Don't Take The Bait

DON’T TAKE THE BAIT Sep 08 2024

James 1: 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

This passage refers to a fish attracted by a bait-when taking the bait the fish is hooked and in the fisherman’s frying pan. Or the lust for things or people created by the flesh to cause a person to take the bait and sin.

If we take the bait and the sin is not repented, remains unconfessed, and NOT paid for by the blood of Christ then the Fisherman’s frying pan will be in Hell and we will be in it. The Fisherman is the Devil.

Let’s Pray

1. Fishing with my brother in laws for Walleyes on Lake Erie

a. To entice the fish they use Bandits in the Spring and spinners in the summer

They had large tackle boxes, like jewelry boxes full of bandits and spinners changing them frequently to see what would entice the Walleye, so he would get hooked.

b. We would fish real close to the Ohio line, but if you crossed that line you could get a real big fine-just like the penalty of crossing the line from temptation into sin.

Satan baits us or tempts us in many ways today I am going to talk about 2 temptaions where people take the bait. Unfortunately, there are way more than just 2 temptations. Today we will examine the sin of offense-t and some results of becoming offended and the sin of lust.

2. So let me tell you the story today about some people who Took the Bait of being offended and the bait of Lust.

a. et us start with a story about a prominent person in the Bible who preached a message of REPENTANCE and yet was not immune from taking the bait himself.

b. John the Baptist is an important person in the ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. John is born to Zechariah, a Levitical priest, and Elizabeth, he is Jesus’ cousin.

Isaiah prophesies about John ch 40:3 repeated in the NT in Matt. 3 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,“The voice of one calling out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

Make His paths straight!’”

John prepared the way for Jesus dressed in a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

3. About some people who took the BAIT and sought repentance

a. If people are going to come to Jesus they must be convicted of their sinfulness.

During John’s time, people from all the region were going out to him, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins, it was a baptism for repentance NOT for salvation. But remember Repentance comes early in God’s Plan of Salvation-It comes after we hear the Word-The Truth and are convicted of our sins.

4. Now there are some who take the bait and allow it to grow a bitter root They are NOT Convicted Nor Repentant.

b. King Herod had an ungodly marriage to Herodias his niece, who had been his brother Philip’s wife. Philip was still living, and both Philip and Herod were Herodias’ uncles.

Herodias was their niece so God only knows what lust enticed them to marry their niece.

—for several reasons, then, Herod’s marriage to Herodias was a violation of God’s law (Lev 18:16 ;20:21). 16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.

Herodias seethed with anger toward John the Baptist because he dared to speak out, and, to appease his wife, Herod had the prophet thrown into prison.Herodias loathed John and wanted him dead (Mark 6: 17-20). V17 For Herod himself had sent men and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, and could not do so; 20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he used to enjoy listening to him.

If Herod and Herodias had been convicted of their sins and repented-maybe even been baptized in the wilderness by John; well in the long run they might have come to Jesus. But they took the bait and they let the bitter root grow into the bowels of Hell.