Temptation
An attorney was sitting in his office late one night, when the Devil appeared before him. The Devil told the lawyer, /’I have a proposition for you. You can win every case you try, for the rest of your life. Your clients will adore you, your colleagues will stand in awe of you, and you will make embarrassing sums of money. All I want in exchange is your soul, your wife/’s soul, your children/’s souls, the souls of your parents, grandparents, and parents-in-law, and the souls of all of your friends and law partners./’ The lawyer thought about this for a moment, then asked, /’So, what/’s the catch?/’
Not all temptations present themselves as overtly evil:
Last week a good friend told me a story of a time when he visited a place in a remote part of Oregon - normally dry and dusty, the citizens of this community had transformed the place into a paradise. There were lush gardens, huge bookstores and top notch facilities. All the women were beautiful. All the men were probably hot too but he was too busy looking at the women. In addition, he knew that this place had a very "free love" philosophy. Everyone was so nice and welcoming - it was very intoxicating. In that huge bookstore they had a whole section for James Dobson books - right next to one for Buddha.
It was a very attractive and tempting place - but my friend, who is a Christian, also sensed an evil in that place - it was an eerie, spiritual sense - but he felt it none the less. The place he was visiting was Rashneesh Puram - home to the Baghwhan Shree Rashneesh. This was the same group who tried to poison a U.S. attorney and were later run out of town. Now it/’s a youth camp owned by Young Life - I like the irony of that.
The subject of today is temptation. Someone once paraphrased a famous prayer: "lead us not into temptation for we can find the way ourselves." Temptation seems to find us in all kinds of places - and often when we least expect it.
Temptation is when you want to do something that glorifies self rather than glorifies God. Sin is when you actually do it. It/’s not wrong to be tempted. In fact, as a Christian, you will be tempted. The question is what we will do with it. Jesus too experienced temptation - and how He handled it gives us real instruction on how to face our enemy - the devil, who comes much more subtly than to the attorney - but with no less evil intent.
Verses 1 - 2
A couple of things to notice here.
1. Jesus was led "by the Spirit" to be tempted by Satan. Doesn/’t that seem a little odd? Doesn/’t God always lead us along garden paths full of good things and joy and peace? Yet here the Spirit leads Jesus to a time of great personal struggle and temptation. Why? I/’ve often wondered about this. Was there ever any question that Jesus would fail? I don/’t think so. So why did God do it and why did Satan do it?
2. Was Lucifer simply a puppet playing out some divine show? I don/’t think that either. I think Satan would try anything to disrupt God/’s plans - even if he knew it was a suicide mission. Clearly from some of the rest of this chapter, the demons already knew who Jesus was - so their master would have too.
The testing I think wasn/’t so much to find out whether Jesus would fail but to prove that He would succeed against any odds.
3. Notice too that Jesus was hungry. He really went 40 days without food. It is humanly possible, but on the far fringes of possibility. So He was weak and probably tired too. Ever tried to camp out in the wilderness for a night or two? How about 40 nights?
And that/’s when Satan pounces. You know, Satan knows just the right time to strike you too. Do you often wonder why when you are discouraged something really awful happens? When you are weak some big temptation just happens to come along. It/’s no accident.
Satan/’s temptations here go along a very important path:
Verses 3 - 13
This is familiar territory for the devil. These three temptations are of the same ilk that he used of the first human he encountered in the Garden of Eden: Eve. In Genesis 3 Satan, in the guise of a serpent, got Eve to do the one thing God told her not to do: eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil.
Satan did it by getting Eve to doubt God/’s Word that if they ate of it they would die.
Genesis 3:5-6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. ESV
Later the Apostle John would put it this way:
1 John 2:16-17 For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. NKJV
For Eve the lust of the eyes ("delight to the eyes"), lust of the flesh ("good for food") and pride of life ("make one wise"). This is the same stuff here - lust of the flesh (hunger), lust of the eyes (power), and pride of life (being bullet proof).
Notice two important things. 1. Jesus combats Satan by God/’s Word. Even the Son of God didn/’t take authority over Satan by Himself. That/’s a lesson we should never forget.
Secondly, notice that the needs themselves were not evil. It was not bad to eat bread, Jesus would own the entire world and all the kingdoms, and it was true that the angels would protect Jesus until it was time for Him to die.
What would have been bad is how those desires were fulfilled. Creating bread would have circumvented what God wanted Jesus to go through then. It would have cut short an important trial. Having authority isn/’t bad - but having it at the price of what you worship is. Too often in our society we bow at the altar of Mammon and don/’t realize how much we worship it, and not God. And having God/’s protection isn/’t bad either - but to test God; to make Him prove His love and protection - that isn/’t right.
So the Devil had finally had enough - after "every" temptation he left - until he could find another time of weakness to attack - and he found one (the crucifixion).
Verses 14 - 22
Here/’s where Jesus really sets the stage for His ministry - and for those who knew the Scriptures, He was saying He was the Messiah. He does this back home in Nazareth. At first it seems like everyone is going to accept Him in this new role, but Jesus knows better.
Jesus read from Isaiah 61 - which was a proclamation of release from the bondage of the children of Israel in Babylon. Jesus would release us from the bondage of sin.
