First Sunday in Lent (1880)

Matthew 4:1-11 The holy season has begun in which we consider the bitter suffering and death of Jesus Christ. We would be mistaken, however, if we thought that His suffering had only begun when He was trembling and apprehension was on His countenance in Gethsemane. No, the entire life of the Son of God in the form of a servant has been one of unspeakable suffering and patient endurance. But one of the heaviest moments of suffering and at the same time full of judgment for the accomplishment of His office of mediation was His temptation in the wilderness. The Lord has overcome it in our place and for our good, His victory is our victory. How comforting this is for faithful Christians, although all sorts of severe temptations come over them! The comfort of faithful Christians in their temptations; 1. temptation is by no means an alarming experience in Christianity, a. often it is precisely the most pious and dearest children of God who are afflicted with it. Here it was the Son of God Himself Who was under the claws of the devil and was assailed with temptations. Such temptation is proof for faithful Christians that even they too are among the dear children of God.1 That is why the devil is our enemy, because he has no part with us.2 b. God also has His hand in it. "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, in order that he" etc. When children of God see themselves surrounded by sheer temptation, then God is with them, He knows what they encounter, He sees their sorrow. Everything happens according to His will; He has temptation imposed over them according to His sacred counsel and has set His target on the tempter.3 No true Christian has cause to think that he is forsaken and rejected by God because he suffers such temptations. 2. temptation serves for their own good. There can be much distress even in bodily and external matters.4 Temptation brings anxious hours, expels many hot tears,

Luke 22:31. Job 1:1; Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7. 3 Job 1:12. 4 Matthew 4:2.
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consumes the powers of body and soul, often makes it that one is a burden to others. But what wonderful benefits it brings to the soul! a. faith is exercised and strengthened in that one becomes more familiar with God's Word5 and experiences its power. As the Lord spoke, "It is written", and struck back at Satan, a faithful Christian thus takes his refuge in such struggle in this divine weapon. He picks up the Bible and strikes the enemy with the sword of the Spirit6, b. prayer is aroused and inflamed.7 One learns to pray much more fervently and devoutly, seeks God's face, and call upon his counsel He Who only can deliver from devil and hell.8 Such heroes in prayer do this to those who do violence to the kingdom of heaven, c. one is more and more hostile to sin and withdraws more and more decidedly from the world and its vain nature. When the tempter shows their riches and their glory9, then everything that is in the world is bitter as gall to contested Christians, they recognize the vanity in them and their dangerous snares10; 3. temptation takes a good end, a. However, it is necessary that one endures, does not let courage fail, does not give way to the devil.11 For whoever ceases to struggle is certainly lost, and the last is worse than the first with him.12 It is necessary to persevere in faith according to the example of the Lord and to strike back one by one an attempt of the enemy in His power13, b. temptation, at last, takes a good end with such a staunch struggler, . the tempter gives way when he sees that he does not succeed and flees as a defeated enemy14, . the contested heart finds rest and refreshment.15 Unspeakable comfort, joy come in the soul. It is to the soul as if it is shifted at once from hell into heaven.16 Georg Stckhardt
Isaiah 28:19. Ephesians 6:17; Psalm 119:92. 7 Matthew 4:10. 8 Matthew 15:22, 25. 9 Matthew 4:8. 10 1 Timothy 6:9. 11 1 Timothy 5:15; Luke 8:13. 12 2 Peter 2:20. 13 2 Timothy 2:3. 14 Matthew 4:11; James 4:7. 15 "Angels came to Him." - Matthew 4:11. 16 1 Corinthians 10:13.
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