This is the manuscript of the sermon preached at Christ Church on April 28, 2019.
History records many fascinating men of strength.
The Bible records the exploits of Samson and his strength in Judges 13-16. There are King David’s Mighty Men identified in 2 Samuel 23:8-38. Some of them did some amazing things. We've read stories, and seen things on television about men with super strength who have saved lives. There are the weight lifters in the Olympics. These are all examples of superhuman physical strength, but no man’s strength has ever exceeded that of Jesus of Nazareth.
The Bible doesn't give us any information about Jesus’ size. We do not know his height or weight, the size of his biceps, or how much he could lift. But the Bible does leave us with the record of Jesus as the world’s strongest person. His strength was spiritual and supernatural because He was able to withstand the temptations of Satan.
Matthew 4:11 ESV Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
To hear the audio click on the YouTube image at the end of the manuscript.
History records many fascinating men of strength.
The Bible records the exploits of Samson and his strength in Judges 13-16. There are King David’s Mighty Men identified in 2 Samuel 23:8-38. Some of them did some amazing things. We've read stories, and seen things on television about men with super strength who have saved lives. There are the weight lifters in the Olympics. These are all examples of superhuman physical strength, but no man’s strength has ever exceeded that of Jesus of Nazareth.
The Bible doesn't give us any information about Jesus’ size. We do not know his height or weight, the size of his biceps, or how much he could lift. But the Bible does leave us with the record of Jesus as the world’s strongest person. His strength was spiritual and supernatural because He was able to withstand the temptations of Satan.
Matthew 4:11 ESV Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
To hear the audio click on the YouTube image at the end of the manuscript.
Scripture
Matthew 4:1, 3-11 ESV Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him 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 command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 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 him, "All these I will give you, if you will 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 him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Text:
Matthew 4:11 ESV Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
History records many fascinating men of strength.
The Bible records the exploits of Samson and his strength in Judges 13-16. There are King David’s Mighty Men identified in 2 Samuel 23:8-38. Some of them did some amazing things. We've read stories, and seen things on television about men with super strength who have saved lives. There are the weight lifters in the Olympics. These are all examples of superhuman physical strength, but no man’s strength has ever exceeded that of Jesus of Nazareth.
The Bible doesn't give us any information about Jesus’ size. We do not know his height or weight, the size of his biceps, or how much he could lift. But the Bible does leave us with the record of Jesus as the world’s strongest person. His strength was spiritual and supernatural because He was able to withstand the temptations of Satan.
Let me explain;
Jesus’s strength can be seen in his experience with the devil immediately after his baptism. Remember that at his baptism Jesus received an anointing from God.
Matthew 3:13-17 ESV Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
After that public announcement from God the Father Jesus was assaulted by the devil.
Luke 4:1-2 ESV And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.
The scripture only mentions three specific temptations during those 40 days but the way I read what Luke says it may have been 40 days of constant temptation. It says “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.”
He was undoubtedly tempted at other times too during His life and ministry.
Luke 4:13 ESV And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Matthew 16:21-23 ESV From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
Luke 22:42 ESV saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
In any event He triumphed over all of the devil’s temptations. Which is something no other human has ever done, so Jesus must be the world’s strongest person.
Satan tempted Jesus so you know that he is coming after us too. Satan and the evil that exists because of sin in this fallen world are constantly looking to undermine against God's work in people.
We cannot overcome in our own strength, but we can lean on and depend on the Lord.
1 John 4:1-4 ESV Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
He will give you the strength to overcome Satan's attacks.
John 10:27-29 ESV My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
Romans 8:38-39 ESV For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 6:10-17 ESV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Let’s look at the ways that Satan attacks.
Matthew 4:1, 3-11 ESV Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him 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 command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 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 him, "All these I will give you, if you will 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 him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Text:
Matthew 4:11 ESV Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
History records many fascinating men of strength.
