Message
It Is Written
Matthew 4:1-11
Key Verse: Matthew 4:4 “Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.””
Is there anyone who likes being tested? When I finished the last exam of my senior year in college, I shouted with joy, “No more tests in my life.” However, soon I had to take a test to join the Air Force. When I became a full-time engineer, I had to take the promotion test and TOEFL test. When I came to America, I had to start college again to be a teacher. And numerous tests had followed. Life was an endless test. Sometimes, God tests us to promote our faith. The devil also tests us. But we call the devil’s test a temptation because the test's purpose is to destroy us. If we fail the test, we become the slave of the devil. But the real problem is that we often don’t even recognize that we are being tempted. The worst case is that the devil doesn’t even try to tempt us because we are already under his strong influence.
Jesus was led to the wilderness, a place of deficiency, and tempted by the devil. Jesus couldn’t eat for forty days and forty nights, and his body and mind might have been weakened to the limit any human could reach. Did anyone among us have experience of fasting for more than a week? The starvation process begins after 3 days of fasting.
The devil brought three questions to ask Jesus. Interestingly, God recorded the devil’s questions in the Bible so that we can prepare for the devil’s temptation. And God also recorded the correct answers for each question. Now everyone knows about the devil’s questions and the correct answers. Then, how easy is it to pass the test?
Then, did the devil change his questions? I think that he should change them. Surprisingly, the devil didn’t change the questions. For two thousand years, he has tempted humans with the same questions. Why? Is he stupid? No, he is not stupid. Rather, he is confident that he can still win with those questions. It tells us how miserably we are weak and vulnerable to the devil’s temptation. Knowledge doesn’t make us win over the devil’s temptation. Only faith matured by obedience to God’s words enables us to win the devil’s temptation. I believe that God wants us to challenge again and again, although we fail many times. I believe that God wants us to grow step by step into victors, not victims of the devil’s temptation.
I. On what do men live?
What was the first question? Let’s read Verse 3. “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” If Jesus was not hungry, this suggestion wouldn’t be a temptation. But Jesus was on the verge of his physical life after 40 days of fasting because he was fully human. If he doesn’t eat bread right now, surely, he will die in a short time. The devil is saying to Jesus, “Hey! Jesus, if you don’t eat right now, you will die soon. If you die, you can’t be a Messiah. It is an emergency. Why don’t you make these stones into bread? I know you can do it.” What the devil said was reasonable.
However, If Jesus made stones into bread, he couldn’t be a representative of human beings because no human can change stone into bread. What was Jesus’ answer? Let’s read V4. Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus didn’t deny that humans need bread to maintain our physical bodies. But Jesus’ answer tells us about What is the real cause that we maintain our lives on Earth.
We remember that a similar situation had happened in the wilderness. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they traveled through the desert for around one month. And the food they brought from Egypt ran out. They became very hungry, almost starving. What did they do? Look at Exodus 16:3. “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” They grumbled against God. Then the LORD said to Moses. “I will rain down bread from heaven for you.” (Exo 16:4)
From that time on, God provided them with the manna for forty years in the desert. However, God didn’t provide them food for a monthly portion or a year. God provided the manna only a daily portion. Then, why? God told the reason in Deuteronomy 8:3,4. “He humbled you causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”
This verse sounds like we need the bread for our physical body and we need the words of God for our spirit. So we need both of them equally.
If someone asks the Israelites later, how did you survive in the desert for forty years? Then, they may answer in this way. “Oh! We survived by eating manna.” However, the truth is that the Israelites survived not by the manna but by God’s provision. If there were no God’s words, there was no manna. God wanted the Israelites to remember God who was the source of the provision whenever they went out to collect the manna. They should recognize the living God who rained down manna from heaven according to His word. Then, in the future, when they face any other deficiency, they could come to God instead of grumbling.
But the Israelites failed to recognize God, who provides the manna. if we read Verse 4b without the word “alone”, the meaning of God’s word becomes clearer. Let me read it again. “to teach you that man does not live on bread but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” It took more than forty years for the Israelites to learn this one thing. What happens when God’s people don’t learn this truth? Whenever people experience a deficiency, people would fall into extreme worry, anxiety, and stress that come from insecurity and fear
The devil tried to persuade Jesus that when a human body is hungry, the most urgent thing is bread. But Jesus teaches us that It’s not bread, but the word of God that comes out of the mouth of God. If the bread is needed, God will provide it, just as God fed the prophet Elijah by sending a crow. Otherwise, God could sustain Jesus’ life without eating the bread.
When I was younger, my understanding of verse 4 was like this. “We need bread and God’s words equally on Earth.” But it was not equal.
