Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Recap Series

Week one - Attitude of prayer

Week two - Our Father in Heaven

Week three - Your Kingdom come, your will be done

Week four - Give us this day our daily bread

Week five - Forgive us our debts, as we HAVE forgiven our debtors

Lead us not into temptation

This has been a verse that has been in the news of late… I did not really know, as I have been not watching. Anytime that I watch.

It was reported that the Pope has changed the Lord’s prayer for the Catholic Church

from “Lead us not into temptation” to “Do not let us fall into temptation”

When somebody first approached me with this, I thought yes, that sounds right

Not that what the Pope is saying is wrong, because his rational was that God does not tempt us with evil.

No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.

The problem is with the greek…

why you might notice in the prayer and in the KJV that is has more to this verse… ‘for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen!’

this is something that has been added, a doxology to the prayer, but is not in the original text.

that is what we want to go off of, we do not want to add to, or take from

why we preach exegetical sermons, text from scripture, not just topics and take scripture to support me.

And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Temptation - peiramos - temptation of testing,

but deliver us from the evil one.

peirazo - to make proof, to attempt, or test (see , Jesus led to wilderness to be tempted) translated

Deliver - rhuaomai - to draw close - to drag

Bring - eisphero - to carry inward or to bring

Go back through the Lord’s prayer as if you were praying it in your quiet time…

emphasis on the last part… We follow God, but know our sin. Do not lead us to a place where we might be tempted to sin again.

Prayer is echoed by Jesus himself in the Garden of Gethsemane in ; if there is anyway this cup can pass from me, yet not my will but your will be done.

This is not a prayer asking only for the strength to not fall into temptation, but as Charles Spurgeon said, an understanding “I am a sinner in danger of being a still greater sinner.”

There is a little pride in all of us… maybe some of us more than others

we typically have no problem telling people what we are good at…

with some, we will even tell them what we are not so good at

The truth of the matter is that we all have weaknesses

This is the beauty of God’s plan, that we do not serve on our own

We are a part of the family of God, that my strengths are used to serve you and yours to serve us

Yet this is not the kind of weakness that we are talking about

I am not talking about if you are a good preacher or teacher, a good servant, or whatever your gifted way to serve the body is.

in this case, our weakness is that area of life, where you are prone to sin

But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.

You might say that you have no evil desires… why, because we do not see ourselves in that light

I am not evil, maybe there are areas that I am weak, but not evil

an evil desire as James calls it, or desire of the flesh as Paul might call it, is anything contrary to the will of God… anything sinful is evil

Illustrate with Jesus being tempted

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”, 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”, 7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”, 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”, 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

4 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”,p

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”, 7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”, 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”, 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”, 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”, 7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”, 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”, 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

He will give his angels orders concerning you,

and they will support you with their hands

so that you will not strike

Jesus understands what it means to be tempted… When we are at our weakest is when we are the most tempted.

your foot against a stone.”,s

7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”,t

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”, 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

Jesus was tempted with food… he just fasted for 40 days

10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”, 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

Jesus was tempted with doubt… Are you really the Son of God… test it out

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

This world does not worship you like they should… bow to me and it will all be yours

do you see how satan uses what we might already desire… what might be in our flesh

I am hungry… I am in torment, am I really the son of God, if I am, why am I not recognized

WE must acknowledge where we are weak, where we will be most tempted to give in to sin.

Does God know… yes, but until we can admit it, we will not overcome it

I have noticed that we love our ability to choose, until we have to pay for the bad choices

We want free will… to choose God or to not, to live they way I want serve the way I want and worship the way I want

until we figure out that a lot of the time, our way is sinful, then we ask, why would you even let me in that situation?

as if it is God’s fault… God keep me away from any situation that I might be tempted to sin

that is really what we are praying here… not out of anger or contempt

but out of regret and repentance

And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

this is a sign of humility… an understanding that I cannot on my own strength overcome the trials of life

but deliver us from the evil one.

No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out so that you may be able to bear it.

you are not being tempted in an extraordinary way

God is faithful....

He has satan on a leash.... he will allow satan to tempt you, but not more than can be withstood

how do we withstand.... God provides a way out

So why would God allow us to be in those hard spots

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

to grow our faith… to workout that faith muscle

how do you grow muscle, you push that muscle to work harder

we learn more to trust in him to be our deliverer in these times

this is where we understand what it is that we are relying on…

I know that I am weak, but Lord if you lead to places where I may be tempted to sin, deliver me… I trust in you to be my escape from sin and evil

That is the last part of the prayer… acknowledging that there is evil

we can look around the world and see that there is evil...

but that is not what we are talking about here… look back at the verse

Mathew 6:13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Satan is real… I spoke briefly about him a few weeks ago; where he came from, who he is

And do not bring us into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone covered you: carnelian, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold; they were prepared on the day you were created. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub, for I had appointed you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways until wickedness was found in you. 16 Through the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I expelled you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and banished you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud because of your beauty; For the sake of your splendor you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings.

Satan was…

You were the seal of perfection,

a guardian cherub / a powerful angel v14

full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

created perfect v15

became proud in his heart because of his beauty v17

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God.

Every kind of precious stone covered you:

expelled from heaven v17

Satan now attempts to destroy all who love God

carnelian, topaz, and diamond,

beryl, onyx, and jasper,

A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

lapis lazuli, turquoise and emerald.

steal your joy; kill your testimony and destroy your witness for the Lord

A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold;

He is only allowed to do so much… See and ; God does not allow him to tempt you with more than you can handle

they were prepared on the day you were created.

and there is always a way out of the temptation… Christ Jesus.

14 You were an anointed guardian cherub,

look again at Jon 10:10 the second part… I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance!

give the gospel… what is the abundant life, one we get to spend with Jesus, eternity with our savior!

for I had appointed you.

You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways until wickedness was found in you. 16 Through the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I expelled you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and banished you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud because of your beauty; For the sake of your splendor you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings.

you walked among the fiery stones.

15 From the day you were created

you were blameless in your ways

until wickedness was found in you.

16 Through the abundance of your trade,

you were filled with violence, and you sinned.

So I expelled you in disgrace

from the mountain of God,

and banished you, guardian cherub,

from among the fiery stones.

17 Your heart became proud because of your beauty;

For the sake of your splendor

you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings.

So I threw you down to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings.

I made you a spectacle before kings.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Introduction

Acknowledgement of Our Weakness

Acknowledgement of Our Reliance

Acknowledgement of Evil