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[0:00] As we see there in the sermon title, no doubt intriguing to many, how do we connect to the title with what we've read? Well, God willing, we'll see how that does connect, Jesus, the last Adam.

[0:12] And as we consider four points this evening, where we consider Jesus being led to temptation, where we see life from God's word, where we consider the whole matter of worship and service of God and to God.

[0:26] And then, finally, the testing of Jesus and the triumph of Jesus, as we read there in the account of Jesus' temptations. Jesus, the last Adam.

[0:40] Because very often, you know, when we consider the temptation of Jesus, in whichever gospel account we read off and consider, so often we tend more to focus on ourselves.

[0:52] You know, when we read of the temptation of Jesus, so often we immediately connect Jesus' temptation with how we react when we're tempted. We so often can bring to mind the thought, you know, how should I resist the temptations of the devil in light of Jesus' strength, his fortitude in the wilderness, and his resisting such more fierce temptations.

[1:19] And often we approach the temptations of Jesus, the accounts that we find in the gospels, we do so with a perspective in ourselves. You know, when we realize how easily we give in to the temptations that we face, when Jesus resisted the strong temptations of Satan.

[1:40] Yes, we seek God's forgiveness for many times when we don't yield, when we don't resist temptation.

[1:52] And yes, we do seek to try or seek by God's strength to run from the devil when he seeks to lure us to sin. And of course, there's nothing wrong.

[2:03] There's nothing amiss in being encouraged by Jesus and his resisting the devil. And then you're resolved the more to flee from Satan when he tempts you with the many temptations that you face in every day of your life.

[2:18] You know, we've got to realize that the account that we read here in Luke's gospel, the account of Jesus' temptation, is not recorded to teach us how we're to resist temptation.

[2:34] But Luke's account here shows us how Jesus resisted the temptations that were utterly unique to Jesus. In other words, the message of this passage of the account of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness, the message here is to direct your heart, to direct your mind, not to self, but to Jesus.

[3:00] The motive, if you like, in reading this passage and the purpose of this passage is to come before Jesus and to bow before him.

[3:10] And yes, to be drawn away from self and drawn away from a self perspective and to be drawn to worship our Lord and Savior. Yes, we'll be convicted of our lack of worship of our Lord.

[3:26] But above all, as this passage shows us, we're to see Jesus. We're to realize why Jesus came from heaven to earth, why Jesus was tempted when he was tempted.

[3:37] And we're to see the significance of Jesus resisting the devil, why he did so for our sake, for the sake of sinners, for the sake of you, for whom Jesus came to give his life.

[3:52] And so let's turn to the passage then and let's see, first of all, Jesus being led to temptations. We see in verse one and the first half of verse two. We may well have read this passage many times.

[4:08] We may well have read the account of the temptation of Jesus many times in Mark's gospel and in Matthew's gospel as well. But there's always something new to glean from a fresh reading of God's word as we're given that insight by the Holy Spirit.

[4:25] As the Spirit draws you to deeper into God's word. As the Spirit draws you to see marvelous truths, marvelous, wonderful truths concerning the Lord Jesus.

[4:36] I pray this evening by the Spirit's leading that you'll have your eyes to see something new, something wonderful. Or indeed that you'll see again and be strengthened in your seeing the Savior and his resisting the devil's temptations.

[4:53] And the reason, the purpose for that resisting. That you'll see afresh the glory of Jesus. That you'll see in his resisting the devil. You'll see in Jesus his love for sinners.

[5:05] His love for his Father. You'll see in Jesus the humility that he showed in not yielding to the devil's temptations. And in your seeing Jesus, you'll have that effect in your heart.

[5:19] That you'll commune with him. That you'll worship him. That you'll fall down before him in your heart. And that you'll give glory to him for his resisting the devil's lies.

[5:32] As we see again the resisting of Jesus against the devil's lures, the devil's temptations. That you'll see Jesus fighting the good fight of faith.

[5:42] As you'll see Jesus using the weapons of Scripture. And the weapons of his heart's desire to honor his Father. To glorify his Father. And in his resisting temptation.

[5:55] To do so. So that you might know everlasting life. Through the wonderful love of the Lord Jesus. In his rescuing you. Rescuing us from the devil's lures.

[6:08] From the devil's traps. And as we look at this passage. That we'll see Jesus as he came to reverse the sin of the first Adam.

