The Gospel of Luke - Week 11

Luke Chapter 4 verses 1 through 15, but before we get there. We were talking about the temptation of Jesus today. I would like by the temptation of Jesus and what that looks like and last week Aaron did a great job of walking us through the hypostatic union about talking about Jesus being fully God and fully man and how this has to remain intention and imbalance as we look at these things or we distort the truth. And what I want you to do is to hold on to that understanding as we go through this because if we have too much focus on Jesus deity that Jesus wasn't really tempted. Right, if we focus too much on the facts that Jesus is the second of Trinity and we hold it out of balance with his Humanity. Then there's no real Temptation there right and it doesn't mean anything easy for us to do that. and likewise, if you focus too much on his Humanity, then what we end up doing is look at Jesus as a great example for us and how to live our lives instead of being Jesus he just becomes a good example. Let me say this Jesus is first and foremost our King and savior. Right, that's who he is and that's how we hold him in All Things primarily. So it's not that Jesus isn't a good example. It's that he's that in the context of being our King and savior.

And that priority matters, right? We have to see Jesus as our King and savior first because if we primarily view Jesus as an example of how we're supposed to live. We're left with a necessary conclusion. That is main purpose and living that perfect life would not to pay for my sins. But to show me how to do it myself. We have to keep that in context. And what we need to do is to understand the fundamental nature of our salvation. Atlanta understand the fundamental nature of our salvation and then we can talk about how we engage Temptation and sand from that fundamental nature. And that's our goal for today to take a notes. You can write that down. That's our goal is to pull from scripture the truth about the fundamental nature of our Salvation, right? And then how do we engage Temptation and sin? And so in order for us to talk about this we have to look at our condition is people without Jesus. Right or condition is people without Jesus is death. I mean we talked about this quite a bit over the course of working through the Apostles Creed we talked about this and will continue to talk about it because it's a necessary piece of the Gospel that without Jesus were spiritually dead. We're told that were born into iniquity. We're told her the wages of that iniquity is death that were dead in our trespasses that were children of Wrath that we have to recognize that. We're not sticking to the doctor or dad or spiritually dead Romans 5 tells us that to Adamson came into the world and death spread all mankind. That means If You Were Somehow able to live a perfect life from birth follow the law perfectly. You would still be spiritually dead because that's her nature without Jesus. And you really get to a better understanding of this. We need to start in Genesis. They will get to Luke. I promise we're going to start in Genesis if you turn to Genesis chapter 3.

Genesis chapter 3 word you can do a couple versus here.

30 inverse one now the serpent was more crafty than any other Beasts of the field the Lord God had made he said to the woman did God actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden and the woman's head to the serpent. We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden. Neither. Shall you touch it lest you die. But the serpent said to the woman you will not surely die or stop there. You will not surely die. So what happens here? We find out we start out with the serpent tempting Eve. Did God actually say rights to God actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden. Right starting off with a lie. That wasn't what God Said you've responded with another lie. I even responded when we needed these but we can't either this. We're not even supposed to touch it. That's not what God Said. I know it's a different server for a different day, but don't have to God's law it becomes problematic.

What does Satan say when are you says we're not supposed to touch it or we will surely die. Satan says you will not surely die. Write to me ask you something. Was that a true statement? Was it true when Satan told Eve that they would not die for eating fruit?

Because earlier in Chapter 2 in Genesis. God told Adam you make Shirley eat of every tree of the garden. But of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil you shall not eat for in the day that you eat of it. You shall surely die in the day that you eat of it. And don't try to do a bunch of gymnastics with attacks trying to say that they mean something different they had words for that. Just like we do in the day that you eat of it you will die.

So who was telling the truth?

Was guy telling the truth or was Satan telling the truth based on what we see. I'll give you a hint. Temperature setting last drop that down.

This is how lies work. This is how Satan works. There's something misunderstood write a few little details fall out of order. There's something twisted something contorted and it feels mostly right, but it's not quite right. And this is the fall of mankind were talking about right? This is thousands and thousands of years ago and some of us are still operating under this same lie. that Satan told Eve

set a dig into that. Have you ever said any of these things I've ever said I'm basically a good person.

