As a kid if you were allowed one item to take with you on a long hike, you might say, “Trail mix.” Hunger is sure to come on a long hike, so trail mix is a top choice among kids because alongside the peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, dried apricots and granola, there are chocolate chips. In fact, if you let the children eat from the trail mix bag first, chances are there will not be any more chocolate chips. Although, the same could be said of mom or dad. Trail mix could be considered cheating though as trail mix is a mix of a lot of things. Of course, if you told a child to pick one thing from the trail mix it would not be a protein or dried fruit, but the chocolate.
Hunger was an issue for Jesus after spending forty days and forty nights in the wilderness. Naturally, hunger was an issue for Jesus after 40 days fasting in the wilderness as we read in our Gospel reading from Matthew 4, 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. We are not sure if Jesus was able to quench his thirsty during this time, or if it was a fast from both food and water like what Moses experienced on Mount Sinai as we read in Exodus 34, 28 Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. Either way, forty days without food left Jesus hungry, so the devil took full advantage of his struggle as we read in Matthew 4, 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jesus’ response makes it clear that hunger was an issue for him in the wilderness, but not the issue. The issue was the goodness of God. The devil would have Jesus give up being sustained by his Father in heaven, who had already kept him sustained for forty days, to listen to the temptation to make some bread. Jesus defended himself with Scripture and overcame the temptation remaining obedient to his Father, but the devil tried again as we read, 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Relentlessly, the devil continued tempting Jesus even defending his temptation with Scripture. Jesus countered the devil’s misapplication of Scripture with the truth and heart of Scripture that honors God as good, not as good luck. Finally, the devil made a monumental leap from food and footing to faithfulness as we read in Matthew 4, 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Skip the agony and hell of the cross and become ruler over the world by bowing to worship the devil. Satan’s final temptation offered painless obedience to him in exchange for the world as opposed to obedience to the Father’s plan of excruciating emotional, physical and spiritual pain on the cross for Jesus to become our Savior King. Jesus continued his defense with the Word of God, and was delivered from the devil as we read, 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Jesus did not believe the lie that God is not good.
Generations earlier, the devil used the same lie he used against Jesus against Adam and Eve. Hunger was an issue, but not the issue in the Garden of Eden. We are not sure if it was time for a meal or not, but in our Old Testament reading, the devil came to Eve with a question about food as we read in Genesis 3, 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Notice, the devil was misquoting God. In Genesis 2, we read, 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” God had given all the trees in the garden for food, except one. In response, Eve misquotes back to the devil as we read, 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” Eve correctly points out that only one tree could not be eaten from but adds even touching it would result in death. Eager to appeal to Eve’s reason rather than the truth, the devil continued, 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve had not seen death, and for death to come from eating fruit seemed unreasonable. Plus, the devil encouraged Eve to follow her heart and let nothing stand in her way to become like God. So, Eve led the charge while the silent Adam who had been doomscrolling fruit recipes rather than quoting what God had spoken, also trusted the devil’s lies as we read, 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Both Adam and Eve believed the lie that God is not good. Their new favorite grocer promised their eyes would be opened to see, and that was the one thing that was true. Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened to see that it is a lie to believe God is not good. Adam and Eve chose to sin, and when they saw their shame, they tried to cover themselves. Rather than fear, shame and guilt driving them to God in repentance, they tried to hide from the Creator of flesh, figs and forgiveness.
We are not dealing with a disgruntled grocer. The devil has moved on from tricking a young couple into eating a bad apple. Now, the devil runs a global franchise of Michelin star restaurants. Error enriched entrees are all around us, and the main ingredient is God is not good. The devil wants us to look at the world, and believe God is holding back good from us. And we listen to his subtle whispers at first. Then, we begin to talk back. Next, we believe his lies. Finally, we are sharing his lies with others. The devil is always hiring at his restaurants, but he offers no benefits to his staff who will suffer in a flaming oven forever.
Like a cast iron skillet against a raw egg, Jesus crushed the devil. The LORD God put a stop to the devil’s attempt at a monopoly on mankind. While Adam and Eve were still averting their eyes, God came to them. In his goodness, God came to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden fully aware of the contents of each stomach and heart. In his goodness, he did not send them immediately into the flames. We read about God’s goodness in Genesis 3, 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Though it filled their hearts with fear, God came to Adam and Eve; he would not leave them wondering and wandering. God wanted his people in his presence. Now, they had the opportunity to confess their sins, but Adam brought up an issue of nakedness, while avoiding the issue of sin. So, God asked the questions Adam was afraid to answer. Then, Adam proceeded to blame Eve who blamed the devil, but God responded with something good as we read in Genesis 3, 15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” God called out to Adam and Eve to call them out on their sin, so they would hear the promise of their Savior. Paul summarized how Jesus saved us in our New Testament reading from Romans 5, 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Adam and Eve brought sin, death and hell to the world, but Jesus brought righteousness, justification and life. Our Gospel reading from Matthew 4 gave a glimpse of Jesus’ full obedient life in answering the devil’s lies with the truth of Scripture. He held to the truth that God is good when faced with temptation and when faced with the cross as we read in Philippians 2, 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! In his goodness, God punished Jesus for our disobedience. In his goodness, Jesus crushed the devil’s head like an iron skillet against a raw egg. In his goodness, God did what he said he would do for us, and he will bring us to live with him in paradise forever.
What God really says is true. If Adam and Eve would have stuck to what God really said, they would not have fallen. By repeating God’s Word, they would have fought the devil with the only weapon that works. God would have defended them, and they would have remained perfect. We will never know what that history may have looked like, but we have what God really said.
When God speaks it is more certain than two plus two equals four. God assures us that a temptation plus God’s Word equals crushing the devil’s lies. When the devil whispers, “God is not good,” it is time for us to ask ourselves, “Is God lying, or am I not applying?” Do not starve your soul. God is good, and the Bible feeds our soul with that truth. When we regularly consume Scripture, God builds resilience in us. Apply Scripture to your daily temptations and trials. Use the weapon of God’s Word and watch God prove his goodness to defend and deliver you. What God really said was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and in doing so Adam and Eve would have flourished. Equipped with Scripture, we can defend ourselves from the devil’s lies. And, equipped with Scripture, we remain sure that God has delivered us from all evil to be with him in heaven forever.
As a kid if you were allowed one item to take with you on a long hike, you might say, “Trail mix.” That could be considered cheating though as trail mix is a mix of a lot of things. Of course, if you told a child to pick one thing from the trail mix, it would be the chocolate, not a protein or dried fruit. You need one thing above all others to get you through the long hike through this world. With the truth of Scripture, we have deliverance through Jesus who obeyed God, defended himself from the devil with Scripture and was the perfect sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Without the truth of Scripture, we are overcome by the devil, but heaven is ours because what God did really say has crushed the devil. Amen.
Gunnar Ledermann, Pastor Divine Peace Church
Gunnar Ledermann
I’m passionate about Rockwall’s vibrant community and actively engage with local non-profits and community organizations, including the Rockwall Chamber of Commerce, the City of Rockwall, and the Downtown Rockwall Association. My background includes a bachelor’s degree in Classical Languages and a master’s degree in divinity. Currently serving as a pastor at Divine Peace Church in Rockwall, I also enjoy spending time with my wife, Marinda, and our five children.
