If it Happened to Him……..
It Could Happen to You
Several Years ago there was a movie that starred Nicolas Cage. It was about a New York City Cop who didn’t have enough money for a tip. He felt bad about it so he gave her a choice. She could wait until tomorrow and he would come back and bring her a few dollars or she could have half of anything he might win on a lottery ticket he had purchased earlier in the day. I really identified with this movie because as you know I too am a waiter. What you may not know is that I am also a delivered compulsive gambler. Well the waitress did exactly what I would have done in the same situation. She took a chance. If you haven’t seen the movie or didn’t here about the true story that inspired it let me tell you what happened. They won. The movie goes on to tell of all the good and bad things that happened to them after winning this large amount of money. The title was
It Could Happen to You.
As I thought about that movie I thought about all the possible out comes and what would I have done if that had happened to me.
When we look at stories on the news about people hitting the lottery or finding some junk in the attic that turns out to be a priceless work of art a little voice may say to us
It Could Happen to You.
When we hear about tragic stories like car accidents, natural disasters, or those freak in home accidents. The voice says ….
It Could Happen to You
When I was looking for something to talk about tonight I read the story about Satan tempting Jesus when he went into the desert just prior to the beginning of his ministry as I read this story the Holy Spirit seemed to be saying to me…
Richard,
If it could Happen to Him?
It could happen to you……..
Lets take a look at the scripture…….Turn in your Bibles to Mathew Chapter 4 verses 1-11
41Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"
5Then 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.’"
7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’"
8Again, 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."
10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’"
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. #
Let us Pray
I believe this passage of scripture shows us 7 things we need to realize because…..
It Could Happen To You
The 1st thing we should realize is that
God Allows us to be tempted by Satan and he limits his power over us.
Look at Verse 1.
41Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
We as Christians tend to forget sometimes that the Devil is allowed to tempt us by God. He has to have permission from God to be able to tempt us………We see the same thing in the book of Job Chapter 1 verse 12……You don’t Have to turn but listen what God said to Satan concerning Job…..
12The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands,
God Allows us to be tempted by Satan. We should think about this and realize that Satan’s dominion over us is limited by God. That is an awesome thought. The fact that Satan can only tempt as much as God allows him to is comforting to me. As a parent I think about the things I ask my kids to do. I don’t ask them to do things I know that they cant do. I sometimes ask them to do things that they think they can’t do but I never ask them to do more than they actually can. Take for instance when I ask them to help me cook. I limit the level of danger……. to what I think they can handle. I don’t let them get burned but I do allow them to get close enough to feel the heat so that they know just how dangerous it would be to cook if I wasn’t around. That is a comforting thought to them. And we should be comforted by the fact that God limits Satan’s power to tempt us.
The 2nd thing I think we need to realize is that God won’t allow the Devil to tempt us until we have time to prepare……..
Look at verse 2.
. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him #
The Devil didn’t tempt Jesus until He had Fasted ….fasting is always associated with prayer. He Jesus was preparing to be tempted and we should be preparing ourselves to be tempted……think about when you were in School did you teacher ever come into class on Monday morning and say those dreaded words “take out a pencil and a clean sheet of paper……we are going to take a test on the material we are about to learn this week”? Not likely. Usually the test was on Friday and it covered the material you had already learned. The Scriptures testify to the fact that our Heavenly father also teaches by this method…….He gives us the material and the time to prepare and then He allows us to be tested. And Just like in school the choice to study and use your time wisely is completely up to you……
but the test is coming……..
Next we need to realize Satan will tempt us with what he thinks we want.
Look at verse 2
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
He thought Jesus wanted food….so that’s what he offered Him. He’s not going to offer you a Big Mac if you’re a vegetarian…..……he’s not going to offer my mother a joint …………because she wouldn’t be tempted by that……..he would offer her a piece of cake because He knows that she loves sweets even though she’s a diabetic…….he offers me the Joint…because he knows that I would be tempted. What is Satan tempting you with?
Look at verse 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.
He thought Jesus wanted to prove His power so he gave him an opportunity to do so…….Jesus knew that He would eventually display His awesome power but it wasn’t time……the devil tempts us with things that God will eventually give us when He is ready for us to have them. Think about How children are……….My daughter loves Pecan Pie and she knows if we have some she can have it after we eat supper but she is tempted to eat it first……it’s something she knows she will eventually get but she wants it now. Or here is an even more serious example of the devil offering us something that we will eventually get but were are to impatient to wait. Sex. God says that we are to wait until we are married to enjoy the gift of sex. The world or The tempter as he is called in the passage tells us we don’t have to wait. Is there something that you know God will Give you if you just wait patiently? We need to remember that we will enjoy whatever it is more if we wait until God gives it to us.
