February 25, 2007

  Pastor Dan Selbo

 

"Facing Temptation”

Luke 4:1-13

 

            Let’s start out today by stating a simple reality and that is that there’s not a person here today who hasn’t faced tempting situations. And there’s not a person here today who, at one time or another, hasn’t given in to the temptations they’ve faced. Let’s face it: temptation can be tempting. And facing temptation is a reality for every one of us.

            It’s like the little boy who was saving money to buy a new bicycle. (I think we can all relate to his story.) His plan was to save his nickels, dimes, and quarters until he had enough. And so every night he prayed, “Dear Lord, help me save my money to buy a new bike.” And then he prayed, “And, Dear Lord, please don’t let the ice cream man come down our street again tomorrow.”

            Or it’s like the man who had committed himself to shedding a few extra pounds, and who had even gone so far as to share his commitment with his fellow workers, but who one day showed up at work with a gigantic coffee cake. All of his co-workers were surprised (didn’t know what to say), but he said not to worry. He said this one was different. He said “As I was driving to work, I drove by this bakery and saw in the window this delicious coffee cake. And so I prayed, ‘Lord, if you want me to buy that coffee cake, let there be an open parking spot right in the front.’ And sure enough, the eighth time around the block, there it was!”

            Let’s face it. Temptation can be tempting. And facing temptation is a reality for every one of us. The Bible says, “Temptations to sin are sure to come.” It’s not a question of whether or not we’re going to face temptation. It’s a question of what are we going to do when it happens? What are you going to do when temptation becomes real?

            Well, today’s story is one that takes this topic of temptation head-on. It’s the story of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the desert, “where for forty days,” Luke tells us, “He was tempted by the devil.” It’s also a story in which we find a number of important lessons (things we can learn from Jesus) about facing our own temptations.

            Let’s start out (before turning to the story, to the lessons we find) with a couple of important reminders. One is there’s nothing wrong with being tempted. I think we all know that. (We’ve said this before.) To be tempted into doing something wrong isn’t wrong. Jesus was tempted. (In fact, the Bible says Jesus was tempted as much if not more than we are.)

            After all, if the devil could have made Jesus sin, he would have won the battle. If he comes after you or me, which he does, you have to know that he must have come after Jesus.  There’s nothing wrong with being tempted. Jesus was tempted. It only becomes wrong when you cross the line, when you give in.

            And then, second, every time you give in to temptation, every time you cross that line – with every sin there’s a consequence. The Bible says, “You reap what you sow.” And depending upon what you sow, the consequences can have serious and lasting effects.

            Now, I’m not going to go into any detail, but over the years of my ministry I’ve seen and counseled with many people whose sin has had a tremendous impact on their lives. For years, the decisions they made have continued to haunt them.

            To think sin doesn’t have its consequences is to not be thinking clearly. And to think those consequences aren’t lasting is to be blind to the power they have. (The Bible’s not fooling around.) The seeds you sow, more often than not, end up being the very product (down the road) you reap.

            Well, the good news today is that Jesus was tempted (just like we are), but never gave in. And because He never gave in, He was able to become your Savior. And even though the consequences of sin can and do have lasting and powerful effects, even more lasting and powerful are the effects of God’s forgiveness in your life.

            And so, what are we to do when faced with temptation? What are you to do when the temptations you face become real? Let’s talk for a moment about the story (follow along on your outline if you’d like), and then let’s see what lessons we can learn.

            First, about the story: Now, if you remember the story, you remember that Jesus was tempted by the devil three times. Luke says, in three different ways, the devil came at Jesus to tempt Him.

            First, it was the temptation to turn stone into bread. After forty days without food, Luke tells us, Jesus was hungry. (I read that verse and I think “No kidding!”) Most of us have never gone forty hours, let alone forty days. The first temptation was to turn stone into bread.

            The second was to gain kingdoms in exchange for submission. The devil said, “If only you will worship me, all of this will be yours.” He said, “All these kingdoms you see? They’ll all belong to you if only you’ll submit.”

            And then third was the temptation to put God to the test. From the highest peak atop the Jerusalem Temple, “Throw yourself down,” he said, “and see if God’s promises are real…If you are the Son of God,” he said, “then jump from the top and see if what God has said to you is true.”

            Three times Jesus was tempted by the devil, and three times Jesus resisted the temptation. Luke closes the story by telling us, “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left Jesus until an opportune time.”

            Now, that’s the story (at least in summary). Jesus was tempted by the devil and He never gave in. Let’s talk about some of the lessons we can learn (and there are a number of lessons in the story).

            Number one: know the enemy. Know the enemy. Now, we don’t spend a lot of time talking about the enemy. Most of our time we spend talking about our Advocate (the Holy Spirit) and about our Savior (Jesus) and about what God (as Father) has done and continues to do for us. Most of our time isn’t spent talking about the enemy. But given the fact that he’s real, perhaps we should spend more time.

            More than just the existence of evil, the devil is an enemy on the attack. “Like a roaring lion,” the Bible says, who can’t wait for its next meal, the devil is on the prowl. If it was only a matter of evil in our world, then it would simply be a matter of avoiding it. But it’s not just evil. It’s an evil one. And the evil one has many names. He’s Satan. He’s the Deceiver. He’s the ruler of this world. He’s the Tempter. He’s a snake. And he’s out to get us. He’s out to get you.

            In fact, did you notice in the story that the devil went after Jesus where He was most vulnerable? (It’s true.) Jesus was hungry. (The devil tempted him with bread.) Jesus was on the front-end of His ministry. (The devil promised Him all the kingdoms of the world.) Jesus had just been baptized and heard the voice that He was the Son of God. (The devil challenged Him with whether or not it was true.)

