"Watch and Pray, Lest you Fall into Temptation"

Intro: Have you heard the story of Jose’ Rivera, who became notorious in several little towns in Texas for robbing their banks and businesses? Finally the townsfolk, tired of the constant plundering, hired a Ranger to track him down and retrieve their belongings. The ranger tracked the bandit to a desolate cantina in Mexico. At the bar he saw a young man enjoying a beer and another man asleep at one of the tables. The ranger approached the young man at the bar and announced that he was on a mission to bring back Jose’ Rivera, dead or alive. “Can you help me find him?” The young man smiled and pointed to the man asleep at the table, and said, “That is Jose’ Rivera.”The ranger walked over and taped the sleeping man on the shoulder, “Are you Jose’ Rivera? he asked. The man mumbled, “No speak English.” The ranger asked the young man at the bar to translate for him. The ranger warned Jose’ Rivera that he had two choices; the first was to tell him where all the loot was and he could walk away a free man. The second, he would be shot dead instantly. The young man told Jose’ Rivera his choices, Rivera then pulled himself together and said to the young man, “Tell him to go out of the bar, turn to the right, go about a mile, and he will see a well. Near the well he will see a very tall tree. Beside the trunk of that tree is a large concrete slab. He will need help in removing it. Under the slab is a pit in the ground. If he carefully uncovers it he will find all the jewelry and most of the money I have taken.”The young man turned to the ranger, and paused for a moment— then said, “Jose’ Rivera said ’Go ahead and shoot!’”

This world is full of temptation and there is an enemy who is often called the tempter who places circumstances around us with the intent to make us stumble. With temptation there are normally two outcomes, we stumble and fall or we submit ourselves to God and overcome.

CPS: Temptation will come be able to notice it when it comes and attack it with prayer.

I. The definition of temptation.

A. What it is

In the Gospel of Mark we see two different verbs translated “tempted” or “Temptation” The first (Mark 1:13) Tempted (peirazō) is used during the temptation of Jesus by Satan. This word means examine, submit another to a test, to learn the true nature or character.

ILL: Javier (Courageous movie) was offered a promotion but he was asked to turn his head so that management could take items from inventory. He could not agree to that, so he got the job. It was a test of His nature.

*Satan’s purpose was to draw out the nature of Jesus in order to understand if this was Messiah or not.

The second verb is translated temptation, it is used in 14:38 and it is (peirasmos)(very similar) trial, given for the purpose to make one stumble. The devil loves to try to get us to stumble, its his entertainment, it hurts God and us. But, No matter how tempting the circumstances may be, it is never worth it.

ILL: I read a story about a man and his wife shopping at the mall, when a shapely young woman in a short form fitting dress strolled by. The man’s eyes followed her and without looking up from the item his wife was examining, she asked “Was it worth the trouble you’re in? Let me answer that for him.... NOPE!

B. Where it comes from.

1. With in ourselves

There are two places temptation comes from, The 1st is with in ourselves (SIN NATURE) . Because we have a sin nature the evil desires of this world draws us like a little boy to a swimming hole on a hot summer day.

ILL: Some people fall into temptation, but a great many make plans for disaster ahead of time. A father told his son not to go swimming in the canal close to their house. The son said “ok.” Later that evening the boy came home carrying a wet swim suit. His father asked where he had been? Swimming in the canal the boy said. Didn't I tell you not to swim there his father said… so why did you? “Well dad” the boy explained, “I had my bathing suit with me and I couldn't resist the temptation.” Why did you take your swim suite with you? “So I’d be prepared to swim in case I was tempted.” This is far to often the case for us. We flirt with temptation when we should flee it.

2. The Devil

The second place temptation comes from is the Devil. He loves to put rocks in our path so that we can stumble and fall to our ruin. This was where Peter’s temptation came from. Earlier that night Jesus told Peter (Luke 22:31) “Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.” But Jesus answered, I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. The Lord doesn't want us to fall prey to temptation and temptation never comes from God.

James 1:13 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”

C. Peter’s Temptation

In our text we see Peter succumb to 2 temptations.

