Into the Wilderness Sermon Notes
Let us begin with our first set of Bible verses that will get us started.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.’ ”Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
-Matthew 4:1-11 NRSVue
Observations
- Even the Enemy (aka the Devil) knows the Bible.
- In verse 4 Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, “He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
- The Enemy also quotes from the Bible in verse 6, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” -Psalms 91:11-12.
- Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 in verse 10, “The Lord your God you shall fear, him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear.”
- First, Jesus was lead by the spirit into the wilderness.
- Jesus was to be tested (prediction) by the Enemy.
- So, in preparation, Jesus fasted and it put his body into a weakend state. His spirit was strong because he PREPARED!
- Jesus used scripture to fight off the Enemey!
Let’s now look at our next verse.
Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he put them to the test. He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.”
-Exodus 15:22-26 NRSVue
Observations
- Marah means bitter in Hebrew.
- Almost a forced water fast.
- This says that God was the one who tested them unlike in Matthew 4 when it was the Enemey who tested Jesus.
- Similar layout to what happened to Jesus.
- Lead into the wilderness.
- Followed by testing of sorts.
- Moses and the people went only 3 days into the wilderness and suddenly there was no more water.
- Both engaged God.
- Jesus with fasting.
- Moses cried out to God.
- Followed all by a victory.
- Jesus withstood the Enemy.
- The people in Exodus made it to Elim where there were 12 springs of water and palm trees, an oasis.
Defining “wilderness”
Exodus 15:22 uses the term wilderness, however, it’s Biblical definition would be desert or uninhabited land. While in Matthew 4 the term would equate to solidarity or desolate.
Questions
How many have been through what they felt were trials (wildernesses) in their lives?
- Addictions?
- Deaths?
- Financial issues?
- Health?
- Divorce?
- Breakups?
Have you ever felt like you have hit rock bottom?
- Isolated with no one to turn to?
- You’ve pushed everyone away?
Answers
Jesus shows us exactly what to do when we go through the wilderness!
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want.” Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Now the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”
-Matthew 26:36-56 NRSVue
Application
- Jesus shows us to pray when we go through the trials.
- He BEGGED his disciples to pray!
- Go away and pray!
- Jesus didn’t necessarily isolate himself completely, however, he made an effort to find alone time with God!
- He did this before the most important event in HISTORY, the crucifixion!
Conclusion
In the Bible, the wilderness is where God grants His presence and provides for those seeking Him. The ultimate God shows Himself in the difficult scenes of Life. Things that try to limit us, THAT is where God shows up the most…in our WILDERNESSES!
I hope this study bless you,
-Pastor Alex Burchnell
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