One month after I arrived in the US, I bought a used car in Baltimore. I drove the car without registration and insurance because the previous owner said that he could cover me with his insurance until the Title of the car came from the bank.
A few days later, I hit the expensive Cadillac. The previous owner changed his word and I had to pay all the fixing costs by myself. The estimated fixing cost was more than all the cash that I brought from Korea. I knew that I was screwed up. Both me and my wife had no job at that time and couldn’t speak English. I had two young kids to feed. Extreme anxiety attacked my heart. I felt that I would starve to death in a foreign land because I had no money to live on. After three days of prayer, I recognized my unbelief that I relied on money more than God who was the source of the provision. God taught me that “man should not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” I deeply accepted God’s word. I could overcome all kinds of worries and anxiety from that time on. After moving to New York, sometimes, my bank account balance was less than $20. However, I was free from worry because I learned the lesson from the beginning of my missionary life.
Then, what does Jesus’ response mean to us who live in the 21st century? The practical application of this verse is in Matthew 6:33.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
If we practice this verse, we can overcome the devil’s first temptation. This verse teaches us that there is a priority over the matter. “All these things in verse 6:33 could be summed up as one word, which is “materials, or any needs.” Believers are not seeking those things because those things will be given to us, meaning that those follow us. That’s Jesus’ promise. The only thing we seek is “his kingdom and his righteousness.” If we put the priority on obeying the words of God, we can be a servant of God. If we put priority on seeking material things, we become the slave of those. Even though someone claims that “I am not the slave of money”, the person’s priority decides what kind of person he would be.
God gave us one indicator through which we could overcome the temptation of material things. That is the tithe. God commanded us to offer one-tenth of our income to God. (Not comfortable talking about tithe) God claimed that one-tenth belongs to God. Why did God command us to offer the Tithe if he is not in need? It is for us. Because God knows how easily we become the slaves of material things due to our unbelief and greed.
A pastor delivered the message concerning the tithe to the international students who study in European countries. Most of the international students lived on tight budgets. The wife of one international student asked a question to the pastor. “If I offer a tithe, I would not have the money to buy milk for my baby. Should I offer the tithe in my case?” How would you answer if you were asked the same question? The Pastor responded, “Our God is a compassionate God, he will understand. You don’t need to offer.”
But he said God’s answer might be different. The pastor read Malachi 3:10. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, “says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” If I were you, I would offer the tithe and then see whether God allowed my baby to starve or do something according to his promise.
In the 2nd temptation, Jesus said “Do not put your God to the test.” However, God himself asks us to test God in this matter. Why? God wants us to trust in His goodness and power. God wants us to be free from being a slave of material things. Our faith doesn’t grow automatically when time passes. Our faith grows step by step like walking on the stairs when we obey the word of God. The reason we feel feeble and weak in spirit is because we don’t obey the words of God often enough. The reason we maintain this much of life is because we had some moments of obedience in the past.
Seeking his kingdom and righteousness does not necessarily do great things all the time. Sometimes, it could be small things in our daily lives. For example, do not get angry because man’s anger doesn’t bring God’s righteousness, not curse back to the crazy driver or stupid driver, show a small kindness to the people around us, pray continually by asking God in small matters, prepare 1:1 Bible study for one soul, Etc.
Every year, I had one prayer topic or New Year resolution. That was the reading of the entire Bible once a year. But I was not successful. Last year was my first full retirement year. So, I thought “Now the time has come to fulfill my resolution.” But I failed again. If I make an excuse, I found that I flew 24 times last year visiting here and there. But that was not the real cause. When the year 2025 approaches, God gave me one word repeatedly in my mind, not one bible verse, just one vocabulary. That was the word, “First.” Then, I knew that God was telling me the verse Matthew 6:33, “Seek first his kingdom and righteousness.” So, I decided, “To read the Bible for one hour First before eating breakfast.” Today is Feb 23, which means around 15 % of the days out of the year have passed. And I have read 23 % of the Bible chapters. So, I could say that “Seek first works.”
II. Trust or Test
Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple and said. Let’s read verses 6. “If you are the Son of God, he said, Throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” If Jesus follows Satan’s temptation, Jesus could be a superstar and spectacular leader and everyone will follow him as a Messiah. This was an easy way to be the Messiah. What was Jesus’ answer? Look at the verse 7. “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord you God to the test.’”
