Living on the Word
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Text: Matthew 4:1-11
I have heard many sermons on this passage of the Bible over the years. It’s a familiar one, and one that lends itself well to learning about how temptation may attack us, and what the proper response is.
I have to say, though, that I read an article on this passage recently that put it in a perspective that had never occurred to me. We know from this passage that temptations will attempt to seduce us on the basis of our personal needs, or a desire for power, or to test God because we really want to see if He will look after us. What I’ve been reading takes all of that a step further: what’s the right way to respond when we are tempted? If you’re in a bad stretch, what is the proper way to ask God for relief – and what’s the proper attitude should He not grant it? We have all found ourselves in desperate situations at one time or another. Maybe it was a case of needing money for the monthly bills, or we needed medicine for what ails us. Maybe we were begging and pleading to God to put us in a healthy relationship to save us from loneliness. Maybe we need a break from our present career, and we’d like God to send a good opportunity along.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with praying to the Lord and asking that He would deliver you from dire circumstances. The point I am trying to make is that there needs to be discernment in how and why we would ask for God’s help. We exist to serve God, not the other way around. If we are perpetually “naming and claiming” everything without regard for what God wants, we are attempting to change the equation so that God serves us! That’s not what it’s about!
If you go and examine the story of Moses (Exodus 17:1-7) striking the rock to obtain water for the Israelites, you can see this clearly. Yes, God provided for the needs of the Israelites. But a demand for the miracle is not appropriate. God’s servants are not to demand that He perpetually intervene to meet their needs! The very nature of temptation is that it tries to get you to put a good thing to a bad use.
Now there’s something to chew on for a moment! “A good thing put to a bad use.” What does that mean? We’re pretty close to Valentine’s Day, so let’s take a popular item for an example: chocolate. Is chocolate inherently bad? Of course not! When is it bad? When you misuse it by eating too much of it – thus committing bad stewardship of the body that God has given you.
Maybe chocolate holds no interest for you. How about something else? Perhaps books are your weakness. I can identify with that, because I love to read. Books aren’t necessarily bad, unless they are put to a bad purpose – like pornography, or incorrect teaching. Or maybe you get so involved in your books that you draw away from responsible living in the real world.
The physical relationship between a man and a woman is something that God has given us to bless us and bring us closer to Him. Yet, the temptation to have a sexual relationship outside of marriage encourages us to take that good relationship and make something bad out of it. There are many good things in our world that make life better. But when we do not use them appropriately, we sin.
God desires that we would have a right understanding of how we are to live in all situations. Then, when temptation strikes, we can draw strength from God to remain victorious in our living. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (NIV)
In the story of Jesus’ temptation, we learn how to live on the Word so that we will always be strong. Jesus resisted the Devil first by remaining grounded in Scripture. The second was to remember where the power in Scripture comes from. Just being able to toss out a Bible verse doesn’t mean that you’ve claimed the power of God for daily living. It’s not a magical book with formulas for success. The power of Holy Scripture comes from being in constant contact with the Word via the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights in prayer and meditation before the temptation occurred. If you put concentrated time into prayer, meditating on the word, and spending time with God, you will be in good shape to resist what life or the devil throws at you. We can’t expect to use the Bible as some sort of garlic to ward off Dracula.
The LIVING Word of God is something that should be part of the air that we breathe, the ground that we walk on, and the light that we use to see where we are going. What made scripture so powerful for Jesus in his time of temptation was that he was in regular contact with scripture when he WASN’T being tempted. The time in prayer before the temptation prepared him for the challenge. It wasn’t just being able to quote scripture. That’s nothing special – even the Devil is good at that!
Living on the Word means that we are in regular contact with it. Regular prayer and scripture reading should be just as important to us as the meals that we eat. And, quiet moments to reflect and listen for God’s voice are just as important. Having trouble with temptations? Read the story again – and remember that God will provide everything that you need, in all times. Amen.
Sources consulted:
“St. Expeditus,” Homiletics Magazine, February, 2005
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew (Eerdmans, 1992), 71-78.
Wilkins, Michael J. Matthew (Zondervan, 2004), 166-167.
