Tempted – Luke 4: 1 - 13
Intro: Jan wanted a new dress to wear to church on Easter Sunday. She encouraged her husband, Craig, to go shopping with her at the mall. As Jan was looking over the selection of dresses, Craig’s eyes were drawn to a beautiful, shapely young lady walking by him in a rather snug fitting, short red dress. Without looking up from the dresses she was examining, Jan said, “If you knew how much trouble you were in, you would be getting out your credit card to pay for this outrageously expensive dress I’m going to buy.” Silently, Craig reached into his pocket, took out his wallet and pulled out his credit card.
I This morning, we are going to reflect on what is commonly known as “The Temptation of Christ” in comparison to the role of temptation in our own lives.
A Look for a moment a VS. 3 – “The devil said to him (Jesus), “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” In Greek, the phrase is “ei huios ei tou theou.” The word “IF” which begins the phrase can be translated 2 different ways. IF or SINCE.
B There is a distinction to be made here in the translation of that word. IF indicates to me a measure of uncertainty. (The devil isn’t certain about the nature of Jesus.) Using the word SINCE indicates to me the devil recognizes the status of Jesus. (He IS the “Son of God.)
C As Christians we affirm that Jesus is indeed the Son of God just as we are daughters and sons of God. We belong to God. We are God’s children. The question is this, “WHAT KIND OF CHILD OF GOD WILL WE CHOOSE TO BE?”
II I believe the devil knew Jesus to be the Son of God just as the devil knows that we belong to God. What the devil does to Jesus he can also try to do to us.
A Again, look at VS. 3 – “Since you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” The real temptation here is one we face nearly every day. The devil is challenging Jesus and us to take care of our own needs first. Take care of numero uno. The temptation is to rely upon ourselves, our own abilities and desires instead of relying on God.
B VS. 6 & 7 – “I will give you all their authority and splendor (the kingdoms of the world) . . . if you worship me, it will all be yours.” You don’t have to work for it. I’ll give it to you. Take the easy way. Take whatever shortcut that is available. Forget about doing the right thing the way God wants it done. I’ll just give it to you.
C VS. 9 – 11 “throw yourself down from here . . . God will protect you.”
If you believe God is always with you and protects you from all wrong, just do whatever feels good or right and God will work it all out for the good. . . How often have you turned to God saying, “God, if you love me you will . . .?
III Look at VSS. 12 & 13 “Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Deut. 6: 16) When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him (Jesus) until an opportune time.”
A The GK word here for “opportune time” is ?a??o? / kairos. It alludes to another occasion / a proper time / a more convenient time.
B The devil is always there, waiting for just the right time, the right situation to lead us down the wrong path and away from the will of God.
C How do we handle the temptations that the devil puts in our way? How do we respond to the “tests” the devil puts before us as children of God?
Concl: A mother asked her son, “If we were in a store, and Dad and I were in one aisle, and you were in another aisle where there was candy on display. If the devil whispered in your ear, “You should take some candy. No one is watching. Go ahead and take some.” What would you say to the devil? The son thought for a moment and smile and said, “Oh! I would say thank you.”
That, my friends, is just how easily we can be lead astray.