[6:19] As we'll see what Jesus did to reverse. What Adam did there in the Garden of Eden. And that we'll rejoice.

[6:29] As we look again at this passage. That we'll rejoice in seeing Jesus in all his love. All his love for his Father. And through the leading of the Holy Spirit. That we'll see even as he suffered for our sakes.

[6:43] He suffered for your salvation. And that's why I mentioned right at the very start. That we do have to remember. That chapter 4 follows from chapter 3.

[6:56] That might sound obvious. But it's very, very important. Because when Luke begins his narrative here. Of Jesus in the wilderness. He does so immediately after he gives the genealogy of Jesus.

[7:09] When he gives, as it were, Jesus' genealogy and his human nature. If you've got your Bibles open. And you have them open at Luke chapter 3.

[7:20] In fact, when you look at the whole chapter. You'll see that Luke begins with John the Baptist. He then, in that same chapter, speaks of the baptism of Jesus.

[7:30] And then there's the genealogy of Jesus. Going right back to Adam. And then the very last words of chapter 3. Referring to Jesus.

[7:42] The son of Adam. The son of God. And then immediately at the start of chapter 4. We read, and Jesus. And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit.

[7:54] Returned from the Jordan. Was lent by the Spirit in the wilderness. For 40 days. Being tempted by the devil. And there's a deliberate connection here. A deliberate connection between the words.

[8:07] The son of Adam. The son of God. And Jesus. You see what Luke's doing here. You see what Luke's doing by divine inspiration. Luke's telling us.

[8:18] That Jesus is about to do. What the first Adam failed to do. Jesus, the last Adam. The second Adam. The last Adam. Jesus.

[8:29] Jesus. A representative. One who came to represent man. Come to do. To reverse. What the first Adam did. And his sin against God.

[8:41] The first Adam. The Adam we read of in the book of Genesis. The first Adam was tempted by the devil. And he failed. He failed. He yielded to the devil's temptation.

[8:53] He was lulled into wanting to become like God. The second Adam. The second Adam. The last Adam. Jesus. Jesus was tempted by the devil. Jesus didn't fail.

[9:05] He didn't yield to the devil's temptations. The first Adam. By his yielding to the devil's temptations. The first Adam. Brought sin into the world.

[9:15] Sin into the human race. The second Adam. The second and last Adam. By his not being diverted away from the way of salvation.

[9:28] He came to save his people. And he came to restore a right relationship between God and man. And so we read there in Jesus. Not yielding to the devil.

[9:40] Read of Jesus' victory over the devil there in the wilderness. That victory in the wilderness. That speaks of the ultimate victory of Jesus over sin.

[9:51] And over Satan. And Jesus won that victory on the cross. That victory that saved sinner man in Christ. But there's more even to be gleaned from these opening words of chapter 4.

[10:06] Because these words indicate really quite clearly. That Jesus' temptations were very different to our temptations. And there's a very fact that we read right at the start of chapter 4.

[10:18] That Jesus was led to the wilderness. Led to be tempted by Satan. He was led by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was led into the wilderness.

[10:31] And deliberately led by the Spirit. This is the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit. Who just moments before had descended on Jesus. And is anointing Jesus. The start of Jesus' ministry.

[10:45] Anointing Jesus to confirm the work that Jesus had been given to do. To save sinners. And now the same Spirit. And now the same Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness.

[10:55] Be tempted by the devil. What's happening here? Well surely we're seeing here. The reality of war. Between Jesus and Satan.

[11:07] Because Jesus must enter enemy territory. He must go to face the evil one. In order to defeat the evil one. There can be no turning back.

[11:20] As far as Jesus is concerned. He must go and face temptation. In order to reveal his power. His power over Satan. You know when we're tempted.

[11:33] When we're tempted to sin. Then by God's strength. We seek to flee. From the devil. But Jesus won't flee. Jesus will face what he's come to do.

[11:45] He'll face what he's come to do. For our sake. And he'll do it. As the Son of Man. As our representative. And so the devil. Wants to seek to attack Jesus.

[11:58] He wants to seek. He's come to seek. To attack Jesus. To destroy Jesus. And to destroy. Jesus' work of salvation.

[12:09] See that's. That sums up Satan. Satan who hates Jesus. And hates all. Who are Christ's. But Jesus won't yield to the devil.

[12:21] As we're going to look at. More particularly in these three recorded temptations. Because. Because. If the tempting of Jesus. Reveals how much Satan hates Jesus.

