What sorts of things do you find tempting? Now, to be sure, there’s nothing wrong with pleasure in itself – after all, God invented it! But when we let our desire for pleasurable sensations override our understanding of right and wrong, that’s when we’ve fallen into temptation.

And sometimes, we can be tempted just to have something good at the wrong time. That was the case for Jesus in the first part of this passage. The Father had wanted Him to spend some time in the desert, fasting and praying. Before that time was up, the devil showed up and encouraged him to use His miraculous powers to have a snack. Again, there’s nothing wrong with bread in itself, and our hunger is a helpful signal to remind us to nourish ourselves. But Jesus understood that listening to God’s directions, paying attention to what God wants us to do, is even more important than food.

Sometimes, we can be tempted to get the right thing in the wrong way. That’s what was happening when the devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world – after all, as the Son of God, Jesus does deserve the loyalty and allegiance of all people throughout space and time. But for Him to get that authority by Himself submitting to the devil – no way.

And there’s a third way in which we are all tempted at times – to take the easy way out. If Jesus really had displayed His miraculous power by floating down from the top of the Temple, it would have been impossible for the religious leaders to deny that He was indeed the Messiah. He could have become the ruler of all His people without going through all the pain and shame of the cross – but then, none of us could have been saved.

So, what should we do when we are tempted in any of these ways? We can do the same thing that Jesus did – we can appeal to the Scriptures to help us sort out what is really right and wrong. But we can also remember that Jesus understands all our temptations, so we shouldn’t hesitate to cry out to Him for help and strength to resist. If He loved us enough to die for us, surely He will help us overcome whatever temptations come our way.

Matthew 4:1-11 (NAS)

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'”
5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, Lest You strike Your foot against a stone.'”
7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
8 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 things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Begone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'”
11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.