Sometimes the best way to prepare a Bible lesson intended for children is to try it out on adults first - This way here all of the criticisms can be flushed out of the way, quickly. Kids are a lot less critical; but also seem to have better memories than we do at times – remembering every last detail of something you may have promised along the way. I wont go verse by verse here like I will with the children tomorrow night, but I will hit on the important parts. Here is our text:
Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
There’s a lot going on here in a short span of Scripture. In the chapter before this, Jesus’ ministry officially begins with His baptism. He was commissioned by the Father to now begin His three year ministry – leading up to His loving, redemptive act on the cross and again at the grave. These verses present somewhat of a quandary, when you think about it: As Christians, we firmly believe that Christ was indeed, God incarnate – that although He was 100% God, He was also 100% man. This is a formula that is impossible for our finite, human brains to swallow or even attempt to wrap around. Regardless of what we think though, this fact (that Jesus was Deity incarnate – or God come in the flesh) remains the absolute truth. This is one of the foundations of our faith. This also begs the question, “If Christ was God in the flesh, how can He possibly have been tempted to do anything wrong since He was without sin?” This is a good and fair question that I get from time to time from all sorts of people (saved and unsaved). This is the conclusion that my feeble mind has come up with: Our Creator, God tested His Son, Jesus before sending Him out into battle for three years. Was there an absolute ‘need’ for Christ to be tempted and tested for worthiness? I believe the Scriptures point to an answer of ‘no’ to this. However, if Jesus Christ is to be our perfect example of how to walk in this flesh on a daily basis, then all that happened to Him first will certainly happen to us as well. I’m not talking about death by Roman crucifixion for all believers here – look what the Bible has to say about the afflictions of Christ: Hebrews 4:14-15 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."Did you happen to catch that last part? He was tempted in all points just like we are – yet was without sin. Does this mean that the Lord Jesus Christ had the capacity to sin? This answer may be just one man’s opinion here but – I think the answer is a resounding ‘no’. Yes, He was in the flesh – but He was still God in the flesh – and it is against God’s nature to have anything to do with sin. I believe the lesson here really isn’t about whether or not Christ had the capacity to sin but rather – taking into account what Jesus did when He was tested: He fought using the Scriptures.
This is the main point of the text that I will try my best to make the kids absorb tomorrow night. Jesus Christ’s greatest defense against the fiery arrows of Satan was the Scriptures. It is so important for us as believers to know, love, cherish, study and meditate on the Bible. This is not to say that memorizing all 66 books of the Bible is a requirement of the Christian faith – because it’s not – and quite frankly, kind of impossible to do so. But it is important for us to know how to be ready to give a defense of our faith – knowing that we wont always have all the answers. We also need to remember that Satan himself knows the Bible – and trembles at its truth – and will try his best to twist God’s word to his own liking. (Notice how Satan quoted a Scripture in the text from above to Jesus – and twisted it out of context. Jesus answered with another Scripture immediately, using it in correct context).So the bottom line out of all this? We can use God’s word to fight temptation – and the only way we can use it is by knowing it – and the only way we can know it is by reading it and studying it and asking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance for complete understanding of it. So I ask myself today, “Am I doing this as much as I should be?” Ponder that, my fellow believer – and be ready at all times.
Be blessed in Him today.
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