Our temptations

Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7, Psalm 50, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11

Every year on the First Sunday of Lent, the Church leads us into the desert with Jesus. Not to frighten us. Not to overwhelm us. But to show us something essential: The temptations Jesus faced are the same temptations we face. And the way He responds is the way we are called to respond. The devil’s strategy hasn’t changed since the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve fell to these temptations. Jesus conquers them. And in His victory, He shows us how to live.

Let’s walk through each temptation—what it meant for Jesus, how it appears in our lives, and what His response teaches us.

 The First Temptation: “Turn These Stones into Bread.” The Temptation to Satisfy Real Hunger in the Wrong Way. Jesus is hungry—forty days hungry. The devil whispers: “If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread.” It’s a temptation to meet a real need in a wrong way. How We Do This in Real Life. We all have deep hunger: the hunger to be loved, the hunger to belong, the hunger for peace, the hunger for meaning, the hunger for joy. These are good, holy hungers. But we often try to satisfy them with “stones.” For example: A young woman once said, “I know this relationship isn’t good for me, but at least I feel wanted.” She wasn’t looking for sin— she was looking for love. But she was feeding her heart with stones. A man comes home stressed and numbs himself with hours of scrolling. He’s not looking for sin— he’s looking for peace. But he’s feeding his soul with stones. A teenager posts on social media things she doesn’t believe in just to get likes. She’s not looking for sin—she’s looking for belonging. But she’s feeding her identity with stones. Jesus’ Response: Jesus says, “One does not live by bread alone.” Meaning: Only God can satisfy the deepest hungers of the human heart.

 The Second Temptation: “Throw Yourself Down.” The Temptation to Test God, to Demand Proof, to Insist God Acts on Our Terms. The devil takes Jesus to the top of the Temple and says, “Jump. God will catch you.”  It’s the temptation to force God’s hand. To say, “God, prove Yourself.” How We Do This in Real Life. We test God when we say, “If God really loves me, He’ll fix this problem right now.” “If God is real, He’ll give me a sign.” “If God wants me to believe, He’ll do something dramatic.” “If God wants me to forgive, He’ll change my feelings first.” We turn faith into a negotiation. For example: A child climbs onto the roof after being told not to, then shouts, “Dad, catch me!” The father catches him—but says, “Don’t put yourself in danger and expect me to fix it.” That’s testing God. A student doesn’t study, then prays for an A. He wants God to do for him what he refused to do for himself. A man says, “If God wants me to believe, He’ll send me a miracle.” A wise priest replies, “God already sent you one. It’s called Jesus.”  Jesus’ Response. Jesus says: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Faith is not control. Faith is trust.

The Third Temptation: “All This I Will Give You”. The Temptation of Shortcuts, Compromise, and Gaining the World at the Cost of Our Soul. The devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and says, “All this I will give you… if you bow down.” This is the temptation to take the easy way. To choose success without sacrifice. To choose power without integrity. To choose the crown without the cross. How We Do This in Real Life. We face this temptation when we say: “I’ll cut this corner—no one will know.” “I’ll say what people want to hear, not what’s true.” “I’ll choose comfort over commitment.” “I’ll compromise my values to get ahead.” For example:  A businessman is offered a lucrative deal—if he stays silent about something unethical. He said it felt like the devil whispering, “Just bow a little.” He walked away. He kept his soul. A politician knows what’s right but won’t say it because it might cost votes. Power without principle. A teenager posts on social media things she doesn’t believe in to gain popularity. Approval without authenticity. Jesus’ Response: Jesus says, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve.” He refuses shortcuts, compromise, glory without sacrifice. He chooses the Father’s way—even though it is harder.

 All Three Temptations Teach Us that Jesus is the New Adam. Adam and Eve fell to these same temptations: hunger for something more, doubt in God’s goodness, desire for power. Jesus succeeds where they failed. Secondly, Temptation is not a sign of weakness. If Jesus was tempted, then temptation is not sin. It is an invitation to choose God. Thirdly, the devil always offers shortcuts, but shortcuts always cost more than they promise. Fourthly, Jesus shows us how to fight with: trust, Scripture, obedience, and identity rooted in the Father Finally, we do not fight alone. Jesus has been in the desert. He knows the battle. He walks with us.

The three temptations are not ancient stories. They are the story of our lives. When we feel empty → we reach for stones, when we feel afraid → we test God, when we feel ambitious → we take shortcuts. But Jesus shows us another way: Trust instead of shortcuts, Obedience instead of compromise, Surrender instead of control, God instead of the world. This Lent, let us follow Him into the desert. Not with fear, but with hope. Because the One who conquered temptation walks beside us. And if we walk with Him, we will rise with Him. Amen.