Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship the enemy. It was the offer of a crown without the cross – a shortcut to accomplish the goal of Jesus’ life. The focus of this temptation is our ambitions. In a world that believes in the philosophy of “have it all and have it now”, one can see how ambitions can go wrong. If our ambitions are not shaped by God and surrendered to God they can clearly lead us astray.

The emphasis on the second temptation of Jesus is on Approval. Satan presented Jesus with a choice. Was Jesus going to follow God’s plan for His life or would He bypass the plan in order to win the approval of people? Jesus faced the temptation of being popular and liked by everyone! This temptation is part and parcel of our culture today. It can be summarized by a single question - Whose approval do you crave the most? We are made for God’s approval and no human praise can serve as a substitute.

The story of Jesus’ baptism and temptations go hand in hand. At His baptism, the Holy Spirit came on Jesus and He heard words of affirmation from God the Father. The next moment the same Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. A major confrontation takes place in the wilderness and a lot was at stake! Until this moment, the human race had lived in defeat and bondage to the enemy. Now for the very first time, we have a son of Adam raising up an effective defense that counters the schemes of the Devil.

In Matthew Chapter 3, John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the true baptizer! While John baptized with water, Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt. 3:11). This sermon addresses three vital questions:

1. What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

2. When do we receive this baptism?

3. What is the outcome of this experience?

Jesus chose to stay away from the limelight as he settled with his family in the small town of Nazareth. This long anonymous season prepared Jesus for the start of a powerful ministry. It is true today – in anonymous seasons when we supposedly do not feel recognized or appreciated God is shaping us on the inside.