1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。

2. Welcome to this broadcast
欢迎你收听这个节目。

3. and, today, we will begin a short series of three messages on the temptations of Christ;
今天，我们要开始一个新的系列，这个系列就叫做“耶稣受试探”；

4. and I want to begin by asking you a question.
首先，我要问你一个问题。

5. Do you know that a huge avalanche is made up of little snowballs?
你知道吗？一场大雪崩，是从一小团雪球开始的；

6. Did you know that the fiercest forest fires start with a tiny spark,
一点小火星可以点燃最凶猛的森林大火，

7. or, that termites can work their way unnoticed until severe damage is done?
小小的白蚁无声无息地就可以严重损坏整栋建筑？

8. Now, Satan understands this principle well,
魔鬼最明白这个道理了，

9. and he uses this principle to tempt believers.
所以，它专门利用这个来攻击信徒。

10. It begins with a little weakness here, and another weakness there,
通常，它从信徒的弱点入手，无孔不入，

11. and Satan knows he can get lives to collapse by using this method.
撒但知道，利用这种办法，可以毁掉一个人。

12. Satan may roam around like a roaring lion,
虽然圣经说，撒但就像一头吼叫的狮子，

13. but when he attacks the believer,
然而，当它攻击信徒时，

14. he first appears as a tiny termite, taking a tiny nibble in a weak spot.
一开始就像一只小小的白蚁，先啃食那些脆弱的部分。

15. From there, he tries to lead us one small step at a time;
然后，它一点一点地引诱我们离开正路；

16. but these temptations are not chosen at random.
然而，这些诱惑都不是偶然的。

17. They are carefully selected and they have a definite sequence;
都是魔鬼精心设计好，并有一定的步骤；

18. and we can almost predict it.
这些手段并非难以预料的。

19. Hebrews, Chapter 4, verse 15, tells us
希伯来书4章15节告诉我们：

20. that Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are.
主耶稣也曾经凡事受过试探，与我们一样。

21. We are not left in the dark as to exactly how Jesus was tempted.
既然我们知道耶稣如何受试探，我们对试探就不至于茫然无知了。

22. While Luke merely lists the temptations,
路加在路加福音里，只扼要地提到耶稣如何受试探，

23. Matthew is careful to use time words, such as “then” and “again.”
但是，马太却详细地描述了耶稣受试探的顺序，他使用的字眼包括了“然后”，“接下来”等。

24. That way, he gives us the three temptations of Jesus in chronological sequence.
这样，我们可以从时间顺序上，很清楚地看到耶稣面对试探的三个步骤：

25. First, Jesus faces a temptation to turn stone into bread.
首先，耶稣面临的试探是：把石头变成面包。

26. Second, comes the temptation to jump off the Temple;
第二，是让耶稣从圣殿顶上跳下去；

27. and, third, Satan tempts Jesus with power to rule the whole Earth.
第三，撒但以掌管世界的权柄来试探耶稣。

28. Why did Satan use them in this order;
撒但为什么要按这样的次序来试探耶稣呢；

29. and how does he use each of them to weaken us today?
它今天又是怎样利用这些手段来试探我们的呢？

30. The answer is this:
答案就是：

31. just as Adam was first tested in the Garden of Eden,
正如当年亚当在伊甸园里要受考验，

32. Jesus, the second Adam, had to be tested, too;
耶稣，作为第二个亚当，也要经历同样的考验；

33. but how different the conditions were!
然而，二者所处的环境却有天壤之别！

34. Adam and Eve had the best of conditions.
亚当和夏娃在最舒适的情况下，

35. Jesus had the worst.
而耶稣却在最恶劣的环境中。

36. Adam and Eve were in a garden.
亚当、夏娃在果园中，

37. Jesus was in the desert.
而耶稣却在旷野里。

38. Adam and Eve were fed.
亚当、夏娃不愁吃喝，

39. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.
耶稣却已经饿了40个昼夜，

40. In Eden, Satan approached the sheep to get to the Shepherd.
在伊甸园里，撒但先从人下手，从而攻击神。

41. In the wilderness, Satan approaches the Shepherd directly.
而在旷野，撒但是直接攻击神自己。

42. Just as the conditions were different, so was Satan’s method.
因着环境的不同，撒但的攻击方式也随之变化。

43. In Eden, Satan came as a benefactor.
在伊甸园，撒但以一付好心人的姿态出现。

44. He told them that he, and not God, is on their side.
牠让亚当、夏娃感到，撒但跟他们站在同一阵线。

45. He told them that they were being cheated by a selfish God.
撒但游说他们说：你们被那个自私自利的神给愚弄了。

46. His goal was to seduce Adam and Eve into sinning;
其用意就是要引诱亚当、夏娃犯罪；

47. but, in the wilderness, Satan came to Jesus as an enemy to make a treaty.
然而，在旷野里，撒但是以敌方的谈判者来到耶稣面前的。

