Was Jesus Really Like Us

Was Jesus Really Like Us? Luke 4:1-13

We all know what temptation is. We can probably still remember standing in the sweet shop as a four or five year old child, frozen to a spot, your nose just six inches away from the open boxes of mouth watering penny sweets. Supermarkets still stack sweets at child height. Petrol stations do the same.

Where do they place pornographic material? Strategically just by the door so you can’t avoid them twice. But if you want the bread or milk where is it? Goodness knows - probably somewhere at the end of the aisles on the bottom shelf. But the chocolate and sweets - you know where they are don’t you. They follow you all the way from the door to the checkout desk which is always as far away as possible.
I feel sorry for the man who appeared in Readers Digest recently. He was shopping with his wife, minding his own business, trying to look interested, when a shapely young woman in a short, well fitting dress walked by. He admitted that as she walked by his eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining his wife asked, “Was it worth the trouble that you are in? That’s the trouble with temptation.

My brother is a good fisherman as well as a good cook. Sometimes when we go to Beccles to visit family, he takes us fishing. One thing is guaranteed, he and Mike will catch more than me. Jesus has called us to be fisherman. But did you realise Satan is a good fisherman too? Here’s how he fishes.

“First, he chooses the right bait. Satan knows us like a skilled angler knows fish. He notes our habits. He observes our hangouts. He’s had at least 4000 years experience preparing tailor-made lures and he knows how to cast it so that it drops right in front of our noses.

Second comes the appeal. He can’t make us bite, but he does know what happens inside us when we catch a glimpse of that tantalizing bait. We are drawn to it. We linger over it. We toy with it. We roll it over in our minds until it consumes our imagination.

Third, the struggle begins. Immediately, our conscience jabs us in the ribs, warning us of the danger. We know it’s wrong to take a bite. We may even see the barbed consequences poking through the bait. But Satan’s invitation looks so delicious. What do we do?

Fourth, the temptation ends with the response. Either we resist or yield. Either we swim away or we swallow it whole. When you’ve resisted you know the feeling of freedom that decision brings. On the other hand, when you’ve yielded you know the feeling of emptiness that follows and the pain of the hook in your cheek.”[1] Whether you’re feeling elated or hooked this morning, we are going to see how Jesus met and overcame temptation and how, with his help we can too.

Our passage breaks down into three sections:

4:1-2 The Context for Temptation

4:3-12 The Nature of Temptation

4:13 The Victory over Temptation

1. The Context for Temptation (Luke 4:1-2)

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” (Luke 4:1-2)

John MacArthur observes that this is “one of the most monumental and mysterious spiritual battles of all time is recounted—the personal confrontation between Jesus Christ and Satan… Here He reveals the victory secret, as it were, of His momentous struggle with Satan.”

We do not have time to speculate on how the sinless and perfect eternal Son of God could have been tempted. All we can note humbly is that since no one else was present, Jesus felt it sufficiently important to have revealed it to his disciples and through them to us and for our benefit. It is not for us to speculate but to trust and obey.

Nor do we have time to dwell on the origin of evil or of Satan. Suffice it to say he is most frequently called the devil, from diabolos, which means accuser or slanderer. He is also described as the ruler of this world (John 12:31), the prince of the air (Eph. 2:2), the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), the deceiver (Rev. 12:9), Apollyon, which mean “destroyer” (Rev. 9:11), and the tempter, as in this passage (1 Thes. 3:5).

Many people it seems, even among professing Christians, do not believe in a personal devil. An international survey conducted during 1991 and 1993 by the International Social Survey Program (ISSP located at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago posed seven questions of were asked whether they identified with these statements:

God: "I know God exists and I have no doubts about it"

Afterlife: I definitely believe in "life after death"

Bible: "The Bible is the actual word of God and it is to be taken literally, word for word."

Devil: I definitely believe in "the Devil."

Hell: I definitely believe in "Hell."

Heaven: I definitely believe in "Heaven."

Miracle: I definitely believe in "religious miracles."

Here were the surprising results - the lowest in red the highest in blue.

