Matthew 4:1-11

(1) Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (2) And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred. (3) And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (4) But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (5) Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, (6) And saith unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and into their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. (7) Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (8) Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9) And saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, If thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. (11) Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.

Introduction

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we have mixed emotions and even difficult theological questions. Some wonder if the dream will ever become a reality. Some say, with all due respect to Dr. King, his dream is really a fantasy, and it belongs in a Disney movie. Folks my age can see the progress made, but are disappointed that things have not gone further.  Most can see that some of the progress and accomplishments, made in the past, have recently eroded.

Others say it has turned into a nightmare when we look at the seemingly increase of corruption, hatred, racism, misogyny, and crime, including black-on-black crime.

We have to remember that King’s principles were based on the principles that Jesus taught, especially as taught in the Sermon on the Mount and reiterated by Apostle Paul in the fruit of the Spirit. It is about love and not about hate. It is about meekness and humility and not about arrogance. King knew that Jesus set the example for us in so many ways. He set the example for how to love and forgive. In this text, He set the example for how to be victorious over the temptations of the devil. These temptations represent the temptations that are common to all of humankind.

In fact, many are tempted today to abandon the true teachings of Jesus and follow the trends of contemporary culture. For many, evil seems to be winning, and they want to imitate the tactics of the perpetuators of evil. I say again, Jesus is our perfect example. His example shows us what to do and what not to do. Jesus did not yield to the temptations of the devil.  Had He yielded, He would have been disqualified from being our Lord and Savior. Like Jesus, King resisted the temptation to abandon his non-violent approach to racial equality.  King resisted the temptation to get revenge even after violence was perpetrated against him and his family.  Let’s look at the temptations that Jesus resisted.

Exposition

1. Turn Stones To Bread.

(Live Only For Self.)

(Always A Selfish, Ulterior Motive.)

(Use Gifts Only For Self-Aggrandizement.)

(Jesus’ Response: Deuteronomy 8:3.)

2. Jump Down From The Temple.

(Mis-Apply Scripture.)     

(Do Spectacular Things That Provide No Real Benefit To Anyone.)

(Do Risky Things In The Name Of Faith.)

(Must Be At Center Stage All The Time.)

(Greatest Goal Is To Impress - Not Help Others.)

(Just Want To Be Seen.)

(Jesus’ Response: Deuteronomy 6:16.)

3. Worship Satan.

(Compromise Your Principles For Personal Gain.)

(Worship The Wrong Being.)

(Worship Can Easily Morph Into Entertainment.)

(The Act Of Worship Can Become The Object Of Worship.)

(Jesus’ Response: Deuteronomy 6:13.)

Closing Thoughts

Jesus was able to resist the temptations because His defense was the Word. He quotes Deuteronomy each time. We must stay in the Word and resist the wiles of the devil. We must know and follow the whole counsel of God. To paraphrase King, “If we get like them, they have won.”

I close with the lyrics of one of the spirituals:

“So many falling by the wayside; Lord, help me to stand.

So many falling by the wayside; Lord, help me to stand.

So many falling by the wayside; Lord, help me to stand.

Take me by my hand and lead me home.

Please Lord, Please Lord, lead me home.”

Copyright © 2026 by James C. Ward

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