Among other things, He is an example – the highest and most perfect of all examples. He said, “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” That verse in John 13 came in the context of our Saviour’s humble service to His disciples. Then there is, “for even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” And then there is Matthew 11:29 – “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” What is the likelihood that we live in unrest and turmoil, because we refuse to learn of Christ as we should?
Satan’s temptation of Christ, as I said last Sunday, was an important event – for Christ, for Satan and for us. If the Saviour had failed at any point – even slightly – it would have destroyed all hope of our salvation. Satan could have laid a claim upon the throne of God, and fantastic doors would have been opened to him. But also, as I suggested, Jesus’ victory over this attack gives us a lesson to use in our own defense. And there is something else here in way of lessons – There is much to be learned in the fact that Jesus was “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” And this evening I’d like to try to begin to bring out some of those lessons.
Each and every attribute of God is to be fully found in the Holy Spirit. He loves the saint as much as the Father or the Son. He loves the Son of God as much as the Father does. And He is as fully pleased with Him as the Father is. The Holy Spirit hates sin as much as the Son of God who died to deliver us from sin. Romans 8 is one of the richest chapters in all the Word of God, and verses 27 and 28 are as full as any two verses in the Bible. “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” God the Father knows the mind of the Spirit, and the Spirit knows the mind of the Father. The Holy Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of the Father. And He leads the saints of God according to the will of the Father as well.
The leadership of the Spirit is perfect in every way. It perfectly matches the eternal will and decree of the God-head. While He may lead into a place of temptation, He never leads into sin, because He is absolutely holy. We can have perfect confidence in the leadership of the Spirit, because He is God.
Here is a conundrum – When the Son of God took upon Himself human flesh – when he became incarnate – He limited Himself in ways that I cannot fully express or explain – He humbled Himself. While still being God, He laid aside some of the prerogatives of deity. For example He refused the privileges of absolute omniscience – while still retaining some of its aspects. When the Son of God was on earth He was no longer omnipotent – He sometimes got tired and weak. I can’t explain these things; I can only point them out. And it was in this incarnate state that the Holy Spirit led the Lord Jesus into the wilderness.
There are aspects of Christ Jesus’ surrender to this leadership which are beyond us, but much that isn’t. Is anyone prepared to say that Jesus was dull, stupid or insensitive, and this is why the Spirit’s leadership was necessary? I certainly hope not. Monday, I was here at the church, trying to turn on the sprinklers for the lawn. The operation manual which I had attached to the control box is not where I left it, and I was trying to do something which I hadn’t done in over a year. As it turned out, I couldn’t get it to run. So I called the sprinkler company and talked to the man to checked our backflow system. I explained what I had done, and he offered some opinions. Eventually he suggested that I check one simple item in the control box, and there was the solution. He didn’t get the sprinkler to go – I did that – but I did it with his leadership. Simply put, the Lord Jesus, may not have been aware that the next step in His work to become our Saviour required Him to face the Devil. It was that the Holy Spirit led Him out into the wilderness – probably the desert area of Judea or Sinai. To admit, or to submit to leadership doesn’t mean that someone is stupid, dead or dull. It simply means that we need direction, or that we are willing to accept direction.
To submit to the leadership of someone else is an act of humility. Humility is one of the most precious and beautiful character traits that anyone can possess. And to see it in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is not an exception to that rule. Christ Jesus, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” One aspect of the glory which our Saviour enjoys today flows out of his thirty-three years of humility.
Did Christ have to follow the leadership of the Spirit that day? It might be argued that He didn’t have a choice, due to the decree of the Lord. On the other hand that might be debated. The same kind of arguments might be applied to the Lord’s ability to do as Satan tempted. The temptation was genuine, whether the Lord’s ability to give in to that temptation was possible or not. Undoubtedly, the Lord Jesus’ situation was different from ours because He is the Son of God. But certainly you and I, under the same kind of leadership have the opportunity to choose or reject, both the temptation toward evil and the leadership of the Lord. And what we do in either case reflects our spiritual strength and our wisdom. We have a choice whether to listen to Satan or to listen to the Holy Spirit. You and I have a choice whether or not to sin or to be as strong as the virtuous woman. When some handsome creature tempts you toward immorality you can refuse. When circumstances encourage you to lie, you can tell the truth. When you’ve found something which you know belongs to someone else, you can return it or steal it. And as the Holy Spirit directs you to some aspect of Christian service, you have a choice once again.