48. Satan knew that, if he could bribe Jesus, Jesus’ whole mission would have been ruined.
撒但明白，假如它能够把耶稣给收买了，那么，整个救赎的计划将毁于一旦。

49. His goal was to buy Jesus off.
撒但的目的就是要陷耶稣于不义。

50. His goal was to divert Jesus from His purpose,
其用意就是要让耶稣扭曲神的计划，

51. and he used three temptations.
牠使用三方面的试探。

52. The first temptation was to appeal to the need for pleasure;
第一是借着人喜欢追求享乐的心态来试探；

53. next, a temptation to appeal to the desire of popularity;
第二是借着人对名声的渴求来试探；

54. and, finally, a temptation to appeal to the grabbing of power.
第三是借着人对权力的欲望来试探。

55. Here they are again:
我再说一次：

56. pleasure, popularity and power.
享乐、名声和权力。

57. These three temptations correspond to the three downward steps that a Christian often takes when seduced by Satan.
这三方面通常是撒但引诱信徒离开神的三大步骤。

58. First, temptation of pleasure.
第一种试探是，追求享乐的欲望。

59. This is when people choose comfort over conviction,
当我们只顾安逸，不愿委身时，

60. when people prefer to hear what they want to hear, not the truth that they need to hear.
当我们只听那些我们爱听的话，而不愿听真理的训诲时，就会落入到这种试探里头去。

61. The second temptation is that of popularity.
第二种试探是，对名誉的渴求。

62. The temptation of popularity is when we stop living and walking by the power of the Holy Spirit
当我们依赖自己，而不是靠圣灵行事为人的时候，

63. and we rely, instead, on being consumed with wanting to make a good impression on people.
如果我们一心只想着要给别人留下好印象的时候，就会落入到这种试探里面去。

64. The third is the temptation of power.
第三种试探是，权利的争夺。

65. The temptation of power is when a person wants to control other people.
所谓争夺权利，就是老想着要控制他人。

66. We are going to look at each of these temptations in a series of messages.
在这个系列当中，我们要详细地来讲解这些试探。

67. Let us look at the first temptation.
我们先来看第一种试探。

68. Turn to the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 4, verses 1 to 4.
请翻到马太福音第4章1到4节。

69. Jesus’ first temptation was to use the Holy Spirit’s power for His own pleasure.
耶稣所受的第一个试探是，利用祂的大能来满足自己的享受。

70. It was the Father’s will for His Son to be led to the wilderness and be tempted.
到旷野受魔鬼的试探，本是父神对耶稣的心意。

71. He was fasting for 40 consecutive days.
耶稣在旷野禁食了40天之久。

72. Satan’s first temptation boils down to this:
因此，撒但第一个攻势就从这里开始：

73. would Jesus submit to the Father’s timing in providing Him with food,
耶稣是愿意等候神的时间，让神供应食物给他呢，

74. or, would He grab it on His own time and His own terms?
还是要自作主张，以自己的方式来满足自己的需要呢？

75. Well, we know the answer.
当然，我们都知道结果了。

76. Jesus did not sell His Kingdom for a loaf of bread.
主耶稣没有为了面包而出卖神的国权。

77. How many times have you and I sold our birthright for an instant gratification?
但有多少次，我们为了一时的享乐，而出卖了我们身为神儿女的名份？

78. Listen to Jesus’ answer:
耶稣回答说：

79. “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.”
“人活着，不是单靠食物，乃是靠神口里所出的一切话。”

80. In fact, Jesus was quoting from the Scripture here in Deuteronomy, Chapter 8, verse 3.
耶稣引用的经文是出自申命记8章3节。

81. When the people of God had experienced the same temptation as Jesus experienced it,
当神的百姓经历到耶稣所遇见的试探时，

82. when they were starving in the desert without food,
当他们在旷野忍饥挨饿的时候，

83. God wanted them to go without food, without water, without permanent home.
神要他们经历缺水、缺食、无家安身的处境，

84. He wanted them to learn the sufficiency of God,
其实，神是要他们学习完全仰赖神的供应。

85. but they failed.
然而，他们却过不了这一关。

86. You must understand that Satan is very cunning.
要知道，撒但是极其狡猾的。

87. He couches his temptation with Scriptural text;
牠很会利用圣经上的话来试探人；

88. so, Satan would come to you and would say,
也许，撒但会来到你面前，说：

89. “You are not happy where you are in life, are you?”
“你活得不够快乐，是吗？”