	God	Afterlife	Bible	Devil	Hell	Heaven	Miracles
United States	62.8	55.0	33.5	45.4	49.6	63.1	45.6
N. Ireland	61.4	53.5	32.7	43.1	47.9	63.7	44.2
Ireland	58.7	45.9	24.9	24.8	25.9	51.8	36.9
Poland	66.3	37.8	37.4	15.4	21.4	38.6	22.7
Italy	51.4	34.8	27.0	20.4	21.7	27.9	32.9
New Zealand	29.3	35.5	9.4	21.4	18.7	32.2	23.1
(Israel)	43.0	21.9	26.7	12.6	22.5	24.0	26.4
Austria	29.4	24.8	12.7	11.1	10.0	20.1	27.4
Norway	20.1	31.6	11.2	13.1	11.4	23.0	17.8
Great Britain	23.8	26.5	7.0	12.7	12.8	24.6	15.3
Netherlands	24.7	26.7	8.4	13.3	11.1	21.1	10.2
W. Germany	27.3	24.4	12.5	9.5	9.3	18.2	22.7
Russia	12.4	16.8	9.9	12.5	13.0	14.7	18.7

When you reduce this to a comparison between the USA, UK and FSU, (remembering that Russians endured an atheistic totalitarian government hostile to the Church for 70 years, the results are very revealing. For instance faith in God is lowest in Russia.

	God	Afterlife	Bible	Devil	Hell	Heaven	Miracles
United States	62.8	55.0	33.5	45.4	49.6	63.1	45.6
Great Britain	23.8	26.5	7.0	12.7	12.8	24.6	15.3
Russia	12.4	16.8	9.9	12.5	13.0	14.7	18.7

But when it comes to belief in the Devil, apparently, only 12% of British people believe in a personal source of evil (virtually the same as in Russia).

	God	Afterlife	Bible	Devil	Hell	Heaven	Miracles
United States	62.8	55.0	33.5	45.4	49.6	63.1	45.6
Great Britain	23.8	26.5	7.0	12.7	12.8	24.6	15.3
Russia	12.4	16.8	9.9	12.5	13.0	14.7	18.7

This is not surprising perhaps if only 7% believe the Bible to be the written Word of God. Even fewer people than in Russia…

	God	Afterlife	Bible	Devil	Hell	Heaven	Miracles
United States	62.8	55.0	33.5	45.4	49.6	63.1	45.6
Great Britain	23.8	26.5	7.0	12.7	12.8	24.6	15.3
Russia	12.4	16.8	9.9	12.5	13.0	14.7	18.7

What ever the consensus today, Satan has never made himself more personally manifest than he did to Jesus in the wilderness. The Lord’s own account shows unmistakably that the opponent He faced was personal in every sense. In this very real struggle we are given clear and applicable insights into Satan's strategy and into Christ's way of victory. Side by side we are shown the way of danger and the way of escape, the way that leads to defeat and the way that leads to victory - in short between the way of life and the way of death, between God and Satan. Notice:

1.1 Temptation came directly after blessing

Jesus has just been baptized. God the Father had declared, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased!” What a spiritual high. You will discover that testing will often come on the heels of a spiritual high point in your life.

1.2 Temptation came with physical weakness

Jesus had not eaten in 40 days. Temptations often come when we are a weakened state physically or emotionally, when we are exhausted and emotionally spent. In a survey on temptation among readers of the Discipleship Journal, the respondents noted temptations were most potent when they had neglected their time with God (81%) and when they were physically tired (57%).[2]

1.3 Temptation came when Jesus was alone

We are most susceptible to temptation when we are alone.

That is why friends are so important - why fellowship on a weekly basis whether here in Community on a Wednesday or in a small group is so essential. The same Discipleship Journal survey found that 84% of respondents said they overcame temptation by prayer, 76% said by avoiding compromising situations, 66% said Bible study helped them and 52% said being accountable to someone helped them. That’s quite an advert for small groups bible study, prayer and fellowship.
The context for temptation.

2. The Nature of Temptation (Luke 4:3-12)
In each of these temptations we hear the devil speak and Jesus answer. Lets view them one at a time.

2.1 The Temptation to do it yourself (Luke 4:3-4)
The Devil Speaks: “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” (4:3). Satan is not casting doubt on whether Jesus is the Son of God. He literally says “since you are the Son of God.” The first temptation would be no temptation at all if Jesus were not the Son of God. The devil is well aware that God exists and I don’t think that he expends a great deal of effort trying to dissuade us from a belief in God.

