Tempted to be a Satan-worshipper

Have you ever studied the temptation of Jesus and wondered what was so bad about turning stones into bread? That was the first satanic temptation. The second and third are understandable--Jesus was tempted to commit suicide, and then to be a satan-worshipper (see Matthew 4:1-11). But, after fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, why shouldn’t Jesus use His supernatural powers to have a bite of fresh bread?

But Jesus didn’t use His powers for His own ends. The Bible says He always did those things that pleased the Father. Everything He did was done because it was God, not the devil, who told Him to do it--from the calling of the disciples, to the healing of the blind and the raising of Lazarus, to shedding His blood on the cross. All, including the very food that went in His mouth, happened because of His intimate relationship to God. That’s what it means to love God with all of the heart, mind, soul and strength.

The ungodly are not so. They are lovers of themselves. They indulge in the lusts of the flesh as if it were their birthright. They don’t eat to the glory of God, but solely for their own pleasure. To them, God is nothing but a divine butler. He is the means to their own selfish ends. If they cast themselves down, they would expect God to give His angels charge over them, lest they dash their foot against a stone. And when God doesn’t bow to their dictates, they are offended.

Yet, by their very lifestyle the ungodly have already bowed the knee to Satan. He is their father and it is him that they gladly serve, and the wages he pays is death. Their only hope of salvation is to say "Get behind me satan!" through genuine repentance and faith in Jesus.

Only God can keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil, for His is the kingdom, the power and the glory. For ever and ever. Amen.