Matthew 3:15-4:11 (Mark 1:9-13 and Luke 3:21-22; 4:1-13)
Comprehension--
Jesus comes to John the Baptizer to be baptized. John is uneasy with His request, knowing Jesus is perfect and doesn't need the washing away of sins. But Jesus is starting His ministry and desires to follow God obediently in all things. John consented and baptized Jesus. When it was done, God opened up heaven and put His stamp of approval on Jesus as His very loved Son.Then this same God, who had just praised Him, through His Spirit led Jesus into a wilderness of temptation. Satan made promises to Jesus, promising Him food, power, protection. Jesus refused everything by the power of the Word of God. Satan left until an "opportune time" (as Luke puts it), and angels ministered to Jesus, who had just endured 40 days and 40 nights with no food and surrounded by wild animals.
Interpretation
A familiar story is sometimes the hardest to study. 😔 Jesus was fully God, yet submitted to the will of the Father in obedience. All that Satan was tempting Him with WAS well within Jesus' power to do. He could definitely turn stones into bread, He could throw Himself down from the highest heights and survive, and He already had power over all of the kingdoms and their glory. But Jesus knew the better story, He knew His goal, and He was committed to know us and be known by us. Just as he obediently participated in the beautiful picture of the Gospel through baptism, He also willingly suffered the temptation from the enemy. Satan wasn't done with tormenting Jesus, but Jesus was able to be victorious by the power of the Scriptures.
Application
This story leads me to see the importance of KNOWING God's Word. It's easy to say "But that was Jesus, of course He knows the Word, He wrote it!!" But Jesus is lovingly teaching us the way to combat every temptation from Satan. (He teaches us by living it, not just telling it 💓) Every empty promise Satan threw His way, Jesus refuted with Scripture. We need to be prepared to duel with the enemy just the way Jesus did, with the sword of the word of God. And when we win, and we will if we are true to the pattern Jesus set before us, we ahouldn’t spend time congratulating ourselves on a job well done. Follow the lead of Christ Jesus and rest, eat, and allow God to minister to your tired self. Satan will be back at the next opportunity, and only in the strength of Christ Jesus can we continue to be victorious!!
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