Category: Temptation

Purpose of the King: Matthew 14-16

Continuing our journey through Matthew, chapters 14-16 include some familiar stories about Jesus and His followers: the devastating beheading of John the Baptist, Jesus feeding crowds of 5000 and 4000, Jesus and Peter walking on the waves during a storm. They also include multiple healings and deep expressions of faith from Gentiles contrasted with hard hearts of the Pharisees.

Chapter 16 includes two significant conversations between Peter and Jesus that show a sharp contrast. First Jesus asks His disciples “Who do people say the son of man is?” They list off a variety of answers: “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (16:13-14, NIV)

Next, Jesus probes a level deeper: “’But what about you? Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” (16:15-16, NIV) Jesus affirms Peter’s response: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (16:17-18, NIV)

Tara Leigh Cobble explains, “The rock that the Church would be built on isn’t Peter. It can’t be; Peter is a pebble. The mountain-rock that the Church would be built on was the truth that Peter confessed…While Jesus affirmed Peter’s statement of faith, this moment really wasn’t about Peter at all— it was about King Jesus the Messiah, the Son of Man, the foundation of our faith.”1

Not long after this, Jesus begins explaining that He will suffer at the hands of the chief priest, that He will be killed and then raised back to life. Dismayed, Peter pulls Jesus aside and reprimands Him saying, “Never, Lord…This shall never happen to you!” Jesus responds with a sharp rebuke: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23, NIV)

The pivot from affirming Peter for his faith to calling him an adversary and a stumbling block highlights Christ’s ultimate purpose. “Jesus was saying that the way of the cross was God’s will, the plan of redemption for all mankind…Peter was inadvertently being used of Satan in thinking he was protecting Jesus…He had not yet grasped Jesus’ true Messianic purpose. Although Peter had just moments before declared Jesus as the Christ, he turned from God’s perspective and viewed the situation from man’s perspective, which brought about the stern rebuke”2

This interaction prompts me to consider when I’m viewing a situation from my perspective instead of God’s. When do I allow a stumbling block to derail me from the Lord’s purposes? When have I become a hindrance for someone else?

Most of us have a natural instinct to protect and comfort those we love, but there are times we insert ourselves where we don’t belong. Instead of helping, we become an impediment to growth.  Here are words of wisdom I’ve gleaned  over the years:

-Don’t steal the struggle. I learned this from a friend and it reminds me that rushing to help/ rescue someone who needs to contend with God can short-circuit their spiritual growth. When a spouse, son, daughter, grandchild or close friend is grappling with something they need to learn and we rush in to fix the situation, we may unintentionally prolong the struggle, prevent learning, or avert them from encountering the Lord personally.

-Don’t over-function. Author and pastor Pete Scezzerro defines this as doing for others what they could and should be doing for themselves.3 Spoon feeding those who have the capacity to hold their own utensils prevents growth. It’s possible we’re taking more ownership for them than we should be and derailing the maturing process.

-Beware of assuming everything painful is bad. Struggles and challenges that we find difficult and want to avoid may be the very tools God uses to refine and transform us. “Great temptations can come from those who love us and seek to protect us. Be cautious of advice from a friend who says, ‘surely God doesn’t want you to face this.’ Often our most difficult temptations come from those who are only trying to protect us from discomfort.”4

-Don’t squelch the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Lisa Chan, wife of pastor Francis Chan, shared this at an event I attended many years ago. In our desire to give comfort and reassure, we offer reasonable explanations instead of letting people grieve their sin and repent. Consider where you’re tempted to excuse sin in yourself or others by rationalizing or aligning with practices in our current culture.

 “If Jesus hadn’t suffered and died, Peter (and we) would have died in his sins…Satan is always trying to get us to leave God out of the picture. Jesus rebuked Peter for this attitude.”5 Let’s pray for discernment to know when people we love need to wrestle with the Lord without our intervention. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you’re stealing the struggle, over functioning, prioritizing comfort over growth, or squelching spiritual conviction. Whether it’s a stumbling block to you or someone you love, let’s stop trying so hard on our own strength and give it over to the Lord instead.

Matthew’s gospel shows us the disciples didn’t always get it right, but they remained humble and teachable, growing stronger and wiser all the time.  May the same be said of us.

You can follow along with our study by ordering your copy of Tara Leigh Cobble’s Knowing Jesus as King.

Was this forwarded to you? You can receive new posts automatically in your inbox by going to www.marybethmccullum.com, entering your e-mail address and clicking “subscribe.”

