September 30

Lesson: Matthew 6.13a

Sermon Title: Temptations and Tempters

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Conflict (1)

There was a church where the preacher and the song leader were not getting along. As time went by this began to spill over into the worship service.

The first week the preacher preached on commitment and how we all should dedicate ourselves to the service of God. The song leader lead the song "I Shall not be Moved."

The second week the preacher preached on tithing and how we all should gladly give to the work of the Lord. The song leader lead the song "Jesus Paid it All."

The third week the preacher preached on gossiping and how we should all watch our tongues. The song leader led the song "I Love to Tell the Story."

With all this going on, the preacher became very disgusted over the situation and the following Sunday told the congregation that he was considering resigning. The song leader lead the song "Oh Why Not Tonight?"

As it came to pass, the preacher did indeed resign. The next week he informed the church that it was Jesus who led him there and it was Jesus that was taking him away. The song leader lead the song "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."

J J J J J

Two lawyers met one day after work (2)

"The most amazing thing happened to me last night,'" said the first one. "I was working, and suddenly the devil was standing before me, right there in my office! He told me that in exchange for my soul, I could become a United States Senator!"

"Great!" says his friend. "But what's the catch?"

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INTRODUCTION:

  1. What's the catch?

    1. We are tempted and tried!

    2. There is a song with that theme titled, "Farther Along". (3)

Tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all the day long;
While there are others living about us,
Never molested, though in the wrong.

Sometimes I wonder why I must suffer,
Go in the rain, the cold, and the snow,
When there are many living in comfort,
Giving no heed to all I can do.

Tempted and tried, how often we question
Why we must suffer year after year,
Being accused by those of our loved ones,
E'en though we've walked in God's holy fear.

Often when death has taken our loved ones,
Leaving our home so lone and so drear,
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.

"Faithful till death," saith our loving Master;
Short is our time to labor and wait;
Then will our toiling seem to be nothing,
When we shall pass the heavenly gate.

Soon we will see our dear, loving Savior,
Hear the last trumpet sound through the sky;
Then we will meet those gone on before us,
Then we shall know and understand why.

Refrain:
Farther along we'll know more about it,
Farther along we'll understand why;
Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand it all by and by

    1. What's the catch?

    2. We pray:

And do not lead us into temptation, (Matthew 6.13a, NKJV).

    1. Or as the NRSV translates this phrase:

And do not bring us to the time of trial, (Matthew 6:13a, NRSVA).

      1. What's the catch?

      2. Is there a catch?

  1. Does God lead us into temptation?

    1. What do the scriptures tell us about temptations.

      1. Where do they come from?

      2. What resources do we have to meet and conquer them?

    2. Should we pay attention so that we might learn and live?

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MAIN BODY:

  1. Robert C. Leslie, in the chapter Command the Morning of "Man's Search for a Meaningful Faith," pp 58-59 writes about John Steinbeck's book, East of Eden.

    1. East of Eden. In the novel a contemporary family relives the story of Cain and Abel.

      1. Adam Trask has two sons, Caleb and Aaron. Like the biblical Cain, Caleb feels that his brother is favored over him by their father.

      2. In East of Eden Caleb does not kill his brother, as Cain killed Abel. But he has many of the same angry feelings toward him.

      3. Eventually Caleb plays a part in the events that lead to Aaron's death.

      4. In the biblical story, Cain's punishment was to be "a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth." He was sent out of Eden and "dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden." (4) (See also Genesis 4:8-16.)

      5. Through the lips of Lee, the servant companion, Steinbeck says:

    "I think this is the best-known story in the world because it is everybody's story...I think everyone in the world to a large or small extent has felt rejection. And with rejection comes anger, and with anger some kind of crime in revenge for the rejection, and with the crime guilt-and there is the story of mankind...."

      1. Steinbeck is interested in more than the story of rejection and the crime that easily results out of anger.

        1. The Cain and Abel story is the story of mankind because it deals with how man handles sin.

        2. Steinbeck notes that in the biblical record there is a sentence that can be translated in several ways.

          1. In talking about how sin always is lying in wait, "couching at the door," the record goes on to say: "But you must master it" (Genesis 4:7, Revised Standard Version):

          2. In the-King James Version of the Bible, these words are a promise: "Thou shalt rule over him."

          3. In the American Standard translation, rather like the Revised Standard Version, the words are an order: "Do thou rule over it."

          4. But the Hebrew can still be translated another way~ The word Timshel can mean "Thou mayest rule over him."

        3. Here suddenly-is a whole new way of thinking about sin, for here is the declaration that man has a choice.

        4. Steinbeck puts his thoughts again in Lee's words:

    "...There are many millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But 'Thou mayest'! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win." (5)

      1. You may?

      2. How may I?

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    1. First of all we recognize the source of temptation.

      1. I retreat to the Epistle of James

    12Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved.

    17Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:12 through James 1:17 (NRSVA)

        1. God is not the source of trials or tests.

        2. God allows, he does not permit.

        3. He has no collusion with the source.

    Satanic Convention (6)

    Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from conservative values.

    "But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken.

    So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day}""'

    "How shall we do this?" shouted his angels.

