Invocabit, 2022
Rev. Thomas Van Hemert
St. Matthew 4:1-11
Invocabit
March 6, 2022
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.
There are those who are baptized and those who are not. Those who are baptized are of God. They are claimed by Him, marked on their forehead with the sign of the cross, and cleansed with water and the word. All their sins are washed away. They no longer belong to the devil, no longer in league with satan and his minions. But that doesn’t stop the devil from trying to reclaim what he thinks belongs to him.
Martin Luther says in the Large Catechism, “You have the devil always about you, whom you will not entirely tread underfoot, because even our Lord Christ Himself could not entirely avoid him. Now, what is the devil? [He] is nothing else than what the Scriptures call him: [he is] a liar and a murderer. A liar, to lead the heart astray from the Word of God, and to blind it, that you cannot feel your distress or come to Christ. A murderer, who cannot bear to see you live one single hour. If you could see how many knives, darts, and arrows are every moment aimed at you, you would be glad to come to the Sacrament of the Altar as often as possible.”
Luther describes what the life of the baptized is like: it is a life that from the very moment we rise from the baptismal font, spiritually reborn, we at constant war with the devil. From the moment we’re baptized, we’re cast into the battlefield. But Christ has taken us away from him and rescued us, but the devil wants us back. He knows he is condemned to hell, it’s too late for him and he wants to take us along for the ride. But we are not of the devil. We are of God because we are His children and He is our dear father. And the baptized, you and me, we live by faith. In fact, JESUS’ TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS SHOWS US THAT THE BAPTIZED LIFE IS A LIFE THAT CAN ONLY LIVED BY FAITH.
I. Faith is given in baptism, we know this. Faith is strengthened by hearing God’s Word and by receiving the Lord’s Supper. Our faith that we have is believing that all Jesus did, He did for us, and what He did for us actually has divine consequences. Everything He does benefits us in some way. Today, we hear about how after Jesus was baptized in Matthew chapter three, He was then led up by the Spirit into the wilderness in order to be tempted by the devil. This didn’t happen by chance. Jesus didn’t decide one day to go for a walk in the wilderness and the devil shows up randomly. Jesus was purposefully led out into the wilderness for the very purpose of being tempted by the devil.
The reason He can be tempted is Jesus is a man. He humbled Himself and took on flesh and chose not always to use His divine authority, which He could have whenever He wanted. But He chose not always to do it. He became a man so that He could be tempted by the devil. He knew and felt temptation. He, the very Son of God allows Himself to be tempted by the devil and the writer of the book of Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest—meaning Jesus—who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet is without sin.”
So you see, it was necessary that Jesus be tempted by the devil. It was necessary because in everything He does, Jesus is bringing back creation to its former perfection. The first man, Adam was tempted in the garden. In the perfection and bliss of Eden, the devil tempted Adam and Eve to take and eat what was not theirs. What did they do? The fruit looked pleasing to the eye and they gave into this temptation. So also, it is necessary now that the only-begotten Son of God be tempted in like manner. So at the outset, shortly after creation itself, the devil was at work in his attempt to cast mankind into sin and death. We know he succeeded. Nothing has changed. Nothing changed in Jesus’ day because the devil was at work tempting Jesus into sinning and he is still at work now tempting us into various sins.
Now the temptations Jesus experienced at the devil’s hand seem to be more extreme than what we face daily. Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights and then what does Matthew record next? “He was hungry.” Of course Jesus was hungry. I get hungry if I haven’t eaten in two hours. But what this shows us is that Jesus is not unaware of what we go through and what trials and temptations we face. He faced all of it. Adam fell, every person who has ever lived fell into temptation. We daily fall into temptation, whether that be gossip, talking about others behind their backs, embellishing a story just a tad to make ourselves look good, whatever it is, we do it. And the sad thing about all these little temptations that we give into, which truly aren’t little, is that we don’t think they’re a big deal. So what if we take the Lord’s name in vain? We might have been angry. So what if we miss a Sunday? We have sports to do. So what if we talk back and say something mean to our parents? They just don’t understand. So what if we tell a fib or try to get something for ourselves by methods or means that appear right? Well we deserve it. It’s easy to become desensitized and jaded by sin. And that is a dangerous thing. That’s what the devil wants. That’s one of his tricks. Desensitize you to something and then continue to tempt you with it so you fall again and again and again. You keep sinning again and again and who knows, you could lose your faith.
Adam fell into sin. Everyone else who has ever lived fell into sin. Each one of us daily falls into sin. But Jesus never gave in. He never did. He was tempted with food to satisfy His hunger. He was tempted and was told to test God, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. Be prideful! If you are the Son of God, Jesus, prove it,” the devil says. Jesus was tempted with power and authority. He could have all the kingdoms of the world if He just bowed down and worshiped Satan. But when you think about it, were those kingdoms really the devil’s to give? Jesus was made to be like us in every way. He hungered, He thirsted, He grew tired and weary, and He was tempted. But He did not sin. He withstood the temptations and flaming darts of the devil. He lived by faith that His Father would see Him through.
II. That is how we live. That’s only how we can live and survive in this world filled with sin: by faith. Our faith will see us through. Because if we eat bread all our days and have no faith, we will die. And we will also die eternally. For man does not live by bread alone. If we put the Lord to the test, that shows we have no faith and we when we die, we will die eternally. If we worship anyone or anything else—if we place our trust in the princes of this world, politicians, mayors, doctors, whatever it is—and we have no faith, when we die, we will die eternally. But if you have faith, if you return to Jesus again and again in repentance but trusting that what He has done for you has divine consequences, though you die, you live.
III Faith is born from Holy Scripture. He who has ears, let him hear. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. Jesus gives us the example, for no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. How does Jesus lead us in this regard? How does He lead us out of temptation? He uses Scripture, He quotes Scripture to drive off the devil. Jesus uses the power of God’s Word in times of trial and temptation. He wields the Bible as a sword to drive off the constant attacks of the devil and so can we.
This is why it’s so important for us to study the Bible or at the very minimum read it. Become familiar with it. Three chapters a day will get you through the entire Bible in one year. It’s important to know what our faith is built upon. It’s important to know what we confess. Because just as the devil twists and contorts Scripture, as we see in the Gospel reading. We also see this happen in the public square today. And we need to know what’s right and what’s wrong. We need to be able to distinguish between correct, orthodox teaching and doctrine and false teaching. We need to know whatever is being said about our Christian faith is either true and faithful or incorrect. The Bible is not just a fascinating story about a man who did something nice. It’s more than an instruction manual for how to live your life. The Bible is a weapon that can be wielded against the devil and against all his accusations and temptations. You can be sure that he will keep trying. Until Jesus comes again, he will never stop. If the devil can tempt Jesus in the wilderness, you can be sure that he can easily come find you. He knows your weaknesses. He’s always working trying to make you fall because he wants you with him in hell. And as the hymn goes, “Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us, we tremble not, we fear no ill; they shall not overpower us. This world’s prince may still scowl fierce as he will. But he can harm us none. He’s judged; the deed is done; one little word can fell him.”
Still, the devil will not quit. But you don’t have to worry. He has been judged. Jesus took your place as a sinner, though He knew no sin and locked your sins in the grave. Jesus is by your side on the battlefield. Through His word, He brings you His good gifts and Spirit. Should it come to it where everything is taken from us, our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, our victory has been won. God’s kingdom is ours. We are the church militant. We live by faith. And we wield God’s Word against the devil.
In +Jesus’ name.