  1. Tara Leigh Cobble, Knowing Jesus as King, Bethany House 2024, 122-123
  2. “Why Did Jesus say to Peter, ‘Get behind me Satan’”, Got Questions.org
  3. Pete Scezzero, “Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast”
  4. NIV Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan, 1988, 1686
  5. ibid

Origin of the King: Matthew 1-4

Reading the opening chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, I was reminded of a special keepsake that has been passed down through the generations in my husband’s family. One Christmas, his uncle brought a pile of old hand-made quilts from his grandparents’ house and told all of us to choose what we wanted. There was only one that caught my eye–I loved the pattern and the colors, even though it was the most ragged one of the bunch.

Fishing it out of the pile, I unfolded it and a yellowed piece of paper fluttered out. Dated January 1, 1976 and written in his grandmother’s elegant script, the first sentence read: “These are the names on this quilt mostly made in 1809 and taken overland by covered wagon on the Oregon Trail.” With hearts pounding, we examined it more carefully and found multiple names embroidered onto it. We realized the tattered old quilt was a priceless family heirloom tracing back over 200 years. Honored to have it, the quilt personally connects us to the history of the Oregon Trail and the many hearty souls who traveled on it. We have a link to the past that adds color and texture to our family history.

I pulled out that quilt to admire it again as I was reviewing the long list of names tracing Jesus’ genealogy back through the generations in Matthew chapter one. Most of us wouldn’t find that as an exciting “attention grabber” to start a book, but for the original Jewish audience, it would’ve brought to mind people they’d learned about previously in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Bible teacher Jen Wilkin explains that Matthew’s intent was for his primarily Jewish audience to see and understand that Jesus was the fulfillment of all God’s promises in the Old Testament. Although we may find genealogies in the Bible boring to read, knowing the stories behind the people makes them come to life. Jen Wilkin points out that genealogies in Scripture show us that God sees us as individuals and knows us each by name.1  It’s like seeing the names of previously unknown ancestors embroidered on a family quilt. Suddenly faceless people from the past become distinct individuals with personal stories.

Matthew traces Jesus’ family tree through His earthly father, Joseph, to show that Jesus’ lineage proves He has a legal right to Israel’s throne. He is the long-awaited Messiah and King promised throughout the Old Testament. (You can watch a video teaching I did on this by clicking here. Fast forward 18 minutes to get to the start.)

This fall I’ll be writing in conjunction with Tara Leigh Cobble’s Knowing Jesus as King to help us walk through the Gospel of Matthew together. We’re going to see Jesus portrayed as the one true king who enters the world to re-establish God’s righteous kingdom on earth. In his classic book Mere Christianity, beloved author, scholar, and former atheist C.S. Lewis explains: “Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage [against the enemy].”2 So, making the choice to study the Bible and apply what we’re learning advances God’s kingdom into “enemy-occupied territory.”

Overview of Themes: The Gospel of Matthew tells the story of Jesus from birth to death to resurrection and shows Him as the rightful king who came to earth to restore His kingdom. It is a book filled with contrasts: The Kingdom of God vs. the Kingdom of the World, Pride vs. Humility, Self-Righteousness vs. God’s Grace, Hypocrisy vs. Pure Heartedness, Feeling Anxious vs. Trusting God. Matthew not only teaches us about the life of Jesus, he also gives us practical wisdom for how to function as citizens of His kingdom while we’re still living in enemy-occupied territory.

Chapter one continues beyond the genealogy with the birth of Christ. The narrative focuses on Joseph and describes Jesus’ earthly father as a righteous man. After encountering an angel, he decides to remain betrothed to Mary despite her seemingly scandalous pregnancy. Joseph’s actions reveal his whole-hearted belief in the angel’s proclamation: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” (1:21) Never missing an opportunity to highlight Old Testament prophecy, Matthew writes, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: `The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).” (1:22-23)

Chapter two continues with the Christmas story as wise men from the east come seeking the Christ child in Bethlehem after observing a star heralding His birth. “Most likely, the magi knew of the writings of the prophet Daniel, who in time past had been the chief of the court seers in Persia. Daniel 9:24-27 includes a prophecy which gives a timeline for the birth of the Messiah.”3

After the Magi depart, Joseph encounters an angel in a dream with an urgent message: “’Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’” (2:13b, NIV) Heeding the warning without delay, Joseph departs for Egypt with his wife and child during the night, escaping King Herod’s vicious slaughter of baby boys in Bethlehem.

Sometime later, an angel again appears to Joseph in a dream saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” (2:20) Joseph’s responsiveness to God’s instructions despite the incredible hardship and inconvenience reveals a humble and obedient heart. There’s much to admire and imitate about his quickness to obey the Lord.

In chapter three we meet Jesus’ relative John the Baptist, “preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” (3:1b-2) Pointing out another fulfilled prophecy, Matthew highlights John as the one foretold by the prophet Isaiah, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” (3:3) You may remember John from the Christmas story in Luke. He’s the baby who leapt within the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, at the arrival of Mary, pregnant with the Messiah.

