Christ's temptation and its significance (Quality: Average)

[0:00] In the Gospel According to St. Matthew, Chapter 4, Verse 1.

[0:30] St. Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 4, Verse 1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

[0:50] Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

[1:02] One of the most amazing statements that are given unto us in the Scriptures.

[1:13] Behold the magnitude of the divine love and grace. That in this matter the whole of the triune Jehovah should be found engaged.

[1:29] Jesus having received the commendation of his Father. Being led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

[1:47] Behold the wonder of the man, the God-man. The man who has come to this earth. That he may so enter into this situation.

[2:02] And undertake for a people whom he hath loved with an everlasting love. Surely we might say, is there no other way?

[2:16] Is it that he who hath come down from the glory? The one who has laid aside all the insignia and the dignity of the majesty which was ascribed unto him by seraphim.

[2:31] Yea, by all the angels as they surround the throne. That he should so strip himself and come down and take upon himself the nature of a man.

[2:47] Is this absolutely necessary? Must he indeed go from the height of heights down to the depth of depths? Yes, yes.

[3:00] If thy poor soul is to be redeemed. If thou art to be saved in him with an everlasting salvation. Then it must indeed come from the heights of heaven to the very depths of hell.

[3:17] That thy soul might forever be delivered. Out to the great adversary and enemy. Of all his people.

[3:30] There is one very striking note in connection with the evangelist Matthew. More than any of the other evangelists you will find that he maketh use of this distinct language.

[3:47] You meet with it right at the very beginning. And you meet with it right at the very end. What is it? He seems to preface.

[3:58] And also he seems to conclude. Everything that's related unto all that was so declared in him when he was here upon earth.

[4:11] That here is the fulfillment. Here is the assured accomplishment. Of that which God had foretold and promised and declared should come to pass.

[4:25] For thus it is written. How many times do you read concerning the evangelist. That he tells us. That he tells us. That such and such a place.

[4:37] And such a deed. Was necessary and essential for the fulfillment of scripture. It is as though Matthew goes. It is as though Matthew goes right back to Genesis.

[4:49] And he comes right down to Malachi. And as he watches his Lord in all his dealings. And as he looks upon him in his glorious person.

[5:01] He is reminded of that which God had foretold. And so the evangelist. It is as though the mighty triumph.

[5:12] Can indeed take up the inspired pen. And declare. It is accomplished. It is done. It has come to pass.

[5:24] Do you know that if you are a child of God. You can say that of every promise that is in him. Do you know that everything that he speaks. In the way of divine comfort and so forth.

[5:36] You can likewise say that it is accomplished. In him. Yes. Not a word is written in vain. Not a single letter shall ever fall to the ground unfulfilled.

[5:53] All must come to pass. I listened to my Lord when he was in the temptation. I find that he has recourse unto the same glorious magazine.

[6:08] I find it is from thence that he reaches all his weapons. And thereby defeats the adversary. Listen to him saying again and again and again.

[6:21] It is written. It is written. He doesn't as it were take any language of his own. That is originally in that peculiar case in which he was.

[6:34] He could have expressed himself in his humanity. In very different words. But no. He goes back to the scriptures. He goes back to that which is written concerning himself.

[6:48] No. He speaks of that which is confirmed and assured in the glorious truth. It is written. My friend Satan cannot stand against the truth.

[7:01] He was a liar from the beginning. And the truth shows up the forgiveness. And it shows up that wherein all the blackness of his actions are so concerned.

[7:14] And brings to light the purity of the workings and the dealings of God in all his ways. Yea, it is brought to the light.

[7:25] There is nothing done in a corner. There is nothing hidden as it were in secret places. It is all brought out and made manifest to be the truth.

[7:38] O sinner, if we went no further this afternoon. Couldst thou not indeed lie back upon that which is relative unto the immutable word of Jehovah.

[7:51] The one who is the I Am. And when you use the word I Am. You are declaring the all-sufficiency of Jehovah. Yes. There is nothing.

[8:07] Nothing. That ever occurs on the earth. Nothing that ever takes place within the life of a Christian. Nothing that shall ever come to pass until the end of the ages.

[8:20] But what it is all contained in the infinite wisdom and counsel of him. Who is Jehovah's Son.

[8:34] And we've got a glimpse of it in our text. What a mercy. What a mercy. In the days in which we live. To realize. That though the devil is so busy.

[8:47] Yet he is but in chains. He is indeed allowed to have a measure. But beyond that measure he can never proceed.

[9:02] There is a government. There is a mighty ruling power. And it is the mighty ruling power of the all-sufficient. No wonder he tells his people to trust in him.

