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,680 Is my beloved son, in whom I'm well. 332 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,800 Pleased and the devil. Satan knows this. 333 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,880 And so now he's going OK, since you're the Son of God. 334 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:53,280 And now he says command that the. 335 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:57,960 Stones. Become bread and having gone 336 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,680 through that area, there are. These these stones that. 337 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:06,520 And if you are hungry and exhausted, you could look at. 338 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,920 Through and wow, they do look a bit like bread. 339 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:13,960 Maybe I'll turn them. Into loaves of bread the. 340 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,360 Answer this is. Jesus verse 4 and said. 341 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,680 It is written now. In each of these it is written. 342 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:21,280 Jesus will quote. Out of the Book of. 343 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:26,680 Deuteronomy It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, 344 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,120 but by every word. That proceeds in the mouth of 345 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:35,480 God and. Then the devil took him up into 346 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:39,960 the holy city Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the 347 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:43,600 temple. And many estimate that this 348 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,440 distance has dropped from the height of the pinnacle down 349 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,960 through the foundation into the valley below. 350 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:53,400 Is. Some 6065 metres, it's quite a 351 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,640 drop. Said to him, if you are. 352 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,720 The Son of God. Since you are the Son of God 353 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,760 verse. 6. Throw yourself down before it is 354 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:03,520 written. So in. 355 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,000 Other words, Satan's going. OK Jesus, you want to quote 356 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,000 Bible? I know some Bible too. 357 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:10,880 And now he comes. Out with a quote. 358 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:13,320 From the Psalm, but as Satan typically does. 359 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:17,760 He leaves a bit out, and Satan will often add or subtract from 360 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,480 the scriptures enough to just. Did God? 361 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,440 Really say he did that all the. Way back in the garden with Adam 362 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:30,600 and Eve, for it is written he. Said He shall give his angels 363 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:32,840 charge over you. And in their hands. 364 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,520 They shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 365 00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:41,240 Jesus said to him. Verse 7 it is. 366 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:46,000 Written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God. 367 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:52,640 Again, the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain. 368 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,800 Many. Suggest that in this testing. 369 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,720 And it's probably more visionary rather than literal. 370 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:06,040 It's probably difficult to identify a high mountain. 371 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:07,680 Where all the kingdoms of the world could be. 372 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,960 Visualised, but nonetheless showed. 373 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:12,680 Him, all the kingdoms of the world. 374 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,800 And their glory he said to him, verse 9. 375 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,200 All these things I will give you if you will. 376 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:24,120 Fall. Down and worship me, Jesus said 377 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:27,040 to him, verse 10. Away with you, Satan. 378 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,760 For it is written. You shall worship the. 379 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:34,320 Lord your God, and him only you shall serve. 380 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:40,120 So again, three times the tempter comes, three times the 381 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:46,680 devil comes, three times Satan comes, and the assault strikes 382 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:51,560 at the same areas, the same vital points that you and I get 383 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,560 tempted with. Am I going to trust in God the 384 00:22:55,560 --> 00:23:02,480 Father's provision for my life? Am I going to trust in God the 385 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:08,600 Father's protection for my life? Am I going to believe and trust 386 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,760 the promises of God? It's revealed in His Word for my 387 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,960 life. Consider the first temptation. 388 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,400 Again to doubt God's provision. If you are, since you are the 389 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,000 Son of God, Satan says command that these. 390 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,640 Stones become bred again, you could imagine. 