Baptizing repentant sinners in preparation for the coming of the Christ, John hesitates when Jesus asks to be immersed in the waters. Believing he isn’t even fit to untie Jesus’ sandals, John only agrees when Jesus says, “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” (3:15) As Jesus comes up out of the water, Matthew confirms Him as the Christ and spotlights each person of the Trinity: “heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” (3:16b-17) Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of His public ministry at age thirty.

In chapter four  the Spirit leads Christ “into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” (4:1b) The enemy appears to Jesus when He’s weakened and exhausted at the end of a forty day fast. Tempting Him in three different ways, the devil lures Him to succumb to sin. Jesus overcomes each temptation by fighting back with the words of the Scriptures. In this scene Matthew shows Jesus as a man who experiences the human struggle with sin, but also as the Messiah whose righteousness triumphs over it.

Returning from the wilderness, Jesus calls two sets of brothers who are fishermen as His first four disciples: Simon (later re-named Peter) and Andrew, James and John. The chapter closes with momentum building: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” (Matthew 4:23-25)

Just four chapters into this gospel Matthew has already included seven prophecies fulfilled by Jesus, leaving no question that He is the King of Kings.

Two themes will begin to emerge in Matthew’s writing: Jesus’ arrival  in “enemy occupied territory” to reveal His upside-down kingdom and  His repeated teachings that emphasize living from the inside out. We’ll be blazing through Matthew’s gospel in the next few months. As you read it, consider asking the Lord to reveal where He’s inviting you to shift your practices and priorities to seek His kingdom first.

You can follow along with our study by ordering your copy of Tara Leigh Cobble’s Knowing Jesus as King.

Was this forwarded to you? You can receive new posts automatically in your inbox by going to www.marybethmccullum.com, entering your e-mail address and clicking “subscribe.”

All Scriptures quoted from the New International Version , 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica Inc., Zondervan Publishing.

  1. Jen Wilkin, Knowing Faith Podcast, Episode 2, “Jesus’ Family Tree”, 9/13/17
  2. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Geoffrey Bles Publishing, 1952
  3. “What Does the Bible Say About the Three Wise Men (Magi)?”https://www.gotquestions.org

The GOAT 5a: Adultery & Divorce

Continuing our march through the greatest sermon of all time, we come to Jesus’ teaching on some hard topics: adultery and divorce. Just glancing at the headlines in any gossip magazine shows us the standards He sets reveal a sharp contrast to what we see in the world today. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus continues to raise the bar, admonishing us to be faithful in our relationships. 

He starts by expanding on the 7th Commandment found in Exodus 20:14: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”(Matthew 5:27-30, ESV)

Like His discussion on the relationship between murder and anger in Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus again explains that what happens in the heart leads to sinful behavior. Here He addresses the root issue of adultery: lust. While there are times we may admire someone’s appearance, lust moves into the driver’s seat when we take a second look. When we ruminate about that person sexually and let our minds roam freely, we’re headed for trouble.

Jesus uses exaggerated language here to make His point, telling us to gouge out our eyes or cut off our hands if they’re leading us to sin. He’s using hyperbole to get our attention, not telling us to maim ourselves. Being faithful in our relationships means guarding our hearts (Proverbs 4:23) and taking extreme measures to avoid sin. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to “Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1, NIV)

What might you need to “throw off” to be faithful in your relationships? What distracts or detracts from the people that matter most to you? Is there someone who influences you negatively? A website that leads you down a bad path? A social media platform that takes your thoughts in a negative direction? Are there books, magazines, or movies that make you fantasize unrealistically and see your spouse as less appealing? Maybe it’s time to cut them out of your life.

Jesus continues with another weighty topic: “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31-32, ESV)

The Bible gives two clear grounds for divorce: (1) sexual immorality (mentioned here and again in Matthew 19:19) and (2) abandonment by an unbeliever (mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:15). There are other instances not explicitly mentioned in Scripture such as abuse or addiction where separation may be warranted. The goal of separation should be for one or both spouses to pursue help and healing with the hope of reconciling. Meeting with a godly, trained counselor to confront issues and challenges should take place before ever considering divorce. Even in the two instances where there are biblical grounds, divorce is not required or even encouraged in Scripture. Confession, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration are the goal. Divorce should only be viewed as a last resort.

While the world sees divorce as a valid option for almost any reason, we can see God’s original intent for marriage in the first couple, Adam and Eve: One man and one woman in a committed, loving, lifelong relationship. God intends for such faithfulness in a relationship to reflect His forever love for His people: “I will betroth you to me forever;  I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.” (Hosea 2:19, NIV) God designed marriage as an illustration of the love and commitment between Himself and His people: “’For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” (Ephesians 5:21-32, NIV) 

Despite these teachings in Scripture, most of us have been exposed to the pain caused by divorce. If you haven’t been divorced yourself, you’ve witnessed its ripple effects in family members and friends who have experienced the deep hurt it causes. That pain is part of the reason Scripture says God hates divorce (Malachi 2:15-16). Note that it does NOT say God hates divorced people. Nothing could be further from the truth. God’s love and grace are open to us all and there are no second class citizens in the Kingdom of Heaven.

