The Birth of Temptation (MS: James 1:13-15/SS: Genesis 3:1-24; Ephesians 6:10-12)

Capture: Grab their attention with an illustration.

• Illustration/Story: Have you ever gone fishing before? Any experienced angler knows

that you can’t just stick a worm on a hook and hope to land the biggest catch of your

life. Bring a few different kinds of bait and hooks used to catch different kinds of fish.

Do you know there is different type of fishing hooks? There is a holder, worm, jig, circle, weedless, octopus, and even more. Those are just a few of the common ones. 

For bait, there is of course warm, meat, or even they have a fly, a popper, a rooster tail. And even more! 

• You have to tailor your bait to the fish you want to catch. Even fish are smart enough

to pass by on bait that doesn’t catch their eye. A smart fisherman knows how to bait

the fish in a way that is irresistible. The enemy is no different in our spiritual lives. He

knows how to entice us away from God and into sin. Don’t take the bait!

Context  

We are looking at the book of James where he is in your face. He is writing to the Jewish Christians on the characterized of good deeds and faith that works for good things in us. 

It is bigger than just believing in Jesus, it is also doing good works because of your faith and for the Kingdom! 

So in our section, he is talking about the perspective of God testing us, and God does test us. He does that to strengthen our character and our faith in Him. But one thing James tells us here starting in verse 13 that God does not tempted us! There is a difference! 

The phase “God cannot be tempted by evil” can be translated. “God must not be put to the test by evil people.” Jewish Christians would recall how Israel was judged for putting God to the test. 

When we look at the word “tempted” it is an verb that refers to temptations that test one’s moral strength to resist sin. 

The reason why God can’t be tempted or temp you is because God in His very nature is holy! There is nothing in Him for sin to appeal to. 

Satan tempts all believers! But each one is ultimately tempted when he or she is enticed by their own lust. 

A temptation is not sin unless it is conceived and gives birth. 

Any sin by an unbeliever brings eternal death. But when we sin as believers, we are moving away from the presence of God. And we see that here in Genesis 3, the vary first sin. But before we dive 

1. What Is Your Bait From Satan? 

• Tension Question: Are you taking Satan’s bait? Do you find yourself giving into

temptation without much of a second thought? Scripture has a word for us today to

empower us to resist temptation.

• Scripture: Genesis 3:1-24 — Summarize the first encounter of temptation in human

history. This is where it all began!

To summarize this section, this is where sin first came in the picture. 

Before chapter 3, the world was good and in order. It was created in the image of God and was good in His eyes and His creation. But Satan controlled a serpent and went to Eve and tempted her. 

Adam and Eve only thing was not to eat on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

This is key for us because we disobey God’s Word as well everyday. And even though God gives us mercy, grace, and does redeem us, He still have to deal with sin on this earth. 

3 things that lead up to the sin. 

1. Step one: Wrongly Recalling God’s Word (3:1-6)

2. Step two: Wrongly Assessing God’s Purpose (4-5)

Step three: Wrongly Approving What Seems “Good” (6)

We then see that human response to sin was verse 7 and 8 and that they were convicted by God. 

Because of sin, we are divided by God and His presence as we see here and God must deal with sin because of His holy nature. 

So Satan baited Eve because of her desire of knowing knowledge of good and evil to the point that it will disobey God. 

What is the bait that Satan will make you disobey God? That is the real question. 

Satan job for nonbelievers is to not see God’s presence and not be apart with God in fellowship. As a believer, His job is to distance from you from His presence. He want you far away because when you are far away from His presence, He will not mold you to become what He created you to be for His Kingdom. 

Satan want you to desire the things of the flesh, God want you to desire the things of the Kingdom! 

Satan want you to make you the main character of your life, the Kingdom is making Jesus the main character because He will bring you to the Kingdom and you will help God’s people around you!

2. Resist Temptation From Satan!

• Scripture: James 1:13-15 — The source of temptation is not God. It is the work of the

enemy who abuses our desires and entices us away from God in sin.

This is key to understand the difference between trials and temptations. 

A temptation is a solicitation to do evil. 

Now these two words are both used for trial and temptation, they are different cause of the source, purpose, and the outcome. 

So this mean the Lord and Satan can both be at work! Any temptation hatched by Satan must pass through God’s fingers first even though God is not its source. We see this in the book of Job chapter 1:6-12. (Read it)

Satan desires your downfall with temptation; God desires your development with trials and test. 