391 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,120 That after 40 days, 40 nights of fasting, being ravenous, 392 00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:34,680 starving, these limestone rocks so scattered through the desert 393 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,600 could have looked like fresh loaves, and all Jesus had to do 394 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:41,360 was speak, say the word. And Satan's suggestion here is 395 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:43,400 simple. You're hungry. 396 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:48,240 You are the Son of God after. All use your power. 397 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:55,680 Jesus, take care of yourself since you are the Son of God. 398 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:58,080 And the father, I don't know where. 399 00:23:58,080 --> 00:23:59,800 He is. He's obviously not providing for 400 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:00,400 you. Now where's he? 401 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,360 Been these last 40 days, these 40 nights. 402 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,880 Jesus, don't you look after yourself? 403 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,680 Look out for #1 here. Take matters into your own hands 404 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,360 a little bit, God said. You're his son, You've got the 405 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:19,040 power after all. So where is He right? 406 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,360 Now. If he's a loving. 407 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:23,960 God if he's your. Father, how could he let? 408 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:27,760 You go through this? Oh man, never heard those. 409 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:33,120 Words before, and it was a lure to act. 410 00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:37,480 Independently of the father to. To seize control when God the 411 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:43,480 Father seemed slow back in the garden with the. 1st. 412 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,920 Adam, that's a very similar tactic, very similar strategy 413 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,280 that Satan uses against Adam and Eve. 414 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,760 Has God really said? Did he kind of mean what he? 415 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,640 Said Or you know, is that? Truly the case. 416 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:01,520 And what does Jesus do? He answers Deuteronomy. 417 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,800 Chapter 8, verse three it. Is written man shall not. 418 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,920 Live by bread alone, but by every word that. 419 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:10,440 Proceeds from the mouth. Of God. 420 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,240 And the physical need is real here for Jesus. 421 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:18,640 But you know what matters. Most, even though exhausted. 40 422 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,960 days, 40 nights spent. No doubt having great difficulty 423 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:27,160 in sleeping, what was of more value for Jesus was spiritual 424 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,120 obedience to His heavenly Father. 425 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:33,040 Jesus refused to turn these stones into bread because he 426 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:37,200 lived by his Father's word, not by his own appetite. 427 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:42,560 What God says is true. It is written, Jesus says, and 428 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:44,560 because it's true. Then that's. 429 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:46,440 What I'm going to trust, and that's what I'm going to. 430 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:51,320 Rest in God said No, man does not live by bread alone, but by 431 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,440 every word that proceeds. In the mouth of God, and I 432 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:58,600 believe it, Jesus declares when Satan attempt that came so 433 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:02,720 saying that proves. Jesus unable to be. 434 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:04,760 Stumbled second the temptation to. 435 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,120 Test God's protection. OK, let's let's talk Bible. 436 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:09,520 Let's. Take you up to the. 437 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,760 Pinnacle of the Temple and quoting Scripture. 438 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,680 Squoting Scripture. That's an interesting word. 439 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,760 Quoting Scripture. Psalm 91. 440 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:26,000 Twisted as I say, of course. If you are the Son of God, throw 441 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,440 yourself down before it is written. 442 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:30,840 He shall give his angels. Charge over. 443 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:32,000 You know what? Satan omitted. 444 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,840 There's a phrase in the original in all your. 445 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:37,560 Ways. Gone. 446 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,040 So here's the thing. That the Bible tells us. 447 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,000 Again and again and again. About the enemy. 448 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,200 About Satan. Satan knows the Bible. 449 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,320 He can quote the Bible. For you if you want. 450 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,120 I've got some Bible for you, Jesus. 451 00:26:54,120 --> 00:26:55,280 All right, you've said it's written. 452 00:26:56,240 --> 00:27:01,960 But he always distorts. You always minor alteration 453 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:06,200 here, minor addition there enough. 454 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:07,920 Truth, but laced with. Poison. 