It is Written - Pastor Karim

The way Jesus showed us how to resist temptation and the different spiritual attacks of the enemy never changes. It is just as important today as it was then.

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Pastor Karim

Transcript

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Welcome to this new episode of the Gospel for the Nations podcast. This podcast has been brought to you by Pastor Kareem. Our desire is to open the Word of God with you and to speak in a way that is clear, simple, and full of grace. Wherever you are listening from, we pray that the Holy Spirit will touch your heart through his word, strengthen your faith, and draw you closer to Jesus.

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So the title of the message is It Is Written. Matthew 4, verse 1 to 11. So today we are taking a short break from our series on the parables of Jesus to study this wonderful passage about the meaning and the beginning of Jesus' public life and ministry. This passage is important for every one of us because Jesus came to accomplish everything that the Father had planned, so that his people will be saved, guided, and one day glorified through his one and only Son. The passage we are going to study is often called the temptation of Jesus. It tells us what Jesus experienced in the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil and put to a test. God has given us this account so that it will become a practical example for all of us who belong to Him. The way Jesus showed us how to resist temptation. And the difference between spiritual attacks of the enemy. Because this never changes. Full of faith and confidence of God every day until the end of our lives on this earth. So if the spirit of God lives in us and we submit ourselves to Him, we are able to resist the devil. And he will flee from us. So by faith we are called to live out the victory that Jesus Christ has already won for us through his precious blood. He defeated death, and one day he will raise us up to live with him forever. So then, what is the power that enables us to resist the devil? It is the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, yes, but through the word of God. Should I say it again? It is the powerful work of the Holy Spirit through the work of the Word of God. So let's read the passage of the day. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a storm. But Jesus said to him, Again, it is written, You shall 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 glory. And he said to him, All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. Amen. It's a long passage, but it's a full story. We cannot just take a portion of it. So let's read first the context of this passage. Then Jesus was laid up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, which is verse one. So, right after Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down upon him, and God the Father declared that Jesus was his beloved Son. This one is one of the passages that clearly confirms what we believe: God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In one verse, we have three, a triune God. The Father spoke, Jesus was out of the water, and the Spirit came. Then Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, the tempter, the destroyers of souls. Yet, through this event, God remained completely sovereign. He even used Satan's evil intentions to accomplish his own purpose. Through what? Through Jesus. And to reveal the perfect obedience, holiness, and the supremacy of his son. So this verse reminds also of the meeting between Eve and the serpent in the garden. Then Eve and Adam, our first parents, disobeyed God and gave in to temptation. Sin entered the world, bringing separation between mankind and God. So even today, we still live with the consequences of that fall. Because we have sinned and inherited a sinful nature. But we must never forget that Jesus is God in the flesh. Fully and perfectly man, and fully and perfectly God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and possesses all the divine attributes of God, as well as all authority in heaven and on earth. But therefore, he is infinitely greater than mankind, and of course greater than the devil. This is obvious. This is not an equal battle between two opposing powers, nor is the question about who will win. Instead, this passage reveals how far above both man and Satan Jesus truly is. But he's not merely another prophet or a rabbi, he is God Himself, who came to accomplish what no one else could ever accomplish: the redemption of sinners through his own blood, representing the spotless and blameless lamb of God, who came to save all those who God has called and chosen, all those who will believe in Jesus Christ, His people, His church. Yes, Jesus also became hungry. At this moment, the word of God shows us the true humanity of Jesus. He needed physical food and he truly lived as a man. But he was perfect. But even in his perfection, he experienced the same physical needs that every human being experiences. He also experienced the suffering and the needs that we all face today. He knows what we go through. He also shows us the perfect example through fasting and withdrawing into the wilderness under the leading of the Holy Spirit, making the beginning of his public ministry. Which means public, it means open to everyone to see and to witness. So let us now look at how Jesus was tempted. Because this passage gives us the tools we need and teaches us the method Jesus Himself used as an example. Here we found three different ways the devil tempted Jesus. The first one, let's read it. And the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. So this is the first set. Here the tempter, the devil, comes to Jesus. He is the one who started the conversation and speaks directly to him. He reminds us that the devil is always at work, roaming around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. He wants nothing good for us. His deepest desire is to see us fall and to destroy us. But the devil knew who Jesus was. Otherwise, he would never have said these words. After all, what ordinary man could turn stones into bread? God had already provided for his people in the wilderness for forty years by sending the manna from heaven every day and bringing water out of a rock. Jesus certainly had the power to do the same. He had the power. But here Jesus teaches us that what truly feeds our body, our soul, our spirit is not physical bread alone. But we also need spiritual food. And that is the word of God. The word of God that comes from the mouth of God. So Jesus, to answer the devil's lie, he turns to Scripture. He quotes the book of Deuteronomy, the law that God gave through Moses. So by doing this, Jesus confirms the divine authority of Scripture, which reveals God's plan of redemption, of salvation, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the word made flesh, perfectly fulfilling everything that scriptures had promised. So for us today, Jesus gives us the answer to the struggles, the answer to the temptations that we face in everyday life. