Weekly Sermons

Battle for the Bride
Matthew 4:1-11

A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns

O, my luve’s like a red, red rose, That’s newly sprung in June.
O my luve’s like the melodie, That’s sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I,
And I will luve thee still, my Dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my Dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun!
O I will love thee still, my Dear, While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only Luve, And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve, Tho’ it were ten thousand mile!

When Jesus came to earth, He knew that saving His bride would mean He would need to engage in multiple battles with Satan, the terrible adversary. Jesus also  knew He would need to go undefeated against sin and Satan to save His bride. 

Jesus readies Himself for the battle    V. 1-2

The spiritual high moment of Jesus’ baptism was followed by a spiritual fight, which is often the case for us as well! Spiritual mountain top experiences will be tested in life’s wilderness. 

Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan in the garden and failed and were booted from Paradise. But the second Adam was tempted by Satan and overcame, not just for Himself, but for all of His disciples He will bring to Paradise!  

Fasting is when people miss one or more consecutive meals. In the Bible there were 2 main times they fasted – when they were mourning and when they had a spiritual burden and needed to focus their prayers.

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”    -Esther to Mordecai in Esther 4:16 

“As soon as I heard these words (about Jerusalem’s troubles) I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of Heaven.”    -Nehemiah 1:4

Who is our biggest battle first against? 

Ourselves.

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.     -1 Cor. 9:27

The battle to delay gratification    V. 3-4

Be sober-minded: be watchful. Your adversary the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.    -1 Peter 5:8

Satan’s purpose was to get Jesus to sin and thus disqualify Him to save anyone.  God’s purpose was to prove His Son to be sinless and thus a worthy Savior.

Jesus knew He needed to face this moment as a human, not using His deity. We can’t work miracles. If we saw Him justify using His deity to personal advantage, we may justify stealing or taking other short cuts to meet our needs.

Later Jesus would use His divine power to meet the needs of others, including the feeding of 5,000 and 4,000. But Jesus faced these temptations as the Son of Man; voluntarily limiting His power as the Son of God.

The battle to serve rather than entertain    V. 5-7

Now what is different about Satan’s approach in this second temptation?

He quotes, really misquotes Scripture, like he did with Adam and Eve! He slyly leaves a phrase out not suited to his purpose, like he did with Eve! 

So that we should not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.    -2 Corinthians 2:11

The point is that Jesus knew that it would be foolish to take Psalm 91 (a beautiful passage about God protecting His people as they follow Him) and made that a justification for rash, presumptuous actions. Jesus didn’t come to entertain but to serve. 

The battle to glorify God rather than oneself    V. 8-11

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.    -2 Cor. 4:4

Satan’s offer: “Get glory for yourself the easy way, Jesus. I will give it to you without suffering, without a cross, without having to put up with disciples that will disappoint you over and over and over and over again!” 

The Bible makes clear that now that Jesus has defeated Satan on the cross, the time is coming when the entire world will worship Him (Phil. 2:9-11). But first He would embrace the whole human experience, die, be buried, and rise! 

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you e tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”    -1 Corinthians 10:13

Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the Devil and He will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.    -James 4:6-8a 

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.    -1 John 2:1-2