Baptism & Temptation

Father thank you today for your care. You're as it said in the Old Testament have said love just the way in which you have mercy compassion. We don't even have words to fully described in our language the way that you love pursue care for our slow to anger with us. And we want to express our thanks to you and our gratitude to you for the way that you deal with us the way that you treat us as children and invite us into relationship with you and we asked today that we would learn and grow from the study of the scriptures. The holy spirit is present on our hearts and that you'd be glorified in our time spent together in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Scripture is really interesting because it begins with a baptism and it moves into a battle. It begins with comforting words of the father and then discouraging words three times of the enemy. We have this setup that's going to happen and take place and what it does for us. Is it really begins to knock down the disillusion that some people have with this idea if I just sort of step into Christianity, I think that life is going to go on an upward trajectory in which Temptation and trials and struggles and problems people face or to vanish from my life. But if you've been a Christian and you've been a Christian in a church for 20 minutes, you learned very quickly. That's actually not what happens and we can expect a quite different experience and we get this idea even from Jesus here in the scriptures and what's going to happen s Jesus moves from baptism to this battle as he goes from Comfort to conflict as he hears once these incredible words there. This is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased trust me that is the longing of every person they want to hear these words of affirmation not just simply from someone outside of themselves above themselves God in heaven, but we also crave that on an individual level don't we these words of comfort and yet then he's directly by Spirit moved into a place of conflict and battle and problems and it all revolves around these questions of God. Are you good? You're Christian and you never asked those questions. I want to prepare your heart cuz at some point you're going to look at your life your struggles your troubles. The difficulties are going to be brought to a place where you stay God. Are you good or you might say God? How could this happen to me? I love you. Why would you allow for this to take place or you might say are you sure God are you sure got that? I can actually trust you. I don't know. This doesn't feel like a situation in which you would actually lead me into his we're going to wrestle with this text here this morning a little bit and I want to give us a Godly expectation in a realistic expectation of what Walking with God looks like and what it says about who he is and then what it also says them about who we are because knowing who you are gives you the confidence to live in this chaotic world at all around us. We need to read this text is going to completely set us up and we begin in verse 13 of Chapter 3 of Matthew. We're going to go through for right around first 12 says then Jesus Came From Galilee to Jordan to John to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him saying I need to be baptized by you. And do you come to me Jesus answered him? Let it be so now for this it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness, then he consented and when Jesus was baptized immediately he went up from the water and behold the heavens were open to him. Listen, there's a lot that I want to talk about on baptism in here and Jesus being baptised. We're not going to be able to get into all of that today. So if you have questions come and talk to myself or Michael later, but this is Jesus identified with this Mission. And here's the important phrase. I want us to cling onto in all of this the heavens were open to him. He said the spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him and behold a voice from Heaven said, this is my beloved Son. With whom I am. Well pleased then chapter 4 verse 1. Jesus was led up by the spirit Into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil after fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. He was hungry and the temperature came and said to him if you are the Son of God, you can also read that as since you are the Son of God command these stones to become. Was Brad, but he answered him. It is written man. Shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that comes from the mouth of God and the devil took him to the holy city and set them on the Pinnacle of the temple and said to him if you are the Son of God or since 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 unless 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 in the glory and he said to him all these things. I would give you if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said them be gone Satan for it is written you shall Worship the Lord your God and him only shalt you serve then the devil left him. We all the Angels came and were ministering unto him sex is incredible. And what it does is we've already been prepared to understand who Jesus is for the first two chapters. That the genealogy tells us Jesus is a king that the narrative tells as Jesus is a king that the prophecy in the narrative that we get tells us that Jesus is a king. But is he the king the long-awaited