Matthew 4 Discussion

Send us a text

Ever notice how temptation often strikes right after your spiritual high points? In Matthew 4, Jesus shows us this exact pattern when He moves from the exhilaration of baptism straight into wilderness testing. This fascinating chapter reveals Jesus as the true and greater Israel—where the nation failed during 40 years in the wilderness, Jesus succeeds during 40 days of intense temptation.

What weapons does Jesus deploy against Satan's attacks? Scripture—specifically, passages from Deuteronomy, a book many of us might skim past. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." This powerful insight reminds us that God's Word isn't just information; it's spiritual sustenance and our primary defense against temptation. When life's challenges come, having Scripture stored in your heart provides immediate access to divine wisdom and strength.

The chapter then shifts dramatically as Jesus begins His public ministry and calls His first disciples. Peter, Andrew, James, and John respond "immediately"—a word that resonates throughout the text. They drop their nets, boats, and even leave family behind to follow Jesus. This immediate obedience contrasts sharply with our tendency to delay spiritual commitments. As we discuss in this episode, "delayed obedience is disobedience." Jesus's promise to make them "fishers of men" reminds us that following Him isn't just about personal growth but about participating in His mission to draw others into relationship with God. Whether you're battling temptation or hearing God's call to new territory, this chapter offers practical wisdom for living as Christ's faithful disciples today. Listen, reflect, and consider: what is Jesus asking you to leave behind to follow Him more fully?

Episode Transcript

Pastor Plek (00:10):
And welcome back to a chapter a day.
Keeps the devil away.
I'm Pastor Plek, along withPastor Holland, and we're
talking Matthew, chapter 4, andif you break it down and you
probably break another foursections you first got the
temptation of Jesus in thewilderness, then you got the
beginning of Jesus' publicministry, then you got the

(00:32):
calling of the first disciplesand then Jesus ministering to
great crowds.
So it starts small, goes big.
What were some observationsthat you made about this?

Pastor Holland (00:42):
text.
One thing we mentioned in thelast episode that would be
yesterday, yesterday about Jesusas the true and greater Israel.
He had just gotten baptized, inchapter 3.
He passed through the water andnow enters the wilderness.
Yep, and it says he was led bythe Spirit into the wilderness.
And you think of Israel beingled by the pillar of fire by

(01:07):
night and pillar of smoke by dayin the wilderness?

Pastor Plek (01:10):
And yet their entire journey in the wilderness
was marked by unbelief anddoubting God's word and
grumbling, whereas Jesus passesthrough the water of baptism and
enters the wilderness and histime, instead of 40 years in the
wilderness, he's 40 days in thewilderness Now, remember the 40

(01:31):
years of punishment for Israelwas because of the 40 days that
the spies were in the nation orin Canaan and they were supposed
to come back, bring the reportand then they were supposed to
go attack and so the 40 daysbecame 40 years because that was
their punishment.

Pastor Holland (01:47):
So Jesus' report is this Now Jesus' 40 days,
exactly, exactly.
So he goes so good and in his40 days in the wilderness we see
him respond by trusting andobeying God's word when he gets
hungry.

Pastor Plek (02:00):
He doesn't whine with the devil Right.

Pastor Holland (02:08):
He's like, yeah, I wish I could but God's so
mean he won't let me.
He's like man doesn't live onbread alone, but on every word
that proceeds from the mouth ofGod.
Well, the Israelites had breadand complained about it.
Manna from heaven, you knowbread from heaven and we're like
man.
This stuff sucks.
I wish we were back in Egypt,and so Jesus is really seen as
like.
Here's what it looks like to bea true Israelite, a true human

(02:28):
someone who really trusts andloves and obeys God.

Pastor Plek (02:30):
Love, that that's cool.
Okay, here's some things Ilearned about people.
People are vulnerable totemptation, even after spiritual
highs.
So you have this baptism, whichis a pretty big deal.
God's voice comes and speaks toJesus publicly, which of course
, he didn't need that, but forany normal person, that's a big
deal to have the voice of Godspeak to you about how loved you

(02:51):
are.
And then immediately temptationfollows that.
And we've said this as pastorsthat usually on your highest
high, which is always around theEaster timeframe, I preach
about the resurrection, that thespiritual attack, or temptation
comes immediately after that.
So, people, if Jesus facedtemptation, how much more would

(03:13):
you not, being the son of God,also be susceptible?

