Jesus Beat Temptation and So Can We

Jesus’ Journey to Resurrection – Part 2
Jesus Beat Temptation and So Can We
Pastor Terry Wilcox

Matthew 4:1-11

“the Holy Spirit led Jesus…” – this was part of God’s .

Matthew 4:1 (Passion) – “Afterward, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to experience the ordeal of testing by the accuser.”

James 1:13 – “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.”

Recall from last week: at His baptism, Jesus embraces His assignment to reveal and to be God’s plan for our redemption.

An ancient Jewish saying: “The Holy One, blest be His name, does not elevate a man to dignity until he has first tried and searched him; if he stands in temptation then He raises him to dignity.”

Are “testing” and “temptation” synonymous?
and 

The use of different Hebrew and Greek words translating “testing” and “temptation” require time in details which would be better considered in a classroom than from a pulpit.

With my apologies to Biblical linguists, let me simplify this issue:

• “dokimazo” in the Greek New Testament is usually translated as a test for the purpose of approval and/or .
• “peirazo” in the Greek New Testament is usually translated as temptation for the purpose of failure and/or .
• In the New Testament, Satan’s “testings” use the Greek “peirazo” as in James 1:13.
• 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 uses the Greek “dokimazo”. The goal of this future testing is .

 Sometimes, from our perspective, it is challenging to discern the difference between testing from God for our and temptations from Satan for our .

However, be of good cheer: our response for either testing or temptation is:
.

1. Matthew 4:3 – Jesus was being tempted to display unwillingness to obey His Father’s plan.
   1. This temptation involved the love of God and Jesus’ .
   2. Jesus faced this as . Deuteronomy 8:3
2. Note the subtlety of the second temptation: Matthew 4:11 – “…to guard you in all your ways…”
   1. We must take care not to .
3. Satan offers Jesus a .
   1. Whatever we  we will .

No man has a right to call others to obey who has not obeyed himself.
-Dr. Warren Wiersbe

Personal Notes: