Title: Lent One: Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Date: 2008-02-10

Reference: Matthew 4: 1-11

""Following the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit led Jesus into the desert so that the devil could test him. After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights he was very hungry. The devil said: “If you are who you say you are, tell these stones on the ground to turn into bread.” Jesus answered: “No one can live only on food. People need God’s word.” Next the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. Again, “If you are truly God’s Son jump off and have God save you.” Once again Jesus quoted Scripture saying: “We are not to tempt the Lord.” Finally the devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms and all the riches of the world and said: “I’ll give it all to you if you will just worship me.” Jesus said: “Go away Satan. We are to worship only God and serve only God.”

Jesus was tempted in this way so that every creature in heaven, on earth and under the earth might know that Jesus Christ is the conqueror. Jesus exposed the enemy and his tactics. Jesus defeated Satan. Because of Jesus’ victory we can have victory over temptation.

This experience of temptation prepared Jesus to be our sympathetic high priest. We know Jesus faced the enemy as a human being. Satan tried to have Jesus use his divine powers but Jesus used the same spiritual resources that are available to each of us today. The power of the Holy Spirit, The power the God’s written word, the Bible, and much prayer.

As long as we live we face constant temptation.

We face temptation from a very early age. When I was growing up the fastest way to make something interesting was for my Mom to tell me to leave it alone. I don’t know why we are wired this way. We can always justify our behavior. I love the 3 year old child’s explanation for his being in the kitchen on a chair eating cookies. He said: “I just climbed up to smell them and my teeth God caught.” We are tempted often. And we are often tempted beyond our human endurance. Only God is able to help us do the right thing.

We are tempted to cheat on an exam. To steal from petty cash. To take credit for another’s work. To do as little as possible at work. To cheat on a diet. To speed. To tell a white lie. To take the path of least resistence. To tell another only what they want to hear. To doubt God’s love for us. We are tempted to settle for second best. To take the easy way out. To pass the blame. To always think life is unfair and others always have it better than we do. We are tempted to insist on our own way and to demand our own rights.

Temptation is basically a negative emotion. We are not usually tempted to do the right thing. We are not usually tempted to stay on a diet. To let another car cut in front of us in traffic. We are not tempted to pray more or read the Bible more. We are not tempted to give another the benefit of the doubt. To work harder, to save more and spend less.

Temptation is usually shortsighted pleasure that could have long standing consequences. Recently an upcoming politician, the 3rd ranking member of his party in the State House of Representatives was forced to step down and resign.

When asked what caused him to act improperly, he attempted to shift the blame onto another. I believe he was tempted and he didn’t have the spiritual resources he needed to walk away from the temptation.

Have you ever noticed that whenever we decide to give into temptation, to do the wrong thing the means are so readily available? It doesn’t seem fair that opportunity knocks only once but temptation banks on the door constantly. Temptation always carries with it some bait that appeals to our natural desires. The bait attracts us but it also hides the consequences. In moments of greatest temptation, we are blind to the tragic consequences. We need to remember temptation comes not at our strongest moments, but at our weakest moments. When we are at the limit of our patience and love, for instance, we are tempted to be un Christian. For Jesus, temptation came when he was hungry, and tired. It’s the same for us. That doesn’t change the fact that one weak act may spoil a whole lifetime of witness.

We are tempted when we are least prepared. Sometimes temptation sneaks up on us. Many years ago a man startled the entire world by going over Niagra Falls in a barrel without suffering a scratch. A few weeks after he was walking down the street in front of his home and slipped on an orange peel. He fell and suffered a badly fractured leg. Some of the greatest temptations roar around us like a great waterfall and leave us unharmed. A little insignificant incident may cause our downfall simply because we were not looking for it.

A temptation for all of us is to compromise our faith. To compromise with the world and to turn to the world for the help we need.

Our response should always be to turn to God for the help only God can give.

The Bible says we are all going to face temptation. It’s part of life. We will be tempted in the same way everyone else is tempted.

But God can be trusted not to let us be tempted too much and God will show you how to escape from times of temptation. God will not let us be tempted beyond our strength. No trial is too great, no temptation is too strong but that Christ can and will give us the mercy, grace and help we need to face it.

While Jesus was living on earth, the Bible tells us, he experienced all that we experience and more. Jesus was tempted and did not sin. He will help us when we are tempted to turn away from sin as well.

We pray each week that God will protect us from temptation. The Bible tells us not to blame God when we are tempted. God cannot be tempted and God doesn’t use evil to tempt others. We are tempted by our desires which make us sin. (James 1:13) There are several good protections against temptation. The surest is a cowardly response to the fact you might get caught. That’s what makes us behave behind the wheel. We might get pulled over and receive a ticket.

We have a higher reason for resisting temptation. We are in relationship with God and we don’t want to let God down. The father of a small boy occasionally would sneak into his neighbor’s yard and steal fruit. He would only do so after the coast was clear. One day the father and son approached the orchard. The father looked in every direction and seeing no one he climbed over the fence. He was ready to help himself when his son called out: “Dad, you forget to look up to see if God is watching.”

That is the most basic fact. When we are tempted and no one else is around to see, we must remember God is always watching.

Often the only way to deal with temptation is to turn around and walk away from it. In order to do that we often need the supernatural strength of God. The Apostle James said “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” One of my Sunday School Teachers used to say: “Those who flee temptation generally leave a forwarding address.” Half of our trouble can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough. We often say maybe instead of no. We leave our options open to saying yes. To resist temptation is to shut the door firmly and say no.

Jesus was tempted to take shortcuts in his ministry and messiahship. He was tempted to enjoy the prestige without paying the price. We are also tempted to take the easy way out. We are not as strong as Jesus. We don’t always even recognize the presence of the evil one among us. We are sometimes willing to cut corners. We try to make the impression without being genuine. We are sometimes more concerned with image than reality. We are all too ready to take shortcuts in life. We ask God’s help to live our lives without pretense or compromise.

In those moments when we have given in to temptation, we come to God to confess our sins. We should offer no explanation, no excuses, no comparisons to others. We should not ask God to understand us but to show us His mercy. We rest on God’s Grace.

I have noticed that after coming through a time of temptation I am stronger for it.

When we ask God not to lead us into temptation.we know it’s not God who leads us there. It is God who keeps us safe from temptation. Being in close relationship with God, as Jesus was, is the best way to avoid giving into temptation. ""