Call Home: Where do you stand?
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· 2 views“Lead us not into temptation.” is not an accusation against God, nor is it about avoiding temptation. It’s about trusting God and putting Him first.
Notes
Transcript
Let me ask you something: (I want you to think about our little church for just a minute) “Why don’t people notice our church?” (explain)
Newman tells the story — flight attendants safety speech.
“Why don’t we listen?
How many things in your life do you just not notice?
— I wonder if we sometimes treat the Lord’s Prayer — or just prayer for that matter — like the flight attendant’s speech… It’s just something we do.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ”
“What have you NEVER been tempted to do?”
“What tempts you the most?”
NOW…
“What tempts you the most that you know God disapproves of?”
“Lead us not into temptation.”
Newman admits that this is probably the strangest part of this prayer…
“Why would God do that?” “Why would He tempt us?”
— It almost seems like He is trying to trap us… to get us to sin… BUT…
“Do we really understand the role of temptation in our lives?”
“Do we understand satan’s role?”
— I think we struggle with that!
— vWe give to much credit to satan, and not enough to ourselves, … Nevermind Christ’s role!!!
When Jesus speaks about temptation, He knows what He is talking about, Amen!!!
Let’s look at His temptation:
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
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.”
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.’”
“What were all of these temptations about?”
— They ALL appealed to SELF… NOT GOD!
— They ALL encouraged SELF to be “king of the hill”… for SELF to establish SELF as “the center of the universe”!
You see… The question raised by temptation is: “Where do you stand?”
The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer for those who have chosen to commit themselves COMPLETELY to CHRIST — not just partially… BUT COMPLETELY.
— putting Him first… making Him the center… giving Him the hill!
Throughout scripture, we see people being tempted, and the question is the same everytime:
“Where do you stand?”
— Abraham and Sarah - trusting the promise for a child
— Moses - 40 yrs in tending sheep before God called him
— Joseph - imprisoned wrongfully
— Daniel -
— Simon Peter - denied Christ
— Apostle Paul - imprisoned for his faith
(expound a bit)
Every time was an opportunity for the tempter to celebrate, but EVERY TIME, God used those moments to do something amazing!!!
LISTEN… satan has no power EXCEPT what God permits!!!
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
We have a God who is BIGGER!!!!
So… Why does God allow us to face temptation?
— God uses those moments to refine us - to develop our character as we choose to remain faithful to Him.
“What is temptation?”
“to entice to do wrong by the promise of pleasure or gain.” — Marriam-Webster
— It is an appeal to SELF.
AND… It’s natural!
“How many of you have ever been tempted?”
Every one of us is familiar with temptation. It is a choice, no more, no less. (now hear this) Temptation is NOT SIN!
Temptation is simply an alternative ti God’s Will.
AND…
Temptation is necessary!
What?!?! Really Pastor?!?!? How can you say that? How is temptation necessary?
— It builds our faith and character.
How we respond to temptation teaches us a lot about ourselves.
Temptation is an opportunity for obedience… It builds Holiness… It reforms our lives in order to gain God’s best!
Temptation is a part of preparation. — Keith Newman
The Apostle Paul confesses:
2 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
We don’t know what that thorn was… But, from verse 8, we know that Paul pleaded with God 3 times to remove it… Look at God’s response:
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
“Lead me not into temptation.” is a declaration that “God knows best”, and that we will follow Him as He refines us.
The Apostle Paul, Job, the 1st century church, you and I, are ALL in a refining process… I think Job understood that best!
10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
“Will we declare the same?”
It’s not about getting through the fire… It’s not about the other side of the fire… It’s about what we do IN the fire!!!
“Where will we choose to stand?”
Listen, scripture says that we have an enemy — the devil — who prowls around looking for someone to devour… He knows our weaknesses. He knows our tendencies… If we aren’t careful, he WILL destroy us! BUT… Temptation isn’t bad!!!
Temptation is a test that leads to a choice.
But guess what?!?!
IT’S OPEN BOOK!!!!
We have ALL the answers!!!
God has given us the ability to battle temptation!
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.
Lagerkvist shares a vision that many Christians have never seen in his book Barabbas. (Yes, it’s about the man who was released in place of Jesus)
(tell from the book)
I think that often that’s what many of us — Christians — do…
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
“Where will you stand?” Will you keep standing even when it is not the popular thing to do? Will you endure hardship and persecution? Will you proudly bear the name: Christian?
“Where do you stand?”