Sunday February 25th Service_transcript.txt

[0.00 --> 14.42]  Good morning, Hope.
[16.56 --> 17.12]  Wow.
[18.22 --> 19.50]  That was very encouraging.
[19.64 --> 20.42]  Good morning, Hope.
[20.54 --> 20.86]  Yes.
[22.28 --> 23.60]  It's good to see you too.
[23.70 --> 24.28]  Yes, I know.
[25.28 --> 27.32]  Were you expecting somebody else to come up?
[27.44 --> 27.56]  No.
[27.56 --> 30.10]  I guess it's been a while.
[30.32 --> 31.04]  Well, good morning.
[31.48 --> 38.12]  It's my privilege to continue our sermon series called The Good Fight, where we reflect on
[38.12 --> 40.82]  the very real fight that we are journeying through as Christians.
[41.54 --> 46.30]  Now, we journey through this fight, the spiritual warfare, we sometimes call it, against our
[46.30 --> 52.08]  flesh or sinful nature, against the world or the culture that seeks to live without
[52.08 --> 52.56]  God.
[52.56 --> 59.82]  And today, I get to talk about the devil, a being that seeks to split us away from God.
[60.94 --> 66.86]  And so, we have many names for this being, whether it be Satan, which is interestingly
[66.86 --> 70.82]  from Hebrew roots, shatan, which means adversary or enemy.
[71.02 --> 72.12]  That's what we call it, the enemy.
[72.12 --> 79.36]  Or, in our passage today, it's called the tempter, because the devil tries to trip up Jesus and God's
[79.36 --> 79.70]  people.
[80.40 --> 84.80]  Another name that we use is the devil, which comes from the Greek diabolos.
[85.24 --> 88.46]  And it has the meaning of splitting, as one commentator says.
[88.96 --> 91.30]  So, in another way, you could say he's the splitter.
[92.06 --> 92.50]  Of what?
[92.50 --> 100.14]  Splitter of relationships between us and God, between ourselves, between each other, and
[100.14 --> 101.24]  between all of creation.
[101.38 --> 105.30]  That's the fall, the rebellion against God and the fall of creation.
[106.00 --> 112.26]  And lastly, Jesus also calls it the father of lies in the Gospel of John, because the
[112.26 --> 115.60]  native tongue for the devil is lies and deception.
[116.42 --> 117.56]  Lies and deception.
[117.56 --> 121.74]  These names or titles reflect how the devil works.
[122.32 --> 123.72]  In other words, it's his MO.
[124.16 --> 130.32]  His character, his being itself, stands against everything that God beautifully designed as
[130.32 --> 131.80]  a reflection of his goodness.
[132.48 --> 133.94]  And he stands against that.
[134.34 --> 137.56]  Through lies and deception, he tries to break all of this down.
[139.26 --> 144.60]  And it's like, so thinking about lies and deception, the thing that popped into my head
[144.60 --> 146.96]  as I was preparing was commercials.
[147.56 --> 151.84]  And how they promise you happiness on a snippet of truth.
[152.16 --> 153.88]  It's not all false, not all of it.
[154.22 --> 159.32]  But based on a little tiny snippet of truth, they try to deceive you into tricking you to
[159.32 --> 161.00]  think their product is the best.
[161.72 --> 167.04]  And so, I actually Googled for this sermon the most deceptive commercial.
[168.00 --> 170.36]  And you know what one of the top results were?
[171.92 --> 174.06]  I won't name it, but it was a dating site.
[174.06 --> 176.18]  I won't name the specific dating site.
[176.18 --> 182.04]  But it's a dating site that promised you your perfect match based on scientific research.
[182.74 --> 185.30]  Now, this is actually based on real research.
[185.62 --> 188.22]  So, there is some truth to that.
[188.22 --> 197.72]  But it's deceptive when they had to create fake profiles to make your perfect match, bait you into paying for their services,
[198.04 --> 200.12]  and you end up being sad and broken again.
[201.52 --> 206.82]  And so, the best lies are the ones that are a twisting of the truth.
[206.82 --> 209.06]  And this is how the devil works.
[209.76 --> 213.20]  Not a blatant lie, but a twisting of the truth.
[214.32 --> 219.96]  And so, on that cheerful note, if you would turn with me to Matthew chapter 4, and we read from verse 1,
[220.92 --> 224.28]  on how our Savior Jesus was also tested in the wilderness.
