EVEN JESUS THE CHRIST WAS TEMPTED

PROCLAMATION

“Then Jesus was led by The Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.  The tempter came to Him and said, ‘If You are The Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’  Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”  Matthew 4:1-4 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  After He was baptized by John the baptizer, Jesus, The Christ, was led into the wilderness by The Spirit.  There He fasted for forty days and nights.  Then the devil came and tempted Him, not just once but three times. (Matthew 4:3, 4:6, and 4:8-9)  Jesus did not yield or give in to the temptations.  He refused the devil on all three times. (Matthew 4:4, 4:7, and 4:10)  After this the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him supplying all of His needs. (Matthew 4:11)  From that time on Jesus, The Christ, began to preach saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

APPLICATION

Since the devil tempted Jesus, The Christ, why are we so surprised that he tempts us?  The devil knows each of our weaknesses, and he knows exactly what to tempt us with.  The weaknesses that we have for certain sins, he probably helped us to cultivate them.  It’s not temptation if it is something that is easy for us to refuse.  The test comes when the temptation is something that we like or want but shouldn’t have.  Temptation is not a sin, yielding to temptation is a sin.  If we are not strong enough to resist the temptation, then we should avoid the situations where the temptations occur.  The Bible says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  But the first part of that Bible verse says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.” (James 4:7)  Only with God’s help can believers resist the temptation to sin.

JESUS THE CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw The Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him.  And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”  Matthew 42:16-17 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  In the days after King Herod died, there came a man, John the baptizer, preaching in the wilderness preparing the way for Jesus, The Christ. (Matthew 3:1-3)  People from all of Judea came to him, confessing their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River. (Matthew 3:4-6)  He made it clear to them that he was only baptizing them with water for their repentance, but there would come another who was mightier than he, who would baptize them with The Holy Spirit and with fire. (Matthew 3:11)  Jesus, The Christ, came from Galilee to be baptized by John.  After He was baptized, as He was coming up out of the water, John saw The Holy Spirit of God descending from heaven like a dove and lighting on Him.  Then a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17)  

APPLICATION

Jesus, The Christ, was sinless.  He was not baptized for repentance, but He was baptized because it was appropriate to do it to fulfill all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15)  God, The Father, spoke and identified God, The Son, by sending God, The Holy Spirit, to Him as a visible sign.  Today we use the ordinance of baptism as an outwardly visible sign of an inner transformation.  We die to the control of sin and rise up as a new creature. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  When we accept Christ as our personal savior The Holy Spirit of God indwells us. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)  This gives us the capacity to keep His commandments.  All we have to do is believe, confess, and invite Him into our heart, and He will come into us. (Revelation 3:20)

PROTECTED BY AN ANGEL OF THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“When they had gone, an angel of The Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill Him.’ ”  Matthew 2:13 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  After the birth of Jesus, there came wise men, the Magi, from the east to worship Him. (Matthew 2:1-2)  When King Herod heard these things he was disturbed.  He gathered together the chief priests and the scribes and sought information from them regarding the place of the birth of Christ.  They told Herod that the prophets said that Christ would be born in Bethlehem and the Magi told him the exact time of His birth based upon the time the star appeared.  Herod told the Magi to let him know the exact location of the child so that he could go and worship Him, but he really wanted to kill Him. (Matthew 2:4-8)  The Magi left Herod and went to the place where the Christ-child lay.  They worshiped Him and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Afterwards they left and returned to their country by a different route, having been warned by an angel of The Lord not to go back to King Herod. (Matthew 2:12)  Joseph, Mary’s husband, was also warned about King Herod by an angel of The Lord and he took Mary and the Christ-child to Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-15)  The Christ-child was protected from an unseen danger by an angel of The Lord.

APPLICATION

It is clear that in this verse, and in this chapter, the “angel of The Lord” was protecting The Christ-child.  It is also clear that as believers we have angels watching over us. (Matthew 18:10)  When we are under attack, there are a host of angels surrounding us and ready to come to our defense. (2 Kings 6:17)  We have guardian angels who protect us from dangers seen and unseen.  If we are a child of The King, then we have His protection day and night.