About as bad as so-and-so are better. And so and so depending on how you unfreeze it. Or how about I'm doing the best I can doing the best I can it's got to be worth something. Or maybe I couldn't believe in a God who would send a good person to hell? Or I can believe in a God who would send somebody I loved to hell.

That one goes on. How about this one? Jesus is knocking and all you have to do is open the door. Rhode Island There's one that I grew up with the idea that you're drowning in Jesus standing there with his hand out and I have to do to take it and you're safe. It's all rooted in the same lie, and some of us are running around believing and spreading live Satan was right and God was wrong and the Adam and Eve didn't die.

What I mean by that is this we have to understand it being expelled from the presence of God and from that day forward all of your children being born into sin and you and your children are dead in that sand and there's coming a day that the wrath of God will pour out on you because of that sin is death. nothing short of death

It's not that God had not just that God had mercy and did not physically kill Adam and Eve for their sin, right? That's true. That's true. God had mercy. I didn't physically kill them, but that's not a complete statement because we know that they died spiritually. Being a ejected from God's presence. Was a spiritual death one that we all inherit. And this is the why that Satan told Eve in the garden and it still believed it survived because we failed to hold on to the truth that without Christ we're dead. Without Christ, we're dead. God doesn't lie. I just sounds like such a simple statement. We have to recognize that God doesn't lie and we are dead in sin from birth were spiritually dead and to deny that death is to align ourselves with the life Satanist and accusing God. Significant thing not a light thing.

It is not easy to grasp either. Writing John chapter 3 we see this exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus Nicodemus one of the teachers and Jesus tells Nicodemus there unless one is born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God. I've been thinking a message. Like how can you be born again how to how does a grown man become born and even asks even asking you enter into your mother's womb again? Don't worry. That's not how it works.

But didn't he didn't understand what Jesus was saying? And Jesus said unless one is born of water and of the spirit. He cannot enter the kingdom of God that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is Spirit. There's only one reason that we would need to be born if it does not currently alive spiritually. right

without Jesus your dad spiritually and have to be born again into a new life and it's not something that we have any control over. That's something that we have a decision to make because salvation doesn't belong to us it belongs to God. Play Salvation Belongs to the Lord and in death our scope of activity of space that we can operate in. This is our free will is that which brought the death in the first place? And that's how we can operate and our death. We can choose how we're going to send all day long, but that's all we can do.

Without faith. It's impossible to please God and so without faith in God all of the good things that we may do all the good actions still don't have the supporting motive necessary to make it pleasing to God not doing it to glorify God you're doing it to glorify yourself or somebody else.

We need a new nature because our old nature is dead. We need something new and the good news of the Gospel is that we Worship a God who saves who actively saves his people. Every relationship between God and man we find in scripture is initiated by God. Every relationship Abraham Isaac Jacob everything all of the disciples will get into that as we worked through. Luke will see Jesus calling the disciples to himself all of them start with God calling somebody to himself, right?

It's not like Jesus is going to stay in the end that he could have saved more but they just didn't take his hands to accept the salvation. That's horrible.

Yeah, I do believe that the Redemptive work of Christ is effective for all the people for whom it was intended.

Are you believe that Christ is not capable of saving certain people?

We can't can't have both.

There's only one right answer. Those whom he predestined he also called Those whom he called. He also Justified In Those whom he justified. He also glorified God Saves at his will and God saved because of his great Mercy.

Internet salvation. We are justified in Christ. How do we talk about this justification before it's it's at our sins and the wrath for them were laid on Christ on the cross and his righteousness is given to us. It is a legal change in the definition of Who We Are Put in Eyes Of God. We are seen righteous because of the work of Christ for Justified.

And we're also adopted by God. Adopted by God the Bible says that were co-heirs with Christ and I want you to think a little bit about how an adoption works because if it's really a beautiful concept Michael Horton puts it this way. Adoption is not a goal held out to children who successfully imitate their parents. Nor is it the result of an infusion of familial characteristics or genes rather? It is a change in legal status that issues in a relationship that is gradually reflected in a child identity characteristics and actions. Can read that one again adoption is not a goal held out to children who successfully imitate their parents is not conditional on their behavior nor is it the result of an infusion of family characteristics or jeans? Rather it is a change in legal status that issues in a relationship that is gradually reflected and the child's identity characteristics and actions. Have you have to I want you to hold on to that concept of gradually reflected cuz it's going to matter here in a minute, but it's gradually reflected. Your identity is new, right? You're no longer dead in your sins were alive in Christ and your actions will gradually begin to reflect your new identity. Is adoption that were talking about this means that the scope of our activity that was limited to send has now expanded to where we can act in a way that brings pleasure to God we can make righteous decisions. We can do good things we can choose to not send. I r Nature has expanded.

