First United Methodist Church
First Sunday of Lent--Sunday Night
February 29, 2004
“Protection for the Spiritual Journey”
Luke 4:1-13
INTRODUCTION: Today’s scripture sets the tone for the Lenten Season. The temptation of Jesus takes us on a spiritual journey into the wilderness and ends on a Friday in Jerusalem where the old rugged cross is standing on a hillside. During this time we have an opportunity to recall the details of that treacherous journey. Satan tried to trip him up at every turn, yet Jesus experienced protection for the spiritual journey choosing good over evil.
The beginning of Lent--what does it mean? What does it mean for you personally?
It means a variety of things. It is meant to be a time of reflection and self examination as well as a time for inner healing. We can look back to the times we have fallen into the snares and traps that Satan set for us along the way. We can examine our attitudes, our ways of responding, and root out such things as unforgiveness and bitterness. The Lenten Season is a time to allow the spotlight of the Holy Spirit to bring to the surface those areas that have brought failure and disappointment. The Lenten Season is a time of hope for us as well. No matter how far we have strayed away from His plan for us, God is there to lead us back to safety. His protection for our spiritual journey is there for us each day.
We know that living the Christian life is far from easy. There are many stumbling blocks and chuck holes along the way. The decisions life asks of us too often overwhelm us. We often have to choose between almost equal choices, not knowing which would be the better of the two.
STORY: A little boy named Bobby desperately wanted a new bicycle. His plan was to save his nickels, dimes and quarters until he finally had enough to buy a new 10 speed. Each night he asked God to help him save his money.
He prayed, “Dear Lord, please help me save my money for a new bike, and please, Lord, don’t let the ice cream man come down the street again tomorrow.”
What happens when we decide to take the easy way out? What if we are not aware of Satan’s subtle suggestions? What happens when we compromise? Most of the time we are torn between those important decisions. How do we obtain protection for our spiritual journey?
What can we learn from this scripture that we can apply to our lives as we begin this journey?
1. Preparation for the Journey: Some significant things happened to Jesus just prior to this wilderness experience. At His baptism heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove and a voice from heaven spoke, “You are my Son; whom I love; with You I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). But will he continue to please the Father? Will He continue to do His will and complete the mission He set out to do? Before He went out into His public ministry, Jesus had to be tested to see for sure. What would His responses be if a really subtle temptation came along? Would he respond differently when no one was looking?
Scripture says He was led of the Holy Spirit into a wilderness which represents a place that no one wants to be, a place often associated with demon activity. The account in Mark says he was “with the wild animals” (Mark 1:13) showing how dangerous it really was. How did Jesus handle it?
We have a few details here. Scripture says he was:
1. full of the Holy Ghost. Matthew Henry says, “Well armed against the strongest temptation are they who are full of the Holy Ghost.”
2. He fasted and prayed for 40 days.
3. He knew the Word of God.
Spiritually he was clearly not running on empty like we are at times. You might think that if He was at His best spiritually that things would go without a hitch. But no, when he was physically hungry, Satan moved in and took advantage of Him. Satan sees an opportune moment to get at us too. He sees a weak link in the chain and says, “Ah, hah! I’ll get him now. I’ll trip her up so fast that she won’t know what hit her.” How many have had this happen to you? I know that we all have. Just when we think we are so strong.
STORY: A little boy was in the grocery store with his Mom. He just happened to be standing next to an open box of chocolate chip cookies.
The grocer spotted him and said, “Son what are you up to?”
“Nothing,” replied the boy.
“Nothing?” questioned the grocer. “Well it sure looks to me like you were trying to take a cookie.”
“Well, you’re wrong mister. I’m trying NOT to.”
2. The Root of Temptations: Temptation #1: In the first temptation the devil tried to get Jesus to take the easy way out. What would be wrong with turning stones into bread. He had the power to do it if he were the Son of God. Sounded like a good idea.
Sometimes we are tempted to make rash decisions because our resources are low. When we are in “a pickle” or “over a barrel” we justify our actions. The devil was saying, “I think you’ve got to realize that God’s forgotten about you out here in the wilderness, and it might be a long time before He remembers that you are hungry. Might be a long time before the ravens bring you a sandwich. There’s nothing wrong with turning a few stones into bread. Go ahead and do it. If you are really the Son of God, you’ll do it or else I’ll think you’re not who you claim to be.”
