Celebrating Trials Series

Celebrating Trials

After Baptism - Jesus must narrow focus

Luke 4:1-13 Led by the HS into the wilderness expressly to be tested/tempted.

Three Environments - Wilderness - High Place - City

Monks went to desert for Spiritual warfare.

Tested - what does success look like?

After 40 days - full of the HS - not food

Very few people merit a personal visit from Satan

(6 Billion on the planet) - but Jesus did

Jesus completely ruled Satan from the start

Satan - Adversary - accuser - not always referring to the critter with horns and pitchfork - Lucifer

Get behind me Satan! -

Was David tested by God or Satan

Satan twists scripture and distorts truth

Jesus wields scripture like a sword - dividing both joints and marrow - cuts to the bone

So what about you? Testing will come, God won't try to make you fail, but He will put you to the test.

What is a Temptation -

anyone here ever get tempted?

What tempts you?

Temptation is not sin - it is a test

Tests have a bad rap - most of us view a test from the POV of a student

But after teaching for 25 years -

I can tell you another side of tests

It is to show you what you can do

To give you confidence - Pass the test - REFINE

1CO 3:10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

GAL 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.

Teachers give tests to students - Students (disciples) are not to test Teacher (God)

Jesus tested his disciples

JN 6:5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

When Pharisees and Scribes tried to put Jesus to the test - it was a sign of their unbelief

Acts 5 - Ananias and Sapphira tested the HS

Legalism vs. Grace - Acts 15 why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?

Tithing is a test according to Malachi

Mal. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

Israel tested in the wilderness - will she follow God?

Will she trust God and not in her own strength or in idols?

WHY DID JESUS NEED TO BE TESTED?

What is the essence of each temptation?

Why are our tests or temptations varied - how are they alike

We all get to choose of what we worship - center of trust

Turn stones to bread

Use God’s power to satisfy ME (Lottery Numbers)

Possess Kingdoms (who said Satan owned them?)

Personal honor, glory, wealth

Test God (if you‘re His son, then...)

Testing is not for God.

Where and when did the devil lie? - How

- If you are Son of God - twice