455 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:11,600 And so he wanted. Jesus here to force the. 456 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,120 Father's hand to demand this spectacular rescue in this 457 00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:19,800 moment that would prove. His identity on his own terms. 458 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:23,600 What does Jesus do again? He replies out of Deuteronomy. 459 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,760 Chapter 6 Verse. 16 It is written again, You shall not put 460 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:31,680 the Lord your God to the test. He would not put his. 461 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:35,680 Father to this foolish test. That the enemy brings again 462 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,200 protection is promised, but presumption. 463 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:47,320 Here is sin 3rd, the temptation to grasp the promise of God. 464 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:52,520 In the easy way. One of the many things that's a 465 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:53,320 part. Of God's. 466 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:56,840 Redemptive plan for the world is Jesus had come to redeem the. 467 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,120 Dominion of the Earth and. The Kingdoms. 468 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:01,560 Of the world forfeited by. Adam in the garden. 469 00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:05,320 So. On an exceedingly high mountain. 470 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,720 Satan shows him. All of the kingdoms of the world 471 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,640 and all of their glory and all these things I will give to you 472 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,280 Jesus. Remember the Bible? 473 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,360 Describes Satan as the God Little G of this world. 474 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:21,480 I'll give. Them to you. 475 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,440 It's within my capacity to be able. 476 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:25,120 To do so, but. Here's what you've got to do. 477 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,840 It's just something small. Only something little. 478 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:32,040 You'll just just fall down. Worship me. 479 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:39,840 Worship me. The kingdoms are rightfully 480 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:43,200 Jesus. Bible tells us that, but you 481 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,320 know that the. The path, the means of obtaining 482 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:49,080 these kingdoms. Was to be the cross. 483 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:52,520 That is the way through which Jesus was to. 484 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:54,800 Redeem the kingdoms of the world and the. 485 00:28:54,800 --> 00:29:02,160 Glory and Satan here offers a shortcut about once. 486 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:08,160 Jesus, skip the suffering. Take the easy route. 487 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,760 No suffering necessary, you know, No real cost involved. 488 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:16,480 Take the path of least resistance. 489 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:21,880 Jesus just bow, worship me. It's all it will take. 490 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:26,320 And. All this can be yours, Jesus. 491 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,800 And again, going back to the garden, Adam and Eve, it's the 492 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:36,160 same strategy, the same tactic. God just does not want. 493 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:40,280 You to be like him, he knows. That when you eat of the fruit 494 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:41,640 of the. Tree of the Knowledge. 495 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,360 Of good and evil that you'll be gods like. 496 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,400 Him. He just doesn't want you to to 497 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,120 share in his glory and to have all that He has. 498 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:57,560 He's holding back from you. Satan comes in this way, Jesus 499 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:00,520 answered. Deuteronomy 6, verse 13. 500 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:02,480 Away with you. Satan. 501 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,040 For it is written. You shall worship. 502 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:11,560 This is all about worship here. Who is to be worship the Lord 503 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,880 your God and Him only. Shall you serve Jesus? 504 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,520 Was saying I'll receive the kingdoms of the world, don't you 505 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:22,360 worry. Satan, but I'm going to do it 506 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,240 God's way. Honouring him and worshipping 507 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:29,800 him and not the devil. 'S and in each case of. 508 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:32,600 Testing of tempting here Satan. What does he do? 509 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:34,200 He. Attacks the. 510 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:39,960 Character of God the Father. And again, you're seeing the 511 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:42,240 connection to what we experience and what we. 512 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,120 Go through in testing and in tempting. 513 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,280 Have you not found that this is? The most common? 514 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,440 Strategy that the enemy. Employs in our lives to. 515 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,720 Cause us to doubt, to question God's character. 516 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:59,160 Is he really who he says he is? Is it really the case? 517 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:00,640 Of what the Bible tells us about. 