Join us for a summary walk through the life of Jesus. Journey toward Resurrection Day with a renewed vision and appreciation for the life of Jesus Christ. Each day you will find a link to the Bible passage for that day and helpful resources for your study.
February 20. Read Matthew 4:1-17. Jesus is Tempted.
At His baptism, the Holy Spirit came to rest on Jesus and the voice of God the Father declared that Jesus is His Son. That moment of confirmation and acknowledgement by God is immediately followed by a time of testing in Jesus' life. This testing was not a sign that the Holy Spirit had left Jesus. On the contrary: it is the Spirit, acting after Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, leading Jesus into the wilderness where He will be tempted. In other words, it was God's intention that Jesus should endure this time of testing.
It's important to remember that God never tempts anyone to sin (James 1:13). God hates sin and does not wish for anyone to engage in it, including His own Son. However, God will lead believers through times of testing, sometimes in order to strengthen their faith (James 1:2). In this case, God's Spirit leads Jesus into the place and time of testing, but the devil is the one who does the tempting. Jesus' faith does not need to be strengthened. But this time of testing will provide evidence that He remains sinless despite being tempted to sin just as all human beings are (Hebrews 4:15).
Reflect: How does Jesus’ response to the temptations inspire or challenge you? Where is God calling you to trust His Word over the temptations you face?
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FAQ from our network of sites:
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- For teens: Is it a sin to be tempted?
- For Kids: Why was Jesus tempted by Satan? What can we learn from it?
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