[9:19] No wonder he tells his people to be confident. They alone have the right to be. Hasten then my soul unto thy refuge and to thy strength.

[9:34] And find it in him. Who is indeed the rock. That can never be moved. The rock of eternal truth.

[9:45] My heart was somewhat saddened during the past week. On lifting up one of the daily journals. And reading concerning an international gathering of certain scientists.

[10:00] And how that in their deliberations. They had come out with a blasphemous statement. That Jesus was not.

[10:11] In other words. Jesus was not in any way. A subject of deity. They would take the crown from his head.

[10:24] Yea. And they even went so far as to come into that spirit. Wherein they renounced all that related unto the Christian religion. And bothered.

[10:36] It not entering. Into the very shades of atheism. My friend. You may see the devil advancing in the day in which we live.

[10:47] He is attacking on every side. There is to be found that degree of movement granted to him. Whereby he comes very very near unto the shaking.

[11:00] At the very foundations of Zion. But shall he prevail? No. Zion is founded upon a rock.

[11:14] And you who are in him are founded upon a rock. And the gates of hell shall never prevail against it.

[11:25] In this we rejoice. And are made glad in the Lord. Now look at the occasion mentioned in the text.

[11:36] What a word that is. Then. It speaks of a sudden time.

[11:49] It speaks of a moment. That has come. It is. It is. The time of the great event. Yes.

[12:01] And the powers of heaven and the powers of hell are now going to be tested. It is. It is. It is. It is. We see Jesus. Had he never been tempted before?

[12:17] I am sure he had. We remember the time when it was allowed. He went into the temple. And he astonished the rabbis by reason of the knowledge that he possessed concerning the scriptures.

[12:30] We remember how that his parents sought him sorrowing and found him. And how that they remonstrated with him.

[12:42] We remember his reply. Wist he not that I must be about my father's business? Twelve years old but very conscious of his relationship in the Godhead.

[12:57] A human form. Yet as it were to grow up. In wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

[13:09] Yet sensible. At that wherein the whole loyalty of his life did lie. That it was in doing his father's will.

[13:22] Eighteen years are to intervene before he came to the waters of Jordan. Do you not think that the tempter of times came to him?

[13:34] And chopped him as it were relative unto the years of seeming idleness? Oh you may see the longing of his heart.

[13:47] So to be found engaged in his father's business. But now he is at the carpenter's bench. Is he accomplishing anything?

[13:59] Why is it that he should still as it were be found in this unemployed state? Was it so? The tempter may come and suggest it to him.

[14:12] But my friend it was all that wherein as a son he learned obedience. By the things which he suffered. Striking is the language relative to the time when he went back with his parents from the temple.

[14:31] He was subjected unto his parents. He yielded obedience unto them. Yes. The Lord of God was to be fulfilled.

[14:44] It was necessary. That as he was the essential representative of everyone whom the father had given him. That he should answer for them in every aspect.

[14:56] And every relationship. And every detail. Of life. As we know it. He entered into it. Although the God man.

[15:10] That which is a reality. In fact. To all the things that may be trying. And vexations. And the things that come through. The temptations of Satan. Oh.

[15:20] He was subject to. He knew what sort of temptations were. That's why he's so able to succor them that are tempted.

[15:30] But oh behold him. The blessed God man. Behold him. As we view him in that human form.

[15:41] Coming toward the waters of Jordan. The time has come for his open manifestation. Ah.

[15:52] The jewels were assorted in glory. In pomp. In grandeur. We do not find anything of the sort of that about him. Sometimes I read.

[16:06] And I look around. And I see that. Where a certain dignitaries. In connection with churches. So array themselves. In all their finery. And I wonder how they can do it.

[16:20] When they do so. Contrast themselves. With the character. And with the courage. And with the walk. And the life. Of the very master. Whom they profess to serve.

[16:33] The man of sorrows. And acquainted with grief. The one who was despised. And rejected of men. And here are they. Seeking the pomp of men.

[16:44] Seeking the applause. Of the multitude. Nothing of that about my Lord. He knew his father's will. And he stood steadfast.

[16:56] In his father's will. And so we see him. In all his loneliness. And in all his humility. And in all his meekness. So coming unto the waters of Jordan.

[17:10] And even John the Baptist. Seems to be taken back. It is a matter that seems to be. Completely beyond his understanding. John says.

[17:22] I have need to be baptized of thee. Oh the blessed answer. Suffer it to be so now. For thus it become of us.

[17:34] Us. Yes. Myself. And you John. And others. It become of us. To fulfill all righteousness.

[17:46] In that which he was entering into. He was intimately conscious. That all his people were indeed in him.