His basic strategy is to make us believe that God can’t be trusted. Satan entered into the Biblical picture at creation in the form of a serpent. In effect he said to Adam and Eve, “Are you really sure God really has your best interests at heart? Maybe he told you not to eat from that tree because he doesn’t want you to be as wise as He is? Are you sure you can trust him?” (Gen. 3:4-5). The temptation sounds innocent enough, doesn’t it? You could almost sense the innocence in the devil’s suggestion – “just turn these stones into bread” – what’s the big deal? You the Son of God – just do it! There is no law against turning stones into bread. It won’t hurt anyone.
Jesus had been without food for nearly six weeks. Invoke your supernatural powers. This temptation was very real. Jesus could have done it in an instant and his hunger was screaming, “Do it.” Satan is suggesting to Jesus that there must be something wrong with the Father’s love since “His beloved son” was hungry. Satan was tempting Jesus to disobey the Father’s will by using his divine power for his own purposes.

John Piper says that sin …"gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier."[3]

The Devil speaks. Jesus Answers: “It is written, ‘People do not live on bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4). Notice Jesus uses the same phrase in each of his answers, “it is written.”

He did not allow the situation or the circumstances or even the enemy to dictate the truth. The answers to all three temptations comes right out of Deuteronomy, the story of God’s pilgrim people delivered from slavery. Jesus was saying,

“I will not take matters into my own hands. I will trust my Father and his word.” We will never be tempted to turn stones into bread because the impossible does not tempt us.

Instead, the Devil’s ploy is to make us believe that if we want something done we need to do it ourselves – not trust in God. His way, his purposes, his timing. I am regularly tempted to go outside the confines of God’s will to satisfy my personal needs or desires - and all it takes is a credit card. We are tempted to think God helps those who help themselves.

The temptation to do it yourself answered by a reliance on God’s Word.

2.2 The Temptation to take the easy way (Luke 4:5-8)
The Devil Speaks. “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours." (Luke 4:5-7)

The devil was not lying when he promises Jesus, “this has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I want to.” (4:6). The devil was offering Jesus a kingdom but without the cross. Why go to all the trouble and pain to win the world when it can be yours for free. No suffering, No struggle, No pain. Just switch allegiance and join my team. But a crown without the cross would mean no forgiveness for our sins.

So Jesus Answers: “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Luke 4:8). We do not have to look for to see the application. We are taught to avoid pain, to take the easy way, the path of least resistance. Avoid sacrifice. Charity begins at home. Why put up with the same partner? The only absolute is my right to personal freedom and affluence. Even the church is infected with this assumption.
Underlying much health and wealth teaching is the common but self–centered notion that, as God’s children, we deserve the earthly best and that it is inappropriate and even unspiritual to be satisfied with anything less. How can a child of God ever be sick or in want? Surely you must lack sufficient faith? Name it and claim it is precisely what Satan offered Jesus. What did Satan say? “All these I will give you…”

I fear that much of our prayer life exhibits this pagan and materialistic notion of God. How often do we ask God for physical things like health and possessions and how often do we ask for holiness, for wisdom, for guidance, for His perfect will to be done? Much of the prosperity gospel is based on the false assumption that our physical well–being is our most crucial need. Jesus contradicts this when he answers Satan:

“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only…’ - period, unconditionally, unreservedly, irrespective of the consequences, without any incentive other than that we are obedient to his perfect will.

The temptation to do it yourself. The temptation to take the easy way.

2.3 The temptation that seeing is believing (Luke 4:9-12)
Having been defeated twice by the Scriptures, Satan leads Jesus to the highest point of the Temple and quotes from Psalm 91:

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “’He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Luke 4:9-11)

For Jesus to have followed Satan's suggestion would have been, in the eyes of many Jews, sure proof he was the Messiah. Sensationalism is always appealing, and many are willing to believe almost anyone or anything as long as the claims are accompanied by the supernatural. As is so often the case, the divine promise Satan quotes is preceded by a divine command which he conveniently leaves out.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust… If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge— then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:1-2, 9-12)

Notice the conditional clause? "If... then..." To ignore the divine command in order to appropriate the divine promise is presumption not faith, it is rebellion not obedience. One cannot separate the means from the motive.

