Overcoming Temptation

Context

Lent is a time of preparation for Easter.

On Ash Wednesday, imposition of ashes. Mortality, frailty, hope for resurrection. Jesus’ invitation to be authentic with God.

During this season we will be talking about the obstacles that get in our way of that goal. The first up is temptation. (Then later, facing opposition, failing to repent and bear fruit, withholding forgiveness)

Temptation - pull off course…

Our lesson this morning comes from the gospel of Luke, the gospel of the year, chapter 4. Jesus is at the beginning of his public ministry. He has been baptized by John, but has not yet begun to preach his message. Before he goes public, he has to go private. He is driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tested and tempted. The wilderness was understood as the place where one goes to face their demons. In Jesus case, that demon was no metaphor, but the actual Devil, Satan, the arch-nemesis of God.

Text

Luke 4:1–13 NRSV

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ” Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ” Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Introduction

Example. Setting a nautical course. Charted with degrees. Even one degree is important. Over long distances that 1 degree makes the difference of miles in the destination. Maybe a picture for this…

We are all called to a life destination with God. Temptations pull us off course. Maybe seems like a small deviation, but can be a real threat to our destination, taking us somewhere we don’t want to go.

In our lesson today, we see Jesus measuring his course closely.

Exegesis

Jesus goes into the wilderness where he fasts and prays. 40 days.

The body is weakened by this exertion, yet his spirit is keen for discernment between good and evil.

Satan says to him, If you are the Son of God…

If you are the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of God. That was pronounced in the river at his baptism.

Jesus has been fasting and praying to discern exactly what he is to DO AS the Son of God. How shall he conduct his public ministry.

Satan says, if you are, and you are then do this…let me help you determine what your ministry will be like.

But each of the temptations is a degree off the true course

If you are the Son of God. Turn these stones into bread.

You are hungry. Preserve your life. And also tend to this real need for others. At first blush: Yes, the body is important! Hunger is unbearable.

Show compassion to myself and others. Even God the Father fed the Israelites in the wilderness with manna!

But implication of the temptation: your mission is to feed the body…Provide for material needs. Snap fingers and create houses, clothing, make crops grow, etc. That is what you are to do as the Son of God.

In bald language we would say that Satan is tempting Jesus to be the Vending Machine God. You are here to feed bellies and by extension to meet any and all physical needs. That is all people want, all that they need, and you should focus on that.

I might ask us: Is that what we would want from the Son of God? If he gave us food and clothing and homes..would we feel like that he had succeeded in a divine mission?

Or would we see that as a truncation?

A reduction of what we really want? And what Jesus wants to give us?

Jesus sees through it.

Man does not live by bread alone but by the Word of God.

God fed in the wilderness to give not merely bread, but a lesson, that the Israelites had to trust every day in God who was going to bring them to the Promised Land.

He decides he will not turn stones into bread, but trust in God, who through him wants to give another order of life. Spiritual Promised Land.

He later describes himself as the bread that has come down from heaven. Whoever eats of him will not die but have eternal life. The true bread of heaven. Whoever trusts in him.

He would later work miracles like multiplying loaves — because these were not just miracles, but signs to trust in him.

Don’t worry so much. Is not the body more than clothing and life more than food. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all else will be taken care of.

And he taught the people: Blessed are you who hunger, for you will be satisfied.

I will give you all the kingdoms of the world. They are mine to give. You can worship me. You can have the kingdoms.

If you are the son of God, you should rule over all the nations. I will give them to you right now.

Jesus could set up his theocracy. Sit on a throne with a gold crown upon his head. Command potentates to kneel before him.

Herod. Pilate. Pharaoh. Caesar.

But is that what the Son of God came to do? Is that what we would even want?

No. Thou shalt worship the Lord only.

Not to impose the kingdom on all the nations, but to call all the nations into his own kingdom. To bring all kingdoms into God’s kingdom.

Pilate says: So, you are a King then? Jesus later says, My kingdom is not of this world. But also one day you will see the Son of Man descending on the clouds of heaven.

Not to take over the world, but to make-over the world.

Revelation: A new heaven and earth. The Heavenly Jerusalem descends. All the kings of the earth bring their gifts into it.

