(adapted from messages from Dan Webb, Bob Russell, and Mark Jones)
SERIES: ¡§FATAL TEMPTATIONS¡¨
TEXT: JAMES 1:14-15; SELECTED
TITLE: ¡§TEMPTATIONS MEN FACE¡¨
OPEN: A. The Father¡¦s Day ¡§Top Ten¡¨ List of Things Men Have Been Itching to Say for Years¡K
--I wouldn¡¦t normally do this but it is Father¡¦s Day and the only day out of the year I can get away
with it
1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
2. Shopping is NOT a sport, and no, we are never going to think of it that way.
3. Sunday = sports. It¡¦s like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
4. ¡§Yes¡¨ and ¡§No¡¨ are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
5. Check your oil! Please, check your oil!
6. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
--In fact, all past comments become null and void after 7 days.
7. If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry,
we meant the other one.
8. If we ask what¡¦s wrong and you say ¡§nothing,¡¨ we¡¦ll act like nothing¡¦s wrong.
--We know you¡¦re lying, but it¡¦s just not worth the hassle.
9. Men see in only 16 colors -like Windows default settings in your computer monitor.
--Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what
mauve is.
10. Christopher Columbus did not need directions, and neither do we¡K
B. How important are good fathers?
--Chuck Colson, How Now Shall We Live? gives some pretty startling statistics:
1. Children in single-parent families are five times more likely to be poor, and half the single
mothers in the United States live below the poverty line.
2. Children of divorce suffer intense grief, which often lasts for many years.
--Even as young adults, they are nearly twice as likely to require psychological help.
3. Children from disrupted families have more academic and behavioral problems at school and are
nearly twice as likely to drop out of high school.
4. Girls in single-parent homes are at a much greater risk for promiscuous sexuality and are two
and a half times more likely to have a child out of wedlock.
5. Crime and substance abuse are strongly linked to fatherless households.
6. Statistics show that 60 percent of rapists grew up in fatherless homes, as did 72 percent of
adolescent murderers, and 70 percent of all long-term prison inmates.
7. In fact, most of the social pathologies disrupting American life today can be traced to
fatherlessness.
8. Since good fathers are important, let¡¦s have all of our fathers stand so you can be honored on
this day set aside for that particular endeavor
C. Today is the last message in our series: ¡§Fatal Temptations¡¨
1. Based on James 1:14-15 ¡V Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away
and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,
gives birth to death.
2. We started on Mother¡¦s Day with ¡§Temptations Women Face¡¨
--We followed that with ¡§Temptations Children Face,¡¨ ¡§Temptations Teens Face¡¨ and last week
¡§Temptations Church Members Face¡¨
3. Today we finish with ¡§Temptations Men Face¡¨
a. Not here today to beat men up ¡V especially on Father¡¦s Day
b. I¡¦ll address a specific temptation then spend some time suggesting ways that we can help the
men battle and overcome those temptations
c. As with the other temptations, I don¡¦t have time to address every temptation that men face but
I do want to highlight the most deadly temptations
--My goal is that our men will be encouraged as they fight these temptations and also that our
families, our congregation, and our community will be strengthened as we all help fight the
battle together
I. PRIDE
A. Ego is a huge temptation for most men.
--Pride was the very first sin.
1. Satan rebelled against God and in his pride said, ¡§I will make myself like God.¡¨
2. King Saul¡¦s pride was wounded when the young women in the parade chanted of David being a
superior warrior to Saul and the king sought to kill David.
3. Someone has defined ego as: ¡§Edging God Out.¡¨
--Ps. 10:4 ¡V In his pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
4. One woman commented, ¡§I always knew I married Mr. Right. I just didn¡¦t know his first name was
always.¡¨
a. Prov. 16:18 ¡V Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
b. Prov. 29:23 ¡V A man¡¦s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.
