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SERMON TEXT: LUKE 4:1-13
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. And Jesus answered him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours. And Jesus answered him, It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.
And he took him to Jerusalem and set him 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 command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
And Jesus answered him, It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:1-13 ESV)
Tempted, not Defeated.
... the devil doesn't come dressed in a red cape and pointy horns. He comes as everything you've ever wished for Tucker Max
3 situations where temptation can gain traction:
3 situations where temptation can gain traction: - In Times of Weakness - In the Aftermath - In the Struggle
In Weakness
And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.
Weakness comes in many forms: - hunger - exhaustion - frustration - forced solitude - broken will
H.A.L.T. Hungry Angry Lonely Tired
The Aftermath
Aftermath (time of release after a moment of intense emotional/ physical/ spiritual significance) - spiritual break thru - tough talk with a person close to you - moment of great joy and excitement - long awaited achievement
The Struggle
Struggle (relating to the difficult choices one must make in order to follow Christ) - internal or external - integrity challenges - distortions of Truth
The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason. T. S. Eliot
The 3 Lies
The 3 Lies 1) God won t provide for you - stones to bread 2) There is a shortcut to life - all the kingdoms 3) You deserve affirmation & immediate acclaim - throw yourself down, let them catch you
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. (Ephesians 6:12-18 ESV)
Temptation can be the enticement of God-given desires beyond God-given bounds. Bob Utley
The morally neutral temptations are far more apt to rob me of my affections for Jesus Christ, because God has grown me to the place where those big sins aren t things that appeal to me anymore. But I can easily justify sinfully indulging in things that are non-sins because they are little things, or what the Song of Solomon might call little foxes that get into the vineyard of my worship of God. Matt Chandler, To Live is Christ
What about when temptation hits it s target?
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 ESV)
On the cross the devil may have thought that the pierced side of Christ was a victory. What he didn t realize is that he had not beaten any armor because none was there to beat. For Christ, righteousness was not merely a breastplate but His very essence. For Christ, The Gospel of Peace was not something to put on to His feet but it was the LIFE those feet would carry Him through living out such a Gospel. The faith that we have as a shield, Christ authored and finished. He IS the very Word of God. He cannot be defeated.
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