Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-24
Sunday School Lesson
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

There was nothing evil in turning
the stones into bread to satisfy His
own hunger. He is doing that very
thing today. The stones are through
erosion contributing the mineral
strength that we find in the wheat,
that the miller grinds up into the -four
used by the baker to make our bread.
But when Satan suggested that IF
thou art the Son of God, command that
these stones be made bread" then he
was trying to make Christ doubt the
Fathers word spoken at the Jordan.
The Master was feeling the pangs of
hunger, but Jesus realized that the
deepest cravings of the soul demanded
that He live life in obedience to the
Fathers will. He was not called to
live after the flesh, which would result
in death, but to live after the spirit
and mortify The needs of the body.
This he did by going ipto the Bible
and saying to the tempter, it is written
that men shall not live by bread
alone" We are tempted to ignore
let us follow Christ's method. We are
being tempted by the physical appeal
when We commence to think that we
must make our living. Whenever we
put making a living ahead of making a
life, we are following Satan's creed, for
by it he seeks to fill our hearts with
the love of money, which is the root
Of all evil. Leaders in science today
recognize, like Steinmetz, that the
greatest field for the future advance
ment is along spiritual lines. We can
not develop nobler personalities unless
we refuse to allow the physical appeal
to control our life. The appeal to ones
appetite is strong, but we must conquer
1t. like the Master, by seeking first the
Kingdom of God and the development
of spiritual force.
The Mental Appeal.
The mental appeal was the founda-
ton of the second temptation cas-
recorded by Luke, though third In
Matthew. Satan, by using his own
art, made an impression upon the mind
Of Jesus of the kingdoms of the world.
Having pictured the riches and re-
sources of all nations in a mental NOV
ing picture, Satan suggested that the
Lord could obtain all these countries
by shorter and easier way than that
OF self-denial and sacrifice! 1t called
for compromise, for the Devil sug-
gested that Jesus could build up a ma
terial kingdom by becoming an ally
of Satin and worshiping him.
Again Christ conquered the Devil by
thou shalt worship the Lord thy God
and Him only shalt thou serve" were
the words Jesus used when He refused
TO be moved by the appeal to ambition.
Moore we'll says that Jesus saw that If
He yielded, the worlds Savior would
De only a demon, hence in utter abhor-
renee OF Satan and his vile suggestions.
Jesus gave him another thrust with
the blade of truth, presenting God as
the one object of worship and of
service"
The Spiritual Appeal.
In making his spiritual appeal Satan
used the Scriptures when he urged
upon the Master that He adopt a
spectacular method in the introduction
OF His kingdom. Again the Bible fur
nlshed Christ reply, 1T is written
thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy
God" The Lord won the battle of the
wilderness. Satan was defeated. While
settled the program that He would
adopt. He knew His mission and had
HIS message. Calvary was won in the
wilderness just as Wellington claimed
that he won Waterloo at Elton.
In everyday life we are tempted, but
Christ has shown us how to master all
our temptations. The Christian who
studies his Bible and takes time to be
alone with God in prayer can master
every trial and temptat ton through the
Lords help Let us never forget that
In that He Himself hath suffered
being tempted, He is able to succor
them that are tempted" With every
temptation He will provide the way of
escape. He will help us to make every
temptation a stepping-stone to a higher
and better life. Following His example.
we will conquer.