Temptation

5/22/2016 (22110)                               Notes Not Edited
Temptation and the Prevailing Word

 (Luke 4:1-13)

SIS:  People do not fail morally because temptation is too great but because our devotion is too small.

There is show on T.V. called “Dirtiest Jobs.”  I’ve seen it a few times and it definitely lives up to its name.  This guy volunteers to do anything from crawling into a city sewer to suck out trash with a vacuum hose to some of the nastiest “farm jobs” you could imagine.  For those of you who are not “farm savvy” I’ll simply warn you that farming ain’t like it was on “Green Acres!”

One of the nastiest and dirtiest jobs in the world is “raising chickens.” I remember the first time I went into one of the Foster Farms chicken houses.  I think there were over 5000 fowl in each chicken house.  That’s a lot of “foul” smelling stuff – if you will excuse the pun.

A lot of work goes into getting a chicken from the chicken house to the market.  They have to be rounded up and put in crates–no problem with one or two, but a big problem for 5 to 15,000 at a time.  The old fashion way involves human “chicken catchers.”  They wade through a sea of chickens doing a “snatch and grab.”  The chickens get injured, the catchers get pecked and scratched, and the catchers getting be-fouled by the excited chickens who cannot control their “processes.”  Most human chicken catchers quit as soon as possible and move on to more “respectable” employment.

Now, technology has come to the rescue.  They tried “chicken vacuums” but the birds got rather mangled from the suction hose to the crate.  That didn’t seem to be the solution.  Now, there is the “humane society approved PH2000 Chicken Catcher.”  It’s there on the slide for you to see.

This modern marvel goes through the chicken house moving a long mechanical arm side to side.  The end of the arm has two opposing ramps.  The chickens feel the gentle nudge, hop onto the ramp and the chickens behind them nudge them onto a conveyor belt that takes them to waiting cages on the back of the machine.  Ready for market – “no harm, no foul” (oh, another pun!)  It is still a time consuming and delicate process but technology seems to come to the rescue.  The once terribly nasty business of chicken catching is more gentle, humane, and both people and bird friendly.

Someone has compared the task of overcoming temptation with the job of herding cats, or catching chickens – it seems impossible until you have the right equipment.  God’s Word is the right equipment.  People do not fail morally because temptation is too great but because our devotion is too small.  While we can never overcome temptation 100% while in this flesh (a doctrine called, “sinless perfection”), we CAN do much better when we are fully devoted to obeying God’s Word. 

What Jesus accomplished perfectly, we can accomplish with increasing success the more we are devoted to the teachings of God’s Word.  The fact that we cannot be perfect in overcoming temptation should not keep us from seeking to be better at overcoming temptation.

Being a better person is both a matter of duty and a matter of delight.  It is a matter of duty because Jesus gave His very best for us.  We should desire to give the very best of our life for Him.  It is a matter of delight because the more we overcome sin and temptation in this life, the more we experience the delight of God’s blessing.  So, overcoming temptation brings both temporal and eternal rewards.

Before we read our text for our lesson this morning, let me share another verse that sheds light on overcoming temptation:

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Cor 10:13)

God’s Word provides our escape from the temptations that come our way. Jesus demonstrated how that works in our lives:  Luke 4:1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted 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 does not live on bread alone.'"  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, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.   7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours."  8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"  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.'"  12 Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"  13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

1.  The First pitfall to avoid is  “Fleshly Desires” (vv 1-4)

 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'"

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3.

Verses 1-3 tell us that Jesus had gone 40 days without eating, and He was “hungry.”  Let me take side road here for a moment and talk about the value of fasting.  Most of you have never fasted for a day, much less 40.  Let me tell you, fasting is uncomfortable.  Hunger is a powerful human sensation.  Physically, you will grow weak if you fast for an extended period of time.  It is sad that most Christians never experience the blessing of fasting.  But, don’t miss this: Jesus was physically weakened by fasting, but He was never more spiritually strong and prepared to meet the Devil head-on.

Now back to our text.  The Devil knows where we are weak.  He knew Jesus was weak physically, so the Devil challenged Jesus in that area.  All of us have areas in which we are more vulnerable to temptation than others.  For some, the vulnerability comes in the area of using alcohol, or drugs.  For some the weakness might be pornography or homosexual feelings.  For others the weakness of the flesh might be in the area of “gossip.”  Still for others, it might be in the area of “lust” for someone of the opposite sex.

This is one place I never feel challenged.  I’m never tempted to cheat on my wife.  OH, NOT BECAUSE I’m a spiritual giant.  NO, NO.  It is absolute FEAR that keeps me faithful to my wife – FEAR FOR WHAT SHE WOULD DO TO ME IF SHE CAUGHT ME WITH ANOTHER WOMAN.  My wife loves the Lord and would never divorce me – but murder, that’s another matter.

