First Sunday in Lent (2023)
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 4:1-11
Matthew 4:1-11
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ in our Gospel Lesson today how right after Jesus’ baptism the Devil sets out to destroy Jesus and try to bring about his disgrace. He stands there upon the battlefield against this ancient and wily foe who seeks to destroy His Kingdom and bring about the destruction of God’s creation. For the devil already corrupted Adam and Eve, with the fruit in the garden, but now He hopes to destroy Jesus himself, and bring an end to God’s plan to save mankind.
The Fall Into Sin
When Adam and Eve fell it was because they rejected the Word.
This is important especially as we consider our Gospel lesson for it is the Word of God that endures forever, it is the Word that Abides, and from the beginning God has revealed himself through the Word for that is the means by which he created all things.
God had instructed them to not eat of one tree.
There were not 10 commandments, there were not all the levitical laws, there was one simple command, do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil, or another way to translate it, the tree by which good or evil are known.
Man lost the image of God in the fall.
Man decided to forsake good being led away by the devil, and became evil, the Devil had lied and tricked them, making them think they would gain knowledge and wisdom, when instead he made them into fools whose minds are darkened by sin and they were given over to death.
Christ, True God and True man
Jesus is led into the wilderness for 40 days.
This is after his baptism and we see that not long after he comes under attack by satan. This is the case for many Christians, indeed while we were of the world we had no concerns or problems but once we are led by the spirit into all manner of assaults and difficulties.
The devil comes to attack Jesus when He would be weakest.
Satan is clever, and while he is foolish to oppose Christ, and to think that he can overthrow the Triune God, do not assume he is without ability. We might learn from this that he waits until you are not ready to attack.
This weakness is due to the flesh.
For Christ was born of the virgin mary and according to her was true man. Which means he hungered, he thirsted, he needed to sleep, and so Satan waits until the flesh is weak hoping to destroy the Son of God since he has taken upon himself our flesh.
The Temptations of Man
The needs of body.
This is the first way that the devil comes after Christ, and after us. He targets the needs of body. For when our flesh lacks those basic things, it is easy to justify sin. Our temper grows short when we are hungry, when our body is cold, it is easy to justify stealing a jacket to stay warm, and we assure ourselves that it is alright because everyone would do it, yes all sinners would do it. But not Christ who points out that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
His trust in the Word.
So the devil decides to try a different route, if Jesus believes the Word, then what about these passages, and tries trap Jesus in the same way he caught eve, by twisting God’s word away from its true meaning, for the devil does not quote the passages in context. Christ is the Word, and so He knows the Scriptures far better than Satan, and uses Scripture to interpret Scripture, for we shall not put him to the test.
The Devil Offers Jesus comfort.
Finally what the devil tempts Christ with is the same thing he tempts us with, ease, and comfort. The road that Christ has to walk is one that is hard and arduous. So the Devil offers him a simple route. That he can have all the kingdoms and their glory if he just bows down and worships him. This how Satan tempts us as well.
Doing the right thing is hard, wouldn’t you rather have a bit of peace? Wouldn’t you rather take the easy road, look at everyone else in the world who walks the way of the world, they have money, they have comforts, and they have pleasures that you are denied, all you have to do is forsake God a little. But Christ will not be fooled worship is reserved for God alone, and He is our master and we his servants.
Christ Our Champion
Jesus, son of David, goes to fight for you.
This is important for Jesus came into this world to fight this battle for you, He came to overcome the powers of sin, death, and the devil in order that you may have eternal life. He is the Champion of Mankind, our David who goes to the field and stands before this giant.
His weapon is the word.
He slings it with deadly accuracy, each time Satan tries to find a weakness in His armor, Satan finds Christ is ready with a counter-attack and disarms Satan and sends him running from the field.
Where Adam, son of God, failed, Jesus wins.
He wins for you. We were watching him fight against this foe, and because he fights as your champion, His victory is your victory. For he holds this field forever.
What can we learn?
First, Jesus defeated the devil.
The Devil is a foe that rages against mankind, but he has lost the war against God, and for all his rage and fury, his reign of terror is being brought to an end, and he no longer has a claim on God’s people, for Christ has won for you eternal life.
Second, we ought to pick up the word.
For if the devil is bold enough to attack the Son of God, then make no mistake he will come after you. For he knows he cannot touch Jesus, but you, you he hopes to defeat, but we have the Word. The same Word that Christ used to defeat him.
The devil uses the same tricks.
This is why since the Garden, his goal has been to get us away from God’s word, to separate us from that Word which saves us and overthrows his power. He has different methods and different angles of attack, but we already know what he is aiming to do. So that makes it easy to cut him off, and to cling to the Word.
Finally, share this good news.
For Christ won not only for you, but Jesus won the day for all of mankind. He was out there as the champion for all the children of Adam and Eve. Everyone who had been corrupted by the powers of sin and was under the devils power, we can point others joyfully to Christ and say, that man, Jesus, is there fighting for you. Laying down even his life for your sake.
The Tree that Saves
Jesus is not done fighting for you.
We read this at the start of Lent, but this foreshadows what Christ is going to do at the end of these 40 days. He will stay the course even though the devil waits for an opportune time, and strikes at Jesus again and again, but Jesus will ascend the hill of Golgotha to overthrow the powers of sin and death.
By a tree, mankind was undone.
The fruit of that tree of the knowledge of good and evil brought death to us all, even though it was meant to be the place where we worshipped God and obeyed his command trusting in Him.
Christ will secure victory by another tree.
But by a dead tree, the cross, there we would find fruit that gives life, the body which was given into death and blood that was shed for you gives to us forgiveness, life, and salvation. Of this tree, we eat that may live forever.
So my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, when the devil comes like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, remember that you have a champion, one who fights for you, one who has defeated the devil, who is the Word made flesh. So cling to that word, cherish that Word, for every time you hold up the Word of God against temptation you remind the devil that he has already been defeated. For there is someone who fought for you. Let others know of this great victory, for the devil does not want any to hear this good news, that Christ has won not just for himself, but for all mankind so that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. In Jesus name. Amen.