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temptation also was to produce food for His desperate HUNGER.
Jesus withstood that temptation, quoting Scripture, "It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word ...
of God."
Next Satan took Jesus up on the pinnacle of the temple.
Again Satan said, "IF thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down,
for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee:
and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou
dash thy foot against a stone." In this case, Satan quoted a
Scripture, tempting Jesus to put it to a wrong application -- again
a temptation to VANITY.
Jesus replied, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God." When we read in Mark that if we BELIEVE, we
shall take up serpents, or drink a deadly poison, we shall be
unharmed, Jesus meant if such a thing happened ACCIDENTALLY, we
would be protected. But to do it deliberately would be tempting
God.
Finally, Satan showed Jesus all the Kingdoms of the world
from a high mountain, and said, "All these things will I give thee,
if thou wilt fall down and worship me." This was an appeal to lust
for POWER and earthly glory. Satan tempted Jesus to TAKE that
power, prematurely. Then Jesus commanded Satan to "Get thee hence,
Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve." Satan had to OBEY that command.
JESUS THEREIN QUALIFIED TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON
EARTH. But He did not, at that time, take over the GOVERNMENT
over the earth.
First, He ANNOUNCED the future coming of the KINGDOM OF
GOD -- His Gospel -- He taught it to His disciples -- and He gave
His life for US that we might inherit the Kingdom of God with
eternal life.
EPISODE V: On the day of Pentecost, 31, A.D., the Holy
Spirit came from God in heaven, and filled His Apostles and other
Brethren. Jesus had given them the Great Commission -- a great
PURPOSE to accomplish: "GO ye therefore, and teach ALL NATIONS,
..." (Matthew 28:19-20) -- "GO YE into ALL THE WORLD, and preach
the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).
Jesus did not raise up His Church merely to form various
local social clubs with NO PURPOSE other than to enjoy each others'
fellowship. He raised up the Church for a PURPOSE -- to proclaim
His GOSPEL -- not merely in their own community, but AROUND THE
WORLD -- ALL NATIONS.
For this purpose, three thousand were ADDED to them that
very day of Pentecost. A day or so later, the number became five
thousand (Acts 4:4). They continued a few days to grow BY ADDITION
-- "believers were the more ADDED to the Lord, multitudes both of
men and women" (Acts 5:14).