90. And, if the answer is “no,”
假如你回答说：“是啊，”

91. then, Satan gives you a Scripture text out of context to tell you, “Move ahead of God.”
这个时候，撒但就会抽出一段圣经给你说：“走到神前头去吧。”

92. What happens next?
接下来，会怎样呢？

93. You become obsessed with your happiness and your fulfillment.
你就会老想着，怎么才能让自己更加快乐，更加满足。

94. You begin to search for ways to force God to give you what you want.
你就会处心积虑地让神来满足你的欲望。

95. Meanwhile, you convince yourself that you are actually honoring God by this display of selfishness;
你还会想尽办法说服自己说，你为自己着想，其实是尊重神的表现。

96. but God wants our submission, not happiness.
但神向我们所要的是顺从，而不是自我享乐。

97. Listen to what Habakkuk said:
先知哈巴谷说：

98. “Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines,
“虽然无花果树不发旺，葡萄树不结果，

99. though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
橄榄树也不效力，田地不出粮食，

100. though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stall,
圈中绝了羊，棚内也没有牛，

101. yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
然而我要因耶和华欢欣，因救我的神喜乐。”

102. My beloved friends, what we need to develop is what I call, “fig tree blossoms of faith.”
我亲爱的朋友，我们要做的乃是 “让无花果树开出信心之花。”

103. That is the kind of faith that praises God.
这才是讨神喜悦的信心。

104. That is the kind of faith that rejoices in God, not just in His gifts.
这种信心，是以神为乐的信心，不是因得到恩惠而有的信心。

105. This kind of faith says, “Let the name of Jesus be glorified but my name perish.”
有了这样的信心就可以说：“主必兴旺，我必衰微。”

106. This is the kind of faith that says, “Have Thine own way, Lord. Have Thine own way.
有了这样的信心就可以说：“凭你意行，主，凭你意行。

107. You are the Potter and I am the clay.”
因你是陶匠，我是泥土。”

108. The kind of faith that rejoices in difficulties as well as comfort,
有了这样的信心，无论在任何环境中，都可以欢欣歌唱，

109. this kind of faith is as joyful in a hut as in a palace;
有了这样的信心，无论贫富，总会欢喜快乐；

110. so Jesus has passed the first test,
耶稣通过了第一关的考验，

111. even when He was almost fainting from hunger.
即使当时耶稣已经饿昏了。

112. Jesus is saying to Satan,
祂还是对撒但说：

113. “Listen, Satan, I may be desperately hungry right now.
“撒但，就算我饿扁了。

114. I may be in desperate need for food right now;
就算我现在急切需要食物；

115. but that is not the way I am going to get My satisfaction,
我也不会用这种办法来满足自己的需要，

116. because your way, Satan, is the wrong way.
因为你说的办法，都是错的。

117. Your way is the destructive way.
你是专门搞破坏的。

118. Your way brings dishonor upon My Father.
用你的办法，就是不尊重我的父亲，

119. It may satisfy Me for a moment,
也许我会得到一时的满足，

120. but My satisfaction is only but for a moment.
但这种满足只能够昙花一现。

121. It may win Me the battle,
它只能帮我一时，

122. but I will lose the war.
而不能帮我一生。

123. No, Satan! I can wait a little longer for My faith’s timing.
撒但，你就别做白日梦了！我会忍耐到底的。

124. I can survive until My heavenly Father says so.
我一定能够等到我父要我等到的时辰。

125. I can survive, because My Father loves Me and will not let Me down.
我可以活下去，因为我父爱我，祂不会忘记我的。

126. On His own timing,
当祂的时候来到，

127. on His own schedule,
按着祂的计划，

128. He will come through for Me.
神要救我脱离患难。

129. Man doesn’t live by bread alone,
因为，人活着不是单靠食物，

130. but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
乃是靠神口里所出的一切话。”

131. Jesus was more concerned for the glory of His Father than with His own needs, comfort and desires.
耶稣因重视父神的荣耀，就轻看自己的需要、舒适和愿望。

132. What about you, my friend?
亲爱的朋友，你重视的又是什么呢？

133. Who do you seek to satisfy?
你要满足谁的心意呢？

134. Is it God or your selfish desire?
是上帝的，还是你自己的欲望呢？

135. When you wait for the Lord and His timing, you will be fully blessed.
假如你肯等候神的时间和安排，你必会得到丰盛的福分。

136. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
好，我们下次再见，愿神大大地赐福给你。