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, He shows us the power of God's word. The Bible is the sword of the Spirit. God's word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword given by God to help us stand against every attack of the devil. Amen. Now let us look at the second way Jesus was tempted. Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on a pinnacle of the temple and said to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, he will command his angels concerning you, and on the ends they will bear up you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, Again, it is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Amen. The devil took Jesus to the holy city, which is Jerusalem. The Greek word translated to took is paralambane, which means to take with oneself or to bring alone. Alone, to bring along. It does not explain how this happened. Therefore, the passage does not necessarily mean that Satan miraculously carried Jesus through the air or something mystical. Maybe just by walk. However, Jesus was taken to the highest point of the temple, giving a wide view from above. So once again, this shows the authority that Satan is allowed to exercise on earth. But his authority is limited and always remains under the complete sovereignty of God. But it's true, the Bible calls Satan. The God of this world, little G to 2nd Corinthians 4:4. The ruler of this world, John 12 31. The ruler of this world. And tells us that he deceives the nations. Revelations 12 9. He is the deceiver of the nations. That is why Satan is constantly trying to turn people away from the true God. He does this by producing counterfeits, false religions, false teachings. But Jesus is infinitely greater than all of them. Because he alone is the way, the truth, and the life. Then the devil said something that sounded as if it came from God. Even said, It is written. He quoted Psalm 91, verse 11, 12. Speaking about the Lord's protection and provision for his people. But he took it completely out of its context in order to twist God's word. This is the same method Satan used when he spoke to Eve in the Garden of Eden. He places God at the center of the conversation, hoping to create confusion and doubts. Are you really the Son of God? Then surely the angels will save you one day. But once again Jesus answered with the word of God. He quoted the book of Deuteronomy again, which teaches us that we must never put God to the test. Never. We are not to demand that God prove his faithfulness through signs and miracles. Never. Because such an attitude reveals a lack of trust and confidence in him. Even without external signs, God is here. He is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient from all eternity. So now let's look at the third way. Jesus was tempted. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, All these I give to you, I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan. For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve. Once again, Jesus was taken to a high place, a very high mountain, where the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. So Satan exercises a real yet temporary, limited authority over this fallen world system, where materialism, wealth, power, love of money often taking the first place. Even so, everything remains completely under the sovereignty and authority of God. Where temptation and sin abound, Satan uses the glory, the riches and the pleasure of this world as baits to attract lost people. Those who are far from God and his kingdom. Money, lost, worldly success, and the pleasures of this life can easily become idols in the hearts of men. But none of these things could ever attract our holy and righteous God, our beloved Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So, in the same way, those who have been born of the Spirit, regenerated by the Spirit of God, should never look at this fallen world for their true satisfaction. The Holy Spirit does not lead us to love or worship the things of this fallen world, which is passing away, and where the devil and those who follow him will exercise their influence. Show me who you are get along with, and I will tell you who you are. Instead, the Holy Spirit turns our hearts toward Christ. If the Spirit lives in us, then Christ lives in us. Therefore, all glory, honor, and worship belong to God alone through Jesus Christ. So here Jesus clearly demonstrates his authority over Satan. The devil tries to turn him away from the Father's will by offering the glory of all the kingdoms of the world in exchange of worship. But Jesus cannot be tempted by the pride and empty glory of this world. He was here to show us, to show his people. Once again, Jesus uses the very means that God has also given to his people to resist, to block the attack of the enemy. Because the devil is subtle and persistent, but he gives us our authority, the word of God. And once again, Jesus quotes from the book of Deuteronomy for the third time with perfect authority, perfect clarity, and perfect obedience. You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. That settles it. There is nothing more to add to it. Nothing. It is clear. It is a clear statement. