Sermon Tone Analysis
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OPENER I love salt water fishing.
A few years ago I had one of my best fishing days ever.
A week before, I didn't have much success as I watched every type of bait into the water that I had: jigs, top-water plugs, gold spoons, and more.
But the next week was altogether different.
You see, a friend of mine had chartered a boat with a professional fisherman.
He took mental notes on where the fish were and how to best catch them.
And so we took that wisdom and set off for about 10 foot of water.
Rather than use a fake bait, we used the real thing - live pin fish under a popping cork.
I can't remember when I've had more fun.
The colorful cork would submerge & fly through the water sideways.
We would set the hook, hear the drag scream, and eventually land the gator trout.
(caveman grunt) Man, I get excited just talking about it!
These fish were much OLDER & much BIGGER than I had been used to catching with fake bait.
Maybe the reason why these fish had not been caught was because they could tell the fake stuff from the real stuff.
So why were WE catching them?
It’s simple really.
We gave them what they wanted, but it was attached to something they didn’t want - something they couldn’t see - the hook.
Had they had known about the hook, it's doubtful they would've taken the bait.
So too, When Temptation visits, we don’t often look for the hook.
We see something that we want and we take a bite without considering the consequences.
Sometimes we can dislodge the hook, but not without a fight and lingering scars.
When Temptation Visits, different people respond different ways.
Some of us have given in so many times that our consciences are like calloused fingers - no longer sensitive to the pain.
When temptation visits, we quickly bite the bait.
(When temptation visits) Some of us have learned from the past.
It’s been a while since we have tasted the bait, but When temptation visits, we are still drawn to take a quick peak.
But what it we were fully aware…that the bait - even if it’s real - is hanging from a HOOK.
When was the last time temptation came for a visit?
How did it turn out?
Did you swim off, take a bite, or just check it out from a distance?
What will you do the next time?
Today we discover how Jesus overcame temptation and what that means for us.
First, this should encourage you to know that it’s NOT sin to BE tempted.
If it were, then Jesus would have sinned and would not be an adequate Savior for you and me.
Every human being will be tempted.
The only question is whether or not we will resist or bow When Temptation Visits.
The old Chinese proverb says: "You cannot keep the bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from nesting in your hair."
[Context] You will remember that last week we saw that Jesus was baptized by John: the Holy Spirit descended on Him & God the Father said, "This is my son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased."
(Mt 3:17)
Jesus has been baptized, empowered by the Spirit encouraged by the Father, and now it’s time to for the 2nd Adam - Jesus, to do what the 1st Adam couldn’t, resist temptation.
So, the Scripture says...
Matthew 4:1–2 (NIV)
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Jesus didn’t stumble into the wilderness.
Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, a place He would be for 40 days & 40 nights.
I don’t how long you’ve camped out, but 40 days outside is a LONG TIME…especially with NO FOOD!
This is reminiscent of Moses, 1400 years prior, being with God 40 days and nights without food or water as he chiseled out the commandments on the stone tablets (Ex.
34:28).
So too, Elijah fasted for 40 days as he traveled into the wilderness to the mountain of God (1 Kgs.
19:8).
[VIDEO] This wilderness was not full of trees and rivers.
NOPE.
Here’s a brief video of what this area currently looks like in the wilderness (near the Dead Sea).
Jesus, no doubt, spent much of that time in prayer, song, and struggling to focus on eternal issues while his bellied rumbled.
And Jesus wasn’t alone.
He was specifically there to be tempted by the devil.
In fact, Dr. Luke says it this way:
Luke 4:1–2a (NIV)
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.
The term devil is the Greek term diabolos (διάβολος) literally meaning “slanderer”.
This is the one who tempted Adam & Eve…and they disobeyed God in the garden.
And ever since that ancient time this slanderer has been perfecting his temptation techniques on Adam’s family - those created in the image of God.
And NOW he gets his shot at his Creator - in human form.
John 1:3 says that Jesus created ALL THINGS and Col 1 says this:
Colossians 1:15–16 (CSB)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him.
Firstborn is referring to Jesus’ authority over all, since everything was created by Him.
The visible and invisible that Jesus created would include angels and fallen angels - like the Slanderer.
But now the tables are turned.
The Devil who is a spirit, never needs a nap, never looks for a meal, and is never impacted by earthly climate like heat, cold, wind, or rain.
But Jesus has stepped out of heaven and put on skin.
He IS now susceptible to being tired, being impacted by the heat, cold, wind, & rain…and…able to get HUNGRY.
The powerful Slanderer approaches the Human Creator for a battle royal.
This reminds me Rocky III, as the bigger, younger fighter - Clubber Lang (aka.
Mr. T) snarls at Rocky with these boastful words, “Gonna bust you up.”
The smaller and older fighter, Rocky responds, “Go for it.”)
The bell rings & the 40 day battle begins.
The tempter who has knocked out so many sons of Adam, now faces the ONE the apostle Paul refers to as “the last Adam” (1 Cor 15:45-47) or - as I like to say - Adam 2.0.
Here’s how Jesus, God in human skin, responds when Temptation visits.
Matthew 4:3 (NIV)
The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
You could easily how someone having not eaten for 40 days could imagine some of these rocks to look like bread.
And if Jesus is the Son of God, the most powerful human being on the planet, couldn’t he have turned these rocks into bread?
Did Jesus ever do anything miraculous with food before?
YEP! How about turning a boy’s meal into a feast for thousands!
Jesus was hungry…JUST LIKE YOU WOULD BE after not eating for 40 days.
And so the devil capitalizes on a human’s most powerful desire - food.
”So YOU’RE the One who is greater than all others?
PROVE IT!
After 40 days you must be famished!
Don’t sacrifice the desires of Your body.
You don’t have to.
Just turn this stone into bread.”
So THIS is the temptation: Tell these stones to become bread?
What’s wrong with THAT?
Well, there’s something more to this suggestion, an undercurrent flowing that we can’t see.
Jesus knows it is not yet time to eat.
There is something MORE IMPORTANT than feeding Himself.
Fully human, Jesus is waiting for the Father to provide for His physical needs.
The accuser is suggesting that the Father didn’t have His best interests in mind.
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