SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 18 January 28, 2007

STUDY GUIDE: SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 18 January 28, 2007
Jesus is Tested and Prepared to Share the Good News
Theme: Good News to Share
Theme Verse: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b NIV
Readings: Matthew 4: 1-17
Optional: Deuteronomy 8:1-5
Memory Verse: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7

      Notice that Jesus is alone and led by the Spirit. The only way we can know about this is if Jesus told his disciples. Jesus wanted to teach them about temptation and testing. Knowing how Jesus dealt with temptation can help us. (Read Hebrews 2:18 and 4:4-5) Temptation and testing was a necessary part of Jesus' preparation and was part of God's plan. Remember that the night before Jesus died he warned Peter (Matthew 26:33-35) that he, Peter, would give in to temptation and deny his Lord. Jesus also warned his disciples to "watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation (Matthew 26:41), but they went to sleep! (When I was learning Urdu in Pakistan years ago I was so interested in the translation of the Lord's prayer. English says" Lead us not into temptation" but in Urdu it says "Into temptation do not let us fall". God will allow and even put us in times of testing but by His strength and His word we can not fall into it. John 15:2 talks about God's pruning of fruitful branches. Malachi 3 talks about God's refiner's fire that purifies his people. Refining heats the silver or gold till all the impurities rise to the top when they can be skimmed off. It is important to remember here what it says in (James1:2-4, 13). God tests but He does not tempt. A major difference is intent and method. God wants us to pass!!

      The wilderness was where the people of Israel wandered for 40 years (one of those classical numbers). There God tested them -- and Moses. Read Deuteronomy 8:1-5. "To know what was in your heart". Of course God knew but often we need for God to reveal to us what is really in our hearts so that He can purify us.

      "Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Matthew 4:1) Word received: I want to go into the wilderness places in your lives. I want to go into those parts of your lives where you are tempted by the devil. It was just after Jesus' baptism that he was led into the wilderness to be tested. Word received: Sometimes you will be led into difficult times by My Spirit. Always remember that I, your Father, will be there with you. You are never alone, and you always have My word.

      "And he fasted 40 days and 40 nights and afterward (!) he was hungry." (Matthew 4:2) Word received: I prepared myself by fasting. Ask for more of Me in your life so that you can subdue your body. Note that it was after he had finished fasting that he was hungry!

      "And the tempter came and said to him, "if you are the Son of God…." (Matthew 4:3) Word received: You must learn to distinguish My speech from the tempter's. Let Me teach you to hear Me and recognize My voice. Ask Me to help you do this.

      Look at your life, the difficulties and struggles you are facing. Sometimes these things are through our own fault or the ill will of others but perhaps the Spirit has led you there to humble you and to find out what is in your heart, to test you and to strengthen you. Word received: What is in your heart? Are you keeping My commands?

      Look at the first temptation. By the way, in Luke's version, it ends by saying "And when the devil had ended every temptation (there may have been others) the devil departed from him until an opportune time." (Luke 4:13) These temptations faced Jesus many times including on the cross itself. This was a time to prepare him for what was ahead.

      "If you are the Son of God, command these stones (nice round loaf shapes) to become loaves of bread." At least two things are going on here. First the devil is tempting Jesus to "prove it" to Satan. Second, he was really hungry! Shouldn't you take care of yourself?, provide for yourself? The devil was implying that he should take care of himself. He had the power. He was able to do it.

      This echoes Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit "because it was good for food" and "was to be desired to make one wise", putting physical needs and desires ahead of obedience to God. It was also an appeal to pride -- "you will be like God", and to satisfy personal desire. It is also about the use/misuse of power. Remember Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup! (Another perspective is that the incarnate Jesus -- alone -- was the true Israel, . the second Adam.)

      Jesus answers the first temptation by quoting God's written word, "It is written…". That is the way Jesus meets each temptation. He has studied and internalized God's word in Scripture. That was what he was doing when he was twelve! Psalm 119:9 and 11says "How shall a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Thy word." "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." That is the model for all of us!

      Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Word received: Both are necessary nourishment, bread for the body and My word for the soul. Jesus revisited this temptation when he miraculously fed large crowds twice--and they wanted to take him and make him king. The Caesars kept the crowds quiet by giving them "bread and circuses". Jesus repeatedly says things like "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me." "I only do what is pleasing to Him." (John 8:30).