for messiah? Will this text begins to point us in that direction as John the Baptist is the first begin to identify as he says enjoy Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world this text tells us that this is who John thought Jesus was the Messiah the one that their hearts have been waiting for a longing for that. God is breaking 4th and coming onto the scene why he even gets into this little argument with Jesus up I shouldn't baptize you you should baptize me. I have no I'm not worthy. This text also tells us who God the Father in Heaven thinks Jesus. Is he putting his stamp of approval on this is my son in case you missed it. This is the one that I'm establishing my kingdom. This is the story of God become king through Jesus Christ to rule and to rank that is the Declaration that you cannot miss in the section of scripture. This text also tells us who the devil thinks. Jesus is a massive threat. You disrupting whatever kind of rule and Reign and Authority that he has established and set up since the fall of Man that Jesus coming on. The scene is going to be a breakdown and of the gospels play out. We see where Jesus goes and he brings the light love of God with me casting out demons that the kingdom of darkness is being pushed back as a kingdom of life has entered in and so it is a proclamation to every here to every first century reader who is getting this letter. I know that we look back on this with a loaded context and we've heard the stories whether you grew up in church or not. There may be some concept of food is Jesus is for them. They're wondering looking is it firms this who put their stamp on this? Well the people around Jesus Father as well as the devil here is saying up my kingdom is at threat. The very public baptism is a declaration of the sonship of Jesus in the spirit resting on him and the devil have these thoughts. This is who I believe this one to be so I'm going to go after him. Now. This text pacifically is about Jesus and his identity which is central for each and everyone of us. Okay who's ever gone through Mark 1 Matthew 3 or Luke 3 and 4. It is studying the text always always always to I would say some degree in and out on it really focuses on the blueprint for how you to be right like a Sims not good. It's causing you to invert on yourself self destruct is problematic for your lives. It's A disruption into the world around you it has a ripple. Back to when Temptation comes your way to cheat lie still lost get used power in absurd horrible off of ways here is sort of the blueprint in which weed combat or battle sin know this text certainly isn't less than sharing that with us, but it's so much more. It's actually part and Stow significance of the arching biblical story from Genesis to Revelation. It is aesthetic with so many familiar themes to all of us like, how long was Noah on the waters for? 40 days I cut the 40 days where it says sides. See that part. Okay. What did he send out?

Write the sum like linkages to the Old Testament getting our minds think how about Moses? We're going to look at this in just a moment. As many people look at Matthew and his gospel as a new Exodus Jesus being the true representative Jesus being the one that stands and replace not Moses and Jesus being our deliverer and this text what it does for each and everyone of us where we tend to say. What am I going to get out of there today? That's how many Christians approach their Bible. Am I going to get out of this today? That's how Americans approach all of life. What am I going to get out of going over to your house? What am I going to get out of giving up of my time? What am I going to get? This is the context in which we trained our brains to think up if I invested what am I going to get out of it? When what does Texas primarily doing? Is it about who God is and establishes who Christ is twisting. It will impact how we think asked Libby cave trust me on that. But if we move too quickly path looking at Jesus we missed something incredibly significant, but I think it's going to encourage each and every one of our hearts and what we're doing this morning and exploring the story of God through baptism and Temptation using to previous narrative from the Old Testament the first is that a Genesis 6 through 9 and a correlates to 1st Peter chapter 3 18 through 21 in Genesis 6 humans were doing whatever they felt like to whatever degree that please themselves. Everybody was acting wickedly is what we're told in the narrative that is recorded for each and everyone of us o God sends this blood and there is Noah and then there are the eight his wife and Son's and daughter-in-law's who are passed safely through this scene now in 1st Peter 3, it says eight persons or brought safely through the water baptism which corresponds to this. So as Noah goes through the waters the waters subside they come down. What's the first thing Noah does when he gets off the boat in the new region new area, but he makes a covenant with God incredibly sacrifices and God comes and Covenants. Hammond says here is what I want you to do to get a reissuing of the biblical mandate to be fruitful to multiply and sort of this do over and when you're reading Jenna this message you an ancient thinker you would have gotten really excited because the world was jacked up Genesis 6, that's like the best phrase I can use for absolute chaos Anarchy God looks down on it and he is just going. Oh my goodness. It's