Sermon Tone Analysis



October 24, 2021

Front Porch Meetings

Readying for Return - No pressure

Pastor's Pandemic Letter

Fabulous Appreciation - Thank you from Me and Michelle & Family

And Lead Us Not Into Temptation,

But Deliver Us From Evil

Matthew 6:13

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

James 1:2 - 4

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

James 1: 13-15

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

START HERE

Petition #6

Today, we're continuing our teaching on the last petition found in the Lord's Prayer.

It is the 6th Petition found in Matthew 6:13 . . .

and it reads:

NKJV

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil [or, the evil one]: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

The focus of this petition is on understanding temptation and applying God's deliverance from it.

Ultimately, this petition is about embracing God's holiness and while enjoying God's divine protection.

We'll understand all this better as our discussion of this petition unfolds.

When we're last together, my address of this petition was intended to tenderize our hearts to ready us for receiving some radical truths about what Jesus meant when He instructed us to pray in Matthew 9:13:

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

This week, we are ready to go "all in" in our understanding and application of petition #6.

In the way of a quick review, let me remind of what we've already talked about thus far.

So, regarding praying: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil .... on its face, it looks like we're asking or begging God to do something that contradicts His nature and character: "To lead us not into temptation."

* Does God lead us into temptation?

Is He leading us into temptation?

* Are we asking God to not lead us somewhere that He Himself does not want us to go or be, yet He would allow it?

* You mean, we have to ask God to lead us not into temptation?

And if we don't ask Him, does that mean we are prone to be tempted?

Does it leave us vulnerable to temptation?

All of these rationalizations couldn't be further from the truth.

Yet, Matthew 6:13 could become more confusing when paired with James 1:13 which says:

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

It is not in God's nature to tempt me or you to sin! So, why does it sound like we are asking Him to lead us not into temptation in Matthew 6, verse 13?

The truth is that this verse is not telling us to pray to God to lead us not into temptation as if He might; or to deliver us from evil as if we are hopelessly subject to evil.

Not at all.

Rather, this petition is saying - "In addition to praying Petitions 4 and 5, which are: Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us as we forgive -- It is right to pray "Petition #6 which asks God for guidance and protection from evil.

They all work together for our divine existence.

"Lead us not into temptation" does not mean that God tempts His children because (James 1:13 says: God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

So, what are we saying or asking here?

In this petition, we are asking God to guide us so that we won't get out of His will and get involved in situations of temptation (1 John 5:18) or even in situations of tempting God so that He has to [or must] miraculously rescue us.

(Matt.

4:5-7).

Other ways of looking at it would be that we are praying to God in this way:

* "Lord, Don't leave me to be tempted, but deliver me from every evil encounter by going with me through them."

(I must remember that You will not put more on me than I can bear.

And, You will always supply me with what I need to do Your will.

Even a way of escape.

Or

* As You are leading me, there are times I will invariably and imminently encounter temptation.

But lead me through it.

Give me the wisdom to recognize Your hand and Your prefixed escape.

or

* God, You are leading us.

As You lead us, as you lead me, even in that leading I will encounter temptation(s) along the way, but deliver me unscathed from intended evil that is designed to set me back or overthrow me.

The bottom line to Petition #6 is that when we pray it as Jesus intended, then in our hearts we are expressing a healthy, honest distrust in our own ability and power to resist temptations or to stand against it under trial.

We are acknowledging complete dependence on God for preservation and protection when we pray lead us not into temptation.

And when we add "But deliver us from the evil one", we are crying out of our hearts for daily salvation and deliverance from sin, temptation and, Satan's schemes as we strive to live holy lives for God.

This should be the prayer of every child of God.

It should be prayed as passionately as we pray: Let Thy Kingdom come in its fullness.

So, this part of the petition should too be prayed fervently by Believers in desperate desire to be kept from sin by the power of God.

So, to simplify for application purposes, we are instructed by our Lord to pray:

Lord in our daily walk, protect us from yielding to imminent temptation of all kinds (especially those from the evil one), but bless me to place my trust in You as the only One who can completely deliver me and all of Your children from evil . . . the evil one and evil ways.

Don't let me be tempted to trust in my self or my resources for deliverance, but to trust in You only who alone delivers from all and every evil and temptation.

Jeremiah 10:23 & 24

23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;

It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

24 O Lord, correct me, but with justice;

Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.

Protect me from myself.

Bless me to never trust myself, or smarts or resources.

Bless me never to lean unto my own understanding, but in all my ways to acknowledge You.

Now, one thing that should be made clear and that is that though God does not tempt us with evil, He does sometimes allow us to be led into the place where temptation will be faced or encountered.

Don't think that God always navigates us around temptation.

If He did, our Christian life would be totally uneventful and unrealistic.

And we know that is not true.

In fact, we do know that "All who will live godly, shall suffer persecution."

(harassment)

1. 2 Timothy 3:12

Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

2. 2 Corinthians 12:10

That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ.

For when I am weak, then I am strong.

3. 2 Thessalonians 1:4

We proudly tell God's other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering.

How many of you believe that though God does not tempt us with evil, He does sometimes allow us to be led into the place where temptation will be faced or encountered?

It doesn't mean that God is tempting us.

What it means is that He is allowing us to be .

Let's now look more holistically at how temptation, trials, and tests work in our Christian walk.

First, not all temptation is from Satan; A good bit of our encounters with temptation is actually allowed by God and for good reason.

The more we understand this the better we will be at recognizing a temptation and thus able to defeat it.

Let's turn to the Book of James for a little help.