So then it comes out - after the wonder and awe: "Isn/’t this just Joseph/’s little boy - the one who was rumored to be really the son of a Roman soldier?"
Verses 23 - 30
This is a pretty incredible story. I think in some ways the people were having a pretty double standard. On the one hand they downplayed Jesus but on the other hand - when their lack of faith precluded Him from performing any miracles - they became indignant. I think they thought that because Jesus was a Nazareth boy that they somehow owned him - and when Jesus didn/’t deliver they thought it their right to do away with him. Wow. Jesus/’ point here is to illustrate that the Jews would reject one of their own sons as the Messiah, even as the people of His home town rejected Him.
Why did they get so mad? It may have also been that Jesus was telling them that God was going to reach beyond the borders not only of Nazareth but of Israel - to the Gentiles. But look at what Jesus does - simply walks through their midst. Was this a miracle or did He just slip away in the confusion. Whatever the case, it wasn/’t yet time for Jesus to die. By the way, there is no record of Him ever returning to Nazareth.
Verses 31 - 37
Capernaum became a sort of headquarters for Jesus and He returned there often. Capernaum was a thriving city - not so much today, but you can see the ruins - even what is reported to be Peter/’s house. It had Jewish as well as Roman influences so it was perfect for Jesus/’ ministry to get out of just the Jewish culture.
This is the first miracle that Luke records. Compare that with the beginning of the chapter. There is absolutely no doubt who is in control and who the victor is. Jesus could have said to Satan - "be destroyed!" and it would have happened. But that/’s not the way God wanted it, so Jesus was tempted. The demon knew two things: that Jesus came to destroy them (which He will) and that He was the Messiah.
Jesus simply tells the demon to "shut up!" Though what it said was true, it wasn/’t time for that proclamation yet - people were still looking for a political Messiah. And proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah without the cross would be an invalid understanding. Besides - we shouldn/’t ever let the enemy proclaim God/’s truth.
Verses 38 - 41
Let/’s get one thing straight here - Jesus didn/’t heal Peter/’s mother-in-law because he was hungry and wanted someone to fix supper. This woman is so completely healed and so completely grateful that she desires to serve the Master - as we should all be so grateful for what He has done in healing us from sin.
I notice something else that is common to Jesus/’ miracles. Jesus doesn/’t barge in and say - "you/’re sick, let me heal you." He waits until others implore Him to heal - or later it is the people themselves that come and beg to be released. Jesus is a gentleman and will not force Himself on anyone and it is still that way today.
Hebrews 11:6-7 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. ESV
Verses 42 - 44
Look at the contrast here to Nazareth. The people here were so hungry to hear Him teach and see Him heal that they wanted to hold on to Him and keep Him from leaving. The self satisfied, self aggrandized people of Nazareth wanted to own Him - but at the same time control Him. You can/’t do that with Jesus. You come to Him out of your desperate need for Him, not for how He can fit into your plans.
Conclusions
How To Fight Temptation
1. Be filled with the Spirit
Have an active relationship with God - the more you neglect it the more vulnerable you are to succumbing to temptation.
Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit , and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh ESV
2. Know that you will be tempted & recognize when it/’s happening
1 Peter 5:8-10 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ESV
3. The temptation usually involves self gratification
James 1:12-15 Let no one say when he is tempted , "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. ESV
Temptation in some way usually involves walking away from God, hiding from God, or doing something you wouldn/’t do in God/’s presence.
4. Look for the cheat
The devil likes to take ordinary needs and get us to get it for ourselves by means that doesn/’t glorify God
5. Always point back to God/’s Word.
You won/’t find the answer to every problem, but God/’s Word teaches us how to think like Jesus so we know how we should and shouldn/’t act.
6. Look for the way of escape
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
ESV
1. Trials (Verses 1 - 13). Often it is the same with us as with Jesus. First we are tested and burned and broken and molded, then we declare God/’s truth and do God/’s actions. Otherwise we are much more apt to fall to temptation - maybe not to sin (though that/’s possible) but to pride or power or greed or something else.
The key is at the beginning of the chapter "And Jesus full of the Holy Spirit."
2. (Verses 5 - 8) Satan owns this planet. We gave it to him. Jesus came to take it back and He/’s coming to lay claim to that ownership soon.
3. (Verse 13) Just because you withstand a temptation doesn/’t mean you are impervious. Satan went away from Jesus until "an opportune time." That/’s why Peter said:
4. In Nazareth (Verses 16 - 30). Don/’t let the fact that you know someone - or knew them before they were saved or when they were young - keep you from being ministered to by them.
5. (Verses 31 - 27 - telling the demons to be quiet) Notice that Jesus is more interested in hurting the enemy and helping people than in titles and recognition for Himself. I fear that sometimes we do the opposite. If doing something means abasing ourselves or taking a lower place or staying out of the limelight and not getting the credit in order to help someone we can have a tendency to shy away.
Mark 9:35 "If anyone would be first , he must be last of all and servant of all." ESV
6. (Verses 38 - 44) The news of healing spread fast - but it wasn/’t Jesus/’ first responsibility. People are firstly interested in having their physical needs met - food, health, security. But Jesus knew that meeting these needs was only temporary. He might heal a body that is destined for hell. For Him, and for us, the first focus needs to be on spreading the gospel - to heal the soul as well as the body.
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