RAP SHEET Luke 4:9-13

REVIEW

This week, we came to the third and final temptation of Jesus in the wilderness — the temptation of Protection.

“So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you…’ But Jesus answered him, ‘It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.’” (Luke 4:9–12 CSB)

Satan brings Jesus to the highest point of the temple and tempts Him to prove God’s protection — to test the Father’s faithfulness. To make it worse, the Devil even quotes Scripture, twisting Psalm 91 to suggest that God’s promises mean we can act recklessly and expect Him to save us.

But Jesus refuses to play that game. He quotes Deuteronomy 6:16: “Do not test the Lord your God as you tested Him at Massah.”

That verse refers back to Exodus 17, when Israel ran out of water in the desert and panicked, crying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” They demanded proof of God’s care, even while standing in the middle of His provision.

Jesus, the true and faithful Son, does what Israel could not — He trusts the Father without demanding a sign.

At the heart of this temptation is self-protection — the instinct to guard ourselves instead of trusting God. We all do it. We build emotional walls, avoid vulnerability, and test people (and sometimes even God) to see if they’ll really come through. But that kind of self-protection becomes a trust vacuum — no matter how much proof God gives us of His love, it’s never enough to make us feel safe.

Jesus shows us a better way. He doesn’t test God’s love; He rests in it. He knows the cross is coming, and instead of demanding rescue, He chooses surrender.

“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

We no longer have to test God’s faithfulness — the cross already proved it.

APPLY

1. Where do you see self-protection in your life?

• Are there areas where fear or past hurt keeps you from trusting people or trusting God?

• What “tests” do you put others—or even God—through before you’ll open your heart?

2. How has self-protection shaped your relationships?

• When have you pulled back emotionally, spiritually, or relationally out of fear?

• What has that cost you over time?

3. What would it look like to trust instead of test?

• How can you practice faith when you feel unsafe or uncertain?

• What Scripture or truth can you hold onto when the instinct to self-protect rises up?

What is ONE AREA this week where you will choose trust over testing—where you’ll lower your guard and invite God to protect your heart instead of trying to do it yourself?

PRAY

• Take a moment to thank God that He has already demonstrated His love and protection through the cross.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you’ve been living in self-protection instead of surrender.

• Pray for the courage to release control and trust God with your pain, past, and future.

• Thank Jesus that He didn’t test the Father, but trusted Him fully—so we could live in confidence, not fear.