It Is Time To Turn Temptations Away

IT IS TIME TO TURN TEMPTATIONS AWAY (Outline)

February 21, 2010 -

Lent 1 -

MATTHEW 4:1-11

INTRO: Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. This teaches us about the danger of the devil. This also shows us the safety we enjoy in our Savior and by our salvation. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…" (1 PETER 5:8,9a). The devil is very, very dangerous. The Savior provides salvation for sinners.

IT IS TIME TO TURN TEMPTATIONS AWAY.

I. Satan comes with diabolical deceit.

II. Jesus overcomes with simple scripture.

I. SATAN COMES WITH DIABOLICAL DECEIT

A. Verse 1. Jesus came into this world as God’s Son to completely carry out the will of his Father.

1. The Holy Spirit directs Jesus to go into the wilderness. Jesus follows his Father’s will.

2. Verse 2. Jesus fasts. Jesus does not partake of his normal nourishment for his physical body.

B. Verse 3. The temper, Satan, sees this time as opportunity to plant doubt in Jesus’ mind, “IF”.

1. Jesus had just been baptized. God’s voice declared: “This is my Son, whom I love;…”.

2. With diabolical deceit Satan challenges God’s declaration. Verses 3 and 6 “if you are…”.

C. Verses 5,6a. Satan persists in his assault on the man Jesus. Satan appeals to Jesus’ army of angels.

1. Verse 6b. Satan misquotes Psalm 91:11,12. Angels “guard you in all your ways”.

2. Verses 8,9. Satan offers all the kingdoms of the world to the One who is King of kings.

a. The kingdoms were not Satan’s to give. b. Satan uses “if” again: “if you worship me.”

D. Satan is God’s enemy. This means Satan is also our enemy. The desire of Satan runs exactly opposite and contrary to God’s desires. At times we find ourselves more closely connected to Satan than we might realize. On this side of heaven we do not escape the influence or temptations of Satan. It is the simple fact and truth of Scripture that we are born as the very enemies of God. "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies"(JOHN 8:44). Our lives are filled with the evil that lives in our sinful natures.

E. Satan uses his diabolical deceit to twist our thinking to be like his thinking. All too often we tend to rate our Christian lives. We look around and are quick to point out those who seem worse than us. “Look at their evil lives and all their sins.” Satan would have us think better of ourselves than we ought. Pride is the greatest of Satan’s tricks. But what does God think? God looks at sin as sin. In the eyes of God there are no great sins or small sins. Disobedience before God is sin. Nor does the Lord God Almighty how few or how many are the sins we commit. "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (JAMES 2:10). “All have sinned and fall short…”

F. The devil’s diabolical deceit is seen in our lives every day. Satan makes us feel very comfortable with our earthly lives. Look around. We are greatly blessed. Our heavenly Father treats us far, far better than we deserve. But it is the very things in this world and of this world that can all too easily become a trap for the unsuspecting. "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature"(LUKE 8:14). How often do we not serve our own pleasure rather than loving God above all things? How often do not the worries of this life rob us of the joy and peace that is found in Christ Jesus? Such is the diabolical deceit of Satan. “Dee-ah-bow-lus” is the Greek word used in verses 1,5, 8. Diabolic = devil = dangerous!

IT IS TIME TO TURN TEMPTATIONS AWAY.

Satan comes with diabolic deceit – every day.

II. JESUS OVERCOMES WITH SIMPLE SCRIPTURE

A. Consider how important and powerful Satan thinks he is. Jesus is God in the flesh. Satan still tempts.

1. Jesus is God. Satan in his blind pride still lays out his traps for Jesus. Absurd arrogance.

2. Verse 3b, 4. Satan tempted with “if”. Jesus answered: “It is written.” God’s word is power.

3. Jesus does not call on his divine power at his disposal to change stones into bread.