Temptations In The Midst of Preparation
Notes
Transcript
Introduction -
Does anyone know what this past Wednesday was?
It was ash Wednesday and this is a traditionally catholic holiday but this is a time where many people fast for 40 days leading up to Easter
This also comes from where Jesus goes into the wilderness before he starts His ministry for 40 days and fasts.
The Lord has been doing so many great things in the youth group
But with this there has been spiritual warfare that has been coming against us.
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” 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.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 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.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Body -
Jesus was lead into a time of testing and preparation
Jesus was lead into a time of testing and preparation
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
We see here that it says that Jesus was lead by the Holy Spirit
So in the same way we can be lead into times of testing, temptation, and preparation
2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
10 For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
Abraham as well
Temptation of The Flesh
Temptation of The Flesh
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
Here we see that the devil was testing his Jesus in the way that he could have satisfied his body by eating.
We can be tested in our flesh at time when we are tempted to do things that we know are not right.
This can also be a personal thing. For other people it would have been okay for them to eat
We also see here that Jesus used scripture to combat these temptations.
Temptation of Loyalty
Temptation of Loyalty
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.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Here Jesus was being tempted in his loyalty
Jesus responds again with scripture
The enemy was lying and making it seem like this was going to be better that following God
The enemy does the same thing to us. He lies and tells us that this will be so much better for us.
Temptation of Testing God
Temptation of Testing God
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.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
We see this time that the devil tempted Jesus by using scripture
This is why we need to know scripture because the enemy will twist it to try and say something that it does not say.
But Jesus again responds with scripture.
This is when we are tempted to manipulate God into acting in a certain way to validate our beliefs.
An example of testing God today would be if God loved me then he would help me get this A or get into x college and then if it doesn’t happen becoming resentful or doubting God’s existence
Conclusion -
Why do you think God can lead us into a time of testing?
Do you have an example of a time that your faith was tested?
What is a time in your life where you were tempted in one of these three areas? (The Flesh, Loyalty, Testing God)
