Fitness Test

Fitness Test Fitness Test Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Test; Obedience; Word of God; Devil / Luke 4:1-13 In a fitness test the goal is to test one's physical suitability. There are 3 areas tested cardio, strength and flexibility. Luke brings us to a story of the fitness test for Jesus. In several areas Jesus is tested for His fitness for the mission of the cross. We can learn alot from this test as we too will be tested for our fitness to bear our own cross as we follow Jesus. Introduction - Testing Fitness 1. Fitness - the condition of being physically fit - is a subjective matter a. This is because the question is fit for what? What activity, competition, feat, etc i. A battery of tests are used to determine over all fitness 1. Cardiovascular Testing 2. Strength and Endurance 3. Flexibility ii. Each test is focused on a specific system used in physical work b. One who does well in all is considered to be fit physically 2. Fitness can also be used in relation to a particular role or task a. The quality of being suitable to fulfill a role or task b. To determine this the subject can also be tested in a variety of ways 3. Luke brings us to a story than can only be from the mouth of Jesus Himself - as no one else was there. a. This story has a few issues we must talk about first i. it is also recorded in Matthew's Gospel but brushed over in Mark's and not in John's ii. The order is contradictory to Matthew's but easily explained in that Luke isnt going for chronological order but more for a general theme or theological point in his Gospel. b. Jesus has a point in recounting this story from His life. i. Jesus is telling of His testing for fitness for his role as Messiah › SLIDE Jesus was tested as Messiah and as Son of God, not for His sake or for God's sake, but for our sake. So that we would see His fitness for the cross ii. He wanted us to know He is the only one CrossFit c. Jesus calls His disciples to also bear their cross and follow Him › SLIDE Luke 9:23 CSB 23 Then he said to them all, "If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. i. as we look at this event in Jesus' life we can see how we too can pass the fitness test to carry our cross to follow Him. 1. As the physical fitness tests cardio, strength and flexibility; spiritually we are tested in Body, heart and soul › SLIDE Luke 4:1-3 CSB 1 Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." › SLIDE Luke 4:4-6 CSB 4 But Jesus answered him, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone." 5 So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The devil said to him, "I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. › SLIDE Luke 4:7-9 CSB 7 If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours." 8 And Jesus answered him, "It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." 9 So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. › SLIDE Luke 4:10-13 CSB 10 For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you, 11 and they will support you with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." 12 And Jesus answered him, "It is said: Do not test the Lord your God." 13 After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time. › SLIDE 3 Areas Tested Jesus was tempted by the devil - tempted is peirazo - test or put to the test make proof or trial of › SLIDE Such testing is necessary to prove the fitness of the Son of Man › SLIDE 1st Area Body - Physical Desires and Needs › SLIDE Luke 4:2-3 CSB 2 for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." 1. Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and we read that when the 40 days were over Jesus was hungry a. Hunger is one of the first signs we have of Jesus as being human i. Jesus had the same internal voice of the stomach that we have ii. He had the same desires and callings of the body in hunger that we have 2. In His hunger the devil tested Him a. Satan tempted Jesus to meet his physical need - hunger i. Through His hunger Satan was trying to get Jesus to question His relationship with God b. If you are the Son of God - should be written more accurately - "Since you are the Son of God" i. Never questioned his position - but tried to make him unsatisfied with God meeting His physical needs ii. Your God's beloved Son - why are you hungry - why has He let you be hungry? why is He withholding from you iii. Perhaps questioning the Father's love 3. The temptation was to be so unsatisified with God's provision and lack of love that He would satisfy His own needs His own way a. Nothing inherently wrong with hunger or satisfying your hunger i. The impulse for hunger is God-given b. However there are two cautions › SLIDE • Do not be ruled by bodily desires • Do not satisfy if in doing so we obey Satan › SLIDE Jesus would not serve His needs above the will of the Father › SLIDE 2nd Area Heart - Commitment and Devotion › SLIDE Luke 4:5-7 CSB 5 So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The devil said to him, "I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours." 1. Satan then took Jesus and showed Him all the kingdoms a. Perhaps all kings and kingdoms past present and future b. He offered the splendor and authority to Jesus i. He said they are mine and I give them to whom I want and Jesus did not dispute this › SLIDE - ruler of this world John 12:31 CSB 31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. › SLIDE - god of this age 2 Corinthians 4:4 CSB 4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. › SLIDE - ruler of the power of the air Ephesians 2:2 CSB 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. ii. Satan received this when Adam sinned and they were his to give 2. His temptation or test to Jesus was that there was another way and easier way and to question God's plan for Him a. Satan wanted to offer Jesus an easier path - a crossless path of Messiahship i. All He had to do was worship him b. God's plan had the same result but came by way of the cross › SLIDE Psalm 2:7-8 CSB 7 I will declare the LORD's decree. He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession. › SLIDE Revelation 11:15 CSB 15 The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever. i. What Satan was offering Jesus would be His anyway - without submitting to him ii. There would be no glory without first suffering › SLIDE Jesus knew there could not be a shortcut to the throne, the cross was necessary, God's plan was the only way › SLIDE 3rd Area Soul - Faith and trust in God › SLIDE Luke 4:9-11 CSB 9 So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you, 11 and they will support you with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." 