[12:32] How much Satan hates the Lord's people. We see in Jesus resisting Satan. How much. Jesus loves his father. And how much.

[12:43] Jesus loves you. So let's look then at. What we see in these temptations. As we look first of all. At life. Life. From God's word.

[12:55] For 40 days. There in the wilderness. Jesus. Has eaten nothing. He's been in that dry. Hostile wilderness. And for 40 days.

[13:07] Satan. Has been watching Jesus. Watching the isolated. Son of God. Watching Jesus. As he's resisted food. As he's. Lived. As Mark tells us.

[13:17] Lived amongst wild animals. As he's been sustained. In his human body. By. By only the springs of water. That are dispersed. Across that. That wilderness.

[13:29] Then after 40 days. When Jesus. Physique. His physique. Is sinlessly weak. And he's desperately hungry. In his human nature. Satan launches.

[13:40] His first temptation. To read there. Verse 3. If. If you're the son of God. Command this stone. To become great. If.

[13:51] Or since. Since. You are who you are. Since. You are. Who you are. In all your power. Jesus. You could transform the stone. And even these stones around.

[14:02] That have been your companions. For 40 days. You could make them into bread. And eat. You see. Jesus. Has been tempted by Satan. And Satan's directing.

[14:13] His temptation. To Jesus. In Jesus being. The divine son of God. It's as if Satan's saying to Jesus. Jesus. You have a right. As the son of God.

[14:24] To be complete. To be whole. To feed when you're hungry. Rather than suffer. The way of humanity. And Satan.

[14:35] From one perspective. That you can hear Satan's voice. Saying. There's nothing simple. In eating. And making the stone. Bread. You've got a right.

[14:45] To do it. Because you're the son of God. See. But Jesus isn't going to comply. With Satan's tricks. Yes. Jesus is the son of God. But he's also the son of man.

[14:58] He's our representative man. He's the second. He's the last Adam. He's come to do. What Adam failed to do. And Adam failed to resist the devil.

[15:10] Jesus has come to resist Satan. He's come to be utterly obedient to his father. Adam disobeyed. Adam disobeyed God. When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit.

[15:23] But Jesus will not eat. Jesus won't eat of any food. Any food that he's been tempted to eat. And in that resisting the devil. And not eating.

[15:34] Jesus has shown. Has revealed. In himself. What Adam failed to do. And Adam's disobedience to God. So Jesus has come to reverse Adam's undoing.

[15:48] By doing. That which is honoring to God. How do we respond to this? Well surely we respond by. By declaring. What a savior.

[16:00] What a savior of love. That Jesus should so suffer. As man. That he should suffer. In his human nature. That you might not suffer. The pains of hell. That you might not suffer.

[16:12] Sin's dominion. Jesus suffered there. In the wilderness. But he wouldn't succumb. To Satan's temptation. To satisfy a physical need. Because if Jesus had done that.

[16:24] If Jesus had done this. As Satan had called him to do. That would show that Jesus wasn't prepared to suffer. That he wasn't prepared to. To right the wrong of Satan's sin.

[16:37] And not be the second and last Adam. Not be a representative. To make us right with God. By his full and perfect obedience.

[16:47] You see Satan had tried to. To attack Jesus' divine nature. He tried to attack Jesus right. As a son of God. That Jesus not be deprived of anything.

[17:01] In his creation. That Jesus counterattacks Satan. And he does it by indicating that. It's to man. That Jesus has come.

[17:12] As man. As man. You must suffer. As man. Jesus' calling. Is to experience deprivation. And suffering.

[17:23] And he's not going to. Alleviate his hunger. To satisfy a physical need. No. Jesus will continue to the cross. In suffering.

[17:34] Jesus hadn't come from heaven to earth. To please himself. Jesus had come. Jesus came. To suffer. For our sake. And changing stones into bread.

[17:47] Well yes. It would alleviate his hunger. But as Jesus would later say. In his ministry. His food. My food. Is to do the will.

[17:57] Of God. Who sent me. And so Jesus answers Satan. From scripture. Jesus shows his. His purpose.

[18:10] In obeying his father. As he quotes from Deuteronomy 8 verse 3. It is written. Man shall not live by bread alone. Jesus is quoting from that verse.

[18:21] When we read in the Old Testament. Of Moses telling the Israelites. That they are in the wilderness. That God had allowed them to be hungry. God had allowed them to be hungry. To teach them.