And it is a legal definition just like justification does from this Foundation that we're going to continue like this Foundation of God's word declares me. If I am in Christ to be a righteous heir to the kingdom of God. That I engage in Temptation and soon that's the position that I have to look at how I react Temptation and sin and it's from this Foundation that we're going to look at the temptation of Jesus.

when I jump over to Luke chapter 4

It'll be might be on the screen. Looks like it'll be on the screen. So Luke chapter 4 for starting in verse 1.

And Jesus full of the Holy Spirit return from the Jordan and was led by the spirit Into the Wilderness for 40 days being tempted by the devil and he ate nothing during those days and when they were ended he was hungry the devil said to him if you are the Son of God command this Stone to become bread and Jesus answered him. It is written man. Shall not live by bread alone. The devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and said to him to you. I will give all this Authority and their glory for it has been delivered to me and I give it to whom I will if you then will worship me it will all be yours. And Jesus answered him it is written you shall Worship the Lord your God and him alone. Shall you serve? And he took him to Jerusalem that set him on the Pinnacle of the temple and said 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 guard you. And on their hands they will bear you up last year's lest. You strike your foot against a stone. And Jesus answered if I just said You shall not put the Lord your God to the test and then a devil head ended every Temptation he departed from him until an opportune time and Jesus returned in the power of the spirit to Galilee and a report about him went out to all the surrounding country and he taught in their synagogues being glorified by all.

Knights Arena we're going to junk this down a little bit as we walk through.

We start out by saying Jesus full of the Holy Spirit, right and Jesus full of the holy spirit. This is this is a continuation of the trinitarian talk that we had last week of the bath isn't of Jesus right there to the holy spirit being present with Jesus and it also shows Jesus Humanity. Because he needed to be filled with the spirit. I need to be filled with the spirit. If Jesus were just fully God and not fully man. Then that wouldn't have been necessary. The Holy Spirit-filled Jesus and equipped his human nature for the ministry. That was to follow. And then we read that Jesus was led by the spirit Into the Wilderness. Jesus didn't make a wrong turn and just find themselves lost in the wilderness right nor did he go unnecessarily looking for trouble? It was at the command of God's Will and plan that Jesus went into the desert. It was led by the spirit. For 40 days being tempted by the devil now, I grew up with a misunderstanding of this. I grew up that Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness and then Satan appeared and come to him three times, like a genie three times for 40 days. The Highlight Reel that we see here is just a piece of it. Jesus was tempted for 40 days. I don't know about you, but I might be good for like 30 45 seconds and then 40 days of Temptation.

And he didn't eat for those 40 days. hungry

This is one of those moments your kind of wondering why they emphasize that Jesus was hungry 40 days. Of course, he's hungry. I get harassed by my friend because of how much I eat. We used to joke that I didn't eat every two hours. I waste away. I've put on a little bit. So maybe it's four hours now, but I eat a time if I skip more than breakfast I regularly skip breakfast and I shouldn't like to do if I skip more than that. I get cranky like hangry is a thing right? He's a real thing is not just a Snickers commercial, right?

I get grumpy.

And the thing is we do crazy stupid things when were as simple as hungry. a perfect example of this is actually

In Genesis when I got to go there I'm just going to kind of feel you in it's the story of Jacob and Esau. He sells out working in the field. He's been working the field for one day. One. Not much. I needed to manage the level of work. He did. I don't know. I've had some days it felt like a week's worth of work in one day but he's been out in the field for one day and he's exhausted and he comes in. He's hungry. Jacob's in the kitchen cooking some stew. And he sounds like that smells pretty good. Can I have some stew not all the parents in the room? You've tried to teach your kids to share right kind of what you expect. Not Jacobs kind of mean about it. Jacob says some of your Birthright. And I'll give you the steel.

