The Deadly Progression Of Sin Series

TEMPTATION SEEMS GOOD – v. 14 – I don’t consider myself to be an expert fisherman. Never caught a big wall-hanger bass. Lots of bream w/ a cane pole w/ crickets sitting on the bank of my Pappaw’s pond as a kid.

But there’s a couple of things I do know about fishing – things that are pretty consistent across the board: There’s always some kind of bait or lure involved. And there’s always a hook involved. Whether that bait is crickets or minnows or worms or stink bait – whether that lure is a topwater lure or a spinner bait or a crank bait or a plastic worm, it’s used to get that fish’s attention, ignite a desire inside that fish brain, & draw that fish in closer. The desired end result is that that fish will be overcome w/ desire, give into the temptation, & take that bait or lure into his mouth so that his enemy – the fisherman in the boat or the little kid sitting on a bucket on the bank – can set that hook, reel him in, & usually kill him & eat him.

What is the bait that the enemy uses most against you? What is the lure that he drops in front of you?

TEMPTATION LEADS TO DEATH – v. 15 – The moment you go for it & take the bait, the hook is set & conception takes place. Just as the conception of a child leads to the joyful anticipation of birth, so we think that this thing that we have taken hold of will bring us joy. But James is very graphic here. Instead of their being a joyful moment of the birth of a beautiful child, the child is stillborn, leading to incredible grief & pain. The temptation that looked so appealing – the lure that seemed so enticing – the anticipated pleasure that seemed so possible – ends in death. Pain, grief, suffering, & death are the end result of those times that we give in to temptation.

And the death that comes doesn’t just affect you. The ripple effects can go on for generations.

- Tim Klein & Jason Wells – best friends & experienced rock climbers. In June 2018, climbing El Capitan. Speed-climbing. Not using usual safety precautions. Wells slipped off the rock wall & began to fall. He then pulled Klein off the wall & both fell 1000 feet to their deaths.

- That’s what happens when you & I give in to temptation & take the bait. We are pulled away from the safety of our walk w/ the Lord & begin pulling others away as we fall.

- One unguarded moment. One decision. One fall can lead to a multitude of other lives being affected. Marriages, families, churches, businesses, schools, nations – so many needlessly suffer b/c of our decision to try to cheat death & give in to temptation. The phrase “Just this once” has led to the death of many lives, many friendships, many marriages, & many families.

BUT GOD OFFERS SOMETHING BETTER! – v. 16-18 – So often in times of trials or temptations, we tend to forget how good our God truly is. So James remind us that our God is the Great Giver of all good gifts.

- He is the Sovereign Creator & Father of the heavenly lights who is intimately concerned about each of His children.