I don’t know how many times, I have had people tell me that the Lord had led them to our church. They had heard a few messages which tickled their fancy, and they thought that they would stay here until the day of the translation of the saints. But then a few months later they heard a message which they had never heard before. Every point of that message came directly from the Word of God, and the principles taught were undeniable. But it dealt with the sovereignty of God, or the local church, or the imminent return of Christ. All of a sudden the prejudice of their hearts was ignited and off they went to another church. What happened to the leadership of the Lord which brought them to this house of God? It is really difficult to stick to the thought that He lead them three months ago, but now he is leading them again, but this time, to leave.
Is there any parallel between that and our scripture? What if the Lord Jesus joyfully followed the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, and really didn’t mind six weeks of fasting and prayer? But then Satan appeared, teasing and tempting the Lord about the hunger He was experiencing? What if at that point, our Saviour, backed out of the situation and headed toward Jerusalem? What if that period of temptation had been cut short, and the Lord ran home to his mother? I dare not even guess, but then it’s moot anyway, because that didn’t happen. Rather than turning tail, the Lord Jesus forced the Devil to flee.
Christ followed the Spirit into the wilderness and into battle with Satan. He made a choice to follow that leadership and to stick with it. He didn’t start looking for different leadership, when He knew that it was of God.
Remembering that we are not the center of the world, consider the fact that there are always DIVINE purposes in the leadership of the Lord. Of course, the Son of God may have rejoiced to have this opportunity to face His mortal enemy. But humanly speaking, it would not have been a choice many of us would have willingly made. The purpose of this appointment was big in the divine plan of God, but it meant trouble for Jesus. And how many times have you been lead into things when you couldn’t see any personal benefit? You were on your way to help a sick relative, feeling that it was the Lord’s will, but on the way you were in an accident, or perhaps you caught the disease that your loved-one had? Would you later say that God’s leadership was not involved in your going? Would you deny that the Lord actually lead you into danger like that? Did He know that you would be nearly killed in that accident, and He lead you into it anyway? As we see in this scripture, God can very easily lead you into something which accomplished His will – but not yours.
It could be that the Lord led you into a situation of temptation. You have publically said with Peter that you’d never deny Christ, but the Lord seems to have put you in the midst of an enemy army, standing before a nice warm fire. The Lord wants you to valiantly identify with Christ, but the pressure is great, urging you to deny Him. You didn’t choose to be in that situation – the Lord brought you here – and now what? Perhaps you have seen the Saviour walking out there on the water, and He has invited and led you to join him in a stroll among the waves. The temptation is there to doubt and perhaps to drown, but it was not the Lord’s will that you do. God leads you to Hebron with Abraham, but then He orders the rain to stop and the prairie to dry up. Should you move your family to Egypt – contrary to His command? Or should you stay and do your best, trusting Him, but possibly starving? Every child of God, who even thinks about doing the will of God and following the Lord’s leadership, is going to be confronted with difficult situations as was Jesus, Abraham, Peter and so many others. The question is: what will your response be?
Ultimately, the purpose for this leadership was the glory of God. Paul was working his way up the eastern side of the Aegean Sea, preaching the gospel of Christ. All of a sudden it seemed that the leadership of the Lord dried up or moved on. He felt no peace about preaching in the places that he had planned to visit. Then he found himself then in Troas, and as he was still seeking the will of God, he was given a God-sent vision telling him to cross over into Macedonia. Thankfully, Paul was not a man to question the will of the Lord, and off he went to Philippi. Souls were saved there; a church was established there; God was glorified there. But don’t forget that there he and Silas where jailed and severely beaten as well. That leadership of God in Paul’s life was all about the Lord’s glory. And sometimes the Lord is glorified through our suffering.
The leadership of the Lord is still about His glory. Isn’t this one of the lessons that this scripture is designed to teach us?