518 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,080 God as as what is revealed about himself. 519 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:06,920 Is that true? To doubt that to. 520 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,320 Question that not much has changed from the Enemy Satan's 521 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:14,560 strategic book of trying to come and attack against us. 522 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,080 Paul the Apostle tells us this. About the. 523 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,240 Devil and his tactics. To not be ignorant. 524 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:25,280 Of them. The same lies used today. 525 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,680 It's the same temptation. We might not necessarily have 526 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:29,880 the devil. Himself know that he is not like 527 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,160 God that he is. Not omnipresent. 528 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:33,880 He can't be everywhere at all times. 529 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,120 But certainly his. Minions, the Dominions and the. 530 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,280 Powers that are at work with him and the fallen angels. 531 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:45,360 They'll use the same strategy. To cause us to doubt the 532 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,240 question, the. Character the attributes of God. 533 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:58,440 When we're hungry, When we're tired, When we're alone, When 534 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:02,480 we're discouraged. When we're weak physically. 535 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,600 The same whispers, the same lies come doubting God's character, 536 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:13,440 don't they? And God's promises. 537 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:15,760 As revealed in His Word. Oh, he's forgotten you? 538 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:18,920 Well, that promise that doesn't apply to you? 539 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:22,200 God won't protect you. God, Oh, it's it's way. 540 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,560 Too hard for him. That's way too hard. 541 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:25,480 What? You're going through if he 542 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:27,440 really loved you, he. Wouldn't let you go through this 543 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:32,440 and experience this. And Jesus, as we read this and 544 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:36,200 as we see our connection relating to that same kind of 545 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:40,120 testing and tempting, the wonderful good news about Jesus 546 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:42,440 is that. He he faced far greater. 547 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:44,520 Pressure than any of us. Go through. 548 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:49,440 Than anything that Adam endured in the perfect Garden of Eden, 549 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:53,280 under the conditions that he had again Jesus alone, again Jesus 550 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:57,120 starving Jesus in enemy territory, and he. 551 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:00,120 Never wavered. He never faulted. 552 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:04,600 He never. Fell, he stood up under it all, 553 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:07,360 and he proved that he is who he says he is. 554 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:10,400 And here is the Third Point, final one. 555 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:13,760 For us, the wilderness power, verse 11 and it's power that's 556 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:17,720 available to you and I because of Jesus Christ and what He has 557 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:24,360 promised to us. Then the devil left him, and 558 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:28,080 behold angels. Came and ministered to him. 559 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:34,000 The victory was complete, the testing, the tempting done. 560 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:40,240 Jesus, He didn't negotiate. He did not compromise. 561 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:47,680 He answered every lie, every attack that the enemy employed 562 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:54,440 with the living Word of God. It is written, he said. 563 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,080 And it says. That the enemy left him. 564 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,560 The enemy fled, then the devil. Left him. 565 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:06,840 Angels came to now strengthen him. 566 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,360 Feed the one. Who had refused to feed. 567 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:14,080 Himself. Consider these created beings, 568 00:34:14,679 --> 00:34:16,280 the very one who. Had created. 569 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:20,440 Them that they're now able to come and to serve and minister 570 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:25,679 to him and now the king who conquered in the wilderness 571 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:28,679 stands ready. The Bible tells us to help you 572 00:34:28,679 --> 00:34:31,320 and I in. Our time of need. 573 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:36,520 Again, Hebrews 415 we can come. Boldly to the very throne room 574 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,080 of God and obtain grace and help in time of need. 575 00:34:40,679 --> 00:34:43,960 And so this is our comfort, isn't it? 576 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:45,440 And our challenge. Also. 577 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,600 And temptation testing is is not strange. 