The Bible records the exploits of Samson and his strength in Judges 13-16. There are King David’s Mighty Men identified in 2 Samuel 23:8-38. Some of them did some amazing things. We've read stories, and seen things on television about men with super strength who have saved lives. There are the weight lifters in the Olympics. These are all examples of superhuman physical strength, but no man’s strength has ever exceeded that of Jesus of Nazareth.
The Bible doesn't give us any information about Jesus’ size. We do not know his height or weight, the size of his biceps, or how much he could lift. But the Bible does leave us with the record of Jesus as the world’s strongest person. His strength was spiritual and supernatural because He was able to withstand the temptations of Satan.
Let me explain;
Jesus’s strength can be seen in his experience with the devil immediately after his baptism. Remember that at his baptism Jesus received an anointing from God.
Matthew 3:13-17 ESV Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
After that public announcement from God the Father Jesus was assaulted by the devil.
Luke 4:1-2 ESV And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.
The scripture only mentions three specific temptations during those 40 days but the way I read what Luke says it may have been 40 days of constant temptation. It says “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.”
He was undoubtedly tempted at other times too during His life and ministry.
Luke 4:13 ESV And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Matthew 16:21-23 ESV From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
Luke 22:42 ESV saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
In any event He triumphed over all of the devil’s temptations. Which is something no other human has ever done, so Jesus must be the world’s strongest person.
Satan tempted Jesus so you know that he is coming after us too. Satan and the evil that exists because of sin in this fallen world are constantly looking to undermine against God's work in people.
We cannot overcome in our own strength, but we can lean on and depend on the Lord.
1 John 4:1-4 ESV Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
He will give you the strength to overcome Satan's attacks.
John 10:27-29 ESV My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
Romans 8:38-39 ESV For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 6:10-17 ESV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Let’s look at the ways that Satan attacks.
I. Satan tempts us to give precedence of the physical over the spiritual.
According to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was led of the Spirit into the wilderness. During this time Jesus became extremely hungry, and the devil took advantage of this by tempting him to turn stones into bread.
Jesus was tempted to use divine power to satisfy physical need.
The devil sought to persuade the Lord to abandon his dependence on God and to use divine power for selfish ends. Satan took advantage of Jesus not eating or drinking for 40 days. As a man, a human being Jesus was, I'm sure tempted to use his power to satisfy his physical need after 40 days. Think about it what would you do?
Luke 4:3 ESV The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."
But Jesus defeated the devil.He turned Satan’s attack around by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 which was a portion of Scripture that tells how God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness and describes their dependence on God.
Deuteronomy 8:1-5 ESV "The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord . Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.
Satan seeks to destroy people’s dependence on God by getting them to trust the temporary, convenient material things. He tries to convince people that their physical drives, which are real, are far more important than their spiritual needs.
To be delivered from this temptation, we need the strength of Jesus. Chances to abuse God-given physical desires come to us, but we can overcome them, by doing what Jesus did...depend on God.
The answer is in
Matthew 6:25, 31-33 ESV "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
II. Satan tempts us to exploit the protective care of God.
The second temptation came immediately after the first one. Satan blatantly misused scripture, asking the Lord to jump from the highest part of the temple and misquoting Psalm 91:11–12 as a promise of Jesus’s protection.
Psalms 91:11-12 ESV For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
Satan did what we often do and that's to take scripture out of context for a specific usually selfish reason. Satan's use of this scripture does not prove that it had an original reference to the Messiah. Satan did quote the scripture accurately but in context all that the passage would prove as used by him would be, that the righteous, or those who were the friends of God, can be confident in God's protection. Psalm 91 is a favorite of Christians on the protection of God.
What Satan was doing was tempting Jesus to do something spectacular to demonstrate His trust in God, because His response to the first temptation was to declare His trust by saying that He depended on God completely. "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Jesus dispatched this temptation with another quote from Deuteronomy. He said "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'
The complete verse is from which the quote comes is;
Deuteronomy 6:16 ESV "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.