            One of the first lessons when facing temptation is to know the enemy. He’s a deceiver. He’s out to get you. And he’ll come after you where you’re most vulnerable. And he’ll lie and he’ll get you to think that just once is OK. But it’s not. He’s not your friend. He’s your enemy. And he’ll try to convince you it’s good, but it’s not.

            Years ago, one of my friends gave me some good advice. He said, “If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.” He said, “If there’s anything suspicious, it probably is!” Now, I still think that’s good advice. (Even though our conscience isn’t always our best guide, sometimes it is.) What certainly isn’t is the one who’s out to deceive. He’s a cheat. He’s a liar. Wherever he shows up, trouble’s not far away. Number one: Know the enemy.

            Number two: Trust the Word. Trust the Word. Now, again, three times Jesus was tempted. And three times the temptations failed. How come? Because Jesus trusted the Word.

            Remember the story? “It is written,” Jesus said, “Man does not live by bread alone. It is written,” Jesus said, “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only. It is written,” Jesus said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

            Now, there are a couple of things here worth mentioning. One is that Jesus understood the difference between a test and a temptation. And He knew that both tests and temptations play significant parts in life.

            Now, they are different. And they’re different in many ways. The devil is the one who tempts. God is the one who tests. The devil wants you to fail. God wants you to succeed. The devil is trying to drag you down, working for your destruction. God is trying to build you up, working to make you strong.

            Jesus understood the difference between a temptation and a test. And the reality was that both were taking place at the same time. Remember the story? Luke says, “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, where for forty days He was tempted.”

            Have you ever thought about that, about how a temptation of the devil can also be a test of your faith? About how the temptations the devil uses to bring you down can also, at the same time, be the tests God uses to make you strong?

            Now, we need to be careful here, because God never tempts us. God never tempts you. He’ll never do anything in your life with the intent of causing you to fail. (That’s not what was happening in the story.) But He will do things in your life (allow things in your life) that will help you to become strong.

            Just think about it. When in your life have you experienced the greatest spiritual growth? Is it not in those times when you’ve been tested? And what is it God wants in your life – the end result? Is it not for you to grow in your faith? Luke says, “Jesus was led by the Spirit, where for forty days He was tempted.” Is it wrong to think that God might use the temptations of your life as tests to enable you to grow?

            My friends, more often than not, the temptations of the devil and the tests of God are closely related. What’s important is to understand the difference. What’s important is to never give in. Jesus understood the difference, and He never gave in. He fought the temptation by trusting in the Word. And by trusting in the Word, He also passed the test. Number two: Trust the Word.

            Number three: Believe the promise. Did you know that Jesus made a promise to you when it comes to the temptations of your life? (He did.) He said, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.” And He said, “God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with every temptation will also provide a way of escape.”

            I don’t know about you, but I need to hear that promise. Because, honestly, there have been times in my life (there are times in my life) when temptation is real. And it sounds so good. And it seems so innocent. And it’s hard to resist. The promise is that I can (that you can), that even in those times when it seems like there’s no way out, the promise is there is.

            The secret to resisting temptation is not to wait until it happens, but to prepare for it before it does. We teach our confirmation kids to not wait until they’re tempted to figure out what’s right. Figure out what’s right before the temptation ever happens. And when you do, it’ll help you to resist.

            John Wooden used to tell his basketball players before practice that “To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail. If you don’t work hard in practice,” he said, “you’ll never be able to perform in the game.”

            It’s the same thing in the Christian life. The things we do every week (the times we pray, read our Bibles, what we’re doing right now), this isn’t the game. It’s the practice session. It’s where we sharpen our skills. The game is in the test. The game is when you’re tempted. But if you’ve put in the preparation, you’ll be ready. If you haven’t, you won’t.

            The promise is that there’s always a way of escape and that God is faithful, and He’ll never allow you to be tempted beyond your ability to resist. And so, number three: believe the promise.

            And #4 (and this is where the story leads): Know the enemy, trust the Word, believe the promise, and cling to Christ.

            This weekend, as you know, is the first in the season of Lent. It’s a time in the life of the Church when we remember the path Jesus walked and the reason He did. The path was one that led to the cross and resulted in His death. And the reason He walked it was because of our sin and His love for you and for me.

            But there are a couple of interesting parallels between the forty days Jesus was in the desert and the forty days in Lent in which you and I walk with Jesus toward the cross. One is that those forty days in the desert were not only about Jesus’ temptation, but they were also about our salvation. Jesus was working out our salvation in the desert. Jesus was able to save you because He never gave in to sin.

            That’s what Paul was saying in his letter the Romans. He says, “For as by one man’s disobedience (talking about Adam) the many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience (talking about Christ) the many will be made righteous.”

            That’s the first parallel. Jesus was remaining obedient, and thereby becoming the One who would and who could save us from our sin. The second is that He was also being tempted, and as a result of being tempted, was enabled to understand our needs.

            The writer to the Hebrews says, “For we do not have a High Priest unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

            My friends, Jesus knows your struggles. He knows the things that tempt. And He’s there to help you face those temptations and to resist when the time comes. Don’t ever forget His promise. Don’t ever lose sight of His presence in your life.

            But in those times when you do fail (when you have failed) and when the temptation becomes too great and you give in, don’t ever forget the price He paid and the reason for which He died.

            “Led by the Spirit, for forty days Jesus was tempted by the devil.” But He never gave in. He passed every test. And He paid the price for your salvation and mine.

            And so know the enemy. Trust the Word. Believe the promise. And cling to Christ. Amen.