a sorrowful in my heart is lamenting over the truth reality that he created humans. And so you have this new beginning that comes with Noah and there'd be this question is no other one to restore peace and order to the world around us can Noah fulfill the biblical mandate to be fruitful to multiply to cause the human flourishing to take place and haven't yet gotten no covenanted with him. We're excited about this and then you turn the page to chapter 9 and you read that Noah plant a Vineyard and he sure likes his brakes. Like he likes him a lot and he gets Tanked. And while his son comes and uncovers his shamefulness bring shame on the family and then the narrative spirals out of control you have battle being built you have horrific rulers that are on the scene and is not going well know Noah Noah failed in the moment of temptation just in case he gets in through the waters of baptism. Hale's Ales God raises up Abraham we fast forward all the way to Exodus. And this is intriguing cuz a lot of parallels that happened in Exodus and the beginning of Matthew. Let me just read them off. So I don't miss them. You know, the Exodus story Israel in bondage and slavery does a Taskmaster isn't as Pharaoh. He thinks he's God and God begins to then raise up this deliver now. God appeared to be silenced hadn't spoken to Israel for some two hundred years until exit is to where it says the cries of the people go up to God and he hears them. He knows the people any moves on his promises with compassion towards them. God has been silent since the last chapters written in the Old Testament for around 400 years and all of a sudden got a peers and speaks. For the angel Gabriel Mary, you're going to have a son cool what happens in both situations a deliver a savior to some degree is born. There's human than water that happens in Exodus. You read of that story in chapters 1 & 2 it happened as we looked at it in Matthew Chapter 2, but Jesus and Moses spend time in Egypt both the heroes then return and come on the scene. Just as Moses led the people through the Red Sea and baptism. So to Jesus is coming to the water of baptism only to be what on the other side and in a Wilderness with there's going to be temptation, but there's going to be trial then Moses moves to give him the law on Mount Zion, I guess what is a few weeks Jesus moves into giving The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5 Then you have this moment with Jesus later on when he was transfigured. All of him Moses went up. I was reading it this morning and exits on the mountain and gets spent time with God and Joshua's next to Joshua wasn't in it with him, but he's faced shine. Justice faced has to Vale it. Also, this is intriguing in Exodus chapter 32 after the Israelites golden calf situation Moses tries to offer himself as a sacrifice for the people God refuses and rejects it but it is Jesus who truly gives himself for the people see what this setup is doing it begin to understand the overarching theme of the Bible is there's these heroes are perceived Heroes that raise up in the Old Testament and each and every time we have to stop process of this is who are deliver is finally going to be but Moses Moses. He doesn't even need the devil to cause him to be tempted to send. He does need angry grumpy complaining people trust me road trip with four young children and you might send you might speed you might feed them some extra sugar. Right? Did you might do some things you wouldn't normally do when you've got some Grumpy complaining people around you. How about Abraham? He just needed disappointment discouragement let down and the hot handmade and he picked up from Egypt and all the sudden. He is in the moment of Temptation daily. What are David Mann filled with pride as a number the people and let's not even get into his murderous actions with bathsheba's husband with all of these narratives of perceived Heroes that we think are going to bring in the kingdom of God and time and time again, and they fail so what happens here is Jesus. He's come through the waters of baptism and he immediately the Holy Spirit The Same Spirit that filled you that feels me the spirit moves them into testing to trial the spirit doesn't text him but takes me to the place of the Wilderness in which the devil is waiting to tempt him. Now. This is very reminiscent imagery of Genesis 1 2 and 3, just like their evil own with the devil mini atom feed off file. I don't fully know. We don't actually understand everything in that. The Devil comes to her and it's beautiful Lush garden and temps are with God is with holding something good from you Jesus runaway alone in the wilderness is not tempted doing the same thing twisting the words of God giving the Temptation that there's a better way outside of God's way and planting the idea of suspiciousness of God in their minds and hearts. Because of turf teachers we are trained to think of Temptation beam. Just something out. Right and just in front of us something very Vivid, maybe like when you happen to show up here and there's a photo shoot going on in front of Brace & Hammer pizza if you're here, alright, and it was not a site that Christians are used to on a Sunday morning, right and that's like our idea. I will leave it at that I've temptation but when does Temptation actually it again? planting depth of idea into your mind It's beginning an argument with God is your commitment really that good.