Jesus later warned that “false Christ's and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt. 24:24). Such dramatic signs, even when they are from God, do not produce faith; they only strengthen the faith of those who already believe.

Jesus’ miracles merely hardened the opposition of His enemies to the point where He declared that “an evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign” (Matt. 12:39). Jesus Himself was the greatest sign ever given by, yet, as Isaiah had predicted hundreds of years before, He “was despised and forsaken” (Isaiah 53:3; Luke 18:31–33). Demanding sensational proof is not evidence of faith but of doubt. To long for the visible sign, the big miracle, the dramatic proof is nothing but unbelief. Jesus would have no part in Satan’s stunt. “It is written” he replied, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Luke 4:12)

Jesus refused for at least two reasons. First, any miracle is inevitably frustrated by the law of diminishing returns. People are never satisfied. They always want one more sign, one more miracle, one more show. To have maintained His influence over the people by the use of miracles, Jesus would have had to produce greater and greater sensations. His followers would only have been lovers of sensation, not lovers of God. Second, and more significant, no matter how noble and important we may think our reasons are, to test God is to doubt God. And to doubt God is not to trust Him, and not to trust Him is sin. That, of course, is what Satan wanted Jesus to do. Had Jesus put His Father to such a test, He would have perverted the divine plan of redemption—the very purpose for which He had come. Jesus refused this shortcut.

There are many subtle ways that we can put God to the test. We may not jump from the top of the church – but we may be tempted to think that God is only present when we see certain spiritual gifts used, or particular musical instruments are played, or a particular person is involved. When we prefer a word of knowledge to the exposition of the Bible we test God. When we would rather read a newspaper or novel than memorise the Scriptures, we test God. When we think that occasional attendance and not dedicated service will keep us on the right path - we test God. When we take risks with clear moral absolutes like truth telling and honesty, we test God. Why then are we so surprised when we fall. Think about it.

If Jesus, the perfect sinless eternal Son of God, yet he chose to rely solely on the Scriptures to defeat Satan, what makes us think we can do it any other way? The temptation to do it yourself. The temptation to take the easy way. The temptation that seeing is believing. Each defeated by the Word of God. The Context (4:1-2); The Nature (4:3-12)

3. The Victory over Temptation (4:13)

“When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13)

When it says that the Devil “left him” the Greek is much more emphatic. It means he “stood off.” This battle was over but Satan had not given up. Margaret Thatcher once said, “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.”

You may withstand Satan today but remember the battle is not over - he lies in wait for another opportune moment.

When you are weak – expect a major assault
When you resist – be ready for a different approach
When he leaves – count on another attack.

There are two lies in particular, Satan wants us to believe.

1. Just once won’t hurt.
2. If you feel you have ruined your life, you’re beyond God’s use, so what’s the point of resisting again.

C. S. Lewis made these helpful observations:

“No one knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. That is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of an evil impulse inside us until we try and fight it: and Christ, because He was the only Man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only Man who knows to the full what temptation means.”[4]

That is why Hebrew 4:15 is such a comfort. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). The Lord gives all of His children the power to resist Satan. “Resist the devil,” James assures us, “and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

As he did with Jesus, Satan will not stay away very long, but with every temptation God promises on his word, he “will provide a way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13). For every temptation Satan leads us into, a way out is provided by the Father. Satan's temptations can become God’s testing.

If we were to summarise Jesus’ responses to the tempter, they were, in essence this: “I will trust my Father; I will not presume on His Word; I will rely on it. I will take my Father’s good gifts from His own hand, in His own way, and in His own time.”

When Martin Luther was once asked how he overcame the devil, he replied, “Well, when he comes knocking at the door of my heart, and asks ‘Who lives here?’ the dear Lord Jesus goes to the door and says, “Martin Luther used to live here, but he has moved out. Now I live here.” We find help against temptation, just as we find help for everything else in the Christian life, by “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). A hurdler soon learns that if he looks at the hurdles as he runs, he will trip and fall. From start to finish he looks only at the goal, and when he does that the hurdles are cleared in stride as each one is encountered.

Keeping our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ is our only hope of conquering temptation and faithfully running “with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).

Lets pray.

With grateful thanks to John Hamby, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Vilonia, Arkansas, to Benjamin Sharpe of Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Charles Swindoll and to John MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew (Moody Press) for content and ideas.