The only earth crown I will wear is one of thorns. The crown upon his head will be the one placed there by God.

If you are the Son of God throw yourself down. The angels will bear you up. Ps. 91.

Dramatic life and death situation which proves that be cannot be killed. Command religious awe and belief.

Suggestion along the lines of atop of the temple and being escorted down with the angels. Clearly showing his lordship over the religious hierarchy.

Everyone will believe in you. Which is what you want. YOU want to believe in you.

Jesus’ goal is to have everyone believe in him.

But not because he is invulnerable

But because as God he is willing to be vulnerable.

Give my life as a ransom for many.

You shall not test the Lord you God.

Not to force God to spare his life, but to raise him from the dead.

Trusting in Father.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

To show that God is to be trusted at the moment of death, not to prevent death, but as the one who will give resurrection.

Jesus said to the thief, you will be with me in paradise today.

Interpretation

Temptations take a piece of the whole and make the whole the piece.

Jesus wants to provide for people’s needs. But not just the body, but body and soul.

Jesus will rule, but not all the nations, but the Kingdom of God.

People will place their faith in him, but not because he was invulnerable but because as Son of God, he was willing to be vulnerable and lead to resurrection life for all.

Running through all the temptations. This body, this world, this life…little changes…that would have prevent Jesus from being who God had sent him to be for us.

He could have been a dispenser of material goods, who dictates to the world, and is invulnerable to doubt and harm.

Instead he became the giver of treasurers in heaven that cannot fade, who invites all people to come into the Kingdom of God, and shows that beyond death is life eternal.

Current Problem

Who is God calling you to be?

Temptation comes against us all.

Focus on this world, to the eclipse of who God is really calling us to be.

Generosity - hoarding and treasurers

Fast - but we eat and drink

Pray — but we give in to complaining

Love - lust

Boldly proclaim and enact — but we are timid to fit in.

Serve others - to others we want to have them serve us

All temptations that place the lesser self first and it is all about this world. Aim at that in a small way, over time, steers us away from the Kingdom.

Can cause us like Paul, to feel desperate when we give in to temptation: what I don’t want to do, I do! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Praise be to our God in Jesus Christ. (Rom. 7)

TWO THINGS

Jesus Christ overcomes the temptations of Satan for us.

He fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law, more importantly he fully reciprocated the love of the Father with life completely dedicated to him.

This resulted in him hitting his target: cross and resurrection.

On that cross he won our justification before God.

When we are baptized into him, we are united to his righteousness and his new life.

We should give great thanks and praise to him all the time. Let us give thanks! ALWAYS RETURN TO HIM WHEN WE GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION. JESUS IS GOING STRAIGHT WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO HIM FOR FORGIVENESS AND RESETTING.

Application

In response: Also for our instruction on how to identify and resist temptation.

Discipline our bodies and appetites.

fasting and sustained prayer, hourly, vigils. Very appropriate during Lent.

Get clear again, committed again to who God is calling us to be!

Discern the sound of temptation from the call of vocation.

Eg. Two voices on our shoulders. The good angel and the bad devil. You should do this; you should do that. we have to know one voice from the other.

Temptation, easy to do, just give in. Vocation: hard to do, rise to the challenge.

something you want to do in the moment, but the call is something you want on a deeper, longer level.

something that gains you something, something that is for other

not in Scripture or condemned by it; something that is commanded

leaves you feeling guilty; makes you feel stronger

something you don’t want to ask God to help you do; test something you ask God to help you do.

Something you would hide from a christian brother; something you would share with a brother.

Makes you less like Christ; makes you more like him.

indulges on a vice; prompted by a virtue.

indulges; disciplines

comes from the world, the flesh, the devil; comes from God, comes from the conscience.

Every time is important opportunity to choose our destination.

Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.

Galatians 6:7–8 “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.”

PROMISE: IF YOU CHOOSE THE SPIRIT< YOU WILL LIVE!! GOOD NEWS!

see the Scriptures as our ready resource.

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (remember this easily by yoking it to John 3:16)

Conclusion

Christ charted the course.

Temptation seeks to take us off course.

But we have great comforts

Christ guarantees our destination

Trusting in him

we discipline ourselves.

we discern temptation and reject it

use the scriptures to help us.