Matthew 4:1-11

1 Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
 ‘One does not live by bread alone,
  but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
  5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying 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,
 so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
  8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
 ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Face the tests of life with courage and assurance for you are a child of God.

Did you think that tests were over when you finished school or got your driver’s license? Evidently not, you have found out that there are many tests – blood tests that give results about your health and if your body is retaining too much of this or too little of that. You may get tests at your job to make sure you are keeping up with the latest information and standards that you need to perform well. We have tests to measure knowledge, skills, and competence, and all kinds of things. Often to move forward we have to pass a test of some kind. 

Jesus had been baptized by John at the Jordan, and had thereby been sanctioned to begin his ministry among the people. He had been claimed and ordained by the Father. We are familiar with the pronouncement: This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased! It seemed as if all was a go; it was time for Jesus to take up his work. The Spirit led him out; not to the next town, not to the nearest place of worship, but into the wilderness. There he was tested. The one who administers the test questions was the devil. Isn’t that the way? It’s the opposition who leads the interrogation! 

As you heard the test questions in the gospel, did you hear what is really being questioned? The tempter is a sneaky fellow. It sounds as if Jesus is being enticed to provide himself with some bread to satisfy his hunger. After all he had been fasting for a very long time and the body needs food.  But that is just a means to an end. The devil is quite aware of Jesus’ abilities because the source of his power is the Creator God. What the devil is after, is to disconnect Jesus from his relationship with God. The demand was: “If you are the Son of God”, then prove it to me by making some bread! Does Jesus really know who he is? Is he willing to accept and depend upon that relationship? What is being tested here is Jesus’ understanding of his own identity, mission, and allegiance. 

Such temptations have appeared before, in fact at the very beginning. The serpent tested the loyalty and relationship of Adam and Eve to their maker and God. You may recall they didn’t do so well. He taunted: “Did God say (did God really say) ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Eve knew God had said that, they had been warned. But the serpent gave a different reasoning behind God’s prohibition; he suggests that God is not trustworthy, he is holding back information they need. He infers that they would be like God if they ate that fruit, they would know good and evil. That was part of the truth - they did indeed come to know and experience both good and evil, yet it didn’t make them into God. It instead placed them at a distance from God, breaking their good relationship to him. It distorted their true identity from their once close and familiar connection to God.

Such temptations appear again and again, in fact in our own lives, there are tests which can compromise our identity and allegiance. Do we know who we are?  Where does our identification reside and depend upon? Who deserves our allegiance, but to whom do we give our allegiance? At your baptism you were claimed as God’s own child, if you were small, promises were made to raise you to know this blessing you have received. Your name is specified at that time to tie it to the One in whom you are eternally united. The church exists to teach and remind you of that connection and keep you with those who also share that familial relation. As Jesus answered the tester, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ We are to listen to the Word, keeping our identity clear and having it as our guide. 

The devil doesn’t give up easily. He moves on to attack the pride one feels in one’s identity. With Jesus he aimed again at “If you are the Son of God!”  Certainly the Son of God must put you at the top of the heap of humanity, who is more important than you, Jesus, you should be admired and served. As the devil proclaimed - God’s angels exist for the purpose of protecting you, to do your bidding! Jesus did not have an interest in having his ego inflated or receiving grand recognition by staging outrageous publicity stunts. He made it clear that God was not to be expected to get Jesus out of trouble, Jesus was there to follow and serve God. So, he warned: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’

One more attribute that humanity finds ever desirable is power! It seems we can never get enough! Afterall if Jesus came to be the anointed one, the ruler, it would be his identity and goal to take over the kingdoms of the world. Satan asked only that he be worshipped and he would hand it all over to Jesus, for the devil assumes he already has the world within his power. It would be a short cut. Jesus then reminds this tester that Jesus did not come to rule Satan’s kingdom but to bring into this world the very reign of God. That would come about only after the resurrection when Jesus will receive all authority in heaven and earth as God’s gift. It would not be a takeover but a restoration. The Son of God does not gain such a position through being awarded a privilege or power but only in obedience to God. 

Jesus rejects the devil’s invitations. We are urged to do the same. To act on the devil’s bidding makes one a child of the devil, not God. It is a betrayal of who we have been made to be. 

Jesus struggle with such tests continue as Jesus’ ministry unfolds. His followers do not consistently follow and pass the tests which come before them. His acts of healing, of feeding, and restoring to community are not always accepted as the grace-filled gift they were but often became expected as a right. There were conflicts and jealousy with those who should have seen the fulfillment that Jesus was bringing among them. 

We may also think that we know what is best for us, if only Jesus would take up our proposals for our life. We can easily forget that our identity is grounded in the love and mercy that comes from Christ. Be assured, as Paul wrote to the Romans, “one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.” That one man never forgot who he was and he is your brother, Jesus Christ, whose love in obedience holds you fast