B. Pride is placing yourself on the throne instead of God.
1. Pride seeks to impress others with our importance.
a. It takes all the credit, shows off, boasts of what it has done, dominates the conversation, demands all
the attention.
b. While he was just a plebe at West Point, General George S. Patton often wrote notes about what he
was doing and would add, ¡§This may be of interest to a biographer in the future.¡¨
2. Rom. 12:3 ¡V Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with
sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
C. Pride displays its importance.
1. It often exaggerates the truth.
2. It always compares and is never permanently content.
3. Pride refuses to admit mistakes and weaknesses and bristles at the idea of ever going to someone for
help because that would be to admit inferiority to another.
a. Sometimes that¡¦s why it¡¦s so hard for men to stop and ask for directions or even go to the doctor.
b. Pride has a difficult time admitting, ¡§I don¡¦t know and someone else does.¡¨
D. Ego can only be overcome by placing Jesus Christ on the throne.
--Instead of ¡§Edging God Out,¡¨ ego should stand for ¡§Exalting God Only.¡¨
1. If you compare yourself to others you can feel superior
2. But when you exalt Christ you are greatly humbled.
-- The Bible says, ¡§At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is
Lord.¡¨
3. Pride is overcome by putting Christ on the throne instead of self.
E. Ladies, children, teens, you can help us overcome the temptation of pride
1. Recognize that every man has a huge ego and your husband/Dad is not the exception.
a. He struggles with this temptation.
b. If he¡¦s strutting because of an accomplishment or he¡¦s pouting because his ego is wounded,
confront him gently.
2. More importantly, affirm his strong points.
a. Much of what comes across as an inflated ego is really just a front to cover up deep feelings of
insecurity.
--Usually we don¡¦t need to be put down so much as to be built up.
b. You may think affirming your husband will only feed his already inflated ego but it probably will
have just the opposite affect.
1). Your affirmation might help him become more confident with who he is and less prone to prove
himself.
2). Jack Dempsey¡¦s wife was once asked what it was like to be married to a boxer. She said, ¡§I
didn¡¦t marry a boxer; I married a champion!¡¨
--All men want their families to think they are champions.
II. GREED
A. 1 Tim. 6:9 ¡V People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and
harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
1. Think of how greed has absolutely embarrassed and ruined the executives at Enron„µ, Worldcom„µ
and others.
2. There¡¦s a sense in which greed is just another extension of ego.
a. We accumulate possessions as status symbols.
--It¡¦s a way of keeping score and proving our self worth.
b. However, Col. 3:5 says that greed is idolatry.
--We look to material possessions to provide what only God can provide¡Xsecurity, significance,
and joy.
3. We need to cultivate an attitude of contentment.
a. It¡¦s imperative that we learn to be content with what we have and not always want more.
b. Eccl. 5:10 ¡V Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never
satisfied with his income.
B. Men, we can overcome the temptation to greed only by placing Christ at the heart of our lives and not
things.
--1 Jn. 2:15-17 ¡V Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of
the Father is not in him. For everything in the world¡Xthe cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes
and the boasting of what he has and does¡Xcomes not from the Father but from the world. The world
and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
1. All of our STUFF is going to be left behind.
a. It¡¦s going to be like having 10,000 shares of worthless stock.
b. So give yourself to the riches that are eternal.
2. I read about a rich American entrepreneur who docked his yacht beside a small fishing boat in a
Mexican village. Impressed by the quality of the fish, he wondered why the Mexican was quitting at
2:00 in the afternoon. The fisherman explained that he had already caught all he needed in just four
hours.
¡§But what do you do with the rest of your time?¡¨ asked the American. ¡§I sleep late, play with my
children, take a siesta with my wife and, in the evenings, I go into the village to visit my friends, play
the guitar, sing a few songs.¡¨
The American could hardly contain himself. ¡§You¡¦ll never be successful that way,¡¨ he protested.
¡§You should get up early and fish longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With
the extra revenue you can buy nylon nets and catch even more fish and make more money. Then you
could buy a bigger boat and make even more money. Soon you¡¦d have a fleet of boats and make
millions.¡¨
The fisherman asked, ¡§Then what would I do?¡¨ The American responded, ¡§Then you could retire,
sleep late, play with your grandchildren, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your
evenings playing the guitar and singing with your friends.¡¨
¡§What do you think I¡¦m doing now?¡¨ the fisherman asked.