Look at verses 8 and 9
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."
He knew Jesus was a King so He offered Him Kingdoms…he knows we live in a material world……so He offers us material things I think that this kind of tempting still goes on today ……not like the kind of deals you see in movies where someone sells there soul to the Devil to get something that they want but I do think there are times in our lives that he comes to us and says………If you want to be rich powerful or only want to have fun…….sacrifice everything…….time with God……time with Family…..time with Christian Friends…….give up all these things and I will give you all this……..Satan is still asking us to bow down and worship him……Live in the world…….Live for the moment…….Focus only on work……only on money……Focus only on Pleasure. His altar isn’t always so easy to see. His altar can be at work. At a nightclub. At the casino…or even The coffee table of those people who you know you shouldn’t be hanging out with.
We also need to realize that Who you are in Christ will be questioned. Repeatedly Look at verses 3 and then again at verse 6
Verse 3 says….
The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God
Verse 6 begins the same way…..
"If you are the Son of God,"
We as Christians should expect no less from Satan. If He questioned Jesus’ power ,authority and faith don’t you think he will question yours. Throughout the new testament Jesus was questioned. He was questioned by the Devil through the temple priests about Him healing on the Sabbath and He was still being questioned in the last moments of His life when He was dying on the cross for our sins the unrepentant thief on the cross asked him the very same question……
If you are the son of God……
Questions will come up…..
Let me tell you about a time when the power of Jesus was questioned in my life. Someone asked me while I was witnessing to them why didn’t I just go up to people who are on drugs and say give me that crack and take it away from them. I Should show them how to live right and invite them into my house while they were struggling with addiction. I told Him that I didn’t want to put God to the test. He said If he really had delivered me from my addictions then I shouldn’t have a problem having drugs in my possession or in my house……he also felt that if God could test us then we should be able to test Him…….…he was one of those people you didn’t want to stand too close too in case God decided to take him out with a bolt of lightening.
We also need to realize that since we are going to be questioned we need to be ready with an answer.
Lets see How Jesus answered Him……
Look at verse 4
4Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" #
That’s Deuteronomy 8:3
Look at verse 7
7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’" #
That’s Deuteronomy 6:16
Look at verse 10
10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’" #
That’s Deuteronomy 6:13
He countered the tempters questions with God’s Word.
Jesus knew the only way to Defeat Satan was with God’s Word…..The Bible…..Paul in Ephesians Chapter 6 verse 17 said that the Word of God was the Sword of the Spirit. It is our only piece of offensive equipment in our war chest. I don’t know if you realize it or not but we have a bigger sword than Jesus Did……..He only had the Old Testament we have not only the 39 books in the Old Testament we also have the 27 books of the New Testament.
We also need to realize that our enemy has the very same weapon And He knows how to use it.
Look at verse 6
. 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." #
That’s the 91st Psalm verses 11 and 12
This passage of scripture reminds me of How our forefathers used to settle arguments or questions of honor. They would challenge each other to a duel. At one time in history this was such a common practice that dueling pistols were made specifically for this purpose. Beautiful pistols were sold in pairs and were alike in every detail. Since both opponents had the same weapon the winner was usually the one who was more familiar with the weapon and didn’t hesitate to use it when the time came. We need to be familiar with our weapon and not hesitate to use it when the time comes. Because as we see in verses 10 and 11 the word of God is the only thing that will make Satan leave.
Take a Look
10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’"
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. #
Finally we need to realize why the Word is so effective. John Chapter 1 verse 1 tells us why. You don’t have to turn I’ll read it to you.
11In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. #
When we use the Word. We use God. We can confidently say “Away From Me Satan” and know that he has to leave. He has to obey Word because the Word is God and the Devil has to obey God. He has no choice in the matter. But as we see in Luke’s account of this same incident He will return at an opportune time and we need to be ready for him when he does. I know I said in the beginning that because it Happened to Him…….It could Happen to You…….but the Sad and truthful fact is that
It is not a matter of…..
IF…..
It is a matter of
WHEN.
Let us pray.