       In each temptation Jesus is being tempted to do things the easy way -- to avoid the cross, to satisfy the desires of the crowds or authorities. What is at stake is the salvation of the world, Jesus' atoning sacrifice and death for the sins of the world!

      In the second and third temptation, Satan taunts Jesus, "If you are the Son of God…"which goes back to what the Father said to Jesus at his baptism. Jesus "emptied himself" of his Godly prerogatives (Philippians 2:7). He is being tempted to assert those rights again, to satisfy his ego, give up humility.

      The second temptation is to do a death-defying stunt that would bring glory and attention to himself and satisfy the Jewish leaders' demand for a "sign". Remember the taunt by the chief priests, "come down from the cross…Let Christ, the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." (Mark 15: 30,32) Jesus sought the Father's glory and will. When he asked the last night for God to glorify him, it was in and through the cross and resurrection. Here Satan quotes Scripture and misuses it. He can do that by taking something out of context. Jesus answers, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God" by doing some dramatic action that God has not commanded. Also Satan omits the end of the quote--"you will tread on the lion and the adder" (referring to trampling the snake (devil) underfoot.)

      When God does something, like healing, through us, does God get the glory?? This is where Moses blew it when instead of obeying and glorifying God when he gave water from the rock, he struck it dramatically and said, "Must we bring forth water for you rebels" instead to telling the rock to yield its water. He was forbidden to enter the promised land for that!

       In the third temptation, the core of the matter, Satan wants to be worshiped like God, instead of God -- in exchange for worldly power and glory and "the kingdoms of this world". Satan is offering a way out of the cross, a way out of God's plan. Psalm 24 says "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein." Daniel 2:37 talks about how God has given the Kingdom to King Nebuchadnezzar -- for a season, but God is still Lord of all creation. But people's sins have made an opening for Satan to be a prince over many kingdoms and powers. God has allowed it for a time. Satan is a liar. Yes, he can give many worldly things -- but the price is coming under his power and authority. Jesus was very clear about what was at issue here. Later Jesus teaches his disciples "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (His will) and all these things will be added unto you." Jesus tells the devil "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve." You can't have it both ways! The issue is --whose kingdom will you serve and who will you obey.

      Look at the Memory Verse. Word received: In resisting the devil you are leaning on Me for strength. Lean on Me, look to Me, cry out to Me. As you decrease, I can increase in your life. Then I can use you.

      Notice how sneaky the devil is. He can quote scripture and appeal to Jesus' human emotions and desires -- but he is a liar. What kind of lies is Satan trying to tell you? What desires of yours is he trying to tempt you with? Study the scriptures to recognize the arguments Satan can use! Jesus won the victory and he is able to help us in our battles as well.

       In all three temptations the devil tempted Jesus to put himself first as opposed to obeying God's plan and will. In all three we find an echo when Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, "For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory...and may your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

      Until the temptations were over--for a season, Jesus did not begin to preach. We can see Jesus' obedience and God's timing here. Jesus wants to teach us how to recognize the right timing too.

      Then Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee in fulfillment of Isaiah's words (see verse 15) Word received: The leaders despised Galilee and what came out of it, but I made it a place of blessing. Now read verse 16. Word received: I want everyone to be in my light. I want everyone to see by My light. Do not sit in darkness any longer. Cry out for My light to dawn on you.

      "From that time on Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near.'" Word received: That is still My word to My people today. Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is the will of the Father that we become more and more like His Son, Jesus, whose will was to do the will of his Father in Heaven. Part of the way God prunes, refines, and trains, disciplines his children is to allow them to be tested. Every time we make a new decision for God we can expect to be tested. In terms of discipline (Hebrews ) think of sports or music, not punishment. That is part of the process of maturing in Christ. Can and do we "abide in him"???

How to teach Word for teachers: I AM preparing you for what lies ahead. Don't be afraid.

Teaching Ideas for Lesson 18
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.

      Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.

      Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.

Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Jesus was tempted by the devil to do wrong things. There are times when we will be tempted too.

2.Jesus used God's word ( the Bible) to stop Satan(devil). We can use God's word too. That is why we need to study and learn the Bible.

3. Jesus resisted the devil and the devil did flee from Jesus , for a while. Jesus is our example of how to resist Satan and temptation. If we ask Jesus, he will give us the strength to do this. He promises to be with us always.

4. When we resist the devil he will flee from us too.