[18:33] What truly gives life. Isn't physical food. But the spiritual food. Of the word of God. And Jesus. In his human nature. Jesus as man.

[18:44] Jesus as the last Adam. Jesus reveals that truth. That what's truly important. For man. Is to be sustained. By God's word. To be sustained.

[18:55] By God's grace. To be nourished. By God's word. It's that food. That truly satisfies. And so with the first temptation.

[19:06] Addressed. By Jesus. By the word of God. Satan tries again. And this time. It's in connection. With worship. And service. As we see there.

[19:17] In verses 5 to 8. Let's read again. Just these verses. Just so that we're absolutely clear. In this second temptation. From verse 5 to verse 8.

[19:29] And the devil took him up. And showed him all the kingdoms of the world. In a moment of time. And said to him. To you I will give all this authority. And their glory. For it's been delivered to me.

[19:41] And I will give it to whom I will. If you then will worship me. It will all be yours. Worship me. It will all be yours.

[19:52] This is a real temptation. I mean this isn't some kind of soft temptation. As if to say that Jesus is just going to brush this off. As some kind of easy to deal with test.

[20:05] So you see what Satan's doing here. What he's saying. The apostle Paul refers to Satan as the God of this world. The whole world that lies in Satan's power.

[20:15] As John the apostle would write in one of his epistles. Adam. Adam. The first Adam. Adam had been given. Remember given that dominion.

[20:25] Dominion over the creatures. Over the earth. But he forfeited that authority. When Adam fell in sin. Jesus came.

[20:37] To establish his authority. And to topple Satan from his throne. Jesus wouldn't do that. By obeying and worshipping Satan.

[20:50] Jesus would not gain that authority. Without the cross. Jesus must deny himself. Take up his cross. And establish his kingdom.

[21:00] And do so by his suffering. And suffering even in today. And so the temptation that Satan's giving here. This temptation to gain authority without the cross.

[21:12] That was a real temptation. It was a deep temptation. Because it suggested. It more than suggested. It showed. An abandonment of suffering.

[21:25] But Jesus isn't going to yield to that. He must suffer as the son of man. He must suffer as the second and last Adam. Jesus must gain.

[21:37] What the first Adam lost. But he's not going to do it. By yielding to the prince of lies. But he'll do it. As the prince of peace. As the suffering servant.

[21:48] And so Jesus won't yield. And again. He shows that. In referring to words of truth. Words of scripture. Verse 8. It is written. You shall worship the Lord your God.

[22:01] And him only. Shall you serve. And again. Quoted from Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 6.13. Jesus isn't going to be submissive to Satan. Because Jesus' will.

[22:14] Is to do his father's will. Jesus' purpose in coming from heaven to earth. Is to serve the father. To do the father's will.

[22:25] Even. Even to death on the cross. As the suppling saviour. I said that the. The reference that Jesus gives us.

[22:35] From Deuteronomy 6.13. When. The passage that we read off in this. Regarding the Israelites. In the wilderness. And they had to be reminded. They had to be reminded. Of their duty.

[22:47] To worship God alone. Jesus needs no reminding. Jesus is steadfast. In his face. Being directed to the cross. And he's not going to allow the subtle wiles of the devil.

[23:00] To deflect him from that journey. That passage to the cross. So again. Our response has to be. When we see Jesus resisting the devil. Our response has to be.

[23:10] To bow before our Lord and saviour. To give him. Our praise and thanksgiving. Jesus took the way of the cross. Rather.

[23:21] Than a way. Away from the cross. Jesus would continue. On that road to Calvary. And he'd do it. And did it. For your sake. And so he'd resist.

[23:33] And he resisted. The temptations of the evil one. In order to accomplish. That great work of salvation. For you. Even as we. Reflect on that truth.

[23:45] Even in the quiet of your heart. Raise a prayer. Raise a prayer of gratitude. To the saviour. And do it in sincere praise. And thanksgiving. That Jesus.

[23:56] Would not abandon. The way of the cross. By another way. He was firmly set. On that road. That one road. That led to Calvary.

[24:07] But then there's one more. Recorded temptation. That Luke gives us here. The testing. Of Jesus. And the triumph of Jesus. Let's read from verse.

[24:19] Nine. To verse eleven. And Satan. Took him up. Took him to Jerusalem. And set him on the pinnacle. Of the temple. And said to him. If you're the son of God.