--Lk. 12:15 (Living Bible), Jesus says, ¡§Don¡¦t always be wishing for what you don¡¦t have. For real
life and real living are not related to how rich we are.¡¨
C. Others can help us avoid the temptation of greed
1. Wives, get your own values in line
a. Stop putting so much stock in the things of this world and pressuring your husband to provide them
b. Be mature enough to recognize those things don¡¦t mean a whole lot if there is strife or spiritual
emptiness in that home.
c. Say things like:
1). ¡§Thanks for spending time with me today.¡¨
2). ¡§Thanks for being gentle and making me feel like I¡¦m more important than your business.¡¨
3). ¡§Thanks for being so balanced. That means more to me than a bigger house or nicer things.¡¨
2. Kids, don¡¦t always be demanding more or comparing.
a. When you come home and say, ¡§Hey Dad, my friend can buy any kind of tennis shoes he wants.
They have a swimming pool and his dad is going to give him a car on his sixteeneth birthday,¡¨ you
leave the impression that your dad is a failure if he doesn¡¦t provide you with those same things¡K
b. You can really help your dad combat the temptation to materialism if you stop comparing and say,
--¡§They have nice things, but Dad, I¡¦m glad you¡¦re at my games and you take time to listen.
Thanks.¡¨
3. Heb. 13:5 ¡V Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have,
because God has said, ¡§Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.¡¨
III. LUST
--Lust is probably the most common and the most difficult, temptation for men.
A. Popular speaker and author, Tommy Nelson, tells of a nightmare of seeing a picnic with hundreds of
people playing around a lake. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. But then he hears a scream
and to his horror he sees an alligator splash out of the water and seize a young man by the leg to drag
him under. But people just go on as though nothing happened. No one says anything about the
alligator.
Then a few minutes later there¡¦s another commotion and another alligator jumps out of the lake and
devours an old man. The family is devastated. But people settle back down. Little children play on the
edge of the lake. No one says anything about the danger. No one puts up a sign warning of the
alligators. Everyone pretends they don¡¦t exist. It¡¦s just not polite or appropriate to talk about
alligators¡K
1. Nelson says that¡¦s the way it is in the church.
--One by one, good men are getting snatched into lust, swallowed up in pornography, and the church
sits silently, saying nothing, pretending that it¡¦s not happening.
2. It¡¦s not appropriate to talk about it! But Satan is devouring an incredible number of men with this
temptation
3. Jesus talked about lust
--Mt. 5:27-28 ¡V You have heard that it was said, ¡§Do not commit adultery.¡¦¡¨ But I tell you that
anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
B. The book Every Man¡¦s Battle suggests 99% of men would say LUST is their number one temptation.
1. One of the reasons American Christians have to fight lust is that we live in such a seductive society.
--We¡¦re inundated with visual stimulation at every turn.
2. Television, the Internet, movies, and billboards flash images that catch our eye.
3. Every man battles lust almost every day of their lives
C. There are five principles we need to understand when it comes to lust.
1. Principle #1: We need to understand that God has created men with an inner attraction to physical
beauty.
--Adam was instinctively attracted to Eve. That¡¦s the way God created him.
a. However, most sin is an abuse of a God-given desire.
1). The desire for rest is God given; abused it becomes laziness.
2). God created us with a sexual drive for procreation and for the expression of love and the
experience of intimacy in marriage
a). Sexual attraction is God-given, but out of control it becomes lust.
b). It¡¦s not lust when you notice a pretty woman.
--It is lust when you look with passionate thoughts and you covet what is not yours.
2. Principle #2: We need to understand that lust is addictive and destructive.
a. I¡¦ve read that cocaine is quickly addictive.
1). A few hits and you crave it.
2). But cocaine is lethal.
--It can break you financially, consume your thinking, and physically kill you
b. Pornography is quickly addictive like that.
1). At first those images pump adrenaline through your body and you become addicted to that
rush.
--You crave it to the point it consumes you.
2). Pornography is said to be the fastest growing addiction in the world.
--It too is DEADLY!
a). It can kill your relationship with God, your natural affection for your wife, and your self-
respect because you¡¦re hiding secrets.
b). Prov. 6:25 ¡V Do not lust in your heart after (the beauty of a promiscuous woman) or let her
captivate you with her eyes, for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the
adulteress preys upon your very life.
