Fighting Temptation

Have you ever been tempted? Now don't reveal any secrets about yourself to anyone but just think about it. When was the last time you were tempted? For me it is every week that we have youth group, but hear me out before you judge me. Each week I arrive early to set up for youth group, and it is my job to go through the snacks. Many parents send snacks and we usually have more than we need. However, that means I need to keep an eye on the snacks we have and make sure we are good stewards with our snacks. You can begin to imagine how this plan works out. I set out the snacks, so I always get the first look at the good stuff and I always say to myself I just had dinner, I’m not ready for dessert. I’ll let you decide how you think this story ends.

The same temptation I have, can be seen in the room when the students arrive for youth group. Most notably when we are celebrating a holiday. I like to celebrate big and small things, so often we have special treats or small gifts for the group. Each time we are having a celebration I make the same announcement, “you can take the snacks, but don’t touch the special gifts.” Then the questions roll in. Are these for us? Who made them? Can I have one? Wait, do I have to win it? What’s inside? Can I just pick it up?

One kid wanders over just to look. Another stands nearby, pretending not to care. Someone picks up a gift… just to smell it. Another says, “What if we just open this one? They probably won’t notice.” Suddenly, the gift that had been harmless a few minutes ago became the most fascinating object in the room.

And here’s the funny part, five minutes earlier, none of them were even thinking about it. But the moment they were told not yet, the temptation grew. The waiting felt impossible. The “just one” felt reasonable. The rule felt negotiable.

Temptation usually doesn’t show up looking dramatic. It doesn’t announce, “Hello! I am here to ruin your life!” It shows up quietly. It whispers, “It’s not a big deal.” It says, “You deserve this.” It suggests, “No one will know.”

And just like those kids staring at the special gifts, we often find ourselves hovering, convincing ourselves that standing close to temptation isn’t the same as giving in.

Set Up

On Wednesday night we ushered in the season of Lent beginning with Ash Wednesday.  We did this by taking a look at Maya Angelou’s poem “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” and how it relates to the themes of Ash Wednesday and Lent. Angelou’s childlike voice of courage amid fears becomes a doorway to understanding the Christian journey: acknowledging human fragility, facing suffering honestly, and trusting God’s presence in the midst of it. And Paul’s words from 2 Corinthians highlights that the Christian life includes hardship, yet is sustained by God’s reconciling love. Ultimately, the message proclaims that we need not be fearless because of our own strength, but because Christ enters our dust, stands in our shadows, and transforms even death; so we can say with defiant faith, “Life doesn’t frighten me at all.” If you weren’t there, I invite you to go back and watch.

However, when we understand this dichotomy between hardship and resilience, we are then tempted to think we don’t need anything else or tempted to find another outlet when life begins to frighten us again. And Christ gives us an example of how to handle temptation in our reading today.

Background

Our scripture today is found on the Gospel of Matthew, and it is the starting point for Jesus’ ministry. We like to think that the Bible clearly lays out when it all began, but here is where Jesus trusts himself. At this point in the Gospel of Matthew, we have been introduced to the child who will save the world, learned where he’s come from, seen him be baptized and now ready to step into the spotlight. That’s a lot of years that go by and all of a sudden it is time. Not only is Jesus the Son of God, but he is also the fulfillment of God’s promise and Jesus himself is now ready.

In Matthew’s gospel, we are seeing the character of Jesus on display that showcases the side of him that is fully human. Demonstrating that he is the one we have been waiting for and he understands the moment is now.

Body

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil.” Is that really what we read this morning? Yes, it is. I think it is fitting that the Lenten journey begins with Jesus being tempted. Why? Because we like to think only of the feel-good stories of Christ, and it is good to be reminded of the stories where Jesus has to fight a little harder to stay true to himself. However, it gives us a connection to Jesus’ humanity. Knowing that he has fought the same fight we have and won.

Like Christ, during the Lenten journey we are called to reexamine life, lean into God fully and trust that the Spirit will guide you. When you do this, sometimes you will find yourself in places you have never been and sometimes you find yourself trying not to repeat the same mistakes.

The tempter in our passage this morning is hoping that Jesus would make a human mistake and he knew exactly what he was doing. Not only did the devil want to test whether or not Jesus was truly the Son of God, he preyed on his humanity. He did this in three ways focused on the most desirable things.

First, Food.

What do we need to stay alive? Water and Food.

In verse three we see “The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

Food is a necessity. It is what you need to live. Jesus is out in the wilderness, and his only instruction is to follow where the Spirit leads. So, we can assume that he trusts that God will provide and he doesn’t have to go find his own food.

Second, Protection.

Would you ever knowingly put yourself in harm’s way?

Beginning in verse five the tempter comes back, ⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
    and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

I don’t know about you, but I would not put myself in a precarious situation. I know that God will keep me safe, so why would I doubt that, and I know that Jesus trusted the same thing.

Third, Power.

Finally in verse eight, “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, ⁹ and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

Do you want to have power in this world? I know we would all feel better about sparking change if we knew we held some power. Jesus was beginning his ministry, and he knew what he would soon become for the people, for us. And he knew where his power comes from.

Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness; not to fail, but to be tested. After forty days of fasting, Jesus faces three temptations that strike at the heart of what it means to trust God: meeting immediate physical needs, demanding proof of God’s care, and gaining power without obedience. These are not random temptations; they mirror the same struggles we face when we are hungry, tired, vulnerable, or searching for shortcuts.

Each temptation invites Jesus to misuse his power for himself rather than remain faithful to God’s mission. Jesus responds not with arguments or excuses, but with Scripture, grounding himself in God’s word and God’s truth. He refuses to turn stones into bread, to test God’s protection, or to worship anything other than God alone. In doing so, Jesus shows that faithfulness matters more than comfort, trust matters more than control, and obedience matters more than success.

These three things are so valuable, that it would be hard for anyone to resist. This passage reminds us of the dangers of temptation itself. Jesus’ victory in the wilderness shows us that we are not alone in our struggles and that God provides what we need to endure. When temptation comes, we are called to rely on God’s word, resist shortcuts, and choose faithfulness even when it is hard. In the wilderness moments of our lives, God is still present, still forming us, and still calling us to trust.  

Welcome to the season of Lent. A time to turn our hearts toward God, to walk in humility, and to grow in grace. It is a season for prayer and reflection, for fasting and generosity, for seeking reconciliation with God and neighbor.

We have been here before; we meet each other here at this same place every year. We return, we remember and we are tempted to just let it pass right by us. Because we already know that Jesus Christ has conquered death.

Temptation is the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise. Temptation is the reason we find ourselves in precarious places, just trying to find our way back to the right path. In this season of Lent I am inviting you to face the temptation head on and don’t give in. And I’m inviting you to do it with your community. Remember that we do not walk this journey alone and we are not just left to fend for ourselves.

Let these forty days be a place where you rediscover yourself, let these forty days be a place where you reconnect with your community, let these forty days be a place where you open yourself to what God has in store. Fight off the temptations, knowing that the Spirit will guide you and prepare yourself to experience the joy of the resurrection one more time.

Amen