578 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:51,480 It's common to every believer, in fact. 579 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:55,679 The Bible tells us to expect that, but you know we are never 580 00:34:55,679 --> 00:35:00,240 left to fight alone. The same Jesus who was tested 581 00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:02,480 and tempted. In every way, as the Bible says, 582 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:05,160 yet without sin. Is a sympathetic high. 583 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:07,400 Priest who understands and helps. 584 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,280 And so when the whisper, when the lies, when the enemy 585 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:17,360 attacks, doubt God's provision, doubt God's protection, doubt 586 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,680 God's promises. Just take the shortcut, take the 587 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:23,000 easy way out. Remember the? 588 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:28,440 Weapon that Jesus used, it is written, he said. 589 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:33,200 So you and I, it's a reminder for the need for us to store. 590 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,560 The Word of God in our heart to be so. 591 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:40,560 Familiar with the scripture that even in the darkest valleys that 592 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:44,240 we can tread those paths because we're so familiar with them 593 00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:47,680 through God's word to point to This is the scripture that I 594 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:48,640 need. Right now to. 595 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:50,760 Strengthen me in this. Moment of testing. 596 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:54,400 To speak it out loud, even. In the moment of pressure. 597 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:59,520 To refuse the easy way. To choose God's way. 598 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,400 Now hear this also. If you've already trusted 599 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:08,160 Christ, and many of you have, here tonight the wilderness. 600 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:11,480 Is often the place of preparation, and we might not 601 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,480 like that, but it's often the reality for God's people. 602 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:22,760 Moses 40 years in the wilderness where God had to get Egypt out 603 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:27,200 of him before he was to be used as the deliverer of the people 604 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:31,800 of Israel. Think of Israel when he was 605 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:39,520 called Jacob of his time. With his uncle Laban, Elijah 606 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:41,720 David. Paul, you can run. 607 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:45,400 Through a whole list. Of Bible. 608 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:50,000 Characters and individuals who. Experienced the wilderness, the 609 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:54,240 desert, the Baroness, and they all met God there. 610 00:36:56,880 --> 00:37:03,240 And tonight, if you are in a dry, difficult season, may I 611 00:37:03,240 --> 00:37:09,360 encourage you Don't despise it, don't waste it. 612 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,920 It. May be that God is using it to 613 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:22,640 strip away distractions to prove through testing, like gold in 614 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:26,080 the fire burning off the dross. And the sludge. 615 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:32,880 To be refined so that you can hear his voice more clearly. 616 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:36,000 So you can. Know his character. 617 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:40,680 To be more real, to cling to this promise out of 1 618 00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:44,760 Corinthians. 10 verse 13 No temptation, no testing has 619 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:48,120 overtaken you, except such as is common to man. 620 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:51,920 But God is faithful. Many of you have this memorised. 621 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,160 Who will not allow? You to be tempted tested. 622 00:37:55,160 --> 00:38:00,200 Beyond what you are able, but with the temptation testing, 623 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:02,440 we'll also make the way of escape. 624 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:06,120 You know the way of escape. Is it's It's the same. 625 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:11,120 Path that Jesus walked, Obedience to the Father's Word. 626 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:18,080 Because this battle is real and relentless, here's the the 627 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:22,440 promise that we have been given in the scriptures. 628 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,920 Point you to what Paul urges in Ephesians 6 verses. 10 through 629 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:29,160 to 18. And you can you can move ahead 630 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:33,000 there in God's Word if you want. It's just the early parts of 631 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:36,240 that verse up on the screen. Finally, he writes be. 632 00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:40,800 Strong in the Lord and in the strength of his mind. 633 00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:48,920 Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand 634 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,360 against what the schemes of the devil. 635 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:57,240 Then as you read ahead and you see in those verses that we are 636 00:38:57,240 --> 00:39:00,400 to stand firm with the the belt. Of truth. 637 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:02,200 Buckled. Around our waist. 638 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,520 It's described with this armour of the breastplate of 639 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:11,640 righteousness in place, our feet fitted with the the readiness. 