• The word “desire” can be translated as lust or craving. As we spend the next few

weeks talking about the lusts of the flesh, eyes, and the pride of life, we see the

themes of temptation communicated all throughout Scripture.

• Desire is only the beginning. When we allow a wrong desire to exist in our lives,

Satan, like an expert angler, knows how to tailor bait for us to give into temptation.

Like any fish who gives in — there are only consequences on the end of the hook.

Those consequences all end in death.

• Temptation is not something that comes from God to test you. It is not something to

make you better. It is death on a hook being cast from Satan himself.

• Recognize temptation is no different today as it was for Adam and Eve in the garden:

it is Satan’s way of destroying the kingdom of God. Resist temptation from the

enemy!

Bottom Line: Resist temptation from Satan.

3. Stand Firm in the Lord, Put on the full Armor of God! 

• Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-12 —

English Standard Version Chapter 6

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Explain/Summarize the armor of God in as much

detail as time allows you with your group.

What is the full armor of God? When you continue reading from verse14-17 it shows this

The Belt of Truth Around your waist. Truth is the objective standard by which reality is measured. To wear “truth like a belt” is to live in authenticity before God. Satan is a liar, the Lord tells the truth. That mean God’s Word is the truth. 

The Breastplate of Righteousness. Our righteousness is not our own, God imputed Christ’s perfect righteousness to us. That mean we must protect our heart from evil! Unrighteousness acts like an open invitation to Satan and his demonic forces to invade our hearts and lives in order to defeat us spiritually. 

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace. Roman soldiers wore sandals with cleats built in to help them have firm footing and to stand their ground under attack. Regardless of what life brings, let the peace from God that results from righteous living confirm that you are operating and moving in God’s will!

Shield of Faith. What is faith? It is acting like God’s telling the truth and being obedient to God’s view on a matter. When the enemy comes and tempt you, believing in God’s Word and having faith in what God has said in His word. 

The Helmet of Salvation. A helmet protects the head, the mind, the control center of the body. If you do not understand the gospel, the power for salvation and that Jesus lived the life you couldn’t live and died the death we should of died and rose from the grave so we can have a way to salvation, you will not operate as one whom God promises to deliver from the power and penalty of sin. We are to think God’s thoughts and not operate on human wisdom. 

The Sword of the Spirit. (Which is the Word of God) This is the only offensive weapon. This is describe as the Word of God spoken, made effective by the Spirit, to cut through the devil’s lies. When Jesus was tempted by the enemy in Matthew chapter 4:1-11 He defeated the devil by using the Word of God! And we as well must do the same! And just as Jesus did the tempted in the wilderness, Christians must learn to use Bible study against the devil. This is important to read your Bible! Be apart of a Bible study with youth group and friend groups! 

• The most important realization you need to have is this: you are in a spiritual war,

fighting against spiritual enemies in unseen places.

The battle we face every day is rooted in the schemes of the devil! 

• Temptation is not little — it is the weapon of the enemy to destroy God’s purpose

and plan in your life.

• We are called to equip ourselves with God’s armor and stand firm! You are on a

battlefield, whether you want to be or not! Are you dressed for battle?

Bring it to the Cross

*Show video of SpongeBob and the hook*

This clip is from an episode of SpongeBob. Just like from the start of the sermon, the enemy comes and tempt us like a hook. Just like we see here, before this Mr. Krab told SpongeBob do not go by the hooks. But Patrick went instead and SpongeBob knowing this try to tell Patrick. Long story short, they kept going on and jumping last minute till one time they actually got hooked and went up. 

Luckily it was a star fish and a sponge and they threw them back, but if it was a fish, they will bring death. Sin=death and there are a lot of hooks around in our world. But God teaches us to put on the full armor of God so we can denied temptation! This also important to know the gospel is rooted in your heart and your key to salvation. That Jesus lived the life we could not lived and died the death we should of died and rose from the grave on the third day for us to be with the Father! 

This is key for us not to sin so we can be in God’s presence at all times. When we sin we are not until we confess and repent to be with our God! 

• Stand firm in the Lord and resist the schemes of the enemy. Take a stand for God and

reject what Satan has for you by embracing God’s goodness!

• Application: Stand firm in the Lord.

Call: How do we respond to the message?

• Altar moment: Take temptation seriously. It’s a war, and you’re involved! Don’t sit

passively on the sideline. Stand firm in the Lord and get equipped for the battle that

you are in!