For those who are married or hope to get married, the chances of maintaining a healthy marriage and avoiding divorce increase as we keep our focus on Jesus and let Him guide our relationships: “Contrary to what’s been reported for years, the divorce rate [for Christians] is not 50 percent; it’s more like 30 percent. And then we find that people who keep God at the center of their home and family stay married at far greater rates, and even thrive within those marriages. One of the reasons for this is that those whose first commitment is to the lordship of Jesus put fewer expectations upon their spouses to meet emotional needs that only God can meet. The lessening of unrealistic expectations gives marriages a stronger foundation upon which to withstand difficult times.”*

Sanctus Real’s song “Lead Me” describes the challenges and benefits of fighting for a healthy marriage. After the song, scroll down for some additional resources to maintain a healthy marriage.

Resources to support your marriage:

CPC Danville’s Marriage Mentoring program. Click here for more information.

Making Love Last by Laura Taggert

Becoming Us by Beth and Jeff McCord

I would be remiss not to address pornography, which is a huge issue related to these topics. Here are few articles for you:

“What Does the Bible Say About Pornography?”

“Is Pornography Addiction an Acceptable Reason for Divorce?”

*Quote from article: “Is The Divorce Rate Among Christians Truly The Same as Among Non-Christians?”  

Portions of this post were inspired by Tyler Scott’s sermon at CPC Danville “The GOAT: The Sermon on the Mount Part 5”

Lead Us Not into Temptation

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Two sides struggled for control of my heart, mind, and life. It was almost like I had a cartoonish angel and devil on each shoulder. I loved God and called Jesus my Savior, but I continued in a pattern of sin that kept me from growing and thriving in my faith. No one knew how much I struggled with the weight of guilt and shame. Praying to confess my sin felt futile and insincere because temptations were all around me and I couldn’t withstand them.

A turning point came when I left my environment and spent a season surrounded by solid believers who were passionate about Jesus. This time away from my normal routines and influences allowed me to discover and experience God in a deeper and more personal way. Once I got a taste of His goodness and grace, I didn’t want to go back. 

I began praying that God would lead me away from the temptations that made me stumble and veer off course. Over time the Lord answered those prayers and soon I found that activities that had tempted me previously stopped having the same allure. I wanted God more than I wanted the sins that had held me hostage for so long. I think that experience highlights the essence of the closing lines of the Lord’s Prayer: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13, NIV)

This part of the prayer reminds us that we need God’s guidance because, left to our own devices, we gravitate towards what tempts us. Temptation is defined as “a condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from faith and holiness.” All of us need God’s help to withstand temptations so that we can avoid sin.

Let’s back up for a moment to see where the Lord leads us when we choose to follow Him:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3, NIV) God leads us to peace and refreshment. He guides us to do what is right for our good and His glory. 

David’s prayer from Psalm 139 further validates this part of the Lord’s Prayer: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-4, NIV) The Lord leads us to eternal life with Him; following Him involves being humble enough to identify and confess sin.

Scripture also makes it clear that the Lord doesn’t lead us toward sin: “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  (James 1:13-15, NIV)

And when we find ourselves faced with temptation and wanting to give in to evil desires, it’s good to remember we are not alone. Being tempted is part of being human. The Lord knows our struggles and provides a way out of temptation when we look to Him: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted. he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”  (1 Cor 10:13, NIV)

Temptation to sin comes directly from the evil one. Jesus warned Simon Peter of this not long before His arrest and crucifixion saying, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32, NIV) In His warning to Simon Peter, Jesus shows us that the key to fighting temptation is fervent prayer.

The final lines of the Lord’s Prayer again echo David’s prayer: “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.” (Psalm 141:4, NIV) Like Jesus’ example, David recognizes the enticement of sin and asks the Lord to keep him from being attracted to it.

Temptations change as we get older, but the gravitational pull towards sin remains with us until death. Our flesh and spirit battle continually; praying for the Lord not to lead us into temptation and to deliver us from evil demonstrates humble acknowledgement of this fact. When we know our weaknesses and are aware of the areas where we’re likely to fall into sin, we can pray proactively, asking the Lord to guide and protect us.

If you’re ready to take a deeper dive into understanding the power of prayer this summer, check out my new Bible study called Extraordinary Prayer. Click here for more information or see the “Book Table” tab on my website.

Francesca Battistelli’s song “Defender” provides a beautiful picture of how prayer opens the door for God to deliver us from evil and to show us how much better it is to follow His way.

Definition of temptation from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon based on Strong’s Concordance.