Times of Testing
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Sermon Title - Times of Testing
Sermon Title - Times of Testing
Outline
I. The Spirit may lead you to strange places
2. The devil often attacks when we are most vulnerable
3. We can overcome temptation with the Word of God
4. Passing one test does not cancel future tests
This text was written by Luke the Physician to Theophilus. Luke's method for addressing Theophilus as "most excellent" indicates that he must have been a man of great wealth and status. Regardless, it was very important to Luke that he have a detailed account of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Theophilus was most likely a Gentile which dispels the thought that Christians were hostile to the Romans during Jesus' day.
I. The Spirit may lead you to strange places (v1)
Jesus operating under the power of God was led to a lonely place by the Spirit of God.
2. The devil often attacks when we are most vulnerable (v2)
Jesus, even while being full of the Spirit of God was still walking with the devil.
3. We can overcome temptation with the Word of God (v3-12)
We have to be on guard because it is possible that even while we are full of God's Spirit, we might be walking with the devil.
The devil tries to derail Jesus at the very beginning of His ministry.
4. Passing one test does not cancel future tests (v13)
This text was written by Luke the Physician to Theophilus. Luke's method for addressing Theophilus as "most excellent" indicates that he must have been a man of great wealth and status. Regardless, it was very important to Luke that he have a detailed account of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Theophilus was most likely a Gentile which dispels the thought that Christians were hostile to the Romans during Jesus' day.
The bible records that Jesus, operating under the power of God was led to a lonely place by the Spirit of God.
I. The Spirit may lead you to strange places (v1)
Jesus, even while being full of the Spirit of God was still walking with the devil.
We have to be on guard because it is possible that even while we are full of God's Spirit, we might be walking with the devil.
The devil tries to derail Jesus at the very beginning of His ministry.
You must understand that these were not ordinary temptations. They were messianic temptations. In other words, the impact of failure was not just a fractured relationship with God the Father. If Jesus does not pass this test, Calvary is compromised. Calvary is compromised because he enters Galilee without the POWER needed to carry out this monumental assignment of redemption of all mankind.
If he fails this temptation, the fulfillment of Jesus as the Messiah is compromised.
Those whom the devil are holding as captive will simply remain captive.
Because a good speech, a good lesson or even a good sounding sermon is not enough to free someone who is being held captive to the devil.
An emotional outburst is insufficient to free someone who is being held captive by the devil.
It does not matter how loud you preach or how much you speak in tongues, it is not enough to free someone that is being held captive by the devil.
That is why you can take an alcoholic to the Baptist church and they can leave an alcoholic.
You can take a crack head to the Catholic church and they will leave looking for a crack pipe.
You can take a serial adulterer or a fornicator to the COGIC church and they will leave looking for their next sexual encounter if they do not find it in the church.
It is because having the Spirit of God and the Power of God requires obedience. And so if Jesus fails this task, there can be no propitiation, no redemption, no justification because the unblemished lamb is now blemished.
And notice how God uses the wilderness to test even the God man.
Can I put a footnote right here to tell you that it is not uncommon for God to use the wilderness of life to TEST and TEMPT us and to cause us to return to him.
God often uses the wilderness to cause us to return to Him. There is a beautiful illustration in the Book of the prophet Hosea in the 2nd chapter where God gives the prophet a message about the nation of Israel. He uses the wife of Hosea as a metaphor for the nation of Israel. He instructs him to marry a lady of the evening, a professional woman and tells him that she will take on many lovers but regardless of how many lovers she takes on, she will not find what she is looking for. In fact, I'm going to provide her the food she is going to use to dine with them, the wine she will use to intoxicate them, the oil she will use to seduce them and the silver and gold they will use to worship idol Gods together.... But after a while, I'm going to take my grain, my wine in its season. I will take away the wool, the flax that I gave her to cover her nakedness and she will be exposed for all the world to see.
No one shall rescue her out of my hand. All of her mirth, feasts, new moons, Sabbaths and appointed feasts will come to an end and she will lie in waste. I will punish her for the idol worship and strip her of the jewelry that was used to bring glory to idol gods. Then I will lure here into the wilderness. I will speak tenderly to her there. And I will giver her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
Go and love a woman who loves another man, just like I love the children of Israel even though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.
This story occurs in a barren desert of a place. In the desert there is little to no sustenance. It is usually hot in the daytime, cold at night. There is little to no vegetation. There is little to no water. It is not heavily populated if at all.
Jesus was not lost in the wilderness.
He was not lured into the wilderness.
He was led into the wilderness by the Spirit.
Sometimes the Spirit will lead you to places that you otherwise might not go. Sometimes the Spirit will lead you into doing things you otherwise might not do. Sometimes the Spirit will lead you to do things that others might not understand.
It is relevant because God used the wilderness as a teaching, testing and training ground for the children of Israel. Just like God used the wilderness as a teaching, testing and training ground for the children of Israel and even his only begotten Son, He will use the same for you and I.
2. The devil often attacks when we are most vulnerable (v2)
Temptation is a major challenge in the lives and hearts of all Christians, including the pastor. And if we are going to endure temptation, we have to get to a place that when the devil comes knocking on the doors of our heart, asking “WHO LIVES HERE”, Jesus goes to the door for us and says, SHILLOW USED TO LIVE HERE BUT HE IS NOT HERE ANYMORE, I LIVE HERE.
And he shows the devil his nail-scarred hands. The piercing in his side and the holes in his feet.
Temptation often comes not at our strongest, but our weakest moments. When we are at the limit of our patience, love, etc., we are tempted to be unChristian. Beware, Jesus’ temptation began after 40 days of fasting.
People usually are more impressed when they see us act under pressure. One weak act may spoil a whole lifetime of witness.
NOTICE that The testing takes place BEFORE Jesus moves into incredible miracles which suggests to me that before you do anything great for the Lord, you will need to be tested.
Because Jesus endured temptation, we can endure temptation.
Let’s examine how he endured temptation.
3. We can overcome temptation with the Word of God (v3-12)
Test 1 - v3-4, Turn this stone into bread
Test 2 - v5-8, Worship me and I will give you all of this
Test 3 - v9-12, Demonstrate your power
4. This will not be your last test
So here’s my advice.
Scenario #1 - I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in because I am lost. I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes a few days to find a way out.
Scenario #2 – I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend to not see the hole. I fall in again. I can’t believe I’m in the same place. But it isn’t my fault. It takes me a long time to get out. But finally, I get myself out.
Scenario #3 – I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see the hole is still there but out of habit, with eyes wide open, I fall in. Now this one is my fault. It still takes a long time for me to get out.
Scenario #4 – I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I WALK AROUND IT.
Scenario #5 – I walk down a different street.
Our problem is that we keep walking down the same street, pretending there is no hole, never taking responsibility for falling in the hole.
STOP WALKING DOWN THE SAME STREET.