Tempted And Tried. (Hix)

The Full Fly

A fly was buzzing along one morning when he saw a lawn mower someone had left out in their front yard. He flew over and sat on the handle, watching the

children going down the sidewalk on their way to school.

But one little boy tripped on a crack and fell, spilling his lunch on the

sidewalk. He picked himself up, put his lunch back in the bag and went on. But

he missed a piece of bologna. The fly had not eaten that morning and he sure was hungry. So he flew down and started eating the bologna.

In fact the fly ate so much bologna that he could not fly, so he waddled across

the sidewalk, across the lawn, up the wheel of the lawn mower, up the handle,

and sat there resting.

But there was still some bologna laying there on the sidewalk. He was really

stuffed, but that baloney sure did look good.

Finally temptation got the best of him and he jumped off the handle of the lawn

mower to fly over to the baloney. But he was too full to fly and he went

splat!!, killing him instantly.

Now, you know the moral of the story: Don’t fly off the handle when you are full

of baloney.

The Spirit led Jesus into the mountain there He was tempted. Folks, that means

that the Spirit led Jesus in the mountain where the tempter was waiting for Him.

But keep in mind that God tempts no man. The devil sends temptation to make us stumble. God allows temptation so that we might stand firm. So, God allowed

Jesus to be tempted by the devil.

What are you doing son ? the storekeeper asked a little boy whose eyes

were on a large basket of apples outside the storefront. Are you trying to steal

one of my apples ? No sir, replied the little boy…I’m trying not to.

Jesus chose to fulfill his vocation in God's way. In Matthew 26:26, Jesus

takes bread, breaks it, gives to his disciples and says, Take, eat; this is my

body. Because he didn't turn the stones into bread, he was able to offer himself

up as the bread of life. I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not

hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

When Jesus was tempted in the physical He affirmed the spiritual.

Jesus said it is written that man shall not live by bread alone but every Word that comes from the mouth of God.

Jesus did not say man does not need bread but that is not the important thing.

The most important thing is the Word of God. Man shall not live by bread alone.

Bread should not be the thing that consumes the life of the believer.

Listen, out of the mouth of God shall provide a man with bread. He fed the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years and that was child play to Him.

Listen God gives me the desire for food so that He can feed me.

One of these days I am going to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb and I won’t have to carry a covered dish but feast from the table prepared by the Savior.

Jump off the Temple

Jesus quoted Scripture to counter Satan, now Satan uses scripture…it is

written

So you’re going to trust God—here’s a perfect opportunity…see IF He’s really

with you in this mission [Ps 91:11,12] -- prove to yourself you are who you say!

If He sends the angels…you can stroll into Jerusalem and the mission’s

accomplished!

Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:16—Jesus refuses to force God to prove

himself

Now the second temptation was from the realm of the emotional. The devil carried Jesus to the highest point of the temple and said if you are the Son of God cast yourself down for God will see to it that the angels will keep you from being hurt.

There would be a lot of people traveling to the temple to pray and to give of

their first fruits. Jesus, just through yourself down, the angels will keep you

from being hurt and you will be instantly famous. You won’t have to travel the

dusty roads of Jerusalem trying to win people to heaven; people will know who

you are.

Wonder how many have sold out their obedience to God to be accepted by man?

Wonder how many look for the approval of man over the approval of God?

Bow Down and Worship Me

Now the third temptation of Satan to Jesus was in the realm of the spiritual.

Satan said if you will worship me, I will give you all that you can see. In a