You can read about what happened at Massah at;
Exodus 17:1-7 ESV All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord , and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord ?" But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried to the Lord , "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." And the Lord said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
We know that God provided for the Israelites, but Moses cautioned them not to become presumptuous or take liberty of God's protection and provision.
We are all tempted to exploit God's care for us. Often we are tempted to take unnecessary risks and then expect God to protect us. God promises his protection, but he does not promise it for our selfish choices. We must never be guilty of presuming on God for our personal advantage.
Now the devil wanted Jesus to show his trust by presuming on God for personal advantage. We should be careful that we don't do the same thing. When we pray and talk to God we ask for Him to bless us and comfort us because we know that He loves us and provides our needs. But we have heard people, and we have probably done it ourselves, we start to claim stuff; like jobs, healing, husbands, wives, cars, houses, you get the point.
James 4:13-17 ESV Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Luke 12:16-21 ESV And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
III. Satan tempts us to use any means to get what we want.
Finally, Satan stopped trying to be cute with his temptations and got to the point.
Luke 4:5-7 ESV And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours."
This was his most attractive offer. It was like the books that we've read or the movies and television shows where the devil convinces somebody to sell their soul to him for success, or wealth,nor whatever.
Jesus was tempted to look past the means to the ends. Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world, with one condition.
Here's the way Matthew records it;
Matthew 4:9 ESV And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
Jesus again turned to Scripture again this time quoting
Deuteronomy 6:13 ESV It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.
He quoted something that Moses said must happen in order for Israel to become the great nation that God wanted them to be. They must worship the one true God.
Deuteronomy 6:10-15 ESV "And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord , who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
All of us are tempted to use wrong means for a right purpose.
There must be no compromise with evil. In our service of the Lord, we must do God’s work in God’s way. Often we are tempted to depart from God’s way of self-denial and to compromise with the world. Yet even the slightest compromise gives the devil an advantage.
Conclusion
Every day Satan attacks us. He tempts us to gratify our selfish physical desires and urges us to exploit God’s divine providence for our self-advancement. He presents us with a plausible means for our selfish interest. Only one person has ever fought and won. Jesus is the champion over temptation. Victory comes not through the avoidance of the assault but through the abundant resources of the world’s strongest person.
John 8:12 ESV Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 14:6 ESV Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you have confessed that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead then you have a relationship with the world’s strongest person and with that comes salvation, eternal life, and the means to resist the temptations of Satan.
Just like Jesus did
James 4:7 ESV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Finally, Satan stopped trying to be cute with his temptations and got to the point.
Luke 4:5-7 ESV And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours."
This was his most attractive offer. It was like the books that we've read or the movies and television shows where the devil convinces somebody to sell their soul to him for success, or wealth,nor whatever.
Jesus was tempted to look past the means to the ends. Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world, with one condition.
Here's the way Matthew records it;
Matthew 4:9 ESV And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
Jesus again turned to Scripture again this time quoting
Deuteronomy 6:13 ESV It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.
He quoted something that Moses said must happen in order for Israel to become the great nation that God wanted them to be. They must worship the one true God.
Deuteronomy 6:10-15 ESV "And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord , who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
All of us are tempted to use wrong means for a right purpose.
There must be no compromise with evil. In our service of the Lord, we must do God’s work in God’s way. Often we are tempted to depart from God’s way of self-denial and to compromise with the world. Yet even the slightest compromise gives the devil an advantage.
Conclusion
Every day Satan attacks us. He tempts us to gratify our selfish physical desires and urges us to exploit God’s divine providence for our self-advancement. He presents us with a plausible means for our selfish interest. Only one person has ever fought and won. Jesus is the champion over temptation. Victory comes not through the avoidance of the assault but through the abundant resources of the world’s strongest person.
John 8:12 ESV Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 14:6 ESV Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you have confessed that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead then you have a relationship with the world’s strongest person and with that comes salvation, eternal life, and the means to resist the temptations of Satan.
Just like Jesus did
James 4:7 ESV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
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