Jesus in the desert

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Today is quickest way to lose everything:Temptation.

Luke 4:1-13

Luke 4:1-2

“1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.”

3 Questions arise. Does Satan exist? Does God lead us into temptation? Can a sinless God-man really be tempted?

Is Satan Real?

Big topic: Kaiser Soze- the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn’t exist.

Most people that don’t believe in a spiritual adversary are not fighting a spiritual battle. Likely we aren’t pursuing God.

What is certain is that the disciples were told this story by Jesus for a reason. Satan was personified and Jesus wants us to understand him as a real being even though this attack contains some visionary images I’ll show you in a bit.

Does God tempt us?

Spirit led him to a place to be tempted.

Luke 11:2–4 (ESV)

2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

James 1:13 (ESV)

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

Scripture interprets scripture.

Temptation vs. Testing πειραζόμενος peirazo

What is the difference between Tempting and Testing?

Can a sinless God/man be tempted?

incarnation.

Jesus is condescending not pretending.

Not Superman playing Clark Kent. Unless you count Superman 2 when he gets in the ice cave.

Condescending means he actually is coming down to our level. He is giving up attributes.

Paul said it best in Philippians 2:5-8 “5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

So Jesus condescended and learned to walk and had to be fed as a baby.

He condescends and can’t shoot lightning out of his fingers.

He actually had to study and learn the Bible and how to be a carpenter.

If he hit is thumb with a hammer he got hurt. He probably even yelled his own name.

How do I defeat temptation?

Luke 4:1-2

“1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.”

EXP - Jesus was fasting for 40 days? Why?

Everyday was a test in which he had to rely on God.

We think he fasted 40 days and then was tempted. That is not what Luke says.

ILL- I have fasted for 40 days. Everyday is a test. The first 3 weeks are way harder than the last 3. More hunger in first 3 months. Loneliness in all of it.

Fasting is a spiritual test that is safe and controlled

I must embrace every temptation as a test.

I have agency. There is always something I can do in the face of a test and temptation! Jesus knows he will be hungry. He gets filled with the spirit. Jesus enters full of the Holy Spirit. He chooses not to eat. He’s fighting left handed on purpose here. (Jesus was probably a righty). It is a spiritual battle, not simply a “let’s figure this out”. He knows he will be physically hungry but he has no intention of being spiritually hungry.

How do I pass the “It’s what I need test?

Luke 4:3-4

“3 The devil said to him, “If [since] you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ””

EXP- Satan goes after his immediate desire; his immediate need.

Satan is testing Jesus to satisfy himself in a way that would bring Jesus glory in a but not God

my immediate desires? (provision) food, lusts, etc

If I don’t take care of it, who will?

Pornography, addictions, put others down to feel better

Sometimes “what do you need?” is different than “what are your needs?”

God I need this relief right now. God I need money for this bill now? God I am angry now.

God says, “what you need right now is “my peace” or discernment” or “someone to walk this”

Or perhaps you need to walk in struggle for a bit, embrace a test.

The devil can’t fathom that we might choose to limit ourselves to bring God glory

I limit myself sexually to be intimate with my wife.

I limit myself emotionally and financially to give more to this church

ILL- I get tempted. Solution is blue book - mens ministry

APP- Jesus had prepared for temptation. He was working that plan- go to the Father consistently day 1, 21, 40, and 41

Good Thinking is expensive. Bad Thinking costs a fortune

To pass this test I must work my plan. I don’t have a plan, I work my plan.

Everyone of us needs to be working a daily plan to look towards God to meet our needs.

How do I pass the “It’s what I want test?”

Luke 4:5-8 “5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 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. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ ””

EXP Satan has usurped power. Satan doesn’t have this power. God has all power.

Satan says, “ you don’t have to live on a mission for God, go through the motions. You don’t need to go to the cross, I’ll just give it to you.

ILL Mark Blitch- We just want to sit on the back row and hear a sermon. Occasionally we’d like to sing on the worship team.

This temptation of pride infects all of us. Churches divide over it. People come to church to have the church meet their needs.

We don’t change to meet your needs, we help you change so God can meet your needs.

We pass the “It’s what I want “test by serving God

We become consumers.

CONSUMERS: Church is a place you go and get filled up, you don’t have to be on mission.

LIE: Being a missionary is a different calling than being a Christian. That is a lie. There are not two callings. Following Jesus is a mission. We serve.

SERVE TEAMS- GENTLE

We are opening serve teams. On ramps and off ramps.

Every time, some are “burned out” I get it, it is hard watching other people’s kids. Right now all those people have yours and mine. Thank goodness.

Not everyone needs to serve there, but danger- I am too exhausted to build my church or serve at my church.

Ran ragged at work and then ball games all day Saturday, just need Sunday to recharge.

No church functions if we all consume. No church follows Jesus

You should sabbath Saturday to worship and serve Sunday if you need.

The temptation to stop serving and “focus on me” is a dangerous thing for a Christian.

“Me time” is not supposed to be a full season.

Me time occurs within your prayer time and meal times during the day.

Me time occurs during your Sabbath every week when we get filled by creation and letting God be in control of our work for a day.

If you are on the verge of exhaustion, solution is not 6 months off of serving and following Jesus. Solution is Sabbaths and daily bread. Eat daily.

Listen clearly if you feel burned out serving at church.

You are my greatest concern in this church. Warning lights! I am not mad or frustrated with you,

I want you to talk with someone about where you are spiritually. Team leader, Connect group leader, an elder, ME. Pray right after church

When someone comes to you and says they are burned out and don’t want to serve (not miss one time, but a season)- that is like saying I’m tired of following Jesus right now and just want to stop. Jesus said to these people, Count the cost. I’m walking to a cross, I don’t have a house or a place to lay my head.

How do I pass the “Let go and let God” test?

Discernment test

Luke 4:9-13 “9 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, 10 for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ 11 and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.”

EXP- What do you do when the devil quotes the Bible at you? You better know God’s word! People misquote and use it out of context all the time.

This test can have an aggressive or a passive form.

Aggressive- I’m gonna go all in and quit my job and God will show up, He has to because he said I won’t go hungry. God will catch me.

Passive- if God wants me to get that job, he’ll miraculously make it happen but i don’t want to put him to the test.

The truth is on this one: the devil is misquoting the scripture. Even the phrase “let go and let God” is not Biblical. It sounds Biblical.

The real question thing happening here is the devil is masking bad advice into “godly advice”.

Anybody can make the Bible say anything.

ILL- No women in heaven Revelation 8:1“1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (possibly no preachers either.)

APP- Jesus condescended. He was a living example. Luke 2:52 “52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

He actually studied and learn. Remember Jesus in the temple was learning not teaching.

To pass this test I must know God’s Word. It is written!”

YOU

The Holy Spirit leads Jesus into a period of testing so that jesus can experience the faith strengthening challenge of having his faith tested. most of us run from testing and give into temptations.

I must embrace every temptation as a test.

We pass the “It’s what I want “test by serving God

To pass this test I must work my plan.

To pass this test I must know God’s Word.

This week we are going to face tests and temptations each day. Let us work a plan that draws us to our savior and not to our own strength.