1. To Keep Jesus safe:

In an attempt to protect Jesus Peter drew a sward and tried to kill the servant of the high priest! He still did not understand Jesus’ purpose. (Mark 8:31-33) Jesus told them He would be rejected, killed, and rise after there days. But Peter, rebuked the Lord Jesus and now His time had come to die and Peter tried to stop it. Sometimes temptation comes in the form of seemingly good motives. But Peter should have had faith and recalled the words Jesus spoke that night, John 17:1 “llifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,”

2. To fall away.

In Vs. 27 Jesus told all the disciples they would fall away. Fall Away is the Greek verb skandalizomai which means to fall into sin. The sin Jesus is talking about is abandoning Him as He is arrested and ultimately killed. After Jesus ordered Peter to stop and healed Malchus ear (lest their be 4 crosses) Peter and the disciples fled for their lives! Then John and Peter rallied, following Jesus from afar they entered the courtyard of the high Priest’s home and there Peter denied Jesus three times., just as Jesus predicted (14:30). Why did Peter abandon Jesus? It’s because he was afraid for his life thus he gave into temptation. Peter should have had faith and recalled Jesus’s words John 6:39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”

TRANS: In this world Temptation is everywhere and it has its eyes are set on you. So lets talk about how to wage war against Temptation.

II. Defense against Temptation

No, one is exempt from temptation, Jesus was tempted in the Garden as He agonized over His coming death for the sins of the world. Yet He persevered giving us an example to follow and a prescription to take!

A. Be On Guard

Stay awake (grēgoreō) (verb) (3x) used in (Mark 13 3x) it means to keep watch, or to be on alert. Jesus is telling His disciples to be Spiritually Alert because temptation was knocking at their door. Peter, swore he would not fall away but also claimed he would die with Jesus. The other disciples agreed with him, but now in the darkness of night Peter would face the temptation to flee and abandon Jesus.

When we are not on watch it is easy to drift into danger.

ILL: A woman was bathing in the Gulf of Mexico. She was enjoying the comfort of relaxing on an inflated cushion that kept her afloat. When she realized that she had been swept about a half mile out from the beach, she began to scream, but no one heard her. A coast guard craft found her five miles from the place where she first entered the water. She did not see her danger until she was beyond her own strength and ability. Be on guard lest you find yourself engulfed in Temptation.

When Jesus was arrested Peter fell prey temptation and fled for his life. Then He found himself tempted again to deny Jesus as he warmed Himself at the fire in the court of the High Priest. If Peter had been on alert perhaps he would not have been warming himself by the devils fire.

Ps. 1:1 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!”

ILL: On the TV show “Hee Haw,” Doc Campbell is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. The doc replies, “Well then, stay out of them places!”

He may have something there. We cannot regularly put ourselves in the face of temptation and not be affected. When faced with the problem of temptation, we need to be alert and places.”

We know how this temptation ends, Peter denies Jesus 3 times, I can feel the heart ache of Jesus as He looked at Peter (Luke 22:61) and the heart ache of Peter when he realized he had done what he swore to not do!

B. Be Praying

When we enter into temptation we must resist and draw close to God. In our text Jesus prescribes prayer for Peter as a defense against temptation (Mark 14:38). Pray is the Greek verb (proseuchomai) (4x) it is communication with God and in this hour we see Jesus model for us what He prescribed to the disciples.

Jesus was a man of prayer! Mark shows Jesus praying at the beginning (1:35), middle (6:46) , and end of His ministry. He is emphasizing that Jesus’ life was characterized by prayer. In the Garden Jesus was in agony and He faced the cross and the devil knew it! I believe Jesus was tempted again by the devil as sweated blood in the Garden yet Jesus Prayed! Notice His prayers were:

1. Fervent

His prayer was intense and passionate as He spoke to His father “Abba” (Daddy). He asked His daddy that if were possible He remove the cup (death, wrath) away from Him.

2. Consistent

Three times Jesus prayed (14:39) saying the same thing. We ask and continue to ask!

3. Submissive

Not what I will but what you will. To overcome temptation we must resisit our will and the will of the enemy and submit to the will of God!

It is no coincidence that in Jesus’ model prayer He prays Matthew 6:10 “‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:13 “‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

Conclusion: watching and praying is your defense against Temptation!