1. Satan then took Jesus to Jerusalem, to the pinnacle of the temple a. This is believed to be the highest point the temple that overlooks the Kidron valley b. Again saying - If you are or Since you are the Son of God throw yourself down from here i. Satan then quotes scripture to backup what he is saying 2. The test here is Satan is trying to have Jesus question God's faithfulness a. Tests God's promise to keep you from harm by trying to harm yourself › SLIDE How else will you know that God is true to His word? b. Satan quoted scripture - but although not a misquote there was a few words left out and a severe misapplication › SLIDE Psalm 91:11-12 NKJV 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. › SLIDE Jesus knew God is faithful true and trustworthy, and didnt have to test His trustworthiness › SLIDE 3 Targets of the Tester › SLIDE 1st Weakness › SLIDE Luke 4:1-2 CSB 1 Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry. 1. Jesus was tested the same we are - in our weakness a. We have a physical body and we need to be ready for the testing when we are weak i. Hunger - makes us hangry ii. Tired - makes us irritable (just ask any toddler) 2. Satan is not honorable and he will hit us when we are down and weak › SLIDE 1 Peter 5:8 NKJV 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. a. Lions do not devour the strong - they look for the slow, sick and the weak › SLIDE 2nd Obedience › SLIDE Luke 4:5-7 CSB 5 So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The devil said to him, "I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours." 1. Satan tested Jesus, and also tests us, in obedience a. Sometimes obeying God and His ways and commands can be painful, a sacrifice, and could cost us something b. The alternative is to obey Satan and seek after the easy route and the promise of pleasure which only brings out something more painful than obedience to God 2. Satan wanted to be worshiped in heaven and it caused his fall - he still desires to be worshiped and obedience is a form of worship a. To obey is to submit or bow the knee to another's will › SLIDE 3rd Discernment › SLIDE Luke 4:9-10 CSB 9 So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you, 1. Again Satan tested Jesus and tests us in discernment a. Its hard to know who we are obeying or following without it i. Satan says - "For it is written..." he knows Gods word 1. Never does he properly quote or apply it › SLIDE Satan uses truth mixed with error to deceive, so discernment is necessary › SLIDE Hebrews 4:15 NKJV 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. In all areas and all targets we must see the fitness of Jesus for His role as Messiah and to go to the cross for our sins and our help against the same testing › SLIDE Hebrews 2:18 NKJV 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. › SLIDE 3 Exercises For Your Spiritual Workout › SLIDE 1st Spend Alone Time With God › SLIDE Luke 4:2 CSB 2 for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness with no one but God Jesus' relationship with God was strengthened by the amount of time He spent intimately with Him › SLIDE 2nd Be Filled with the Holy Spirit › SLIDE Luke 4:1 CSB 1 Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness There was never a time that Jesus was not full of the Holy Spirit To be filled with the Holy Spirit means to be completely yielded to Him and completely obedient to every word of God Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and led by Him - even into the wilderness › SLIDE 3rd Know Scripture › SLIDE • verse 4 - It is written: Man must not live on bread alone • verse 8 - It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only • It is said: Do not test the Lord your God Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy each and every time to combat Satan's lies and tests It wasnt some elaborate inaccessible power that Jesus had that we cant possibly obtain - He used the very Scripture that is available to us › SLIDE If we are ignorant of God's truth we are poorly fit to pass the tests Conclusion Verse 13 tells us that after the Devil had finished every test He departed - FOR A TIME We must be vigilant and watchful for the Devil seeks an opportune time to come and Test and Attack as with Jesus sometimes the testing comes after a blessing or a victory - we think we are strongest and we are tested - and it seems we are always tested in our relationship to the Father Satan wanted Jesus to question his relationship with His Father and he wants us to question our relationship with our Heavenly Father also Does He love us? Why then doesnt He provide what we need or desire? Is He for us - why is His plan hard with much suffering and difficulty? Why does He allow my suffering, and troubles Is Faithful and never leaving always there - How do I know, how can I be sure? Our relationship with the Father is what is tested but we have to have a relationship with the Father and that relationship only comes from Jesus - our perfect example of one tested in His relationship with His Father and showed that He is CrossFit and His relationship with the Father is most important and the one to be pursued for in it we have salvation and everlasting life. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:50 PM September 14, 2019.