640 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:17,720 That comes from the gospel. Of peace, the shield of faith to 641 00:39:17,720 --> 00:39:22,360 extinguish the flaming arrows of the Evil 1 The helmet of 642 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:26,320 salvation, protecting our mind that causes us to doubt and to 643 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:29,080 question, and then the sword of the Spirit. 644 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:32,120 Which is the word of. God which is sharper than any 2 645 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:33,840 edged. Sword the Bible describes. 646 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:36,160 And we are to pray in the Spirit. 647 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:42,520 On all occasions again. Jesus defeated the enemy Satan 648 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:48,360 through the Word it is written. And you and I, we must. 649 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:52,800 We need to do the same. We need the the full armour of 650 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:56,640 God and the tempting and the. Testing that comes to us. 651 00:39:57,520 --> 00:39:59,440 The helmet of. Salvation again protects our 652 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:02,680 mind when we doubt that. God can and would save. 653 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:06,200 Us. The belt of truth counters every 654 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:07,840 light. No, this is what God's Word 655 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:11,840 says. The breastplate guards our 656 00:40:11,840 --> 00:40:15,480 heart. With Christ's righteousness, the 657 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:19,800 shield of faith lifts up when doubt flies at us. 658 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:22,960 The sword, the very scripture that Jesus. 659 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:27,160 Quoted is both defensive and offensive, and prayer keeps us. 660 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:29,680 Dependent on the one. Who has already won? 661 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,400 You see, when Paul wrote in Ephesians, therefore you and I 662 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:36,240 had to put on the whole armour of God. 663 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:40,920 It's how we stand in the strength of the Lord, rather. 664 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:44,400 Than our own strength and mind, because we can't in our own 665 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:49,360 strength resist the devil. But with God's help and with the 666 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:52,080 armour of God, here's this language that Paul uses in 667 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:54,920 Ephesians. It's a language of once it's on. 668 00:40:56,040 --> 00:40:58,080 It stays on. It's. 669 00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:02,960 Always on, never take it off is the language there in Ephesians 670 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:08,080 put on as a once for all the the armour of God that's available. 671 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,920 To you believer as a Christian so that when temptation. 672 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:15,760 Hits tonight, tomorrow, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. 673 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:19,800 You know. The reality of that, we don't 674 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:24,160 need to fight. It anymore in our own power we 675 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:27,040 fight clothed. In what God in his victory has. 676 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:33,480 Given us through Jesus Christ. And then on the flip side, if 677 00:41:33,720 --> 00:41:37,160 you're yet to trust in Jesus, today is the day. 678 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:40,720 The Bible tells us that today is the day of salvation. 679 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,600 The. King, who stood firm here in the 680 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,800 wilderness in Matthew chapter 4, where the 1st. 681 00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:49,720 Adam fell under the most. Perfect. 682 00:41:49,720 --> 00:41:54,800 Of Conditions offers you this victory as a free gift. 683 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,520 It cost him his life on the cross. 684 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:02,640 And so tonight will you come to the One who knows your weakness 685 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:09,160 and has already overcome it. As we finished tonight, Matthew 686 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:13,360 4 verses 1 to 11 does not leave us with a defeated Saviour, 687 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:19,400 leaves us with a triumphant. King he is. 688 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:23,440 Who he says he is. He took the best that the enemy 689 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:30,240 could dish up in the worst of conditions, in the worst of 690 00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:36,120 human frailty, is LED into the wilderness, tested under the 691 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:39,760 fiercest pressure, and he emerged victorious. 692 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:43,680 So that you. And I, who are weak, can find 693 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:49,240 strength in him. And the same king who conquered 694 00:42:49,240 --> 00:42:51,800 temptation now calls us to follow him. 695 00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:54,880 Through whatever wilderness lies ahead. 696 00:42:56,600 --> 00:43:00,200 Armed with his. Word clothed in his armour. 697 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:05,920 I want to close Israel. This is the third time you said 698 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:07,360 you've closing. This is. 699 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:09,520 This is the actual genuine closing. 