3. Principle #3: We need to understand that temptation will always come just on the other side of the
boundary line.
a. Wherever you say, ¡§This is my boundary, I won¡¦t step over this line,¡¨ Satan will drop his lure just
on the other side¡Xand it will be appealing; it will be temporarily exciting and stimulating to step
over that line
b. But soon that stimulation becomes boring and to get the same titillation¡Xto feel that same rush¡X
you will be tempted to step over the secondary boundary line and you get closer and closer to the
water¡¦s edge where the alligator is lurking beneath the surface determined to consume you!
c. Job 31:1 ¡V Job said, ¡§I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl¡¨
--Job drew the boundary line at refusing to look lustfully. That¡¦s the easiest place to stop.
. 4. Principle #4: We need to set the boundary line as close to God¡¦s holiness as possible
a. You can¡¦t eliminate all temptation; there will always be visual stimulation.
--There will be attractive women who attempt to seduce you.
b. But if you¡¦re seeking the holiness of God, you¡¦ll draw the line as close to God and as far from the
potential disaster as possible.
--You don¡¦t see how close you can come to the edge without getting devoured.
c. King David walked up to the rooftop late in the evening, perhaps hoping to see the woman next
door. Bathsheba bathed on her rooftop, probably knowing full well that she was in the line of
sight of the king¡¦s palace. (Discreet women bathed indoors.) But they were both getting a thrill
from stepping over the boundary line. Lust consumed the king, and there was a horrendous price
to pay for his affair.
5. Principle #5: We need to invite accountability from other spiritual men
a. I personally have an accountability partner when it comes to the computer and the Internet
--I have a program downloaded onto both my office computer and my home computer that logs
everything I look at on the Internet and then makes a monthly report to a strong and spiritually
mature friend
b. Men, whatever you need to do to hold your feet to the fire, do it!
--it¡¦s very easy to think no one is looking but God is watching and so is the devil. God wants to
help but the devil wants to harm. He¡¦ll use anything to bring you down and destroy your witness
to Christ
c. Understand that your relationship with your family and with your God depends on guarding your
heart
D. What can be done to help men in this area?
1. Understand that if your husband or your dad is tempted in this area, it doesn¡¦t make him a pervert
a. If he notices a pretty girl ¡V that is not an insult to you ¡V that¡¦s just the way men are wired.
--Don¡¦t make him lie or be deceptive about it.
b. Wives, if he had no attraction to pretty girls, he probably wouldn¡¦t have married you¡K
2. Women, help your men with accountability
a. Make sure there is a good filter on the computer
b. Don¡¦t watch shows even together that contain nudity and naively assume it has no impact on him.
3. Women can help men in this area by dressing modestly
a. Drew Anderson wrote: While my wife and I were strolling at a mall, a shapely young woman in a
short, form fitting dress strolled by. My eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she
was examining, my wife asked, ¡§Was it worth it for the trouble you¡¦re in?¡¨
b. If it¡¦s wrong for men to lust, it¡¦s every bit as wrong for women to dress in such a way to
deliberately kindle lust.
--Men, don¡¦t blame the women for your problem but women can certainly assist by dressing
modestly in public
4. Also, wives don¡¦t keep your men love-starved at home
a. 1 Cor. 7:5 ¡V Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may
devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of
your lack of self-control.
b. When you¡¦re on a strict diet, every type of food looks good and appealing.
--Wives, much in the same way if your husband continually goes out into the world love-starved
it¡¦ll be difficult for him not to be distracted by other women.
IV. SPIRITUAL PASSIVITY
A. Spiritual passivity is probably a temptation we tend to overlook
--It¡¦s one that traps men without the promise or flash of the other temptations
1. In our culture there is the inclination to relinquish the leadership role that God has placed squarely on
our shoulders, men.
a. Eph. 5:23 reads ¡V For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his
body, of which he is the Savior.
b. Eph. 6:4 ¡V Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and
instruction of the Lord.
2. Clearly, God has placed the responsibility of family leadership on the shoulders of the husband and
father.
a, That doesn¡¦t mean he¡¦s the dictator, and he barks out orders.
b. The Bible makes it clear that we¡¦re to lead as Christ led.
--That¡¦s servant leadership, tender leadership, sacrificial leadership, loving leadership.
3. Dads, we are to set the moral tone for the home.
a. We should be the ones who teach our kids about God and communicates right and wrong.
b. We should see to it that our kids are loved and disciplined.
c. We should pray with our families, take them to church, and protect them from the evil one.
--But it¡¦s so easy to become passive in spiritual leadership.
B. Do you know what the first sin of Adam was?
1. Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, gave some to Adam, and persuaded him to eat of it.
