Last week I pointed out that we were in the Christians season of Lent. The message last week was an encouragement for all of us to deal with the sins in our life. That is sort of the message of the sermon every week. But last week the point was not related to the big sins but to the smaller sins that we tend to over look because it is culturally acceptable…everyone does it. Or sins that we used to feel guilt over but they are so constant in our lives that that nagging of the Holy Spirit on our conscious becomes numb.
The idea is that the season of Lent is a time when we root around in the trash piles of our spiritual journey and stir up anything that stinks and deal with it.
The best part of last week’s message was that we can be forgiven because God provided the means of forgiveness and reconsolidation through the actions and love of Jesus Christ and the priceless Grace of God.
Today our focus is totally different. We are looking at something that Jesus demonstrated for us in such a way that none of us should ever get into trouble.
I am not sure how many of you will be interested in our topic this morning because I am not positive that everyone here is really affected.
The topic is temptation.
And there are many of you here today that have been walking with Jesus since childhood and perhaps have mastered the issue of temptation.
However, for the rest of us, this morning I am going to tackle the subject in one session that could easily be divided into at least 4.
The TV is filled with almost constant temptations. Commercials of course tell us all the stuff we need to live better. The programming offers temptation of how to spend our time with sports or comedy or drama. There are plenty of shows that tell us what our homes should be like and the special comforts that are available. There are even reality shows where the place people in situations to act on their temptations.
But the temptations I mentioned are much more generic. Temptation to do things to be accepted and liked and loved are enormous and are very powerful. Lust is most often associated with men and is also more powerful than most people imagine. Materialism in our culture is a given and the need for stability of having something is strong.
But maybe we need to be more basic. Temptation is not a sin. It is a situation that appeals to an individual or a group that seems to satisfy a want, a desire or even a need. The word temptation normally holds a negative context because often when acted on there is a feeling of regret often there are a variety of social or legal or physiological, health economic or other results.
Yesterday, I sat for a couple of hours making and categorizing a list of temptations.
It became massive before I could get off my personal list…
So, this morning I decided to refer to scripture to identify just a few of the biggies
First, let’s identify what temptation is not.
According to the book of James (1:13-15) Temptation does not come from God, God will not use evil to tempt anyone. God may test a person to either purify them or prove what is in his or her own heart. Temptation originates within each of us and if it includes evil the source is someone other than God.
Temptation is rooted in the soil of desire. Desire is to long for to hope for…a wish.
So, for temptation to have any power over us there has to be some desire within us that is attracted to opportunities…situations that because of the seedling of desire in our hearts become temptations that we struggle with.
In genesis we have the very beginning of temptations. Lots of people point out that EVE was tempted by saten. She wanted knowledge and shared it with her husband. There was a desire to be like God.
King David was tempted by beauty. Especially beautiful women and committed adultery.
All through the Bible people are tempted by gold and silver. Many times they respond by stealing what is not theirs.
There are stories about people that are drawn to power and fame and will kill to gain what they want.
-- In any situation we find in scripture, when a person responds to evil temptation it is because there was already some seed of desire within their heart.
The story is told about a ship Captain who had a route that ran from California to Columbia. One day, as he was preparing to leave California, he was approached by some drug dealers who offered him $50,000 to allow a small shipment of drugs on his vessel. He immediately said no.
On each of his next three trips, they raised the offer, finally reaching $150,000. He hesitated. Then he said ‘maybe.’
As soon as he was alone again, he contacted the FBI and they set up a sting operation and successfully arrested the drug dealers. One of the agents asked the Captain, “Why did you wait until they offered $150,000 before contacting us?”
His reply: “They were getting close to my price.”
The seed of desire has a price where the temptation can become so great that it can overcome our normal morals and faith.
An additional thought to define temptation. It is only a temptation if we feel a resistance to acting on it. If we also have in our heart a desire to do the right thing.
To review, temptation only has power in our lives if we already had the seed of desire in our heart that matches some opportunity or situation.
So, Young people do things out of peer pressure - acceptance.
Adults respond to lust that might be material or sexual or material.
Temptations are not limited to actions they can also be connected to inaction or avoiding doing things.
People are tempted to have a critical spirit, or choose spiritual retirement, or hold on to inflexibility, or constantly worry.
Churches are not immune to temptation.
They can be tempted to be self reliant. They may be tempted to confuse religion and ritual with relationship. A church can be tempted to ignore mission and focus on self growth.
I know that was a lot to throw out there in one bite. But I believe that it is important you understand that life is full of temptations. Not all situations automatically lead to sin against God or other people.
Some might think that a person that feels tempted has a lack of self control. Sometimes temptations are situations that only impact ourselves. Many times we feel tempted to satisfy a personal desire and have a dessert, or purchase an item, or some other personal indulgence.
Temptation is an act that looks appealing; however, it has negative results which may be larger than the initial pleasure desired. It might be legal or social psychological, health, economic results that occur which end up causing regret or guilt in the long term.
In our scripture reading we heard about the temptation of Jesus by the devil. It does not say the devil offered opportunities …it sez tempted.
The description is that Jesus left the baptism scene at the Jordan River and heads into the desert for a spiritual retreat of fasting and prayer.
What was the point? We don’t have a clear answer but perhaps to understand how to accomplish the mission that God had sent him to accomplish…. to reconnect God and man…in a relationship.
I mentioned that we connect temptation with sin and other consequences. But, there is something specific you need to know about the word temp in our reading.
It is the same word that is used to describe when Abraham is told to sacrifice his son.
The word Tempt is less to lead astray and more to test …
Testing is not a trap to cause or lure people to sin but meant to enable strength to overcome sin. Testing is Not meant to lead people to bad to affirm and empower the choice of good…in the Bible a test for those that God intends to use.