Are you that good? Because the world says there's a lot of better ways to get what I want. And if I follow after that there's a quicker route to achieving the good life for me. That's what we're tempted in. And so there's going to be the 10th of this in here. If you are the Son of God, since you are the Son of God Jesus, you should not be hungry. You shouldn't throw yourself off this cliff and watch his provision miraculously take care of you because you are the Son of God. This is what you should do. And we see how Jesus is going to respond in this in a moment. But what does Jesus taken to the Wilderness with him? He's not a Ghostbuster with a demon sucking backpack. He doesn't come with a bat to beat the devil over the head. I seen some very Charismatic Christian show up to some very weird events with some imagery like that strange stuff. What is he come with it comes with a sense of identity. That was just spoken over him. You are my son in whom I'm well pleased. No, I don't want to give away the big surprise at the end. But I'm done as you think about this. What is God equipped you with when you walk in to temptation? identity this is who you are because this is who you are. This is how you respond not a list that we pull out of our back pocket vulfpeck. Vulfpeck. Verse. What is this idea of when I know who I am when I'm heard these words that God is pleased that God loves me. Like I am his child erratically reframe how I come into situations of Temptation. And what happens is it comes to this moment. Can I trust you in that moment that you're going to be good? So I don't want you to know the story so familiar to us to lose the tension of what this passage means. This is truly a heavyweight title fight to some degree of is Jesus going to be like all of those before him like a David Winston comes his way when he's tempted that he caves like Noah like Moses Moses struck The Rock he was angry with the people or is Jesus truly going to be the one that says I'm not going to circumvent the way of God. I'm not going to go outside of his provision. I'm not going to go around his way. And if I know the best way am I going to Simply trust and honor the fact that God is going to be faithful in my life and where Satan Comes A Time in this first way is you've been fasting for 40 days. I'm lucky to fast for 6 hours and I'm hungry and starving 40 days. Jesus has fasted. The fast is over and it comes to him not with sex not with lust he says you should have some bread. Is bread bad? Good bad. No. No, I mean, I'm sure gluten intolerant maybe but bread is good bread is delicious and it's kind of an intriguing with this temperature, He's coming out with is a question about God's provision and God care because since you're the Son of God, why are you famished? Why are you hungry? Lipizzan you your follower of Jesus. You are a child of God. Why is my belly hard right now? So I need love you and care for you or in a larger scale. One of the questions we often get asked if Christians is the God is so good. Why is their destruction pain and suffering in the world all around us? They should be provided in Austin in the large-scale. We have some apologetic reasoning that we can get behind it. But what I found most of our problems with God or not intellectual their personal it isn't until personally that we wrestle with the goodness of God because our lives are falling apart are banks are falling apart are marriages are falling apart. Our children are falling apart. That's when we begin to go. Are you good? We're finally in a place of need we ask God. Are you good? We questioned his identity because we've questioned our identity. serious problem a cheetah and identity a lot of this church. So I think it is the primary way. We understand who we are and then influences how we live and how we understand and relate to God children, then she leaned into and Trust in that to this tempter comes insane being dependent go outside of God to get what you really truly need Ron Juan Jesus succeeds. Nope not going to do that. Man, shall not live by bread alone. But by the very word of God Right comes out of his mouth Temptation number to test God's care. A lot of people take you to the song about that the body of an ancient Hebrew to jump off of Pentacles to say and kind of reenact sense and begins to twist the words of God in this section. And what's being prompted hear what's being challenged here is testing God's care for your life. a Carefree life I really care about you really love you. I don't believe that. I know you think that why don't you go ahead and put yourself In Harm's Way Jesus and he put yourself In Harm's Way, then you can really know if God loves you. Does Jesus need to do that? Why cuz he just had affirmation from the father. Do you do I really need to do that? No, because there's an app for mention written all over the scriptures out of your identity and who you clearly are as a child of God song We Sing About It celebrated Revel in it because of what God has done for us the third thing here. talking about obedience and