The Way, Truth, and Life

N. T. #25 "The Way, Truth, and Life"

March 13, 2023

Matthew 4-Part 5

LET IT GLOW

Three times the devil tempted Jesus to prove He was God's Son. Jesus resisted by quoting Scriptures. He said that man live (meaning spiritually) by God's Word, not only by bread. We are to not challenge God to prove Himself. We are to worship and serve only God. We have a Savior who knows what it is like to be tempted to sin, yet He did not yield and sin. 

Hebrews 4:15 says, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Jesus was tempted in all points:

1. the lust of the flesh, (verses 2-3)
2. the lust of the eyes, (verses 8-9)
3. and the pride of life. (verses 5-6)

In similar ways, Eve was tempted as Jesus was: You won't die/hurt your foot, you may eat of any tree/by changing stones into bread, you will be like God/you can have all the world's kingdom.

The difference between Eve and Jesus is that shee yielded to the temptations and Jesus did not yield. Oh, Satan knew who Jesus was, though he tried to get Jesus to violate the plan of God and use wrongly the divine power Jesus had set aside in His humiliation. 

Philippians 2:7 tells us, But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. 

Have we learned to trust Jesus to meet our needs or are we doing it ourself?

LET IT GROW

MacArthur gives us another perspective concerning Moses with the Israelites in the wilderness:

• God allowed Israel to hunger so that He might feed them with manna and teach them to trust Him to provide for them. Scripture nurtures our spiritual needs in a way that benefits us eternally, rather than merely providing temporal relief from physical hunger.
• Satan is good at twisting words around. Grumbling Israelites put the Lord to the test, angrily demanding that Moses produce water where there was none. 
• Satan is called the "ruler of this world" (John 12:31) and the "god of this age" (2 Cor. 4:4), but God is more powerful than he is. 

Trusting God seems to be the thread running through those events. Let's remember that Satan is a liar and twists words for his benefit, not ours. Trust in God's way being the right way and His timing being the perfect timing. I needed to hear that. Maybe you did, too.

LET IT GO

Help us resist the devil so he will flee from us. 

Thank You Jesus for being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6)

How wonderful You are!

Glory to God in the Highest!