Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Tested, Tried and Triumphant

Sermon from 10/14/12

Following His baptism, Jesus fasted in the wilderness for forty days and was tempted by Satan. These temptations tested Jesus as a man and as God. We see His obedience and commitment to His calling from God on His life.

Luke 4:1-13
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted[a] by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’[b]”

5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’[c]”

9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
11 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[d]”
12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[e]”

13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Biblical Truth
Jesus overcame temptation by responding appropriately with the Word of God.

1. Temptation will test our dependence upon God (Luke 4:1–4).

Description:
Satan knew that Jesus was hungry after 40 days of fasting. Because of His vulnerability, Satan tempted Jesus to supernaturally provide for His hunger instead of acting in accordance to God’s
will for obedience and in dependence upon God to provide for His needs. Jesus responded to this temptation with Scripture.

Illustration:
Superheroes always have at least one weakness. For instance, Superman crumbles in weakness when he is around kryptonite. An attack from his enemies is most effective when he is weakened by kryptonite. Similarly, Satan often waits for an opportune time to tempt us so that we are weak and likely to give in.
Do you know where you are the most vulnerable for attack?

Application:
Although having needs is a part of being human, they can often be a source of temptation for us. Attempting to act apart from God to meet our needs can lead us into sin. Remembering Scripture can remind us of God’s provision.

2. Temptation will test our priorities (Luke 4:5–8).

Description:
Satan blatantly questioned Jesus’ priorities—follow and worship God alone or gain control over the world. By not giving in to this temptation, Jesus demonstrated that He valued God above all things, even to the point of suffering. Jesus responded to this temptation with Scripture.

Application:
Temptation can often bring us to a crisis of faith. We must choose to definitively follow Christ or to follow our own desires. By choosing to follow Christ, we obey God and bring Him the worship that He deserves.

3. Temptation will test our belief in God’s goodness and His Word (Luke 4:9–13).

Description:
Satan encouraged Jesus to test God, which would ultimately point to disbelief in God’s
goodness and disregard toward God’s requirements for man.

Application:
During times of struggle, we can be tempted to question God’s goodness and the certainty of His promises in His Word. By continually seeking God’s wisdom in Scripture, we can be assured of God’s holy character.

Conclusion:

Temptations will test our relationship with God.

Description:
Temptations will test our relationship with Christ at moments and in issues to which we are vulnerable.

Application:
Like Jesus, we can rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit and Scripture to work in us to help
us avoid temptation and giving in to temptation when it comes.

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS:

Why would Satan tempt us when we are vulnerable?

Can you identify any areas or ways in which Satan often tempts you? If so, what have you done to combat that?

Temptation can come despite our actions, but are there ways to avoid being vulnerable to temptation?

How can our reactions to temptation reveal our priorities?

How did Jesus model the way to deal with temptation? Can we handle temptation in the same way?

How often do you make scripture memorization a part of your personal walk with Christ?


No comments: