The Temptation of Power
When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert, Satan offered Jesus three things: the kingdoms of the world, glory, and power. Jesus refused all three, but what if He had accepted? how would His ministry have been different? In this section, we’ll explore what could have happened if Jesus had given into the temptation of power.
The first temptation
The first temptation is to centralize power in the hands of a few individuals. This can be done for a variety of reasons, including efficiency, capability, or simply because it is easier to control. However, this approach comes with a number of risks. First, it can create a “tyranny of the few” over the many. Second, it can lead to corruption, as those in power may abuse their position for personal gain. Third, it can stifle innovation and creativity, as dissenting voices are suppressed. Finally, it can create loyalty problems, as people may become more loyal to the individuals in power than to the organization as a whole.
The second temptation
When Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil, the tempter first tried to get him to turn stones into bread. When that failed, he took him to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world. He promised Jesus that he could have them if he would just worship him.
This is called the second temptation, and it’s one that we face every day. The devil tempts us with the promise of power and glory. He tells us that we can have everything we want if we just give into his demands.
The thing is, though, that when we give into temptation and try to satisfy our own desires, we only end up causing more problems for ourselves and others. We may get what we want in the short-term, but in the long-term we end up hurting ourselves and those around us.
Resist the temptation of power and glory, and focus instead on living a life that is pleasing to God. When you do this, you will find true fulfillment and lasting joy.
The third temptation
The third temptation that Christ faced was the temptation to assume control over all the kingdoms of the world. This time, the devil showed Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.” He promised that if Jesus would bow down and worship him, he would give them all to him.
This was a different kind of temptation than the others. The first two were about gratification – about satisfying personal desires. But this one was about ambition and power. It was about wanting something that wasn’t rightfully ours. It was about grasping for something that we couldn’t fully handle.
When we are tempted to seek power, we need to remember what it cost Jesus to resist this temptation. He was mocked, beaten, and crucified because he didn’t give into the devil’s lies. If we want to resist the temptation of power, we need to be willing to suffer like Jesus did.
The Temptation of Possessions
After Jesus was baptized, he was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. The first temptation was for Jesus to turn stones into bread to satisfy his hunger. Jesus responded by saying that humans should not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. The second temptation was for Jesus to test God by throwing himself off the top of the temple. Jesus responded by saying that humans should not put God to the test. The third temptation was for Jesus to worship the devil in exchange for being given all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus responded by saying that humans should worship only God.
The first temptation
The first temptation, that of the Devil taking Jesus up to a high place and showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, is a temptation to what? It’s a temptation to believe that God’s Kingdom can be built by human means, by earthly power. It’s a temptation to shortcut the process of God’s redemption and salvation. And it’s also a temptation, I think, to conflate temporal power with eternal significance. The things that last forever are not necessarily the things that we can see and touch.
The second temptation
The second temptation that Jesus faced was the temptation of possessions. The Bible tells us that the devil took him to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and said that he would give them to Jesus if he would just worship him.
But Jesus, true to his character, resisted the temptation. He knew that material things could not give him the satisfaction that he was looking for. And so he refused to worship the devil, and instead worshiped God alone.
The third temptation
The third temptation that Jesus endured was the temptation to receive all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for His allegiance to Satan. In this temptation, Satan took Jesus up to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in their glory. Then Satan made a bargain with Jesus: if Jesus would bow down and worship him, then Satan would give all these kingdoms and their glory to Him. This, of course, was a lie. As scripture says, “The devil is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
But what was Satan really after in this temptation? What was he trying to get Jesus to do?
First, let’s look at what Jesus was NOT tempted to do:
1) Worship Satan – This would have been the ultimate act of apostasy and would have completely negated everything that Jesus came to Earth to do. If Jesus had worshipped Satan, He would have been corrupted beyond repair and would not have been able to die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin. In other words, He would not have been able to save us.
2) Reject God – The second thing that Jesus was NOT tempted to do was to reject God. This would have also been an act of apostasy and would have negated His purpose for coming to Earth. If Jesus had rejected God, He would not have been able to die on the cross as our Savior.
So what was Satan trying to get Jesus to do? He was trying to get Jesus to compromise His integrity by enticing Him with an offer that He knew Jesus could not refuse – all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for just one act of worship. But fortunately for us, Jesus did not compromise. He withstood this final temptation and remained true to who He was – the Son of God who came to Earth to save us from our sin.
The Temptation of Pleasure
Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, yet he did not sin. When Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan, he was tempted with the same three things that we are tempted with: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. In this section, we will be looking at the temptation of pleasure.
The first temptation
The first temptation that Jesus was faced with was the temptation to turn stones into bread. This was a test of his obedience to God, as well as a test of his faith. Jesus knew that if he turned the stones into bread, it would be an act of disobedience to God. However, he also knew that if he did not turn the stones into bread, he would be putting his faith in God to provide for him. Ultimately, Jesus chose to obey God and did not turn the stones into bread.
The second temptation
The second temptation that Jesus faced was the temptation to have power and control. Satan took him to the top of a high mountain and showed him all of the kingdoms of the world. He promised Jesus that he could have all of this power and control if he would just worship him.
Jesus again quoted Scripture, saying, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.” (Matthew 4:10)
This temptation is still very relevant to us today. We live in a world that is constantly striving for more power and control. We see it in our politics, our religions, and even in our personal relationships. We can be tempted to use our position or our possessions to gain power over others.
When we are tempted to seek power and control, we need to remember that Jesus has already won the ultimate victory over Satan. He has given us the ability to overcome any temptation through His grace and power. We need to focus on serving Him and His kingdom, not our own.
The third temptation
After spending forty days and nights in the wilderness, Jesus was hungry. Thetempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the tempter took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “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.’”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”