[24:30] Throw yourself down from here. For it is written. You will command his angels. Concerning you. To guard you. And on their hands. They will bear you up. Lest you strike your foot.

[24:42] Against a stone. And notice this time. Satan is using scripture. He's quoting from. Psalm 91. Eleven to thirteen. And.

[24:52] You might say. What's wrong with that? What's wrong for Jesus. To do as Satan tells him. Show that he's the son of God. With all the angels. There to uphold him. What's wrong with that?

[25:04] He's quoted scripture. He's quoted the word of God. Jesus. If you throw yourself down. From that. The highest point.

[25:14] In Jerusalem. And your angels appear. To prevent your destruction. Wouldn't this show. That truly you are. Who you claim to be. And people are going to worship you. What could be wrong with that?

[25:27] Well everything. Yes. Jesus. Was and is. The son of God. But Jesus had come. From heaven to earth. As man.

[25:37] For man. Jesus had come. Into the world. To take upon himself. Our weakness. Our frailty. Sin of course accepted. Jesus had come.

[25:49] Not to test God's protection. Over him. That's what Jesus. He goes on to declare to Satan. That said. You shall not put the Lord. Your God to the test.

[26:01] You see. Jesus hadn't come. To win a people. By some kind of spectacular stunt. Jesus had come. To win a people. For himself.

[26:12] Through his obedience to God. Through humiliation. And suffering. Jesus had come. To save a people. Through denial. Through crucifixion.

[26:24] And through death. Jesus. The second and last Adam. Jesus. Would remain faithful to his father. Jesus would remain. Obedient.

[26:35] Even unto death. Even when that meant. Rejecting the temptation. To be removed. From. From the suffering. His suffering. As son of man. Yes.

[26:46] There would be many other times. When Jesus was tempted. By Satan. As Luke tells us. In verse 13. And when the devil had ended. Every temptation. He departed from him. Until an opportune time. But not once.

[26:58] Would Jesus succumb. At any point. To Satan's further temptations. And so as we leave. Luke's account.

[27:08] Of the temptation of Jesus. Let's be reminded. To have our eyes fixed. On Jesus. Have your eyes fixed. On him. Fixed on the one.

[27:19] Whose. Whose hunger. Wouldn't allow him. Wouldn't. Allow him to. To turn stones. Into bread. Fix your eyes. On Jesus. Who. Who in his humility.

[27:30] Who wouldn't. Accept authority. Apart from the way. Of the cross. Fix your eyes. On Jesus. Jesus. Who. Who in his obedience. To the father. Wouldn't test.

[27:41] His father's love. He knew. That his father's love. To him. Was eternal. And you. Who know the Lord. Jesus. As savior. You. Who follow him.

[27:52] You. Who love him. Remain. Content. In him. Be truly. Satisfied. In him. But. For any of you. Who. As yet.

[28:02] Don't know. Jesus. As savior. I'll just reflect. On all. That we've been. Considering. This evening. Would a false savior. Resist.

[28:14] Temptations. That we've been. Reading off. Would a savior. Who didn't. Love sinners. Would such a savior. Continue. To reject. A way out. Of his suffering. No.

[28:26] Only a savior. Who came in love. Love. And only a savior. Who. Who resisted. These unique temptations. Who did so in love. For God. And for man.

[28:37] Only. Such a savior. Is truly. To be followed. And there is only one. Such savior. And that is. The Lord Jesus Christ. Who came to give his life.

[28:48] For you. Who came to suffer. For you. So that you might not suffer. You might not suffer. Eternal day. But no. Eternal life.

[28:59] In him. Our savior. The Lord Jesus. Amen. Let us pray. Our heavenly father.

[29:10] As we. Have been drawn. To. To see again. The. The wonder of Christ. Resisting the devil's temptations. We pray. Lord. That we truly will.

[29:21] Rejoice. And that we truly will. Fix our eyes in Jesus. And see him. Who suffered for us. Who denied himself. For us.

[29:31] Who came. A son of man. For us. Help us. Lord. To know. That in his suffering. He suffered. In love. He suffered. In faithfulness.

[29:43] He suffered. In obedience. And may we know. Lord. The love of the Lord Jesus. Even in our lives. Even as we seek. To serve you. And give our lives.

[29:55] To you. Hear us Lord. As we continue. And worship before you now. And we pray these things. In Jesus name. Amen. From his death.

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