Jesus has won!

Rev Dr. Jintae Kim

Charleston Truth Alliance Church

Mar 9, 2025

 

Introduction

 

What is Lent?

Lent is the 40 days from last week’s “Ash Wednesday” to Easter on April 20, excluding Sundays, and symbolizes the 40 days Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.

 

So today, the first Sunday of Lent, we will meditate on the temptation of Jesus.

 

The road from Jericho to Jerusalem is rough. There is a rough rocky mountain that can be seen faintly from Jericho, an oasis. The locals call it the “Mountain of Temptation.” There is a monastery built by the Greek Orthodox Church on the cliff. It is a desolate and dry land with no water or food. It is just a rough rocky mountain that people cannot climb. In the scorching heat that was hard to endure for even 5 minutes, in the wilderness without a single blade of grass or tree, Jesus fasted for 40 days and was tempted.

 

Why was the Son of God tempted like this?

 

 

People often argue about why Jesus had to be tempted like this.

 

I find the key in two biblical contexts.

 

First, if we compare Jesus' account of the temptations with that of the first Adam, we can see why Jesus had to endure them. 

 

Of course, the backgrounds of the two incidents are polar opposites, but they were both tested by the devil in the same way.

 

The first Adam was blessed with open fellowship with God in the perfect environment of the Garden of Eden, but Jesus was exhausted in the extremely harsh environment of the dry wilderness, not eating or drinking anything for 40 days. No one visited him there except the devil who came later to tempt him. It was extreme, desperate loneliness. The Garden of Eden was full of life and joy, but the wilderness was filled with only death-like pain.

 

But what was the result? Adam fell, but Jesus triumphed. Judging from these two incidents, Jesus’ temptation was the path he had to walk as the second Adam to reverse the defeat of the first Adam and wash away the curse of Eden. Therefore, all of us who believed in Jesus, the second Adam, became new creations that were much better than the first creation.

 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

Second, if we look at the immediate literary contexts of this account, we can see why Jesus had to be tempted.

 

The immediate context before the temptation was Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. At that time, John, God, and the Holy Spirit testified that Jesus was the Son of God.

 

The immediate context after the temptation was the beginning of his public ministry. Matthew emphasizes that Jesus “only then” (v.17) began his public ministry after overcoming the temptation.

 

From this, we can see that Jesus’ temptation was the path he had to take to be made perfect for the mission of eternal salvation. The Son of God was no exception. Jesus, who had to walk all the paths that humans had to walk by taking on a human body, was the one who had to pass the test.

 

“Although he was a Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9)

 

Application

 

Are you currently going through trials?

Then, remember three facts.

1. Jesus overcame.

2. Therefore, we too can overcome in Jesus. 

3. Only when we overcome trials can we exercise our authority as children of God.

 

Through trials and suffering, we can become perfect and receive the power to do God’s work. So how can we overcome the devil’s temptation? Let’s learn from our Lord.

In fact, the confrontation between Jesus and the devil ended with the first temptation.

4:3 The tempter came to Jesus and said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4:4 Jesus answered and said to him, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

 

The Way to Overcome the Devil’s Temptation

 

1. Hold firmly to the fact that you are a child of God.

When tempting Eve in the Garden, the devil tried to instill doubt in her heart about God by saying, “Truly God…” and tried to tempt Jesus in the same way. However, no matter how miserable his physical situation was, Jesus firmly held on to the voice of God testifying from heaven, “This is my beloved Son.”

Jesus did not fall for the devil’s temptation of “If you are the Son of God.” 

 

John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the power to become children of God,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

2. Know what is the priority.

Spiritual needs, God, the Word of God…

 

No matter how difficult the situation, if you do not waver from this priority, you will not fall into temptation.

When we turn our eyes to “the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” obstacles that seemed insurmountable no longer threaten us.

That is the eye of faith.

“Man shall not live by bread alone…”

 

3. Fight with the Word of God

In the battle against the devil, the only offensive weapon for believers is the Word of God. We must live a life that is one with the Word in order to wield this weapon at the right time.

 

Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 

4. Use the authority of the children of God.

No matter how good the weapon and the great authority, if you do not use it, you will lose the battle.

 

4:7 Jesus said to him, “It is also written, ‘Do not tempt the Lord your God.’”

4:10 Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”