2. Do you remember what God said to Adam?
a. ¡§Because you have¡K? What?
b. ¡§Because you have listened to your wife and ate of the tree I told you not to eat, here is the curse.¡¨
--Adam listened to his wife¡¦s counsel instead of the counsel of God! Adam gave up his position of
spiritual leadership and that¡¦s why we¡¦re in the mess we¡¦re in.
3. King David was a great warrior and powerful king but he was almost a total disaster as a father, due
in large part to being so passive.
a. One son raped his half sister; another son murdered him for doing so.
b. But David did very little.
C. One reason it¡¦s difficult to take the lead spiritually is because it¡¦s humbling to reveal inner spiritual
thoughts and admit your own inadequacies.
1. We don¡¦t want anyone else to hear our prayers,
2. Or hear us singing a religious song,
3. We would be unnerved to give a testimony publicly¡Xmuch less teach a Bible class.
--That¡¦s pride! That¡¦s one of the reasons it¡¦s so hard to be the spiritual leader. You make yourself
vulnerable.
D. We can be helped to overcome our spiritual passivity
1. Don¡¦t laugh at Dad when he tries to lead spiritually
--like saying grace at meals or reading Scripture at family get-togethers
2. Wives, don¡¦t push your husbands or jump in when you feel things aren¡¦t happening fast enough
a. Don¡¦t buck his attempt at spiritual leadership or ridicule him when he tries
b. Compliment him for his efforts
1). ¡§Thanks for taking us to church.¡¨
2). ¡§I¡¦ve noticed your language is much improved.¡¨
3). ¡§I love it when I see you reading your Bible.¡¨
3. Eph. 5:24 (The Message) ¡V Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your
support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church,
not by domineering but by cherishing.
CLOSING: A. Many of you may recognize the name David Robinson
--He¡¦s one of the greatest centers to ever play pro basketball
1. He made lots of money playing basketball but several years ago he donated nine million
dollars to fund a school for needy children.
2. In 2003, he helped lead the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Championship and then retired
after playing 15 years of pro basketball
3. He¡¦s a Christian and takes his walk with the Lord seriously
a. A Sports Illustrated„µ article about him began, ¡§The Silver Dancers come onto the court
during timeout but David Robinson does not watch. Not on purpose. He will not allow
his mind to wander down the mildly carnal paths¡Kwhy open himself to the possibility of
impure thoughts?¡¨
b. The article continued, ¡§The idea is that temptation should be avoided; the irony is that
Robinson works where he does. He sometimes seems a stranger in the very environment
he rules.¡¨
4. Robinson is married and has several children. He attends Max Lucado¡¦s church regularly
with his family
a. Max Lucado relates that one Sunday David Robinson sat right behind him in church.
During communion his little boy asked, ¡§Daddy what¡¦s that?¡¨ He said Robinson¡¦s voice
was deep and kind. ¡§These are crackers. They help us think about Jesus¡¦ death on the
cross.¡¨ Lucado said, ¡§I chuckled at this impossible assignment ¡V explaining the Lord¡¦s
supper to a child. The question continued with the cup of juice. ¡§What¡¦s that Daddy?¡¨
¡§It¡¦s grape juice. It reminds us of the blood of Jesus.¡¨ Robinson began and then went on
to, as best he could, explain the symbol.
b. That was just a few hours after David Robinson had been involved in an NBA„µ playoff
game that was broadcast around the world and seen by millions on television. ¡§But David
would be the first to tell you¡Xthat contest didn¡¦t compare to the precious moments he had
with his son on Sunday. Years from now, long after the headlines have faded and the
games have been forgotten, it will not matter who won or lost on the court. What will
matter is that this young boy had a daddy who told him about Jesus Christ.¡¨
B. The Christian life is a gift and a growth.
1. Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin so that when we become a
Christian God gives us the gift of eternal life. It¡¦s free!
2. But from that point on we are to grow to maturity in Jesus Christ.
a. Growth always involves struggle.
--Satan will come against us and battle us.
b. Even though we don¡¦t win every battle, we have a Father who will help us be the
men and women we should be.
--Even though we won¡¦t be perfect, we can make progress.
3. If you want to receive that free gift of forgiveness and begin growing toward Christ-
likeness, we offer an invitation to do so now.