Pastor Holland (03:17):
to temptation?
Yeah, exactly.
And then you can look at,remember our you mentioned this,
but our observation,interpretation is what does this
teach about God?
What does it teach about people?
Well, you look at, what didJesus do when he was faced with
temptation?
He says it is written.
It is written.
He quotes scripture.
What books of the Bible does hequote, chris?

(03:38):
Deuteronomy and Leviticus.
Psalms Psalms Close.
He does love Leviticus too,though Deuteronomy and Psalms
are the most quoted books of theBible by Jesus.
Of course, of course, we allknew that.
Yeah, yeah, I just wanted tosee if you knew.
Right, got to keep each otheron our toes here, and so which

(03:58):
is funny, because for a lot ofpeople, deuteronomy, you know,
is one of those books that yougo skip-a-roo and let's you know
Jesus did not skip.
You know what?

Pastor Plek (04:05):
chapter he quoted from.
Deuteronomy 8.
And Deuteronomy 30.
Yes, that's right.
Do not test the Lord, your God.

Pastor Holland (04:12):
That's right, boom, you know, you just got to
have.
Like Deuteronomy 8 was the manshall not live by bread alone.
Yeah, and so from all throughDe Deuteronomy, you know, I
think a lot of people are likeoh man, that's Old Testament law
.
That's not interesting, man.
What an awesome book of theBible.
Jesus' favorite book of theBible, based on how much he

(04:33):
quoted it.
Yeah, let's go with his fave.
So you know an interpretationthere is that leads into an
application.
Right, what does this teach usabout God and people?
God's word is useful forbattling temptation, and even
the books of the Bible, likeDeuteronomy, that people tend to

(04:54):
skip.
And so boom, it move into anapplication you know.
For me is memorizing scripture,storing it up in your heart so
that when the temptation comes,you got an answer for the enemy.
I like that.

Pastor Plek (05:05):
Here's another interpretation I got People are
called to leave everythingbehind to follow Jesus.

Pastor Holland (05:10):
Peter, andrew, james and John left their nets,
boats and even dad, and the wordthat stuck out to me is
immediately, immediately,delayed obedience is
Disobedience, and boom.

Pastor Plek (05:20):
I think there's a part of us that needs to
understand that, when we go,I'll get to that.
I.
I think there's a part of usthat needs to understand that,
when we go, I'll get to that Iwill stop sleeping with my
girlfriend or living in sinafter we're married.
Stop now.

Pastor Holland (05:29):
Follow Jesus immediately would be the
application point there.
That's right, that's a good one, yeah.

Pastor Plek (05:35):
So let's talk about some of the application points
here for us.
I love.
I think one that you just kindof pulled up is the example to
follow is Jesus's knowledge ofGod's word.
You've got to know God's wordto apply God's word, Right.
So even if it's Deuteronomy 8,Deuteronomy 30, or one of the
Psalms, we need to know God'sword and have a regular intake

(05:58):
of following and knowing God'sword.
That's right.
What's another application yougot?
So the?

Pastor Holland (06:06):
the immediately you know, immediate obedience.
Um, if there's something youfeel like, uh, the Lord is
speaking to you through his word, even from this chapter, right
now, don't put it off.
Obey God right now.
Yeah, um, cause that's a bigone, I think.
And the other one for me is uh,when Jesus says follow me, I'll
make you fishers of men, I lovethat man.

(06:28):
Here's an application Gofishing, go tell some people
about Jesus, go draw some peoplein to know God and share the
good news that he changed yourlife.

Pastor Plek (06:36):
Yeah, and remember, he's the one who tells us I
will make you Jesus is the oneacting on the you to be a fisher
of men.
All it takes is for you tofollow him.

Pastor Holland (06:47):
That's right, okay, I'm personally.
I've invited my neighbor tocome to my community group
tomorrow night, you know, and aBuddhist who has rejected the
gospel, and yet I'm praying forher and inviting her, and so I'm
trying to go fishing right nowin my neighborhood.

Pastor Plek (07:03):
Well, I'd love to hear that.
Yeah, all right, we'll see youtomorrow on a chapter a day.