This reminds me of a man who was shopping with his wife. They stopped at one of those jewelry stations in the center of the mall.  The wife was examining some the jewelry in the glass case.  At that time a woman came by wearing a tight, short black dress and high heels.  The husband’s eyes followed her as she passed by.  Without even looking up the wife simply and calmly asked her husband, “Dear, was that look worth all the trouble you are in?”

Giving in to fleshly desires are NEVER worth all the trouble they cause us. Sin always takes us farther than we intended to go, keeps us longer than we intended to stay, and costs us more than we intended to pay. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:1-2:

So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go.  (CEV)

We need to be watchful, especially of the “sin that just won’t let go.”

The Devil is an opportunist and a coward.  He will never face you in the area of your strengths.  He doesn’t a fair fight or a fair race.

The Devil will kick you when you are down and will exploit any weakness in your flesh – from porn to candy corn.

Don’t you believe for a moment that Jesus was not “tempted.” The Bible says (Heb 4:15),

for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.

Jesus was famished.  He could have easily given in the his fleshly desire to fill His empty stomach.  He could have come up with 50 ways to justify giving in to the fleshly desire to eat.  We always find ways to justify giving into our fleshly desires – but rather than being a solution, it becomes sin.  The great sin of the flesh is to seek “immediate gratification.”

I have a very good friend who did just this many years ago.  She solved the problem of an unexpected pregnancy with an abortion.  It solved the problem at the time, but has been a source of anguish and emotional pain for almost 50 years now.  Jesus knew to avoid the trap of “fleshly desires.”  I could say so much more about that, but let’s move on.

2.  Another pitfall to avoid is  WORLDLY AMBITION (vv 5-8)

8 It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.”

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13.

Ambition is defined as a “strong desire for success.”  The problem arises in regard to how one defines “success.” 

There is nothing wrong with competing in life – and competing at the highest level.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to do your best to be the best at what you do.  But, for the Christian, ambition can be an intoxicating drug that will spur us to get more and more at any cost.  Worldly ambition is not healthy competition – it is the opposite of fairness, it is craftiness.

Let me demonstrate how ambition can be a trap by referring to the “Second Richest Man in the World.”  Bill Gates is the richest man.  Warren Buffett is the second.  One quote Buffett has made often is this:  “I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute.”  Warren Buffett was an ambitious man and pursued wealth with a passion.  As I said, ambition is not wrong in and of itself but it can be a trap.  Buffet and Gates signed an agreement that they would both give away the bulk of their money.  Buffett’s most recent gift was $37 billion dollars.  What he said on that occasion shows that he is a “slave” to his riches, even as he gives them away.  Buffett allowed ambition to weave a web around his heart and make him think he could solve any problem with money.  Buffet said this in regard to what he could do with his money:  “There are many ways to get to heaven, and this [giving $37 billion] is a good one.”  Buffett is a perfect example of what the Bible refers to as, “gaining the whole world and losing one’s soul” (*****).

There are not many ways to get to heaven—only one, Jesus Christ.  The Bible says (Acts 4:12),

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Giving away money—even $37 billion—will not get you into heaven.  Heaven is not for sale.  Warren Buffett has spent his entire life in an ambitious pursuit of riches.  His ambition helped him climb the ladder of success.  When he dies, he will discover that ladder is leaning against the wrong wall!

Worldly ambition wrongly presupposes that “more is always better.” This is a lie that destroys so many people.  It is a lie the Devil offers so many when he tempts people to sell their souls to him in the pursuit of Worldly Ambition. Avoid the trap of Worldly Ambition.

3.  Jesus avoided the trap of  PRESUMPTUOUS FAITH (9-12)

In verses 9-12 the Devil misquotes Ps. 91:11 and Jesus replies with Dueteronomy 6:16: It is written, Do not test the Lord your God.

The Devil presumed that one can twist Scripture to mean anything one wants it to mean—particularly if it promises health or wealth.  Presuming upon God’s grace is “no grace at all.”  Treating God like a box of Cracker Jacks with a special gift in every box presumes upon God’s mercy.  Presumptuous faith is an easy believism.  It is really no faith at all.  It teaches that you can expect rich blessings from cheap faith.  The great preacher Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it, “cheap grace.”

Presumptuous faith treats God like a cosmic vending machine.  We put in a quarter’s worth of “good works” and expect a bottle of abundant living to drop into the bin below.  Faith doesn’t work that way.  You can’t experience a deeper walk from shallow faith.

