Text: It is among the most dramatic episodes in the history of redemption–Christ’s temptation by the devil. It is recorded at length in Luke 4:1-13 and Matthew 4:1-11. For today, I will focus on Luke’s recording of it. Here’s the context: Jesus (God the Son) was led by God the Holy Spirit “in the wilderness for forty, days, being tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1-2 ESV). There you have the bottom line up front. We know who led Jesus (God the Holy Spirit); we know where the mission took him (the wilderness), and we know the why (to be tempted by the devil).

And Jesus was tempted by the devil with three things: hunger, power, and pride. “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread,” the devil said to Jesus. That’s the temptation to give in to hunger. “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours,” the devil said to Jesus. That’s the temptation unto power. And lastly, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you . . .’” the devil said. That’s the temptation unto pride.

I think we would all agree those are no small temptations—hunger, power, and pride. And Jesus had not eaten for forty days. Yet He endured and overcame. How did Jesus respond to each temptation? How should that shape how we respond? How ought we to respond when the devil or evils come to us via temptations?

Encouragement: In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul records how “a thorn was given him in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass [him], to keep [him] from becoming conceited” (2 Corinthians 12:7 ESV). Paul pleaded with God over and over to remove it, but God left it. To teach him (and to teach all who would follow Christ) what it means to endure and prevail. Be encouraged; you have a Redeemer who endured and overcame so that you and I might look to Him in repentance and faith, knowing that He is more than able, so that His people are more than conquerors.