WHAT TEAM ARE YOU ON?

Matthew 4:1–11 ESV

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

MATTHEW 4:1-11

INTRODUCTION:

YOUR COMMITMENT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR

Each player on a team should know what they plays are for their team or their particular position on the team.

Many sports teams have a coach and this coach design different plays for the team to run. However, the coach cannot run the plays they just design them for a player or team.

b.

On weekly or daily basis the team comes together to practice. In this practice the coach will be able to see who learned the plays in the playbook and see who is really committed to the team.

In our text God the owner and coach of the heavenly team sent Jesus His Son onto the wilderness practice field to see if He knew the plays in the playbook and to see if He was truly committed to the team. I know some are saying Jesus is God in the flesh so it was easy for Him practice. Well this practice was a little different than any other practice. See at the last practice we see the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him. Now at this practice see the Spirit of God ascending from the star player. The Spirit of God had to move out the way so that Jesus could get ready for the Supper Bowl.

Hold on I didn’t forget about us. See the Holy Spirit, the team quarterback and team captain, has called us for a weekly practice, you know Bible Study, Prayer Service and Worship service to help us learn the playbook. See our team captain knows that the heavenly team has never lost game because the star player Jesus Christ knew the playbook and He was committed to doing His Father business. Verse 3-4. See Christ knew the playbook. So my question to you is what team are you on? Do know the playbook?

The Spirit of God had to move out the way so that Jesus could get ready for the Supper Bowl.

See our playbook is the BIBLE: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Many of us here today can say that you know the playbook but after service you can find playbooks left in the seats. So are committed to the team? ‘tells us to be ready in season and out of season.’ The only way to be ready in this manner is to be committed to reading the playbook on a daily basis.

I many of you say that you read your playbook on a daily basis but when you get up in the morning in the game of life does it show? Through the trails, setbacks, let downs, turn downs, hungry days, and lonely days does it show that you are committed to this team because of what you have read and learned in the playbook.

One day the Heavenly team had a scrimmage against the Fiery Packers. The captain of the Fiery Packers seen that the star player was tired and hungry so he begin to taunt him with misquoted parts from the Heavenly teams playbook. The star player strengthen Himself, stoop up and said ‘It is written’, in my playbook ‘that man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Can you in the mist of all… stand up and strengthen yourself

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6212 Courageous Football Team

The most courageous football team in American history has to be the University of Sewannee squad of 1899 that remained undefeated with five games to go in six days against five of the most powerful teams in the country in five different cities many miles apart. This was long before the time when football teams would fly in chartered jet aircraft.

They defeated Texas University 12–0 in the first game. The next day, after traveling by horse and wagon and with little rest, they dumped Texas A&M 32–0.

After another long ride by wagon, Sewannee played its third consecutive game in three days against Tulane University and won 23–0.

The fourth day was Sunday. The squad took time off for prayer and rest. The next day they downed undefeated Louisiana State University 34–0, then the following day beat Mississippi State 12–0.

The five powerhouses couldn’t score against Sewannee, which played with only 11 men and no substitutes.