I want to put that in context because Birthright was huge was the significance of being the firstborn right? You basically would inherit the family property. You were the head of the household if anything happen to the father you got double portions on The Inheritance right there two kids inheritance was split into 3 on the first born got two portions and the second one got one portion. Abraham was a pretty rich guy.

And Isaac was a rich guy.

It's a big deal. It's just a bowl of soup that has been more than a couple bucks. I'm not doing that right but he still does it he sells says I'm about to die. What use is a Birthright to me give me the soup and he swears on it. He sold his Birthright after one day of being hungry. for a bowl of soup We do stupid stuff when we're hungry. We do stupid stupid things when we're hungry and Satan says to Jesus if you are the Son of God turn this Stone into bread.

Animal care about you in Saigon 40 days without food and I had the ability to turn a stone into anything that resembled food. I'd be going all their girls on that I would do whatever it was that eat it.

Do we see the statement if you are the Son of God followed by a Temptation three times in this text and there's two ways to look at this. There's two ways to look at this statement. If you are the Son of God, we can look at it as Satan trying to tempt Jesus about his identity. Are you really the son of God? Cuz if you are you could do this.

I don't think that's the best way to look at it. I think the best way to look at it is and assumptive phrase since you are the son of God. I did the term if you are that can be used for both a question and then something phrase and I think that is something phrase what we find here. I fear the son of God.

Go ahead and turn this into bread.

no demonic form in the life of Jesus that we see in the text of the New Testament ever question who Jesus was The only reacted to his kingship. I think it's more appropriate. And actually shows the Insidious nature of these Temptations.

That Satan begins with telling a little bit of the truth. I don't know Jesus. I get it. I know you are I get it. You're the son of God. I understand but you're hungry right. Assume to eat. You should eat something look like you're new to being human. Right? You've never been hungry before you don't know how this works. God created you to be hungry. So you should eat. Got crazy be hungry. You should eat. You're the Son of God. It's no big deal your father provided Manna From Heaven For The Wicked evil Israelites in the desert for 40 years. He hasn't paid you yet. Maybe just waiting for you to do it yourself.

Here's what's going on. In the Incarnation Jesus voluntarily set aside the independent use of his divine power.

That's some self-control Jesus voluntarily set aside independent use of his divine power the Divine axe done. The Miracles that we witness is done from the power of the Holy Spirit working through Jesus because he was filled with the power of the spirit, right?

And it wasn't a temptation of self-indulgence not a sin to eat. Maybe I send eat too much right, but I think you could say if you wanted to eat a loaf of bread after 40 days being hungry. That's probably not indulgent.

This wasn't the temptation to show off ability. There's nobody else there. the witness this temptation was to distrust God's love and provision just like in the garden. Same old trick, right? Same old trick different span to distrust God's love and provision. I want you to take a second and recognize how much truth there is in what Satan tells Jesus there's a lot of Truth in it.

Right. There's a lot of Truth in all of these Temptations. What is not complete truth? It's still a lie. Jesus response to this temptation with the full truth Man, shall not live on bread alone. I use quoting Deuteronomy Jesus saying what sustains a person's life is not food, but obedience to everything that precedes from the mouth of the Lord.

At the bread is going to sustain you. Jesus knew God provided bread from heaven in his great Mercy to the Israelites in the desert, but they still died in the desert.

The both of them didn't see the promised land right? They died and the desert. Jesus refused to act on his own initiative and incomplete Trust of his in his faithful Father's Love and Spirits care. He chose to remain and submission to God's well, even though I didn't have to Starting to see how this might relate to us a little bit on how we interact because our nature is expanded. Right? We don't have to operate and send any more. We might want to we don't have to and we choose to remain in submission to God's will. Jesus combated this temptation with the truth. He saw the partial truth. It was being told and wasn't deceived by it. Let's keep moving verses 5 through 8, when will read it again since we've been a few minutes from it and the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And I said to him to you I will give all this Authority and their glory for his been delivered to me and I give it to whom I will if you then will worship me. It will all be yours. Jesus answered him. It is written you shall Worship the Lord your God and him alone. Shall you serve

So if the previous Temptation can be summarized as Jesus being tempted to doubt God's love and provision, right? This temptation can be summarized as being tempted to doubt God's plan. Being tempted to doubt God's plan. In the Book of Psalms, we read that God the father says to God the son ask of me and I will surely give you the nation's as your inheritance. And the father also Promises to the Son and the Very ends of the Earth as your possession.

The Jesus knows that this is what's supposed to happen and yet look at where Jesus is and what's currently happening. He's in the middle of nowhere in the wilderness. He's poor. Don't have the kingley riches that one that had all the nations of the world would have you barely have the clothes on his back. You don't have a place to lay his head. He's rejected by the people who are supposed to praise him. He has the upcoming Agony In The Garden of Gethsemane along with the unjust illegal trial along with the brutal beating along with. The death on the cross and ultimately being forsaken by the father as he Bears the sins of the world. To the point where he cries out my God my God. Why have you forsaken me?

Taking proposal was to allow Jesus to bypass all that pain and it just take his kingship.

pretty pretty tempting

But again, we have these partial truths in the Temptation, right? It's true the Bible calls Satan the ruler of this world. I wish that a multiplication that doesn't mean that it's Satan's to give me has any control over what happens to it. My God still holds evil at Bay. Right there is evil in the world. But it's still held at Bay. We live in a totally depraved world. Not an utterly depraved for we don't live in the absence of goodness.

It's not Satan's to give.

taken with lying pretending to offer what was not his to give in exchange for Jesus worship

and Jesus against all through lie and he responded with the truth of scripture. It is written you shall not Worship the Lord your God you shall Worship the Lord your God and serve him only. look, it has to follow that if God is Almighty all-knowing perfect omnipotence just If he's all these things been his plan is perfect and there are no errors and there are no there's no way to bypass what he has for us. The shortcuts what's really going on here is if the Son of God worship Satan to a chief power than Jesus would be subjecting himself to the authority of Satan.

We read in Isaiah that this was Satan's downfall write Satan was an angel and his Lust For The Worship that belongs to God Alone causes fall. He still wants that he still desires that worship and he's attempting to persuade Jesus to worship Him and attempts to get it.

And Jesus again combat and lies of Satan with the fullness of Truth in scripture. There is no power greater than God. There's no greater Authority. There's no way to escape his divine plan. We had to subject ourselves to God's Authority in will or living the lie that Satan told us that we can buy passes. How's there are two options? Verse 9 through 12 and he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the Pinnacle of the temple and said 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 guard you. And on their hands they will bear you up West you strike your foot against a stone and Jesus answered him. It is said You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.

So in this section, we really see the the deceitfulness. Of these Temptations, right? There's been some partial truths thrown into the other ones, but Satan's using using scripture. in an attempt to get Jesus to send

since Jesus was not tempted about God's goodness. His provision would not tempted to deviate from God's plan statement. Now tempting Jesus to allow God to fulfill his promise of protecting the Messiah.

But that's in Contra Temptation was to cause God to fulfill his promise. That's significance.

Ultimately, one of two things that happened to Jesus's jumped right if you just had jumped and cause God to fulfill his promise one of two things could happen either. God wouldn't move in Jesus who died. And he wouldn't die on the cross right or by forcing God to save him. Jesus would no longer be submitting to God's plan and will. Kind of a win-win, right? The basis of this temptation is to try to bat God into a corner where he was forced to act in a way that he said he would. It's dangerous. This is this is incredibly dangerous because it seemingly encourages us to exercise our faith in God. It seemingly encourages us to to see that God will follow through on his promise to be to find some insurance. Play Wicked temptation. In all reality. This is an arrogant demand of God. I've come to be Sovereign over God.

So there again is truth in the Temptation yet it still Max Ally. Jesus come back to this temptation with an understanding of absolute truth. You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.

Three temptations that were shown everytime resisted through the power of the Spirit by the word of God by the truth of the word of God. Verse 13 through 15 and when the devil had ended every Temptation he departed from him until an opportune time. And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit to Galilee and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country and he taught in their synagogues being glorified by all.

The devil departs after trying every temptation. every temptation Hebrews 4 14 through 16 tells us since then. We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens Jesus Son of God. Let us hold fast our confession are we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin and every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin.