JESUS THE SON OF GOD PUT ON HUMANITY

PROCLAMATION

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph … had in mind to divorce her quietly … an angel of The Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘… what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.’ ”  Matthew 1:18-21 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  The first Bible Book of The New Testament, Matthew, begins with a presentation of the genealogy of Jesus, The Christ and The Messiah.  The Apostle Matthew starts with Abraham, the father of the faithful, and goes to Joseph, the husband of Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, The Christ.  Each male father figure in the forty-two generations was listed.  There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen additional generation from David to the exile in Babylon, and then fourteen generations from the exile to the birth of Christ. (Matthew 1:17)  However, this omits the twenty generations before Abraham beginning with Adam.  While Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, Mary’s father Heli, the grandfather of Jesus, (Luke 3:23-38) was a direct descendant of David.  After Matthew links Jesus to David and to Abraham, he goes on to describe the immaculate human conception of Christ by The Holy Spirit of God.  He also describes how Joseph, Mary’s husband, had to be convinced to keep Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1:18-24)

APPLICATION

As a believer our salvation is based upon the acceptance of the virgin conception, the virgin birth, and the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, as truth.  We also accept that Jesus, The Christ, is the promised seed of Abraham, the promised Messiah.  The virgin Mary’s Son was conceived by The Holy Spirit of God and they called “His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)  God, The Son, put on human flesh and dwelt among us.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)  “And The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)  If we confess with our mouth that Jesus, The Christ, is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, then we will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

THE LORD GOD WILL DESTROY THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL

PROCLAMATION

“For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines and to remove all survivors who could help Tyre and Sidon.  The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.”  Jeremiah 47:4 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and which he proclaimed to the people of Judah.  After the destruction of Egypt (Jeremiah 46:25), The Lord God will destroy Philistine (Jeremiah 47:4), and all of the enemies of Israel including Moab (Jeremiah 48:42), Ammon (Jeremiah 49:2), Edom (Jeremiah 49:17), Damascus (Jeremiah 49:27), Kedar and Hazor (Jeremiah 49:30), Elam (Jeremiah 49:37), and then Babylon. (Jeremiah 50:2-3 and 51:59-64)  From chapter forty-six to chapter fifty-one of The Bible Book of Jeremiah, there is the prophecy of the destruction of the enemies of Israel.  The very last chapter in The Bible Book of Jeremiah, chapter fifty-two, is a repeat of the history presented in Second Kings, chapter twenty-five, and the prophecy, which was presented earlier in chapter thirty-nine, regarding the fall of Jerusalem.

APPLICATION

It is very clear from reading the last five chapters of The Bible Book of Jeremiah, excluding chapter fifty-two, that The Lord God will destroy the enemies of Israel.  These prophecies have been fulfilled and the nations mentioned in these chapters have already been destroyed.  However, there are prophecies in The Bible Book of Revelation which foretell of other nations which will gather against God’s chosen people and they will also be destroyed. (Revelation 20:7-9)   It is not profitable or in one’s best interest to be an enemy of Israel.  God is on their side.  In any battle it is best to be on The Lord’s side.  All who oppose him, and all who do not know Him, who are not Jewish by circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:29), will lose in the end. (Revelation 20:15)  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

A PROMISE OF PROTECTION FOR HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“ ‘Do not be afraid, Jacob My servant, for I am with you,’ declares The Lord.  ‘Though I completely destroy all nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you.  I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’ ”  Jeremiah 46:28 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and which he proclaimed to the people of Judah.  The promise of protection which He previously made to a person, Baruch, (Jeremiah 45:5) He now makes to the people of Israel. (Jeremiah 46:27-28)  This promise only applies to the remnant of believers within the remnant of the rebellious people who fled to Egypt against His word. (Jeremiah 44:28)  The Lord God said that He would never forsake them.  His words of comfort to them (Jeremiah 46:27) is a repeat of the words which He spoke earlier. (Jeremiah 30:10)  Egypt, which had frequently encroached on other nations is now about to be encroached upon by the nation of Babylon. (Jeremiah 46:25-26)  His people will be spared but they will be punished. (Jeremiah 46:28)

APPLICATION
When we obey The Word of God and do what He says for us to do, He will bless us, protect us, preserve us, and provide for us.  His protection will keep us safe through the disasters that are going on around us.  He will protect us from dangers seen and unseen.  We may be punished for our sinful disobedience, but we will not be utterly destroyed. (Amos 9:8)  As believers we need to pray and confess our sins, and ask to be forgiven, because He is faithful and just, and He will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)   

PROTECTION AMID DISASTER

PROCLAMATION

“… For I will bring disaster on all people, declares The Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.”  Jeremiah 45:5 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and which he told to Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote the words that Jeremiah dictated to him which he later read to the people of Judah.  “The Lord, The God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me’ for The Lord has added grief to my sorrow. (Jeremiah 45:1-3)  But The Lord has told me to say to you: “I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted … but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.” (Jeremiah 45:2-5)

APPLICATION
When we obey The Word of God and do what He says for us to do, He will protect us, preserve us, and provide for us.  It does not matter what is happening around us.  If we focus on Him and not on the stormy chaos around us, then He will place a hedge of protection around us and keep us safe through the storm.  He will protect us from dangers seen and unseen.  There are many benefits and blessings that go along with being obedient to His Word.  So, let us obey God’s Holy Word and live.