This sermon explores the universal experience of temptation, emphasizing its role in testing faith and refining character, and the power of God's Word to overcome it.
Good morning, we gather here today, nestled in the warm embrace of fellowship and faith, to engage with a topic that touches us all – temptation. This is not a subject reserved for the few or the fallen; it is a universal experience, an inevitable encounter on the road of life. Yet, it is not a topic to be feared, but rather, one to be understood, faced, and ultimately, overcome.
Charles Spurgeon, that great preacher of the 19th century, once said, "Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil and let us see what we are made of." For it is in the crucible of trials and temptations that our faith is tested and our character refined.
In the wilderness, we find Jesus, the Son of God, fasting and praying. He is preparing Himself for the ministry that lies ahead. It is here, in this place of solitude and spiritual intensity, that the devil chooses to strike. The first temptation he presents to Jesus is a direct attack on His physical needs and His identity. "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "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." Jesus answered him, "It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test." Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
In the wilderness, we find Jesus, the Son of God, in a state of physical weakness after fasting for forty days and forty nights ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO