Tempted Like Adam. Triumphant Like Jesus.
Matthew 4:1-17
November 13, 2023

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Matthew 4:1-17
GET THIS: Because Jesus, the better Adam, stood toe-to-toe with evil and won, so can we. But only in Christ.


Tempted Like Adam and Eve

See Genesis 3:1-8

Three important things about how temptation has always worked:

The calling to serve a lesser master “YOU will be like God”

The calling to doubt the good, beautiful, and joy filled promises of God “Did God actually say…”

The Lust of The Flesh, The Lust of The Eyes, and The Pride of Life “…the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh: “that’ll really scratch my itch”), and that it was a delight to the eyes (lust of the eyes: “wow! that sure is shiny”), and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise (the pride of life: “I’ll be wise enough that i won’t need God”)…”

See Genesis 3:15

The early Christians considered the beginning of Genesis—with its story of creation and fall and its promise of redemption—to be so christological in its implications that they called it the Protoevangelium, or First Gospel. —Scott Hahn


Triumphant Like Jesus!

See Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus wins! don’t you see! this passage might speak to us about how to fight temptation… but this passage SCREAMS to us: THE MESSIAH IS HERE! THE SNAKE CRUSHER IS HERE! Genesis 3:15 is about to be fulfilled! The the Promised One! Jesus!

That’s Matthew’s point! … but He’s now transitioning… from Jesus being the Fulfillment of Kingdom promises (ch1-3) to Jesus being the ANNOUNCER of Kingdom Arrival! The One Promised to Stand toe-to-toe with the devil and win is here! And he has something to say!


The Kingdom Is Here

See Matthew 4:12-17

Repent! Turn from the whispers of Satan and the World! Turn away from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life! Turn away from lesser kings and lesser kingdoms! Take personal ownership of the emptiness of your own kingdom (which is actually satan’s kingdom - ouch). Take ownership of how empty and temporal and void of true life and joy all other ways are! Repent! And get in on the Kingdom of God!


Take Time To Reflect
(1) Where are you struggling to have victory over temptation, spiritual attack, and sin?
(2) What does the Word of God and promises of God say to you in the midst of these battles?
(3) What habits do (or should) you have in pursuit of knowing, trusting, and speaking the promises of God?


GET THIS: Because Jesus, the better Adam, stood toe-to-toe with evil and won, so can we. But only in Christ.