Tempted
Matthew 4:1-11
February 13, 2005
A sermon by Currie Burris

I have seen the wilderness where Jesus spent those forty days being tested. Jesus had just been baptized in the Jordan River. Fed by the river’s constant watering, the river valley is lush and fertile. There are farms and fruit trees, olive groves. But not far from there, the arid desert begins. Now when we think of a desert, we may have images of the Sahara desert with miles and miles of sand dunes. Or we may think of Death Valley here in the US, with miles of flat, dry salt beds.

But the desert just east of the Jordan, in what is now the country Jordan, is mountainous with high peaks and sharp valleys. The valleys are called “wadis.” They are actually streambeds, dry most of the year except for a rare down pour and flash floods. The terrain is treacherous with many hidden cracks and holes. The rocks are sharp. The desert borders the Dead Sea, which is poison for anyone who drinks it. Life exists there in the desert: scattered bushes and small trees, some wild animals (in Jesus’ time predators like lions and wolves), and once in a while you will come across a small pool of water or stream. While I was there, we bathed in Mayin Spring, a warm spring, pouring out of the side of a rock cliff that has been flowing for millennia. A small oasis amid the heat.

Into the wilderness, Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tested. We usually say he was tempted, but in reality, he was brought out into the desert not to find out if he was the messiah, the Son of God, but what kind of messiah he would be. He was tested. He was not tempted by the obvious violations of God’s law, the commandments. He was not tempted to lie, to cheat, to steal or kill, not tempted to betray those he loved. He was tested with things, which in and of themselves were not bad.

Satan says, “Since you are the Son of God (notice the best translation of what is said is “since” not “if”), turn these stones into bread.” Jesus was hungry. Nothing wrong with eating. And miraculously producing food is something he does for 5000 people just a few chapters over in the book of Matthew. Moreover, Satan refers to “stones”, plural. Jesus, as one man, only needed one loaf, one stone. But turning stones to bread implies feeding many people, perhaps the whole world. Nothing wrong with feeding hungry people. But would Jesus use the miraculous powers of God to exempt himself from the every day struggle of human life? Would he try to use God to change his life, to claim for himself, what only God can do?

Satan then took him up to the pinnacle of the Temple, a high place in the middle of Jerusalem where many people would be and could witness what would happen. The tempter even quotes Psalm 91 to propose that he throw himself down from the high place and call on the angels to save him. Surely all people would believe in him then. Later in the gospel, Jesus defies the laws of nature to impress his followers: he walks on water. Why not do something miraculous to impress the entire world? But walking on the water had a specific purpose to help those who already followed him. Would Jesus here test God’s faithfulness? Would he manipulate God to impress the world?

Then Satan showed him all the kingdoms of the world—particularly I’m sure, the Romans who ruled most the known world with terror and brutality. Satan promised him the power to rule over all it. Would it not be a good thing to replace the Romans with Jesus’ loving sovereignty? In the last chapter of Matthew (28:18), after the resurrection, on the day of Jesus’ ascension into heaven, we learn that God has given all things in heaven and on earth into his hand. Why not have it now? But to do so would require worshipping the deceiver, turning away from worshipping God to worship a lesser light, a lie. Would Jesus be willing to attain a good thing, by doing something bad, by betraying God?

Jesus was tested to find out what kind of messiah he would be. But more than that, he was tested to find out what kind of person he would be. The tests are the same. Would he use God to serve himself, or would he serve God? Would he be his own God? Would he put himself forward as the center of the universe or would he hold God there? Would he claim power for himself or would he give God the power and glory?

It is interesting to note how similar, in the book of Matthew, Jesus’ life and ministry is to Moses’ life. Moses’ birth was followed by a miraculous escape from a brutal king, the Pharaoh. Jesus also escapes a brutal king, Herod. Both their escapes were attended by the slaughter of many innocent children. Both were raised in Egypt, so it could be said of both that they came “out of Egypt.” Moses passed through the waters of the Red Sea and was drawn by God into the wilderness to be tested. Jesus passed through the waters of baptism and was led into the desert wilderness to be tested. Moses fasted 40 days on Mount Sinai. Jesus fasted 40 days on a mountain in the desert.

After each test, Jesus quotes a passage from what was probably the first book of Moses, Deuteronomy. “We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Deut. 8:3) “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” (Deut. 6:16) “The Lord, your God, shall you worship, and him alone shall you serve.” (Deut 6:13)

You and I walk our journey through the wilderness of testing. It’s a wilderness of city streets, offices and schools, a wilderness of kitchens and bedrooms, of the beltway and the Mall. It’s a wilderness full of people where ultimately we are by ourselves. You and the private place known only to you. You, alone with your conscience. Alone with God. You know the pull of temptation to do or to be something you are not, to have something that is not yours, to put yourself and your pride before others. You know the temptation to break God’s laws for us. Each of us has lied; we have cheated; we have stolen; we have betrayed those we love. We may have even killed—if not literally, killed the spirit, killed the dream, killed the future of another’s life. We have broken the ten commandments of God.

But the most important test is the greatest test of all. What kind of person will you be? What are your values? Where is your faith? Who do you love and whom do you serve? Who or what will you give your ultimate allegiance?

Later in Matthew, Jesus will be asked: what is the greatest commandment, and he answered, “The Lord, your God is one. You shall worship the Lord your God with all your hearts, soul, mind and strength. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself” (Deut. 6:4-5, Lev. 16:18). Direct quotes from the heart of Moses’ law. All the tests laid before Jesus in the wilderness – the test to turn stones into bread, the test of manipulating God to make a show before the Temple, and the test of power, sovereignty and authority – all were ultimately a single measure: how much did he fulfill the greatest commandment?

In fulfilling this greatest of all laws, Jesus demonstrated who he was: the light of God in the world, the truth of God for us all, and the way of God for our lives. In following him, we follow his way. Loving and serving God, loving our neighbor as ourselves. Let it be.