    "Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent unnumbered schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.

    "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work six or seven days a week, ten to 12 hours a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work.

    "Overstimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that small, still voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, VCR, DVD's, CD's and their PCs going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical, contradictory music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ.

    "Fill their coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, man-order catalog and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.

    "Even in their recreation let them be excessive. Have them return from the recreation exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out to nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead.

    "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions.

    "Let them be involved in soul-winning, but crowd their lives with so many causes that they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."

    It was quite a convention in the end. The evil angels went to their assignments, causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and rush here and there.

          1. Has the devil been successful in his scheme?

          2. You be the judge.

        1. Satan's goal is to take our minds away from Christ and steer us toward the cares of the world.

        2. God wants us to enjoy life, but he must be first. If we are too busy for God, then we are too busy!

      1. We get hoisted on the point of our petard.

    Dress Temptation (7)

    Struggling to make ends meet on a first-call salary, the pastor was livid when he confronted his wife with the receipt for a $250 dress she had bought."How could you do this?!"

    "I was outside the store looking at the dress in the window, and then I found myself trying it on," she explained. "It was like Satan was whispering in my ear, 'You look fabulous in that dress. Buy it!'"

    "Well," the pastor replied, "You know how I deal with that kind of temptation. I say, 'Get behind me, Satan!'"

    "I did," replied his wife, "but then he said, 'It looks fabulous from back here, too!'"

        1. We may not be the source, but we are the target.

        2. As the target we need some assistance to overcome the attack.

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  1. We have the most powerful source of help in all the world.

    1. We have the Promise.

      1. 1 Corinthians 10.13

    13No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it, (1 Corinthians 10:13, NRSVA).

        1. We may be tested by anything that may happen to any human being.

        2. We ought not to question the trial.

        3. We are provided a way of escape.

      1. Hebrews 2.14-18

    14Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested, (Hebrews 2.14-18, NRSV).

  1. Hebrews 4.15-16

    15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need, (Hebrews 4:15-16, NRSVA).

    1. We have the Presence.

    Timothy Brown remembers a trip to the hospital just a few years ago. (8)

    Pastor Brown was there to visit a beautiful young man from Spring Lake, Michigan, whose life was being robbed one blood cell at a time by a vicious and unrelenting leukemia. Because he was so weakened, he knelt next to his bed to look at him eyeball to eyeball. He said quietly, "Hi, Tim," and he responded faintly, "Hi, Tim." There followed an awkward pause because he didn't exactly know what to say. The long, dark shadow of death has a way of muffling through much of our otherwise meaningless "chitchat." Finally, Tim broke the deafening silence by saying gently, "I have learned something."

    Now he knew at least this much -- you never trifle with the last words of a dying person, so he said, "Tell me, what have you learned?"

    He said, again very faintly, "I have learned that life isn't like a VCR."

    Perplexed, he said, "I don't get it. What do you mean?"

    He said, drawing his next breath in pain, "Life isn't like a VCR -- you can't fast-forward the bad parts."

    As Timothy Brown knelt there, fighting back the tears and trying to take it all in, Tim interrupted his awkward silence again by asking, "You know what else I learned?"

    He said, "No, I really don't. Please tell me."

    "I have learned," he whispered, "that Jesus Christ is in every frame, and right now it's just enough."

      1. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is always present.

      2. Whether you feel it or not, Jesus is present.

      3. Whether you conclude that you do not deserve it, Jesus is present.

      4. Jesus Christ may be is in every frame of the film of life.

    1. We have the Power.

      1. How did Jesus overcome the fierce and challenging temptations that confronted him?

      2. Read and study the tempting of Jesus in the wilderness.

        1. 1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.

        2. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." 4Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"

        3. 5Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." 8Jesus answered him, "It is written,

    'Worship the Lord your God,

    and serve only him.'"

        1. 9Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10for it is written,

    'He will command his angels concerning you,

    to protect you,'

    11and

    'On their hands they will bear you up,

    so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'"

    12Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

        1. 13When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time, (Luke 4:1-13, NRSVA).

    1. We may use the same power.

      1. Do not expect the same results that Jesus had.

      2. We will have results.

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CONCLUSION:

  1. Remember the words of John Steinbeck:

    "...There are many millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But 'Thou mayest'! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win." (9)

    1. You may!

    2. In our weakness and filth, our sin and shame, we still have a choice.

    3. We have the promise, the presence and the power.

    4. We can choose our course and with the help of Jesus Christ we can fight it through and win!

    Amen!!!!!

1. http://www.mikeysFunnies.com

2. The Big Book of New American Humor (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1990), 106.

3. Anonymous/Unknown

4. John Steinbeck, East of Eden (Viking Press, 1952), page 270

5. John Steinbeck, East of Eden (Viking Press, 1952), page 303

6. Source unknown.

7. Beliefnet Religious Jokes [BeliefnetReligiousJokes@partner.beliefnet.com]

8. Timothy Brown, "God Is in Every Frame," Perspectives, May 1997, 24.

9. John Steinbeck, East of Eden (Viking Press, 1952), page 303

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