Taken 3 everything you had it Jesus and Jesus resisted Temptation over and over and over again and the risks that we take is in thinking that we should just take this as an example of how we're supposed to act. Right, if that's all we take of this then we're going to be crippled by guilt and shame. Because I cannot be perfect. I cannot be perfect. We have to take more from this than the fact that Jesus didn't send resisted all temptation that is partially true. But if not all that's going on.

Where we need to imitate is how Jesus resisted this temptation. by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit And with the truth of God's word, he resisted the Temptation that is what we imitate relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and trusting the truth of God's word. Every Temptation we face is rooted in the lies that Satan brings. Every temptation is rooted in lies that what we want to do is better than what God has been our plan is better than one God's plan. It's all rooted in the same lies. and the issue is we don't look at the horrors of our sin the way we should You play with it? And this is kind of like that last thing like chest in God we do this all the time and you may have never been tempted to jump off a building to see if that will help you say that's not a good thing to do right? Don't do it. But I guarantee you. That you have a saint that you keep hidden.

I guarantee you that you ever send that you think you can control. Do you think is not hurting anyone and you keep it in a cage and you take it out and play with it when you want when it suits you and then you put it away and you trust that you will always be able to control that soon. That evil that Darkness whatever it might be. We play with us like in Proverbs. What does the father say to his son The Prostitute lives down that street. Don't even go down the street. Skidaway get away from it, but we tempt it right we test it when I walk down the street. I'm strong enough today strong tomorrow. Eventually going to catch up the same that we play with that we hide in the dark. Are going to catch up. People don't wake up and just decide to cheat on their spouse. Eyeworks it's the result of consistently playing with an ocean and idea teasing it out your thoughts. And how would I do it? How can I cover it up when I do giving it the light of day? James 1:15 tells us then desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Don't play with sand. Don't play with it. Don't listen to the lie, and we act like these lies of Satan or minor lies their little lives small distortions of the truth and what we see in The Temptations of Jesus. Is it there anything but that

They're anything but that there's a huge Chasm between the actual truth and the lies that we listen to.

And what we can take from this section of scripture. Is that your Temptation my temptation? Our individual Temptation whatever it is will speak to the heart of your desires.

It could be good desires. Was a good thing for Jesus to desire for? His rule because I was promised to him from God the father. That was a good desire. You're good desires can be used against you and certainly your bad desires can be used against you but the Temptation whatever it is will speak to the heart of your desires. You may be tempted to doubt and God's love and provision.

You may be tempted by a painful experience to wonder. Play God's well. Right, or maybe you were late with the psalmist who wrote and solved after 73, but I was envious of the Arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked are there are no pains in their death and their body is fat. They're not in trouble as other men nor they played like mankind there for pride. Is there necklace the Garment of violence covers them their eye bulges from fatness the imaginations of a heart run Riot, they Mock and wickedly speak of Oppression. They speak from on high. They have sent their mouth against the heavens and their tongue parade through the Earth there for his people return to this place and Waters of abundance are drunk by them. They say, how does God know It is their knowledge with the most high behold. These are the wicked and always at ease they have increased in well surely in vain. I have kept my heart pure and wash my hands in innocence. Can you relate with that? Can you relate with that feeling that you you feel like you've done everything you're supposed to do and you're sitting in paying or sitting in poverty or sitting in struggle? And you look at the evil in the world and they're just growing and wealth. You really do that. Am I Jesus? Being tempted by the bread thinking of the Israelites with all the bread they could eat, right?

May be tempted to doubt God's plan to circumvent God's law right to steal a little bit when no one's looking. Lie and cheat just a little hard to get ahead. At the factors that were tempted. all the time and you probably thought this through and realize that these lies run together and hurt isolated. Right to doubt in God's love is to doubt in his plan to doubt in his plan and try your own is to test his goodness.

Right, they all run together. And they work in tandem to dig down into the depths of your soul and to leave you with this temptation that speaks to everything you want speaks to everything. You've been promised and it speaks to have you test God to prove himself faithful.

That's how the lies of Satan work.

We say Lawson. I do. I know about you, but I give into temptation often. Feel awesome.

When the dust settles I'm still left wanting. And now I'm in Despair and shame because of evil have committed. Relate to that.