[17:58] They were in his heart. They were in his mind. He was standing for them. And everything that he did. Would most certainly be put to their account.

[18:09] If he failed. Then their case was hopeless. If he triumphed. Then they would indeed glory in him. Now where was it going to be?

[18:22] Oh my Christ. Look thou upon those waters of Jordan. The land has come. The experience.

[18:34] Into which thou hast now to enter. As the servant of thy father. Art thou going to you in obedience. Unto these things.

[18:45] As thou hast done in the past. Look. And behold. That which doth so prefigure. The pathway.

[18:56] That you will have to tread. Yes. No wonder he prayed. When he went down into the waters. He went down.

[19:09] Because he saw. The pathway. That lay before him. He went down. Oh.

[19:19] Wondrous humility. Truly the humiliation of Jesus. Is more than ever can be entered. Or understood. Yet behold him.

[19:30] As he goes down into those waters. He goes willingly. He goes voluntarily. There is no force placed upon him.

[19:42] Yea. John has sought to persuade him from it. But he would walk in complete union. With his father's will. Concerning him. In all that is to befall him.

[19:54] He will go down into those waters. That speak of his sufferings. The things that he must be immersed in. The things that he must feel.

[20:06] And know and taste. The things that come so nigh unto him. Yes. Yes. And bear it.

[20:19] Behold him there. As he lies underneath the waters. Oh the wonder of it. He became obedient even unto death.

[20:34] Even the death of the frost. Willingly he lays his life down to his own. Yes.

[20:45] He sees it all. He as their representative is going through it all. And he arose again.

[20:58] He came up out of the waters. And he saw the blessed effect of his sufferings. And of his death. And how that it would indeed result. In his resurrection.

[21:09] He had a most positive belief. Belief in that which had been told of him. In that wherein he so reminds the disciples. When he left them. That all things concerning the Son of Man.

[21:22] Must be fulfilled. Yeah. He took them to the Moses. And he took them to the prophets. And he took them to the Psalms. Yes.

[21:34] He must arise again. The glory that should follow. Is yet to be evident. And this is where I think some.

[21:46] People who have commented on these truths. Have fallen short. By that I mean. They haven't really entered as it were. Into the glory of the statement.

[21:58] As it is so brought before us. For when he rose again. The heavens opened. The heavens opened. Yes.

[22:10] There is an ascension. There is a triumph. There is a victory. He ascends upon high leading captivity captive.

[22:24] He has gifts to men. Oh those disciples. How they gaze. As though they were gaze. As though they were gaze. Their very eyes away.

[22:34] As they watched him. Go up beyond those. Clouds into heaven. Yes. The same Jesus. My friend.

[22:46] He is still the same Jesus. He is gone up on high. He sits by. He sits at the right hand. Of his father in glory.

[22:58] And what for? Because of what being accomplished. That wherein he represents his people. They must surely be made partakers of his blessings.

[23:12] They too shall know their interest in all that he has done. How shall it be made known? By the pouring out of the spirit. The shedding forth of the spirit.

[23:25] And I beheld on the spirit like a dog. Descending. And it lighted upon him. He was anointed with the spirit.

[23:38] Without measure. My friend. That measure. Oh it reaches unto the very hem of his garments. And it reaches unto the case.

[23:49] Even of them like that poor woman. Of whom we spake this morning. Who by faith are brought so. To touch it. And to behold. Yes.

[24:02] What a glorious thing it is. Then to have that view of him. Dying. Buried. Rising again.

[24:13] Ascending up on high. Now glorified. Sending forth the spirit. Which he had promised. Should indeed be bestowed upon them.

[24:25] By his father. Yes. And then. Was Jesus led up. Of the spirit. Into the wilderness.

[24:37] To be tempted of the devil. Then. Just as the voice. Had so declared unto him.

[24:47] The divine delight. And complacency of the father. This is my beloved son. In whom. I am well pleased.

[25:00] Just at the very time. When we are informed by Luke. That he was full. Full. Of the Holy Ghost.

[25:11] Behold. The man. The man. See him now. Being led. By the spirit.

[25:23] Somebody may. Somebody here may say. But in Mark. It says. That he was driven. By the spirit. Into the wilderness. It's a pity.

[25:33] To a certain extent. That that word. Driven. Has occurred. In the translation. Because the original meaning. Of the word. That is used there. Speakers of one.

[25:45] Who is. As it were. Not only. Under compulsion. Powerfully. Compelled.

[25:55] Unto the course. Which was. To be taken. But it is. Spoken of one. Not only. Compelled. But one.

[26:08] Who is. Perfectly. Willing. In his. Compliance. So. To. Fulfill. He was led. There was still.