To presume means, “to take for granted.”  A synonym for presumption is “pride” or “arrogance.” Too many church-goers take God for granted.  They “presume” that if they “say they are a Christian, that’s enough.” Too many are too proud to acknowledge a total dependence upon God.  Arrogance and pride drive people to attempt to deal with God on their own terms. This type of faith is thin ice on a deep lake.  Presumptuous Faith is nothing more than “fire insurance.”  People presume that since God is a God of love, then God has no right to allow anything bad to happen to them.  In fact, many protest against God and even profane His name when things do not go as they think they should.

Friend, if you have nothing but “presumptuous faith” you are going to be continually disappointed with God.  If you “presume” (take it for granted) that God’s chief will is to spare you from trouble – especially from the consequences of your own rebellious choices – you better think again.  Yes, God is long-suffering and any one at any time can come to Him ask for – and receive – full forgiveness from the penalty of sin, which is eternal damnation.  But, don’t expect for that to immediately, or even ultimately, erase the consequences of your rebellion or the challenges to your faith.  The Bible says clearly,

Do not be deceived.  God will not be mocked.  Whatsoever a person sows, the same shall that person reap. (Gal. 6:7)

 Do not presume upon God’s goodness.  Do not test Him with foolishness and rebellion.  You will reap what you sow.

My brother at the age of 46 repented of his sin of alcoholism and returned to the Lord.  For the last eight months of his life he was free from the bondage of alcohol.  He never saw age 47.  He died of the complications of liver failure while the liver that could have saved his life was on its way.  We cannot presume that we can sow rebellion and reap righteousness.  Do not test God with “presumptuous faith” – faith that takes God for granted.

Remember I said earlier that overcoming temptation is as hard as herding cats or catching chickens – unless you have the right equipment.  Well, God has given us the right equipment.  We have His Word.  We have the answer to every question and the solution to every problem – BUT, sadly we do not “hunger and thirst” for the righteousness that comes from knowing and obeying the Word of God.  A person who neglects God’s Word falls in the Devil’s traps.

The result of this is that most people live a pathetic petty existence chasing after things that don’t satisfy and won’t last. They try to get a “maximum result from minimum faith.”   Most people succumb to temptation because they do not have a firm grasp on the Word of God.  They fall into the traps of temptation because they neglect the teachings of God’s Word.  Temptation imprisons one’s happiness.  The only escape (1Cor. 10:13) is to know God’s Word and follow it with great devotion.  People do not fail because temptation is so powerful but because their devotion is so pitiful.

Overcoming temptation is essential to living a victorious Christian life. Living a victorious life is essential to blessings both in this world and in eternity.  Sadly, many Christians will make it into heaven without ever really learning what it means to live a victorious Christian life here on earth.  Most Christian will never understand what it means to be full, as in the Words of our Lord Who said, “I have come to give you life to the full.” (Jn. 10:10).

We cannot avoid being tempted in life. We cannot, while in this flesh, overcome temptation every time.  Adam was powerless to keep the Devil out of the Garden.  Without the Holy Spirit indwelling him, Adam was powerless to keep the Devil out of his heart.  However, you and I as Spirit-filled believers can keep the Devil out of our heart, or evict him should he make it in.  We CAN resist temptation so that it does not become full-fledged sin sending us spiraling downward into more and more sin.  We can apply the “ways of escape” in God’s Word and avoid falling into the Devil’s pitfalls and traps. 

I'm reminded of three boys who had caught Spring Fever.  One day during lunch they stayed just a little longer to enjoy lunch on the patio of a local dinner.  Before they knew it, they were late for afternoon classes.  They agreed upon an excuse to give the teacher, and rushed back to class just as the class was being dismissed.  They were very apologetic to the teacher -- who was very nice and usually very understanding. One boy piped up and said, "I'm sorry, we had a flat tire and it made us late."  The kind teacher smiled and said, "That's OK boys, but you missed a quiz.  So each of you sit down and take out a sheet of paper and a pencil."  The boys felt relieved.  Their story had worked -- or at least they thought it had worked."  The teacher continued, "Here's the first and only question for your quiz.  What tire was flat?"

The Bible tells us, "Be sure your sins will find you out."  You cannot give in to temptation without it taking you down a road to ruin.  You can and should resist temptation by learning and applying God's Word to each and every temptation.

Our Lord gave us the example.  He perfectly fulfilled the will of Our Heavenly Father.  He overcame every temptation in life by applying the principles of God’s Word which he quoted from memory.

As I said before, overcoming temptation is like herding cats or catching chickens.  It is nearly impossible until you have the right equipment.  The right equipment for overcoming temptation is the Word of God.  Having a firm grasp on the Word of God will lead you into abundant living with your life filled up to the full with God’s blessings.

Now is the best time to prepare for victory over your next temptation.  Stand strong and say, “God has written . . . .”