I have to rely on the power to the power of the spirit to resist temptation. You have to rely on the power of the spirit to resist temptation. You can't resist it on your own.

You can't resist it on your own.

We have to know the truth in order to stabilize for what they are. Have to know the truth. I don't want to leave you with this.

If you are in Christ, you are made new. That is a promise of scripture. If you are in Christ, you are a new creation and were Justified based on the righteousness of Christ who was tempted in every way yet without sin. He took your sin and the Wrath it earned from you and he took it on himself on the cross and gave you his righteousness.

That should bring joy that you bring this immense. Joy that he gave you his righteousness, and you are adopted to be a CO Heir with Christ. He didn't just save you. Brought you into the family. adopted and that adoption like your justification is a legal standing. You're Justified and you are adopted. It is the Declaration of the almighty God. that you are his

and they aren't dependent on your ability to imitate Jesus.

They aren't dependent on your abilities. It's rather illegal and relational position that you will begin to reflect in your actions and in your characteristics and behaviors.

You will sell. Will stumble will fall in by the grace of God because of the work of Christ we can get up and we are still seeing his righteous and we can keep moving forward in Christ. And as we grow in our understanding of who God is and what has been done for you your actions and characteristics and behaviors will reflect your new nature that you have in Christ. Not that you're earning not that's being held out as reward, but that you already have your indwelt with the same spirit that killed Jesus for his ministry The Same Spirit that hovered Over The Waters at Creation The Same Spirit that flooded over the people at Pentecost. You're filled with that same spirit. And that is a sure sign of your identity in Christ.

Sure signs an anchor to the soul. You cannot lose that you can't you can't reject it. You can't push it away. Don't listen to the lies of the devil. Don't listen to him telling you that you aren't worthy and don't listen to him telling you that you aren't good enough. It doesn't matter because you are in Christ and we will continue to sin and just like Paul talked about that. He does the things that he doesn't want it doesn't do the things that he should do. It tears them apart. We will go through that as well as our nature begins as our activity begins to reflect our new nature.

And maybe your hearing you're not in Christ. Maybe you're here and struggling to everything we talked about today. Maybe maybe you're a little put off a little offended even.

If you're here and don't know Christ and in you there's this stirring this questioning this wrestling with the truth. Don't ignore it. Spirit Awakening you to the truth of scripture. It is the spirit moving to save you to adopt you and to sustain you to the end.

submit yourself to the almighty God living operate in the power of the spirit and Trust in the truth of scripture to resist temptation.

Tell me Father God. We thank you for everything that you give us and provide for us for everything. You did in your goodness. You don't just want to make us comfortable or but that you want to save us that you are a good father that disciplines his children and that raises them in the way they should go.

Every thank you that you sent your son to live the perfect life to live the life that we should have lived to take on the desk that we deserve to die over. Thank you that you have given us righteousness and taken our saying that you've washed us clean that were white as snow.

You made us a new creation.

I got thank you for the adoption that you give us and for that new nature Lord and thank you that even though we struggle even though we we don't know how to do it. We don't know what we're doing. Sometimes even that you are patience and kind and merciful.

And that you change us to the power your spirit.

But I pray that. You would expose to us the sins that we keep in the dark. It we try to control that we try to hide when I pray that we would see the gravity of that and that you would save us from ourselves.

I got to pray that you would. Give us peace in the Forgiveness that you've provided.

Lord that we have all sin and we all continue to sin and he will give us the peace knowing that those sins are paid for past present and future.

but you didn't just bring us to zero. We have to do the rest.

Got to pray that. He would work in the hearts of all of us to respond to your spirit Lord be at either to respond in a new way of saving Faith or bit to respond in a renewing way. I was coming back to you and repenting of turning from sin into Jesus.

But we thank you that you've given us this gift of repentance that we can come boldly to you. Even in our mess

We pray all these things. And your heavenly name? Hey, man.

Text Chris. So we're going to take me like you do every week and one of the things you'll hear us talk about when we talk about communion is that it is a means of Grace, right? You've heard you've heard news that first before that means the price and essentially all that is is that communion is a way that God extends Grace to us. He gives us grace through communion as well as we take the bread as we take the juice as we as we