Sunday Evening August 26, 2001 Bel Aire Baptist Church, Hobbs, New Mexico
Series: Finding Freedom From Sin #4
SATAN’S FISHING TRIP
Luke 4:1-13
Introduction:
1. As Christians we are called to be fishers of men, but there is something that I think we don’t realize sometimes and that is the fact that Satan is a fisher of men also. He would love nothing more than to lure you in and hook you. We have all been bombarded with temptation and even Jesus was tempted. The difference is, Jesus was not hooked.
2. As a fisherman, I have learned several things concerning fishing.
a. First, always fish where you know there are fish and know the conditions of the place where you will be fishing.
b. Second, find out what the fish are biting.
c. Third, be persistent.
3. Satan is a good fisherman and he also uses these tactics when he out fishing.
a. Satan is not omnipresent, meaning that he is not everywhere at the same time, so he has to decide where and when he is going to go fishing.
b. Once he gets to his location, he figures out what lure will work and he goes to work.
c. Satan is always persistent.
4. Let’s look this evening how to have victory over temptation and not become one of Satan’s catches.
5. Turn with me to Luke 4:1-13.
I. Conditions
When does Satan tempt us?
A. High Spiritual Experiences
1. Matthew 4 records that this temptation of Jesus happened directly after He was baptized.
2. Jesus had received the approval of His Father who said, “This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.”
3. Temptation often happens after a high spiritual experience.
B. Physical Weakness
1. Jesus did not eat during those 40 days.
2. Imagine the physical strain upon Jesus’ body.
3. Temptations often happen during a time of physical sickness, or when the body is in a weak state or when hungry or tired.
C. Alone
1. Jesus was alone during this time.
2. His disciples were not there.
3. Temptation often happens when we are alone.
II. Lures
What is the design of these lures?
A. To Sin Against God
1. Satan was trying to get Jesus to sin against God so that He would be disqualified from being the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
2. All through these temptations Satan attempts to get Jesus to bypass the cross, by which He would save all believing mankind.
3. Satan knew that if he could get Jesus to short-circuit the cross that all mankind would be lost, and must suffer in eternal hell to pay the price for their sins.
B. To Doubt Our Relationship With God
1. Satan wants us to doubt our relationship with God, and to become independent of Him in meeting our own needs.
2. Notice the first temptation in verses 3-4.
a) The devil said, “IF You are the Son of God.”
b) See how he attempts to cast doubt upon Jesus’ identity and relationship with His Father?
3. Notice again, that the devil said, “Tell these stones to become bread.”
a) He did not say, “Pray to your Father in heaven and ask for bread,” but rather “take matters into your own hands and provide for your own needs.”
b) The devil hates anything requiring humility and dependence upon God, and loves to tell us of our own self-sufficiency.
c) The great thing that Satan aims at in tempting a Christian is to overthrow their relation to God as a Father, so as to cut off their dependence on Him.
III. Unhooked
We need to notice how the temptation was resisted and overcome.
A. Christ Refused To Comply With It.
1. In this one aspect, the teaching of the world to “just say no” is correct, but it falls short because it does not teach the next point, which is:
2. He was ready to reply to it.
3. Jesus quoted from Scripture, saying, “It is written.”
a) Isn’t it amazing that Christ answered and baffled all the temptations of Satan with “It is written”.
b) Not only was He the Living Word of God, but also God’s Word lived in Him and He was strong and overcame the evil one by the Word of God.
1 John 2:14
“I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one”.
B. Jesus Warded Off The Second Temptation.
1. Notice the second temptation in verse 5-7.
2. Here, the devil showed Jesus all the splendor of the world.
a) All the beauty, the glory, the power, the magnificence, the grandeur and the luxury of the world was shown to Him.
3. Notice how Jesus warded off this assault and conquered the enemy:
a) With abhorrence and detestation. If we are ever going to win the battle against sin, we must ask God to give us a holy detestation of it, as if we cannot bear the thought of it.
b) With Scripture.
C. Jesus Beats The Third Temptation.
1. Notice the third temptation in verses 9-12.
2. Here, the devil tempts Jesus to presume upon the promises of God.
3. If Jesus had purposely sinned by throwing Himself down from the temple, He would have been testing God to try to rely on God’s promise to not let Him fall.
Conclusion:
1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it”.
1) Christians, how are you doing with temptation?
2) Have you been hooked?
3) Jesus has given us the blue print to total victory over temptation. Let’s use it!
