This sermon delves into the unique truths of the New Covenant as seen in the confrontation between Jesus and Satan in the wilderness, highlighting Jesus' victory as both fully God and fully man. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus' full humanity to grasp the depth of the new covenant and our call to follow in His steps, free from sin and deceit, as exemplified in 1 Peter 2:21 and 1 John 2:6.

So, the last few studies, we were looking at new covenant truths from the first few chapters of the New Testament. We came to the end of chapter 3. Now we come to chapter 4 of Matthew. Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, he became hungry. And the tempter came to him and said to him. Then we read of those temptations. We are trying to see particularly truths that are special, specific to the New Covenant. And it's very interesting that right in the opening chapters of the New Testament, you find so many things which were not found in the Old Testament at all. Have you noticed that in the entire Bible, after Adam and Eve, or rather Eve confronted Satan, that was in a perfect world. Once man was thrown out of the Garden of Eden, no one ever confronted Satan face to face in the entire Old Testament. It was not possible. This is the first time a man confronted Satan face to face on the earth. Now we read in the Old Testament a few instances where evil spirits possessed people and Satan tempted David once, it says. But here was a face to face confrontation. And Jesus overcame on our behalf. The other great truth we see here is the big question that many believers have. And that's a very important question. Did Jesus overcome Satan as God or as man? We know that when he was on earth, he was fully God and fully man. I mean we read right in chapter 2 how the wise men came and worshipped Jesus. Worship of Jesus begins in Matthew chapter 2. And a number of times you read that he accepted worship from people which not even an angel would do. So we know he was fully God when he was on earth. But we also know he was fully man. And one of the first indications that he was fully man is here. Because it says in James chapter 1, God cannot be tempted. See that's a very important truth. So having established first that Jesus was fully God on earth, most Christians don't have a problem with that. There are certain cult groups that have a problem with that. But most Christians don't have a problem with the fact that Jesus was fully God on earth. The heresy, I call it heresy, that a lot of Christians believe or don't acknowledge is that Jesus Christ was fully man. They're hesitant to say that. Lest they take away from his deity. But do you know that it's as much an error to say he was not God fully as it is to say he was not fully man. And so this is very important. You cannot enter fully into the new covenant if you don't see Jesus Christ as a man fully. The only thing he didn't have was this what we call sinful nature. Sinful nature, another totally unscriptural word never found in the whole Bible. Do you know the number of words Christians use which are not found in the Bible? But we need to understand there's nothing wrong in using it provided you understand what is the biblical word. The biblical word for sinful nature is not flesh. As a lot of people think. That's the result of careless reading of scripture. It is the old man. Jesus never had an old man. He was not born of a human father. But he was tempted like us. Hebrews 4.15 is a very important verse in this connection. He was tempted in all points exactly like us. And did not sin. So we see that's important for us to understand. And that's something which a new covenant truth that comes right there in the beginning of scripture. That Jesus was tempted as a man. Because otherwise I'll tell you why this is important. He is no example for us. Like I've used the illustration before of an angel flying across a swimming pool. How can an angel be an example for us in teaching us how to swim? Because he has an ability that I don't have when I get into a swimming pool. So I have to tell that angel if you want to teach me to swim. Get rid of your wings and get rid of your ability to fly. And come and be subject to the law of gravity that pulls me down. And then you can teach me. So if God were to come on earth incapable of being tempted. And says to me follow me. That would be teasing me. That would be like an angel flying across a swimming pool and saying follow me. God doesn't tease anybody. When Jesus said follow me, follow me. How many times he said that to people? He really meant it. When it says in 1 Peter 2 that we are to walk in his steps who committed no sin. Have you read that? We are to walk in his steps who committed no sin. It's good to look at that verse because I think a lot of Christians don't know it. It's amazing how many things we discover in scripture when we just learn to read it carefully. A lot of people know that there is a verse that says we are to walk in his steps. Follow in his steps. But they don't know the rest of that verse. Who committed no sin. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 21. Christ suffered for you in the middle of that verse. Leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps. Comma. Comma. Not full stop. Follow in his steps who committed no sin. Nor is there any deceit found in his mouth. Is it possible to follow in his steps who committed no sin? According to your faith be it unto you. You say not possible. According to your faith be it unto you. When scripture says we are to do it. And you turn around to the Holy Spirit who wrote scripture and say not possible. Okay. You'll have to answer to the Holy Spirit one day. And not only for yourself but for all the other. You'll be responsible for all the other people to whom you preached that lie. That it's not possible to follow in his steps who committed no sin. The other is 1 John 2 verse 6. Peter said that. John said it. 1 John 2 verse 6. The one who says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same manner as he walked. We have grown up in a Christendom that's so full of unbelief. They only have faith for bigger houses and better cars. Which are not promised in scripture. But they don't have faith for the thing promised in scripture. That we are to walk as he walked and overcome sin. And you know it's like God's word is like seed. Jesus said that. The sower sows the seed.