700 00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:16,560 Reminded of a powerful picture from a James Montgomery Boyce 701 00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:18,320 sermon. If you can ever get any of. 702 00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:19,960 His commentaries, I recommend them. 703 00:43:21,880 --> 00:43:27,960 Out of Ephesians on this armour of God, and over the years he 704 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:30,400 had. Travelled and seen many 705 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:32,280 impressive swords, he writes and says. 706 00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:37,880 Swords of kings, warriors, ornate ceremonial blades, 707 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:40,680 weapons that have been carried into great. 708 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:45,360 Battles and and won famous victories, many displayed in 709 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:47,240 museums. Across the British Isles 710 00:43:47,240 --> 00:43:49,760 particularly, you know, beautifully preserved behind 711 00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:52,560 glass. Magnificent to look. 712 00:43:52,560 --> 00:43:56,160 At, he writes and says. Every one of these was. 713 00:43:56,160 --> 00:44:00,880 Useless to me why they were not he's. 714 00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:06,040 He said I could admire them. I could study their history. 715 00:44:06,040 --> 00:44:08,000 I could even. Appreciate their. 716 00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:10,360 Craftsmanship, but I could never take them. 717 00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:16,360 Up and use them and the only sword he writes would be that 718 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:18,560 would ever do him any. Good would be the one that 719 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:19,520 actually. Belonged. 720 00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:24,600 To him, that's exactly how it is with. 721 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:30,040 The Word of God for you and I. You can admire the Bible. 722 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:39,040 You can appreciate its history, it's literature, even see it of 723 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:41,840 having power in people's lives. And the lives of others. 724 00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:43,600 And you can even. Study in the classroom. 725 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:46,560 You can hear sermons and preaching about it, but until. 726 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:51,200 It becomes your sword. Until you know it. 727 00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:54,280 Until you. Hide it in your heart. 728 00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:58,080 Memorise it. Meditate upon it. 729 00:44:58,080 --> 00:45:00,440 Learn. To use it, the word will be like 730 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:03,160 a sword hidden behind museum glass. 731 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:07,480 And. The temptation, the testing. 732 00:45:07,840 --> 00:45:13,200 Know this, it will come and. When it does without. 733 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:15,400 It you'll be left to fend for yourself. 734 00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:20,680 But again, Jesus defeated Satan, the enemy, the tempter, the 735 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:25,200 tester, the devil, by saying it is written. 736 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:30,480 He didn't just know the scripture, he wrote it after 737 00:45:30,480 --> 00:45:34,640 all. But he lived it, and the same 738 00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:36,720 must be. True for you and I in our. 739 00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:41,560 Lives so again. I'll close with this. 740 00:45:43,240 --> 00:45:47,560 Make it your daily. Priority to read the Bible to 741 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:54,080 study, memorise key verses. Let the Holy Spirit write them 742 00:45:54,120 --> 00:45:57,720 on your heart. And then when the tempter comes 743 00:45:57,720 --> 00:46:02,320 again, he will come. You'll be ready to draw the 744 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:06,440 sword of the Spirit and stand firm in the victory that Jesus 745 00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:09,920 Christ has already won for you. Let's pray. 746 00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:16,040 We thank you, Lord God, for your word, and I give you thanks for 747 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:20,080 your people gathered here tonight, desirous to hear from 748 00:46:20,080 --> 00:46:23,000 you and to learn from you and of you. 749 00:46:24,160 --> 00:46:27,720 And I pray that Holy Spirit, as you do, you would honour that in 750 00:46:27,720 --> 00:46:34,120 their lives, that it would be the power that they need through 751 00:46:34,120 --> 00:46:38,400 this week to. Trust and depend and rely. 752 00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:42,320 Upon you that you are who you say you are, that what you have 753 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:48,480 promised is true, is real help. Us in the victory that you have 754 00:46:48,480 --> 00:46:55,360 won to put on the whole armour oh Lord God, for it's a reality 755 00:46:55,360 --> 00:46:57,040 that this. Life is a battleground. 756 00:46:58,280 --> 00:47:00,680 There is testing, there is tempting that. 757 00:47:00,680 --> 00:47:06,320 Comes there is trials, there's tribulations and we need your 758 00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:11,600 strength, we need your hand, we need your power, we need your 759 00:47:11,600 --> 00:47:13,880 blessing, we need your protection. 760 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:18,040 I pray and ask this over your people gathered here tonight. 761 00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:21,440 In Jesus mighty name. Because people said. 762 00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:25,280 I'm in May he truly. Bless you into this week and go 763 00:47:25,280 --> 00:47:27,720 before you, guide you and lead you. 764 00:47:28,600 --> 00:47:30,280 If the. Holy Spirit takes you into a 765 00:47:30,280 --> 00:47:32,760 wilderness. You know what to do, right? 766 00:47:33,600 --> 00:47:46,600 God bless just. To know you, my sweet friend, my 767 00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:46,800 friend.