In this temptation Satan was doing three things:
1. to get Him to distrust God’s care of Him.
2. to go ahead and take matters into His own hands and provide for Himself.
3. to go against God’s will and serve Himself.
Do you ever think that God has forgotten you and that you have to take matters into your own hands? To do something--anything-- rather than wait on God to provide? You think, “If I don’t DO something, we’re going to go under.” It could be with your finances, your job, your health--you say, “Well this SOUNDS reasonable,”-- but you are not really waiting on God. We’ve got to do something--but what happens is that you jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Jesus didn’t do this.
Satan wanted Jesus to use his Sonship in a way that was inconsistent with His God-ordained mission--to use powers that were rightly His but which He had voluntarily suspended in order to carry out the Father’s mission (See Philippians 2:6-11). Had he reclaimed them at this time for Himself would deny the self abasement in doing the Father’s will.
Jesus didn’t reason with Stan. That’s where we often get into trouble. We KNOW what we SHOULD do but we discuss it with people and we try to justify our actions. He said, “Beat it, Satan!” It is written, “Man does not live on bread alone but every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3).
In John 4:34 Jesus told His disciples, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.”
Temptation #2: In temptation #2 Satan appealed to his sense of POWER. He takes Him up to a high place and shows him all the kingdoms in an instant of time. “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all authority and splendor.” Satan showed him the splendor but not the sin. It looked real glitzy--he could achieve power by taking a shortcut in sidestepping the cross and introducing idolatry (Luke 4:5-8). All the kingdoms in a moment of time. There would be no struggle to it. “I’ll make you an instant millionaire,” says Satan. It LOOKED GOOD from up there. Of course, it had conditions to it. He would have to go into partnership with Satan. He could still worship God in conjunction with worshiping Satan. A compromise could work--no problem.
Have you ever had partnerships offered to you, and you say, “that just might work--but it’s not what God wants and you see that it is just not going to work out.”
Jesus says, “What? You’ve got to be kidding. Worship the enemy of God. No, I will never do it. That’s not even to be reasoned with but immediately refused. Don’t even think about it.”
Scripture again became His SWORD-- “It is written: Worship the Lord Your God and serve Him only” (Deut. 6:13).
Had Jesus accepted the offer,
1.our salvation would have been impossible.
2. Jesus would have sinned by worshiping the devil and he could not have been the perfect sacrifice. Hebrews 4:15 says the was “tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
3. Had He listened, He would have been avoiding the Cross (See Luke 24:26).
Temptation #3: In this temptation Satan brings Jesus up to the pinnacle of the temple and says to Him again, “if you really believe you are the Son of God, go ahead and throw yourself down and see if the angels will come and save you like God says they will.”
He uses a little scripture twisting quoting Psalm 91:11-12 out of context. He says, “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
He left out the part that said, “to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91).
Satan is giving approval to what otherwise might be thought sinful. The sin of presumption that you can just do something stupid and God is going to take care of you.
Story: My friend picked up a little angel at a garage sale. In the hand of the angel was a note that said, “Don’t drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly!”
We may never be able to tempt God beyond the point that he is ABLE to protect us, but we may certainly tempt him beyond the point that he is WILLING to protect us.
Satan is saying,
1. when people see that you survive the jump EVERYONE will want to follow you.
2. and if angels are ANYWHERE, it would be there at the temple (Psalm 68:17, Luke 2:46).
God will provide a DRAMATIC rescue.
The devil is trying to show that God can be manipulated. He is at Your service. Go ahead, YOU be the boss.
Jesus for the third time answered with the power of Scripture. He fights fire with fire. It is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deut. 6:16).
The pattern of obedience and trust has been established. He passed the test. We also can pass the test. We do not have to fall into the traps of Satan.
3. Seeking the Lord for Ourselves: The season of Lent is the time that we need to seek the Lord for ourselves. Know what the scripture says so you can apply it during times of temptation. Be filled with the Holy Spirit so that you are not running on empty.
CONCLUSION: There is a scripture in Isaiah that sums up this message. “Seek God while he’s here to be found, pray to him while he’s close at hand. Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking. Let them come back to God, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness” (Isaiah 55:6,7 Message Bible).
Let Us Pray:
