Matthew chapter 4
NEW TESTAMENT
Matthew chapter 4
Scripture:
Today I will summarize Matthew chapter 4 where Matthew wrote about Jesus being led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil. Matthew wrote about the temptations after Jesus came out of the water after being baptized. The Holy Spirit rested on him. The Holy Spirit led Jesus away from people and into the desert wildness alone. Jesus began to fast and pray to the father in heaven. Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. When Jesus was hungry then Satan came and tried to tempt him to sin. First Lucifer noticed that Jesus was hungry. He started speaking to Jesus. He said I know you are the son of God. Command these stones to magically turn into bread and eat them. Give into your fleshly desire. Jesus replied with a quoted bible verse. “Man shall not live on bread alone but by every word that God speaks”. Satan shrugged and said come with me to the temple. Satan brought Jesus instantly to Jerusalem somehow and made him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. Then Lucifer said you like to use bible verses, do you? The Bible says the father will command his angels concerning you the messiah. The angels will catch you and prevent you from falling so you won’t even strike your foot against a stone. Give into your pride. You should take what is rightfully yours now. Jesus replied on the other hand it is also written you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Satan then instantly took Jesus to another high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms, riches, and glory of this world and they all belong to me. I can give all earthly power and money to anyone I choose. I will let you rule over the whole world and I will make you the richest person to have ever lived. All you have to do I fall and worship me. Jesus was furious and relied on getting away from me Satan. It is written that you shall worship the lord your God and only him shall you serve. Satan was shocked that he could not successfully cause Jesus to sin. All other humans were so easy to target. Lucifer brought his full arsenal. The temptation of physical pleasure. The temptation of pride and power and money failed so miserably. Satan fled away from Jesus quickly after being defeated. Angels then appeared next to Jesus and began to minister to him. After Jesus successfully resisted Lucifer and his temptations he went back to the city. Jesus heard about the arrest of John the Baptist and knew it was time. He left Nazareth and began living in Capernaum. This fulfilled the prophecy that Isaiah wrote about. After the rest of John, the Baptist Jesus began his public ministry teaching everyone that they must repent for their sin against God because the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Then Jesus began looking for his disciples. He walked along the sea and saw four fishermen named Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John the sons of Zebedee. Jesus told them to follow him and they immediately left their nets, boats, and family and followed him. News spread quickly about Jesus and his disciples because they were going throughout Galilee teaching in all the synagogues preaching the good news about the kingdom and healing people who had all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. Many people from Syria began coming to see Jesus bringing with them people who were sick suffering from all kinds of diseases and disorders people with demons, epileptics, and paralytics and Jesus healed them all. Large crowds followed him from Jerusalem, Judea, and the land on the other side of the Jordan.
Observation:
The thing I think God wants us to understand after reading this chapter is that Lucifer tempted Jesus with physical pleasures, pride power, and money Satan even used the holy scripture to tempt Jesus to sin and took the scriptures out of context. Lucifer knows the bible better than any person on earth. The Lord wants us to be on guard to repel any similar attempt to use information in the bible out of context. God wants us to see that Jesus was successful in warding off these temptations by correctly handling the word of God. We should look to him for strength and the same. Gods want us to see that Jesus and his disciples were able to heal sick people miraculously. Are you shocked to find out that Lucifer uses the bible out of context to tempt people to sin against God? How can we ever know are hearing is correct? We can ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and knowledge. Have you ever been tricked by Satan or your worldly flesh to sin against God? We all have. Why do you ask for forgiveness and repent for offending him with your life? Repent for your sin and turn to the Lord for salvation Today. Jesus humbled and died on the cross for you and me.
Application:
We all face temptations in life. We suffer also from our wrong and haste decisions. Jesus said your body is the temple of God. Keep it Holy. Do you know how evil enters our minds? It’s through our eyes. We see a lot of things that are not holy. We listen to a lot of things that are not holy. We speak a lot of things that are not holy. If you fill yourself with evil things. The output will be evil. But if you fill yourself with Holy things the output will also be holy and it will reflect in your character. Listen very carefully to the songs of today full of vulgarity. We don’t even realize it. Everyone including the youth uses The F slang and it makes them feel good about themselves. The movies, porn videos, tattoos of snakes and dragons, etc. when the child is born and when you take the child for baptism. Do you remember the oath that you took? I will be good parents and raise them in holiness and cultivate good values. Do you sit as a family and read the bible and discuss it at home with your children? First thing you get up in the morning and thank the lord for protecting you during the day and night and for all his blessings bestowed upon you. Instead of listening to music in the morning play the online bible in your house. There are so many good bible explanations and Jesus’s motivational videos. Watch a lot of testimonies it will increase your faith. When you listen automatically to good things your output will also be good. When you sleep in your bed play the bible softly. There will be no room for evil. Resist the evil one and he will flee. Don’t entertain unnecessary evil gossip. The time invested in God is never a waste. Whenever something tells you don’t listen don’t read the bible. You must be stubborn that I will read. I will listen. It may sound very tough. Remember when life is disciplined you are fruitful. But if life is in-disciplined you face unwanted problems knocking at your doorstep. It’s not a one-day thing. You neither can do it by yourself. Ask the Lord to fill your day with his presence and guidance and the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Judgment God will not see the number of times you attended church or fasted. Or said long prayers. He will only see one thing the character of Jesus in you. In every situation Just ask yourself if Jesus was in this situation what would he do or how would he react? You will get your answer.
Prayer:
Jesus, you said we human beings face trials and tribulations because we do not know the scriptures and we are not aware of god’s power. Jesus has already defeated Satan on the cross. We do not have to fear him.
Let us pray: Please Lord give me the wisdom to walk away when I am tempted, and the clarity to see the way out that you will provide. Thank you, Lord, for being a faithful deliverer and I can count on your help in time of need. Thank you for being there for me. Amen
