Growing In Godliness Blog
“Bow Down and Worship Me”
Categories: Author: Paul Earnhart, Jesus, TemptationBow Down and Worship Me
By Paul Earnhart
The third temptation of Jesus is recorded in Matthew 4, beginning with verse 8: “Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, ‘All these things will I give you, if you fall down and worship me.’” (Mt. 4:8-9)
Our response to this is immediate. We say, “Surely Jesus would not do that!” But before we go further, let me ask you, “Would you do that?”
If Satan offered you the opportunity to be king of the world, would you bow down and worship him? Maybe you don’t care to be a king; but if he offered you all the wealth of the world, would you bow down and worship him? Think what you could do with all that money. Jesus was all alone with Satan; maybe no one would ever know. Furthermore, Satan only asked that it be done once. Is it possible that you would bow down and worship Satan just once in a private place if you could have all the world for your own? Really, we are worshipping Satan rather than God whenever we do what Satan wants us to do instead of what God wants us to do. Most of us on some occasions have done Satan’s bidding for much less than what Satan offered Jesus. Perhaps we have told a lie to make a sale, or perhaps we have taken a drink with the boss, feeling that we had to do that to keep our job or get a promotion. For just a short period of pleasure, many have committed fornication or adultery. All of this is really worshipping Satan.
Jesus had come into the world to establish a kingdom. The road before Him was the way of the cross. But He did not consider for a moment Satan’s offer. He replied, “Away with you Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (Mt. 4:10)
How thankful we should be that Jesus remained faithful to God. Had He bowed down to Satan just once, He could not have been our Savior. If Jesus resisted Satan for us, we must resist for Him saying, “Away with you Satan!”