this whole idea of will you be obedient to the father over you circumvent his ways and we try to bring in Salvation on your own terms. There's a thought process that obedience is limiting. This is prevalent today. Where is disobedience is actually liberating. Obedience to God to feel so constrictive and wrapped around us and why can't we be sexually free like everybody else determine for ourselves gender and let's just pick on that for that one second because it's so pushed in her face today. Why does God say to be generous and it feels so much better to get in to have and to create a to make mine what it's so restrictive you Christian how dare you think along those terms and put some parameters around the good life. Where is Disobedience can feel so liberating be free. He is the message of Disobedience don't listen or have any authoritative figure in your life. What is destructive broken system in the Rings in chaos and Anarchy in our own personalized as well as our culture. So here is Jesus tempted with this go around the cross with the kingdom of the world now and he says no no no. This is incredible as it sets the stage for every other moment through Jesus's life when there's obviously going to be patience of the Bible's and describe it as that weighs and when she would react respond in ways that would bring destruction around him. And then he continues to choose continues to say I'm going to be a beauty to the father now quickly some Reflections for us cuz I'm not going to turn this into your cares what I want us to think about In this passage you and I learned about the init method ability of Temptation. There is for some this idea. I just become a follower of Jesus then I won't be tempted anymore or if I am tempted what's wrong with me. I have lustful thoughts about have agreed in me. There's NV if there's jealousy if I have these feelings and emotions. What wrong with me. Why is this happening to me? And I can be this question with is it right that I'm tempted and here we see Jesus who is filled with the Holy Spirit. Went to the Wilderness in which Jesus is tempted. So perfectly filled the wonderfully obedient and there is Temptation that comes his way do not be surprised Christian when you are tempted Temptation allows for us to go to flex some spiritual muscle to grow to say no because we're under the power of the influence the guidance of the Holy Spirit and we're saying yes to what we truly believe is the good life in Jesus Christ. Not too. I think this way will be a better way which in the end it leads to destruction. That's what being declared hear. Temptation is a way of getting off the path that God has for us. Might just be as a Christian a brief stop because when we send he is faithful to forgive us, but temptation is like traveling down 97 There's not a lot of passing lights and you passed in the next hour 20 truckers and then your kid has to pee and you look behind you and you like my working hour to all of those guys and the moment I turn into their all y'all are going to go to the bathroom and of the dog and we're going to need a snack and now I'm going to behind 25 trucks. And what happens to Tatian delays the setback? the disturbance Put you on the Christian Life on this Christian walk following Jesus only say yes to send Disobedience Rebellion. It's going to then invert on us and cause some destruction going to cause some identity crisis going to cause some confusion about do you love you still love me and and yet God is gracious and merciful. He's compassionate, you know, you don't see God get angry in the scriptures until when not Genesis. It's the middle of Exodus. When is Covenant people sin against him. First time you read of God being angry, right? He's angry because they've broken Covenant with him. Slow to anger his gracious you compassionate Temptation. The enemy wants to do is derail your life. And what happens when you going to entertain this idea temptation is truly a saying God. I just don't think your way is very good. Thought I'd like to say we can talk later about it and I were to we learn about the nature of Temptation in this the whole idea. The whole premise is since you are the child of God Jesus or if you are a child of God, if you are his son, then you shouldn't suffer you shouldn't have problems. You shouldn't have pays this text actually argues against that Do you know how to child of God you can still expect to go through the same ups and downs, but every single person goes through what you don't want to do is become suspicious of the goodness of God begin to argue with the Temptation which there then convince you but it is a better way to get what you want a sort of the order that it begins to happen in all of our lives. The enemy doesn't want you to believe know or understand that you are a child of God. Anybody you can raise the heart in your hand if you want ever wrestle with that anybody look at their sin their life their mess and just go pan. God really love me. American to go down those roads personally begin to think a lot of other things are okay.

