Lies In Disguise—Battling Temptation
Matthew 4:1-4:8
I think that we all understand what temptation is.
There is a story told about a little boy in a grocery store that I think illustrates the nature of temptation. The boy was standing near an open box of peanut butter cookies. “Now then, young man,” said the grocer as he approached the young man. “What are you up to?” “Nothing,” replied the boy: “Nothing.” “Well it looks to me like you were trying to take a cookie.” “You’re wrong, mister, I’m trying not to!” That’s temptation!!
We understand that temptation leads to trouble.
Such was the plight of man who story was in Reader’s digest. This man said he was shopping in the mall with his wife when a shapely young woman in a short, form fitting dress walked by. He said as she walked by his eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining his wife asked, “Was it worth the trouble that you are in?
[Drew Anderson. (Tucson, Arizona) Reader’s Digest] That’s the trouble with temptation.
Temptation is one of the enemy’s most powerful "schemes" for misleading God’s people (Eph. 6:11, 16).
It causes us to focus on the "passing pleasures" (Heb. 11:25) of sin instead of the rich rewards of serving God with a pure heart.
Lies In Disguise—Battling Temptation
Temptations may be bold, or subtle
Temptations may be good things to stand in the way of Devotion
Temptations are for one purpose to destroy us
Lets look at satan lies in disguise
Matt 4:1-8 NIV
4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4 Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
"’He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’"
7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: ’Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’"
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
We can count on satan coming to us at certain times
1. First, Matthew 4 records that this temptation of Jesus came directly after He was baptized.
It was here that God the Father spoke and said, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased!” What a spiritual high.
a) You will discover that testing will often come on the heels of a spiritual high point in your life.
b) C. S. Lewis made these insightful observations about temptation: “No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good.
2. Secondly, it came at time of physical weakness; Jesus had not eaten in 40 days.
a) Temptations often come when we are a weakened state physically or emotionally, when we are exhausted and emotionally spent.
b) “In a survey on temptation among readers of the “Discipleship Journal”, the respondents noted temptations were more potent when they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent). Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 percent), and being accountable to someone (52 percent.)” [Discipleship Journal, November / December, 1992.]
3. Third, this temptation came to Jesus when he was alone.
We are the most susceptible to temptation when we are alone.
Eve was alone in the garden when tempted
Why Jesus had to go through this time of temptation?
1. It revealed the nature and work of Satan - the Serpent, the accuser, deceiver, thief, liar, and the one who seeks to kill and destroy. Satan tempts people to turn aside from God. He accuses them when they fall, and seeks their ruin. We gain insight into the techniques of Satan through reading about Jesus’ temptation.
2. It showed the full and complete humanity of Jesus. Temptation is a part of human experience. The fact that Jesus was sinless does not rule out the fact that He was actually tempted; in fact it bears witness to His humanity.
3. Thirdly, because of going through it, Jesus understands what we as humans go through. He can sympathize with us as a great High Priest and He is merciful. The writer to the Hebrews explains, "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" (Hebrews 4:15).
4. Jesus’ temptation and triumph over it is an example to us.
a) Jesus used the spiritual resources that are available to us today:
1) The power of the Holy Spirit of God (Matt 4:1),
2) The power of the Word of God ("It is written").
3) The ability to call upon God
5. Jesus was tempted so that every creature in heaven, on earth, or under the earth might know that Jesus Christ is the Conqueror.
Let’s learn from Christ’s temptations!
1. THE TEMPTATION TO SERVE YOURSELF (vv. 3-4)
A. “just make these stones into bread” That sounds innocent enough,–
The first temptation was about life and faith. Satan wanted our Lord to doubt God’s goodness and guidance, fearing that He might die if He trusted and obeyed the Father.
1) Were tempted to go outside the confines of God’s will to satisfy our personal needs or desires.
2) When we put our physical needs ahead of our spiritual needs, we sin.
3) When we allow circumstances to dictate our actions, instead of following God’s will, we sin.
Feeding on and obeying God’s Word is more important than consuming physical food. In fact, it is our food (John 4:32-34).
2. The temptation of Become Careless (vv. 5-8)
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down
The Christian faith is not about us making God our servant; it is about us becoming His servants.
a) Satan seems to gloss over the fact that God’s protection is for those who are devoted to Him, who are loyal to Him. God’s protection is for those who trust and obey.
b) Satan urges Jesus to step out on His own, out from under divine protection
c) Satan had cleverly omitted the phrase "in all Thy ways" when he quoted from Ps 91. When the child of God is in the will of God, the Father will protect him. He watches over those who are "in His ways."
3. The third temptation (vv. 8-11).
The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
The devil’s ploy in this world is to make us believe that if we want something done we need to do it ourselves – not trust in God.
1. Sin…"gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it.
2. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier."
When the adversary tried to entice the Savior to worship him, promising kingdoms he couldn’t deliver, Christ made short work of him: "Get thee hence, Satan" (Matthew 4:8–10).
Temptations are opportunities that either strengthen us or corrupt us.
A. Learning to turn our backs on sin when we are tempted by it leads us into Christian maturity.
B. One of Satan’s most effective methods is to make us feel that the situation is hopeless, when in reality it never is.
1. We learn that temptation is not irresistible.
Jesus is our perfect example to prove for all times that regardless of how powerful the temptation may be, it is possible to resist it if we really want to do so strongly enough.
The Apostle Paul said, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it" (I Corinthians 10: 13).
2. We learn that a knowledge of the word of God and a love for it are the keys to resisting temptation in our lives just as it was in the life of Jesus.
3. Our efforts to resist temptation will always be rewarded if we respond in keeping with the teachings of the scriptures.
The Bible says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4: 7).
