As we begin the season of Lent this coming Sunday, February 10, the three readings are Genesis 3:1-21; Romans 5:12-19 and Matthew 4:1-11. The sermon is based on Genesis 3:6, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.”

Traditionally, it is not the 1st Sunday in Lent unless the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness are read. So we begin there in Matthew 4. A sermon could be proclaimed as to how Jesus provides us with insight in overcoming the temptations of the devil; namely, by simply remembering the holy Scriptures. For each of Jesus’ answers to the devil’s temptations is a quotation from the book of Deuteronomy.

But Jesus is more than an Example. He is our Savior. Matthew is writing to an audience of Jews and therefore presents the historical facts of Jesus’ life and words as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy again and again. However, such fulfillment is not just in having the prophecies become true; it also involves Jesus fulfilling the Law perfectly in the place of and as the Substitute of those in the Old Testament times who failed.

The book of Matthew is thought to be written with five primary discourses paralleling the five books of Moses. While Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years, Jesus was tempted for 40 days. It is tempting to compare Jesus’ temptations only to those of Israel in the wilderness. For this sermon, however, the comparison will be between those of Jesus and those of Eve and Adam.

The first temptation about making bread from stones can be summarized as “good for food.” The second temptation about throwing oneself down from the pinnacle of the devil can be summarized as “pleasant to the eyes.” For there is a tradition that on the Day of Atonement the Messiah would appear at one of the pinnacles of the temple. Then Jesus would be acclaimed as Messiah without having to go through all that messy crucifixion and the like. The third temptation of receiving all the kingdoms of the world would indeed give Jesus the reputation of being the wisest man of all.

Now having read Genesis 3:6 above, you know where I am going. The Fall of Eve and Adam into sin was due because the temptation of the devil was agreed to by Eve, and Adam who was with her, who concluded that the tree was “good for food” and “pleasant to the eyes” and “the source of wisdom.” I don’t think it is a stretch to demonstrate how Jesus’ successful overcoming of those temptations was in stark contrast to how human beings fell into sin.

Though such a sermon is insightful and provides new information, it still is not proper proclamation. The preacher now needs to take each of those temptations and demonstrate how every person in the congregation is also so tempted and often gives in. Proper preaching of the Law needs to execute the hammer of the Law upon the lives of the hearers to demonstrate our continual need for a Savior.

The Gospel is not just that God, in Christ, forgives our falling into temptation. It also would include the fact that while we continue to fail, Jesus succeeded. That results in His righteousness being exchanged for our sin providing us with the gift of the robe of righteousness. The gift of forgiveness offsets our sins of commission while the gift of the robe of righteousness offsets our sins of omission. With both of these gifts, we are now privileged to thank and praise, serve and obey.