Temptation of Christ

Date: January 24th
Speaker: RJ Dugone
Text: Mark 1:9-11 (NASB) 12 And immediately the Spirit *brought Him out into the wilderness. 13 And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.

• How long without food does it take for you to get hungry?  (How hungry would you be after fasting for 40 days?)
• After 40 days of praying and fasting, Jesus would have been spiritually strong and physically weak.  How do you think Jesus' spiritual and physical status impacted His time of temptation?

Big Idea: Although the Gospel of Mark does not give us the details of Christ’s Temptation, we know that this experience was divinely appointed by God as Jesus is being led by the Holy Spirit.  This is also an affirmation of Christ’s humanity.  God cannot be tempted, but the human side of Christ was not immune from the attempts of the Enemy.  This truly makes Jesus into an advocate who understands “us.”

• How would you explain the idea of Jesus being a man in the flesh and Almighty God simultaneously in one physical body?
• Why was it important for Jesus to experience temptation?

Cross References:  Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB) 14  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

• The writer of Hebrews explains the reason that Jesus needed to experience temptation.  
• When we "come" before God, we are received with mercy and grace.  How would you define the concepts of "mercy" and "grace?"

Matthew 4:1-11 (NASB) 1  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2  And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3  And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4  But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" 5  Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6  and said 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 STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" 7  Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL 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 things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." 10  Then Jesus *said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" 11  Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.  

• It has often been pointed out by theologians that Jesus answered Satan with scripture.  Why is this important? 
• Which temptation seems to be the most tempting?

Theology/Apologetics: I think that there are 3 big takeaways from the story of Christ's temptation. 

1. Jesus has experienced the temptation of the flesh as a human; which means, Jesus is empathetic to us.
2. Jesus endured temptation without falling into sin.  Remaining free from sin so that Jesus could atone for our sin was a critical piece of Christ's mission.
3. ​This was not the last time Jesus would be tempted.  Satan was as bold as to use Peter to speak against the necessity of going to the cross.  To which Jesus said, "Get thee behind me Satan..."

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