The scriptures Satan quoted were about trusting God who protects us when we are in dangerous circumstances outside of our control. (Psalm91:11,12) To intentionally put ourselves in a dangerous situation and expect God to protect us is testing God. Satan twisted trust to test. The test is not trusting. God is faithful, God is good. God is almighty. God keep his promise. Our God is the object of our trust, not testing. Then, when are we testing God? Jesus quoted his answer from Det. 6:16. “Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.” When we keep doubting God’s goodness and his power, we are testing God. Especially, when we are in tough situations, we are tempted to test God, instead of trusting. God said in Isa 30:15. “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Another aspect of the 2nd temptation is about being the Messiah without taking up the cross. God sent his Son Jesus into the world so the Son would die to purchase a people by his blood. If Jesus became the Messiah without dying on the cross, there would be no forgiveness of sins for us. Then, there is no point in Jesus’ coming. Satan is offering a pain-free way to accomplish his mission. But that is against God’s will. What Satan is afraid of is “the Cross of Jesus.” It’s because Jesus destroyed the work of Satan on the Cross.
Jesus continually told his disciples. “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”(Mt. 16:24) The Messiahship without the cross was one of the greatest temptations to Jesus. Likewise, life without self-denial and one’s cross is also a great temptation to the disciple of Jesus.
III. The Bait of the Devil
Look at the verse 8,9. “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.””
Satan offered Jesus the world in exchange for worship. Ultimately, Jesus came into this world to bring all the nations and kingdoms of the world under his dominion and authority. Revelation 11:15 reads, “The Kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” The temptation is how Jesus would claim the kingdom of the world. Jesus came into the world to claim the kingdom of the world by the way of the cross. That was the eternal covenant between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Son would die to purchase a people, a kingdom that can never be shaken.
However, Satan is offering a shortcut. Jesus knew that this couldn’t be a deal. Even though Jesus might receive the kingdom of the world after bowing to Satan, Jesus will still be under the authority of Satan. Jesus will be the servant of Satan. This was nonsense. So Jesus told him, “Away from me Satan! You speak nonsense! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”
After one year of Bible study in 1980, I had to decide whether I live as a child of God or seek worldly success. Guaranteed material wealth was a great temptation to me because I had lived in poverty like many others in those days. I reasoned before these two options. If I seek worldly success, I might enjoy my life on Earth, but it has an expiration date. It is only for life on earth. And also, the quality of life matters. I knew that Satan was the father of envy, hatred, fear, and all kinds of evil. However, when I lived as a child of God, worshipping only God, eternal life was guaranteed, including freedom, peace, joy, and fulfillment. The privilege of being God’s children surpassed that of Satan’s offer. There is no reason for me to go under Satan’s authority by worshiping him.
From that time on, I realized that Satan’s offer in this world is bait. It looks good and desirable. It’s tempting. but when we bite the bait, it leads us to destruction. Whatever Satan offers us in this world is bait. The short-term memory of fish is around 30 seconds. So, fish keep biting the same bait. We shouldn’t act like a fish.
Living as a child of God by worshiping God only is a glorious life. When time passes, Satan’s offers in this world fade away, it has not much enduring value. But the glory reserved for us is far beyond our imagination. I am thankful to God who helped me to make the right choice 45 years ago. The pathway of living as a disciple of Jesus was not easy, but When I think back, I feel like I got a Jack Pot.
Devil’s temptation is real in our everyday life. Whatever we see, hear, or think might be Satan’s temptation. Then, what can we learn from Jesus in resisting the devil’s temptation?
First, Jesus rejected temptation quickly. He didn’t linger over Satan’s option or its possible benefits. He refused to let the temptations linger in His mind. We shouldn’t let the temptation simmer in our minds as an option. Someone might have a habit of meditating on Satan’s offer. we should resist it right away. When we resist Satan’s temptation, we normally use the name of Jesus. Saying, “In the name of Jesus, get away from me Satan.” However, we can learn another way from today’s passage.
Second, Jesus rejected the temptation by saying, “It is written.” Even though Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus never said “I think or in my opinion.” Whenever Jesus says, he says, “It is written.” When Satan heard, “It is written,” he couldn’t argue with Jesus anymore.
So, I learned that our reaction also should start by saying “It is written”. When judging spirit comes into our hearts, we could say, “It is written, do not judge.” When worry and anxiety sneak into our hearts, we could say, “It is written, do not worry.” When doubt comes into our hearts, say “It is written, do not test God but trust in him.” When our hearts feel to brag about ourselves, say “It is written, God exalts the humble.” You might forget everything in today’s message. But remember one thing, “start saying, it is written.”
May God bless us to be victorious this year. May God bless us to expand the kingdom of God in our hearts, families, workplaces, and campuses by defeating Satan’s temptation. Amen!!