Text: Luke 4:1-13

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

The language of “if” is the language of speculation and hypothetical situations. If I had only done this or that, then things would be better now. Or of course, if you would have only done this or that, then things would be much better now. When we talk about the past, these are hypothetical contrary-to-fact situations, in which we cannot change what took place. When we use the language of “if” and push the conversation into the future, then we are dealing with mere speculation of things that we are not even sure will take place. We say, “what if I was to do this or that.” Or we say, “what if you were to do this or that.”

The language of “if” brings doubt, despair, and discomfort. It causes us to be unsure and uncertain. This is not the language of faith. It is the language of unbelief.

In our Gospel text today, we are told that after Jesus returned from the Jordan, He was led by the Holy Spirit in the wilderness for forty days. Immediately after Jesus was baptized, the devil attacked. The Holy Spirit had just marked Him as the Christ, the Anointed One and the Voice of the Father had just declared that Jesus is His Son in whom He is well pleased.

The devil enters in and tries to cast doubt on the whole event by questioning “if” Jesus really were the Son of God. His taunt rang out, “If you are the Son of God then prove it.”

“Prove it.” O how many times have we fallen for that line? “If you are really strong enough, then prove it.” “If you are really smart enough, then prove it.” “If you really love God, then prove it.” “If you really believe, then prove it.”   “If you really are a Christian, then prove it.”

It should come as no surprise that after we are baptized we are marked for war. In our baptism, God places His name upon us, unites us to Christ, and calls us His son in whom He is well pleased. As part of His family, we are enemies of the devil. As the baptized,

we will find ourselves under constant attack from the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature.

Take note that our text states that after the devil tempted Jesus, he left for a more opportune time. We should be on constant red alert, knowing that the enemy is lurking at every turn trying to take us down. He will return again and again. It is as Luther says, “We can’t prevent the birds from flying over our heads, but we can keep them from building a nest in our hair.”

Let’s look at the three types of temptations that our Lord overcame.

The first temptation that Jesus faced was the challenge to do something miraculous namely changing stones into bread. As Christians, we can easily succumb to this type of temptation. It is at the root of every desire to want to prove our faith as being real to others. We think, “If I could only perform a miracle, then others would believe in Jesus.” Of course, we quickly forget about all the people who saw the miracles that Jesus performed and refused to believe in Him. Or we might think, “If I could only do something extra ordinary, then I could prove how spiritual I am and how much faith I have.” At issue here is a discontentment with the Word of God and an unsatisfied desire for something more extraordinary than just paper and ink. Yet, Jesus reminds us, that man lives from every word of God.   He responds to the devil, “Man shall not live by bread alone” (Luke 4:4 ESV).

The second temptation Jesus faced was the seeking after earthly riches. While we live here on earth, this is very attractive. We can easily fall for this one. Who wouldn’t want to live with more luxury, more pleasures, more wealth, more, more, more… Notice how sly the devil is. He doesn’t just come and demand worship, instead he hits the earthly man at his weakest point, the desire to be earthly and live with all that the earth has to offer. At stake here is the keeping of the first commandment. The devil wants us to fear, love, or trust in anything more than the One True God. O how many times have we let money overshadow God in our own lives? Jesus responds with the Word of God saying, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Luke 4:8 ESV).

The Third temptation Jesus faced was to throw Himself down from the Temple so that the angels would have to rescue Him. Again the devil is very tricky. At the surface level, this would appear to be very pious. If you believe that God will protect you, then prove it by purposefully putting yourself in harms way. It was not necessary for Jesus to throw Himself down. He had no command from the Lord to do such a thing.   Jesus responds, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Luke 4:12 ESV).

As Christians, we can so easily get caught in this trap of trying to do things that God has not commanded us to do in order to prove our faith. It is like the story of the man standing on the roof of his house during a flood. When a boat came by to rescue him, he piously declared, “No thank you. I don’t need your help. I prayed to God asking Him to rescue me. I am trusting in Him.” When a helicopter flew overhead to snatch him out of harms way, he piously declared, “No thank you. I am a Christian and I am trusting Jesus to save me.” When the flood over took him and he died, then he questioned why didn’t God help?” The response was that God had provided a way out, but he refused to be helped. He sent a boat and then a helicopter to rescue him. We shall not put the Lord to the test.

The devil’s attacks on Jesus were directed toward His humanity. The devil was trying to tempt Him to notbe truly man. Forget the suffering. Forget the dying.

The devil tries to attack us in the same way. He tries to tempt us not to be truly human either. Forget the suffering. Forget the dying. He tries to trick us into a false sense of alleviating suffering and living it up. He wants us to act as if we are our own gods.

He tries to trick us into sinning against God. He gives us the sales pitch and we swallow it hook, line, and sinker. He acts as if he were our friend. Then as soon as we sin, then he turns against us. He stands to accuses us. He quickly points out the sin. Hey, look this one right here has sinned and deserves suffering and death.

It is the devil’s job to accuse us. Thus, when he does his job, we should respond, “Your right! I have sinned and I do deserve nothing but suffering and death.”

“However, my Lord Jesus has given me the gift of His Holy Word in order to instruct and comfort me. My Lord Jesus has overcome your temptations. My Lord Jesus has suffered and died for me. I have been baptized and I have been united with Him in His death. He has conquered death. In my baptism, I have also been united with Him in His resurrection. Just as He lives in newness of life, so do I.”

It is the devil’s desire that we get caught up in the use of the language of “if.” He wants us to doubt and to fall into despair. He wants us to be uncertain and to worry. He wants us to dwell in the past over the wrong that we have done the “if you wouldn’t have done that” type of thinking. He wants us to dwell in the future in an endless array of possibilities that will cause all sorts of worry with the “what if” type of thinking.

It is the Lord Jesus’ desire that we stand firm in the language of faith. This is the language of certainty. His desire is for us to have full assurance that our past sins are forgotten and forgiven. His desire is for us to be fully confident that our future is to live with Him forever. His desire is for us to be truly comforted that we are living in Him now in the present time by faith. The language of faith is the language of promise. It is the language of “it is written.”

It is written, “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 2:18 ESV).

Jesus doesn’t just show us how to overcome the devil; He actually has overcome the devil for us. In Him, we have victory.

It is written, “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1b-2 ESV).

In this life, the devil will continue to accuse us. He is our adversary. Satan will speak of our sin giving us a bad name and reputation. He will continue to attack us.

Yet, Jesus Himself stands up for us. He is our advocate. Jesus defends us, speaks well of us, and explains everything in the kindest way possible. The Spirit will continue to comfort our hearts with the language of “it is written.” The Spirit leads us with His Word to create and strengthen our faith. These things are written for us so that we can draw near to the Father with all boldness, and confidence trusting in His mercy. Amen. The peace of God which surpasses all human understanding guard and keep your hearts in Christ Jesus. Amen.