Jump Start # 423

Matthew 4:2-4 “And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ 

  We begin a look at the temptations of Jesus. The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin. That “yet” part is the key. Jesus never sinned. These temptations reveal many interesting lessons for us.

  The tempter, who is Satan, tempted Jesus, the best. He will tempt you. Temptation is not sin. It’s Satan knocking on the front door of your heart. What you do with that temptation makes all the difference. Jesus refused to let Satan in. Too often, we open the door and let him in, just for a while, and what a mess he makes for us. Temptation can be resisted. James tells us to “resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Timothy was told to “flee youthful lusts.” The Corinthians were told, “flee fornication.” Saying, “I couldn’t help it,” just doesn’t fly. You can. You must.

  The tempter is a master of timing. He waited. He waited until Jesus was hungry. Tempting Jesus with a full belly to make bread out of rocks isn’t a temptation. He also knew that Jesus is alone. No one witnessed what took place here other than, Jesus, Satan and God. This story is left so we know. Satan knows when you are tired. Satan knows when you’ve had a bad day. He knows when you are grouchy. He knows when you are alone. Like that lion hiding in the tall grass, he waits. He watches. He’s patient. At the right moment, he springs upon us quickly.

  Of the three temptations recorded in Matthew, this one, turning rocks into bread, seems most innocent. A person has to eat. No one is around. No one is going to get hurt by this. What’s the big deal? Those are the thoughts Satan was hoping Jesus would have. Those are the thoughts we have, and that’s why we get into trouble.

  Turning stones into bread required a miracle—there is no other way. Satan knew that. He knew that Jesus had that power. He wouldn’t tempt me that way because he knows I can’t do that—I’d probably try to chew the rock. The miracles of Jesus were done to prove that He is the God on earth (Acts 2:22). Jesus did miracles before people—it was the first step in opening their eyes to who He really was. The miracles of Jesus were never done for selfish reasons. But more than that, if Jesus would turn to a miracle when He was hungry, what would He do if He was angry, or lonely, or as it came about, was hurting? While dying on the cross, one of on lookers cried out to Jesus and said, “save yourself and come down off the cross.” That’s this same temptation wrapped in a different package. Use your powers for yourself! Save yourself. Feed yourself. Be selfish. You’ve got the power!

  Jesus wouldn’t do it. He refused. He quoted from the book of Deuteronomy. Satan hates the Bible. He hates it more when we know the Bible. The Bible is always right, always. The Bible points man to God. The Bible leads us to the best way that God designed us for. Food without the Bible is existence. The word of God is life. Man shall live on every word…

  Jesus refused to make bread from rocks.

  A question is often debated, “Could Jesus have really sinned?” Remember, He was both God and man. You can’t kill God, but you can kill man. Jesus died on the cross. Yes, Jesus could have sinned. If it was impossible, then this isn’t much of a temptation. Could Jesus have come down from the cross before He died? Yes. He didn’t. Anything less than this makes these verses worthless to help us. Jesus could have sinned but He didn’t. And the way He rejected Satan was with the very tools that I have, the word of God. He didn’t use a miracle to get out of the temptation, He used the Bible. Jesus knew the Bible. It helps us to know it, to use it, to live by it, and when Satan comes around, to remember it.

  Satan is bad, always. Jesus is true to His purpose, always. We learn from this. We all can be stronger. We all can resist more. We all can know the Bible better. Jesus knows what you go through. He’s been there. He wants to help.

Roger