Jesus faces 3 basic temptations when He goes out to be alone and think and pray.
The first “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
“If you are,” is less to prove identity and more to question the physical hunger.
Since you are divine and all powerful why should you feel hunger?
What is wrong with satisfying hunger?
It has already been 40 days. He has kept the fast. It seems that He may be headed back toward the Jordan and civilization.
The Idea here is that Jesus is being asked to use his Gifts for personal use.
He has the power to do anything. But, I don’t specifically recall him using His powers for personal needs. We know He eats. But we don’t know that He eats when the 5000 are fed.
From what I can recall, Jesus consistently uses his powers primarily to serve others.
He is being encouraged to tap His divine ability instead of relying on the will of God for the moment.
Christians have a serious temptation to use our resources and spiritual gifts of helps and speaking and imagination and intellect for personal gain. We blur the line between our talents and skills with our special gifts and the temptation is to focus the use of spiritual gifts on ourselves and on our inward desires and needs.
We often act or resist action based on our abilities and failed to rely on what our heavenly father will provide.
The devil was suggesting that Jesus could his personal needs with his divine power. He could solve the human feeling of hunger and physical weakness because of who he is. Why should He suffer theses needs?
Maybe there is even the suggestion that in his power he could solve hunger for mankind in the same way.
The political nature of our day makes it clear that many people want to be fed and clothed and will then call someone their friend and be loyal as long as the gravy train keeps running.
Jesus refuses quoting Book of Deuteronomy where the Israelites were to be fed during their 40 years in the desert.
For the next temptation
“the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 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 to whom I will. If you then, will worship me, it shall all be yours.”
The second test seems to have a mystical element. Somehow, Jesus is shown many nations even though none would actually be visible form mountains in Israel.
The temptation is to take the easy way to get the same end result.
Avoid the abuse and the physical death.
The devil is playing let’s make a deal. -- Jesus you already know the path that God has placed you on. 3 years from now you will be turned on by the people, abused and die a physical death on a cursed cross. That is the price you will pay to offer salvation to mankind and with that excruciating process you will become their Lord.
You can trade Door number 1 for what I have behind door number 2. Starting today I have the power to give you that same authority over all the earth.
All you have to do is worship me and you can have it all……
What a temptation! The easy route offers Him power and gory with only telling the devil that he is the man.!!!
Christians are tempted to take the easy route. To avoid the hard road with the work, the meeting of needs and the required sacrifice.
The choice Jesus is offered is again selfish. The deal speaks of what he will receive…if you can believe the offer….
The devil does not offer to redeem mankind. He only offers Jesus power and Glory. He offers authority only a broken world…many warring kingdoms instead of one united kingdom.
The easy path for Christians is also selfish and limited. It may satisfy our individual access into God’s kingdom but it does not offer lost people the opportunity to feel invited to make their own decision.
Our temptation is to live of faith with no works.
Jesus’ response simply put is that there is no deal of any value if it separates us form our worship of God.
For the third temptation the devil 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; for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus is being encouraged to put on a show in the temple. The devil quotes the psalms to justify that God will guard his son. If He puts on this amazing special, this David Copperfield stunt. The people will obviously respond and know that the messiah was on the scene.
This idea made me think of the 70’s showman/dare devil Evil Knievel. Over the span of his career he did lots of amazing stunts on motorcycles. He also failed at lots of stunts and yet He survived, but just barely.
But to keep people interest, he had to keep doing more and more. To get in the news he had to take bigger and bigger risks.
If Jesus were to prove Himself by making a show, how long until He would have to do more and more to satisfy the people that he really was God.
That might also be proven by the healing miracles.. how the crowds dropped off when he slowed the pace. The action of healing thousands of people was short lived.
Jesus knew that spectacle was not the way to establish the seed of relationship with mankind.
Christians are often tempted to put on spectacle and always try to do more and more. Their efforts are consumed until exhausted because their resources are limited.
The attempt to use God’s power for show becomes about prestige instead of being about a relationship with God.
The stronger the push for visibility and importance in a community, the quest for power becomes a test of God. When Christians attempt to become powerful themselves, they lose God’s power.
Jesus response to the situation was another quote form Deuteronomy which speaks of Israel’s faith and trusting in God. Jesus has faith in god and does not need to test the promises stated in scripture.
-- The good news that we can depend on this week is that we are never alone. God does not leave us to walk our spiritual journey by ourselves.
Temptation is real and it is powerful, but God gives us the tools to use to resist temptation. We already know from Jesus example that scripture is a powerful tool that is key to success. We probably would all say that prayer is important.
In other scriptures we know that running from temptation like Joseph did can be effective.
I will add that church and trusted friends are places to share your struggles with people that are facing similar trials and test.
I will also suggest that taking the intent of the season of lent as an annual spiritual tool can be a spiritual resource.
Jesus removed himself from the worldly temptations and comforts for 40 days. He was alone, stripped of comforts and focused his thoughts on God and his role in the kingdom.
I think that it might have been easier to see how satin was already trying to build a foundation to fight against God’s plan. Jesus was not distracted by other peoples want and need or even in starting his ministry.
Folks, temptations are strong in my life. Even when I read scripture and pray I still find that I fail. I fall short and cross over the line. Way too often I find that I try to walk the line thinking that I can resist based on my abilities.
This is what we need to remember in Lent. Jesus to the hard road giving each one of us eternal life and everlasting relief form hunger, pain and sorrow. Each day of lent leads us closer to the celebration for his ability to resist temptation and to provide su with this amazing grace. If we can identify with his journey in just the smallest of ways the Easter celebration becomes even more powerful. All Glory be to God!
