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#DailyDevotion Jesus Overcomes Temptation 4 U

#DailyDevotion Jesus Overcomes Temptation 4 U

Matthew 4:1–11 4Then the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He didn’t eat anything for 40 days and 40 nights. At the end of that time He was hungry. 3The tempter came to Him. “If You’re God’s Son,” he said to Him, “tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4“It is written,” Jesus answered,“ ‘A man doesn’t live on bread alone but on every Word that God speaks.’” 5Then the devil took Him into the Holy City and had Him stand on the edge of the temple. 6“If You’re God’s Son,” he told Him, “jump down. It is written: ‘He will order His angels to help you. They will carry you in their hands and never let you stub your foot against a stone.’” 7“It is also written,” Jesus answered him, “ ‘Don’t test the Lord your God.’” 8Then the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms in the world and their glory. 9“All this I’ll give You,” the devil told Him, “if You’ll bow down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus answered him, “Go away, Satan! It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” 11Then the devil left Him, and angels came and served Him.

Jesus having been baptized into a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin is compelled into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist, who happened to be a priest put the sins of the people on Jesus as the priest would do in the Law of Moses to the scapegoat. Another priest would then take the scapegoat into the wilderness of Azazel i.e. the devil.(Lev. 16) The Holy Spirit takes the priest job here as Jesus is offered up to the devil to be tested.

I’m not going to get into what each of the temptations represents, for that will not be helpful to you anyway. What you do need to know about them is this, Heb. 218”Because He Himself suffered when He was tested, He can help others when they’re tested.”  and this, Heb. 415”We have a High Priest Who can sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way just as we are, only without sin.” Jesus knows what it is like for us to be tempted. He felt the temptation just as Adam did and just as we do but without sinning. Because of this he sympathizes with us and can help us when tempted.

Now many may point to how Jesus overcame the temptations. Jesus addresses the devil with Scripture, in particularly God’s commandments. But I tell you that is not always going to work for you. Paul tells us, Romans 520”The Law came to multiply sin…” and Rom. 75“While we were living in the flesh, the Law stirred into action the sinful lusts in parts of our bodies to produce fruit for death.” Quoting commandments might even make the temptation worse because of our flesh.

How then should we handle our temptations? You may quote yourself God’s Law so you know what God wants you to do but even more so, you should remember Jesus overcame temptation and the Tempter for you. When tempted you tell your sinful desire Jesus overcame you for me in the wilderness. Tell the devil Jesus overcame him in the desert, the cross and the grave and has done this to free you. You don’t belong to him anymore. You belong to Jesus, his master. What you need is the Gospel to free you, not the law.

Blessed Jesus you overcame the devil and his temptations in the wilderness for us. When we are tempted give us your Holy Spirit that we may remember this and be freed from our temptation and have your life. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

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Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

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