That's horrible. Thinking this actually counteracts that says no no, no don't be suspicious of the goodness of God that you are accepted in him. Trust him number three Temptation builds spiritual muscle NS, we can turn to self pity or we can turn the price today. Often giving into temptation begins with self-pity going high. Once I'm going to go do what I want. Penney and you didn't wake up this morning already praising God of being thankful for God. I'm a God is doing in your life and heart is going to be very difficult to approach Temptation when it comes your way with opportunity daily to rejoice in the truth of who God is and so in those moments rather than turning to what we think will give us the good life. We turn to God and pray say I may not have that kind of influence yet. I may not have that kind of well, I may never have that kind of wealth or prominence. I'll tell you what in spite of that God continues to be good in my life and I will praise him as father God. Tim Keller says about this idea of self-pity. So self-pity is a refusal to be grateful a refusal to look at all of the things of God has done and all the things he has given self-pity is Jesus. You're hungry. You don't have bread go feed yourself and he could have easily one. That's right for me rather. He quotes and turns to scripture know this what scripture says this is symphysis who I am as well. So I am Finally finish out this morning. What do you carry into the Battle of Temptation?

Temptation is going to as we if we succumb to it give into it derail setback. Thanks for the good stuff that God does have intended and planned for us and we can confess our sin and we start walking right with him. Question is how do I get to a place where even when Temptation comes to say? I don't need that. We don't entertain the suspicious thoughts questioning God's goodness to continually remind ourselves of the goodness of God. I got to get together and encourage one another while it is yet today. So we don't Harden our hearts God's words not mine spruce. These things are important in flexing that muscle these things are important in building it up. So when we are tempted to say yes to God no to this because I know who I am. I am your child. And if I'm your child at me, I don't have this thing that I want yet because you have not granted given or allowed for me to have it yet as a parent. I'm an imperfect parents even an imperfect parent. There are things that are great and good that my kids want and desire that I withhold from them safe. No not now, you're not old enough for you shouldn't have that and they make a y Daddy why I want that thing now because I know it will destroy you and a lot of us are really challenged and it's because of a lot of good neutral things in this world that we can use for his purposes. There is things like marriage and sex and children and money and we can go down the list of great things and we can look at others and say I do I have that why God why God why. I'm going to go ahead and get it on my terms and inevitably to bring self-destruction into your life rather than God. I'm going to wait on you for this. What if it doesn't come as a Christian this is not the only life you get is not the only family you get this is not the only money you get it's about the only home you get there is an Age 2, I think all of our hearts are groaning for that more and more daily as we see the turmoil of chaos going on in society around us when you're tempted about God's provision. I just care about his way you fight with identity. Guess that means you'll turn to scripture. Yes. That means we'll grab a brother or sister and you'll pray but you do those things cuz you know who you are. Do you know who you are? Devil wants you to wrestle with your identity. The scripture is very clear on who that is that he says you are so. As we part begin to worship God. What's your approach your day your week the time of worship? I'm a child. Aren't you the precise moment of temptation as?

Cuz I'm a child. This is how I respond to temptation. God will care for me got to watch out for me. I can trust him in that sprayer. I thank you for this truth and reality that I struggle with and I can easily and readily admit that. I know the allurements to Temptation often comes because I forget who I am in you and thinking I need something or desire something. She confessed that to you open my God, and I pray that this church of respond in similar ways and confession and repentance. We're worried fails. We also do embrace the truth in the reality that we are children and that you've loving me for giving us given yourself for us this narrative tells as you're the hero that we've been long waiting for. No temptation came you didn't get in. That we can trust you believe you and that you washed clean. So God go before us open our eyes today for people who didn't grasp this understand this fight temptation of all their minds and all their strength and other power and feels so insufficient to do so and power them with the reality that through your children and it's from that position that we live our life. rocketmail