How To Deal With Temptation Series

Today we see the convergence of two efforts to promote Christ both in your life and in our community: DNow and You’ve Got the Time. DNow’s focus has been on Engage: A Life of Worship throughout the weekend. You’ve Got the Time is a time when you are empowered to finally finish the entire New Testament in a little more than a month. Surveys reveal that many people spend more time showering and talking on the phone than reading their Bibles in a given week.

You’ve Got the Time is taking 28 minutes a day to listen to the New Testament on mp3. You’ll cover the entire New Testament in just forty days. You can listen on your iPod, your computer, as you exercise, or on your way to work. 28 minutes a day for forty days – it’s just that simple. You can pick up free mp3s at any of our exits as you leave today. Our entire church family began last Sunday but you can catch up. If you’re doing with me, just put on one of the wristbands to remind yourself. If you have questions, see anyone in the green shirts.

I’ll be preaching on selected Scriptures throughout the forty days as you listen. In addition, you can check http://www.scottmaze.com where you’ll find short articles offering encouragement along your way.

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 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. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,

and him only shall you serve.’”

9 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, 10 for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

to guard you,’

11 and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:1-13).

This is only the second time in all of Scripture that a human has come face to face with Satan. But unlike the first encounter with Adam and Eve, Jesus is successful. Satan throws his three best punches against Jesus and none of them land.

A 2005 survey indicated that roughly 58% of people believe in Satan. You’ve entered a church that believes in a real Satan, an evil being that is nefarious to his core. This encounter between Jesus and Satan is real. This ring of battle represents more than an inner psychological conflict. We’re going to see how to fight off temptation when it comes our way. And we’ll also see that Jesus successfully fights off temptation for every one of His followers.

Who is Jesus?

As you’re listening along later today to the beginning pages of the Gospel of Luke, you’ll find today’s story following the second of two genealogies in the Gospels. Unlike Matthew’s family tree (see last week’s message), Luke connects Jesus back to Adam – the first man to encounter Satan face to face. And unlike Adam, Jesus fends off every punch coming from Satan. Luke shows in his version of Jesus’ family tree (Luke 3:23-38), that Jesus is truly human as he connects Jesus to the original man. Whereas Matthew takes Jesus’ family tree back to Abraham, Luke goes all the way back to the first man, Adam.

Luke’s arrangement is worth noting for he wants to communicate something about Jesus’ unique relationship to the Father. Adam was God’s special creation; he was God’s son, unlike you and me. Although Adam was God’s son, he failed when it came to his time to face Satan (Genesis 3). When Adam failed the test, he doomed not only himself but also every human being along with him (Romans 5:12).

Jesus also had a special relationship with the Father as He was the virgin-born Son of God (Luke 1:35). Jesus is 100% God and He is 100% Human. Now God has presented another special Son to the world. Where the first son failed, the second Son would succeed for all of us.