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. This is the last verse of the passage. The devil left Jesus and went away, revealing Christ's authority and the power of heaven over the dark forces. So for us, his church, God's word is presented here as the weapon that Jesus used to answer every temptation. Through his perfect obedience, all glory and honor were given to God alone. According to his word, even though it was God made flesh, he could have crushed the devil with his hands. No, he quoted scripture. So the devil's temptation failed. Jesus Christ, the second Adam, succeeded where the first Adam failed. In doing so, he began to fulfill the promise God had made when he pronounced judgment on the serpent. Book of Genesis, chapter three, verse 15. I will put enmity between you, which is the serpent, and the woman, and between you, between your offspring and her offspring, you shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Here we clearly see two offspring. Two spiritual families. The offspring of the serpent and the offspring of the woman. The offspring of the serpent represents all those who remain in rebellion against God and under the power of sin. The offspring of the woman finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And includes all those who belong to him saved by the grace of God through faith. So it is from the beginning there is a division allowed by God, by his grace and sovereignty. So God promised that the serpent's head will be crushed. But Jesus' victory over temptation points forward to that great victory, which will be accomplished in a decisive and permanent way through his death on the cross and his resurrection, opening the way of eternal life. It was the beginning of Christ's victory. The fact that the angels came and ministered to Jesus also reveals both a divine dignity and divine authority. It also shows that the Father's loving care for his son after this time of testing, Jesus shares the same divine nature as the Father and the Holy Spirit. But while living on earth, he perfectly carried out the Father's will. As Jesus Himself said, Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. John 14, 9. There is an interesting fact which I wanted to show you. In the Gospel of Luke, there is an additional detail about the same event. It reminds us that the devil looks for opportunities to attack. And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. Isn't interesting. So you have the comparison between Matthew verse 11 and Luke 4:13. There is the same meaning, but the end is different. Until an opportune time. As we have seen through this passage, devil looks for opportunities to tempt. He will also look for opportunities to tempt us. Not only Jesus. Especially in times of weakness, wariness, when we neglect prayer and fellowship with our brothers and sisters, or simply when we begin to drift away from God. Yes, we are all concerned. The devil will always seek to attack God's people, always. We should neither ignore this reality, nor give it more attention than it deserves. But we must recognize it. This is real. However, what makes the difference? God's word. God's word makes all the difference. In the way we are facing lies, difficult situations, including the many temptations we experience every day. But through the guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit, as we saturate our hearts and minds with God's word, by reading it, meditating on it, and putting it into practice, our own will be gradually gives away the will of the Father. We are replacing our desires, our temptations with purity, holiness, and God's will. And then we will glorify God, the one who saved us from this world until our very last breath on this earth. So to conclude, as we come to an end to this message that the Lord has given us today, let us remember how we are to respond whenever we are tempted or tested in our flesh by the devil. Our only response is to stand on God's promises through his living word. To believe it, proclaim it, and to put it into practice by faith. God's word is a powerful, is powerful for all who believes that he is alive and that he rewards those who diligently seek him. Jesus Himself showed us the way by boldly saying, It is written. He didn't say I know. He didn't say I am the Son of God, I can do all things. No. He said, It is written. For who can stand against the one who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, knows God and the stand his will through his word? Who can stand against? Let us remember this important truth. The misuse of God's word without the elimination of the Holy Spirit in a legalistic way can also bring death and division. Yes, this is exactly what happened among the Pharisees in their opposition toward Jesus. They knew scripture, but what about the Holy Spirit? But on the other hand, speaking about the Holy Spirit without submitting to the word of God is equally dangerous. God has given us both his spirit and his word. And they always work together. Just as we see throughout the ministry of Jesus. Because Satan himself also twisted God's word. Let us also remember the apostle John's warning concerning the false prophets in his letter, the first letter. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many prophets, false prophets, have gone out into the world. First John 4:1. So this reminds us that false teachers will always seek to enter the church. For our spiritual safety, we must test every spirit in the light of scripture and continue to grow in spiritual maturity so that we will not be carried away by every wind of doctrine. Deceived by the desires of other flesh, or led into things that do not glorify God in our lives. So let me ask you one final question. Do you believe the word of God? So if the answer is yes, then read it. Then leave it and put it into practice while there is still time. Amen. So what can we learn and apply from Matthew 4, verse 1 to 11? You will see four points, simple ones, but very meaningful. The Bible is the very word of God. The Bible says that it's God's breath. This is what we have to believe: that this is the inspired word of God. The Bible is our final authority, it is our God's standard, our authority in everyday life. The Bible cannot fail or deceive, because it is God's truth, infallible. And the Bible is sufficient for faith and godly living. It is God's wisdom, it is sufficient for us. Amen. So let's pray. Heavenly Father, Almighty and Sovereign God, as your sons and daughters, we want to thank you for your word and for your grace, which enables us to know you and to worship you in spirit and truth in this place. We know that you are merciful and compassionate. We ask you to guide us through your word so that we may know you more deeply and live according to your will. Oh God, we desire to follow in the footsteps of your Son, Jesus Christ, and to walk by trusting your word rather than seeking signs in our circumstances. We surrender everything into your hands. Keep us on your narrow path and continue sanctifying us, transforming us into the likeness of Christ. We thank you for your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. As the head of this church, we pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Thank you for listening today. If the Lord used this message to bless you, feel free to share it, so others can also be encouraged and strengthened for the coming days. Keep seeking Him, keep reading His Word, and keep trusting His grace every single day.