[26:20] Much to be fulfilled. Concerning. Himself. In his. Relationship. Unto every. Poor. A devil. Toss. Soul. Who had.

[26:32] That interest. In himself. He was led. Of the spirit. And the spirit. Is the emblem. Of peace. It is the dove.

[26:43] Of peace. It is he. Who cometh. In his love. It is he. Who cometh. In all the affections. Toward his own.

[26:55] Where. Where is he led. Into the wilderness. We go back. Where was man.

[27:07] When God made him. Was he in a wilderness. Was he in a desert. No. He was in a fruitful place.

[27:19] He was in the garden of Eden. And not only so. But he was in that position. Wherein he could have communion. With God.

[27:30] Where he could walk. With God. Where God could walk. To talk to him. And Adam. Could talk to God. He was in a garden. Oh. There was such a close.

[27:41] A relationship. Between them both. Between all. That there came another into that garden. The one that turned it into a wilderness.

[27:52] The wilderness. The wilderness. In which the whole of humanity. Growns and sighs. And breathes out its life.

[28:05] Where is there a man. That knoweth not the consequences. Of the awful reality of the fall. That took place in that day.

[28:15] It is not only found in the solemn. The message concerning. The soul that sineth it shall die. Thou dost daily experience it.

[28:29] In that wherein the workings of sin within you. Bring forth a multiplicity of evidences. That thou art fallen. You complain of this.

[28:39] You complain of that. This isn't right. And the other isn't right. Yes. What's it all at the bottom? It is sin. It is that which has been brought in.

[28:53] Through the fall. And has infected the whole of mankind. Throughout the universe. And it's turned. The garden of Eden. Into a place.

[29:06] Which thou canst never enter into. All that you have left. Is a wilderness. It's a mercy for you to know.

[29:18] That this world is a wilderness. Well Jesus was led up into the wilderness. Jesus. When Adam you know.

[29:30] Was tried by Satan. Satan came to him. When he was in communion. With his maker. When there was that intercourse.

[29:41] Between the one and the other. When he was at the very highest. To what we might say. In the highest place. Of the highest elevation.

[29:52] Yea. Lifted up above all other things. In life. Then Satan came. My friend. When we oft times think.

[30:04] That we are so safe. When we oft times think. When the times of communion. In the times of worship. In the times when we pray.

[30:15] And so forth. You too may know. What it is to have a little Eden. In your garden. You too may know.

[30:25] What it is. As you converse with God. As you read his word. What it is to have a heart. That is detached. From the world.Sn import. But how quickly Satan comes.

[30:38] And he turns it all into a wilderness. Think of the thoughts that flash from your mind. Oh, who stand the bond.

[30:48] by the very fact of their presence. Think of those things where there is indeed a taking of your mental capacities and a turning of them into forbidden things.

[31:05] Yes, they are a stentia to you. You abhor them. And yet, my friend, you find that the enemy of your soul doth indeed come and he blesses it were that which is relative unto your dearest hours and those seasons wherein you would have communion with God.

[31:31] Do you know anything about that? There's plenty that don't, you know. They don't believe in the devil. They don't believe that he is a reality.

[31:45] But you find that he is the enemy of your soul. Now behold him, the blessed God-man who has gone into the wilderness for the sake of his people.

[31:59] Yes, never was there such a blessed character as that man. Holy, harmless, sinless. Satan comes.

[32:11] Yes, he will thank this man not now in the garden but in the wilderness. What a mercy of you and I are in this blessed man.

[32:28] If he's taken you up and he's bearing you along in that wherein Satan comes and tempts him even unto that blessed realization of the voice this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

[32:45] You see, even he wasn't safe from the attacks of Satan, was he? In that wherein he himself would rise in his glorious manhood unto the most ecstasy of that wherein he had a communion with his father that he's in the wilderness being led by the spirit for a purpose.

[33:10] Peace can only come to us, you know, through the storm. We can never experience peace without that which precedes it the travel, the tumult the tossing up and down and so forth.

[33:29] Yes, the dove of peace has led him into the wilderness Satan comes How did he come to Adam?

[33:41] Hath God said How did he come to my Lord? He comes to attack his lordship He would have the same power over him as he had over Adam He hated this son of God If thou be the son of God Command that these stones be turned into bread You see, our Lord was a hundred Forty days and forty nights He had been subjected unto the subtle temptations of Satan Now Satan comes in all his force And it is in the hour when that human frame has been weakened and enfeebled by reason of the fasting Satan well knows how to attack and when to attack He comes to us When we may be suffering privation

[34:43] When we, as it were, may be brought right down by reason of certain things which have so happened unto us that we have become sorely reduced And he comes to you in awe your weakness Comes to you when you are in the evil Remember, he came to the Lord like that He said, now here's the way out Here's the way of escape Look at the stones that are all around If you are the son of God You can effect a miracle And make them all to be bread unto thy soul What did our Lord say?

[35:33] He said, it is written It is written Man shall not live by bread alone But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God He was the man who could effect miracles But he would never effect a miracle for himself For his own advantage He would stand forswear In the very center of the will of his Father He would not be moved away therefrom It is written And that is where he stands We see too how that he came to him And told him He said, look He said, I am placing you upon a pinnacle The top of the temple Now he said, dust yourself down You know what the scripture says And he repeats it to him

[36:35] But he left one little sentence out And he did not know or realize That wherein he was so addressing this glorious person That that psalm did so commence He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty And there is not a word in that psalm Concerning being cast down by anybody No Satan, you've got it all wrong You've got a half-truth But you've left out the most vital thing What is it?

[37:19] He shall give his angels charge concerning thee Oh, go on, Satan Finish the sentence Go on, say in their hands They shall bear thee up Let's hear the whole of the truth Not part of it Ah, he shall give his angels charge concerning thee To keep thee In all thy ways Yes The way which the Lord hath mocked out For this one who dwelleth in the secret of the Most High To walk out That God will keep thee in all thy ways Not in the ways of presumption Not in the ways where you will do what you wish Not in those ways wherein you will cause trouble Not in the ways wherein you deliberately go into those things which are evil Oh no As only as thou walkest in accordance with the will of thy God

[38:21] He will then overshadow thee He will look after thee Yea Jesus said unto him You're quoting scripture to me Then I will quote scripture back It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God You know You know That's the trouble today With so many other churches We look at the various sects And we look at the various denominations And we say From whence are they sprung And it is because They have taken an isolated part of scripture They have taken something That has so appealed unto them That they have gone And they have separated themselves And built up a church As it were Upon that particular isolated truth In other words

[39:23] They have created an imbalance They have become biased My friend Can we expect the blessing of the Lord To rest upon that?

[39:34] There is only one thing That is necessary And essential for us to realize That the whole of our standing From beginning to end Is contained in the fullness Of the word of God Not in what I want to pick and choose It is that wherein the Lord speaketh Yes, and we don't want anything outstanding do we It is as though the devil says to fret Why have you cast yourself down?

[40:05] Oh, what an amazing thing that will be To all the people Then they all believe in you That you are the Son of God Yes It's the same thought today The gospel, it isn't sufficient The word of God in all its Blessed simplicity and truth Is not sufficient So what must we do?

[40:26] Bring in that Bring in something else Oh yes And as it were Bring in something That is going to make us stir Yes That's the temptation of Satan How does the Lord answer it?

[40:44] Simply by the word of God Here in is the will of God And finally And I cannot stay on it Is that wherein Satan tempts him Regarding the kingdoms of the world We have spoken of our Lord Going through Jordan Satan comes to him And he says Now look at all the kingdoms of the world If you are only fordone and worship me They are all blind Think what a quick way to possess it Think of how you can avoid all that suffering And all that is relative to the cross If thou would only fall down and worship me The Lord knew what that word worship meant So far as Satan used it It was the service of the devil And he told him to depart For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord by God

[41:45] And him only Shalt thou serve He stood Immovable Gloriously In the will of his God Yes Satan suffered the defeat All his people that are in him Find the same blessed enclosure They find that their safety And their security is of the Lord The truth will triumph The truth will support and uphold them Never mind what the world says Never mind what Satan may indeed Try so to overcome you With his lies and his aspersion This is the victory That overcometh the world Even our faith Yes Yes Said our Lord It is

[42:45] Written I bless God That he was led by the spirit Into the wilderness To be tempted For that was why he came To destroy the works of the devil And blessed be God You've been tempted I've been tempted Sometimes we have known To our hurt And to our sorrow What it has been To be overcome By his subtleties And so forth But blessed be God We have known What it is to be recovered To be restored And wherein we found Our comfort And our strength Is it not in him Who went into the wilderness To be tempted At the devil Yes Satan Satan Thou art defeated Thou shalt never overcome One for whom he stood

[43:45] At times Thou mayest indeed The lions Seem to have them In thy jaws And yet They shall be rescued Thereby Therefrom By him That is stronger Than you Do you know him To know him Is to love him If you love him You're cleave unto him Oh when temptation comes Remember him Who first Foreshadowed In his own walk Through Jordan All that he was going To pass through In a moment Put to the test He overcame He triumphed And it is put To your account As one Who believeth In him

[44:46] Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Thank you.