[225.78 --> 229.10]  Matthew chapter 4, verse 1.
[229.10 --> 235.24]  Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
[236.20 --> 239.80]  After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry.
[240.84 --> 242.40]  The tempter came to him and said,
[242.70 --> 246.16]  If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.
[246.90 --> 247.72]  Jesus answered,
[248.04 --> 248.58]  It is written,
[249.04 --> 253.18]  Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
[253.18 --> 259.14]  Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
[259.80 --> 261.64]  If you are the Son of God, he said again,
[262.00 --> 264.44]  Throw yourself down, for it is written,
[264.94 --> 267.04]  He will command his angels concerning you,
[267.20 --> 271.76]  and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against stone.
[272.98 --> 273.84]  Jesus answered,
[274.34 --> 275.36]  It is also written,
[275.88 --> 278.12]  Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
[278.12 --> 285.34]  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
[286.04 --> 290.14]  All of this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me.
[290.78 --> 291.82]  Jesus said to him,
[292.40 --> 293.76]  Away from me, Satan.
[294.38 --> 295.16]  For it is written,
[295.82 --> 298.02]  Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.
[299.12 --> 301.96]  Then the devil left him and angels came and attended him.
[304.72 --> 307.80]  Now on an initial reading of this text this time around,
[308.12 --> 315.20]  It was weird how the phrase that stuck out to me was this little part of the sentence where it says that Jesus was hungry.
[316.30 --> 323.20]  I highlighted this specific part of my Bible because it sounded so real down to earth for me.
[324.36 --> 327.14]  So after fasting for 40 days and 40 nights,
[328.10 --> 328.96]  Jesus was hungry.
[329.50 --> 330.36]  That's just fact.
[330.72 --> 333.04]  That he was really human, that he was really hungry.
[333.04 --> 340.06]  And I remember a time where my dad, in preparation of his, I think it was ordination, but whatever it was,
[340.28 --> 342.82]  He did a whole 40-day fasting as well.
[343.20 --> 345.06]  Now I don't know if he did the whole 40 days,
[345.30 --> 349.14]  But during that time, no one was to go around his little prayer room.
[349.48 --> 350.38]  Like that was his space.
[350.44 --> 351.84]  It was really dark and gloomy there.
[352.24 --> 353.76]  And he didn't seem too happy.
[354.50 --> 355.62]  He was very hungry.
[356.10 --> 356.78]  Very human.
[356.78 --> 365.96]  And it was a reminder for me that it, or it showed me, of how Jesus our Savior and the Son of God Himself that we glorify and worship,
[366.96 --> 367.92]  Was really human.
[369.34 --> 374.88]  He came, he became a human like us to be tempted and tested just as we are.
[374.88 --> 381.90]  And so with this real Jesus, who came to us as a real human being,
[382.42 --> 388.02]  Satan tempts Jesus, trying to split the relationship between Him and God.
[389.24 --> 394.26]  And this is what He does against us as well, through lies and deception again.
[394.86 --> 398.88]  And specifically, the lie or the twisting of the truth is,
[399.46 --> 402.12]  Our own God-given desire for goodness.
[402.12 --> 409.32]  And I would argue that every human being made in the image of God has this deep desire for goodness.
[409.84 --> 411.54]  This is a reflection of our designer.
[412.22 --> 417.54]  But what Satan does is he takes that natural, truthful desire for goodness,
[418.24 --> 421.16]  And he uses it to pull us away from God,
[421.22 --> 424.62]  Not to bring us closer in harmony and relationship with Him,
[424.82 --> 425.88]  Which is such an irony.
[426.50 --> 428.34]  Using the gift God gave us Himself,
[428.72 --> 430.52]  And using that to pull us away from God.
[430.52 --> 431.82]  And that's deception.
[432.80 --> 437.04]  Again, it's not a blatant or explicit lie telling you right in your face,
[437.40 --> 439.20]  Hey, betray God.
[439.54 --> 441.56]  Or betray your own convictions.
[441.96 --> 443.70]  Your own desires for goodness.
[445.06 --> 448.90]  Betray all that and live in a life of sadness and anxiety and depression.
[450.40 --> 452.66]  If that was Satan's method,
[452.66 --> 457.14]  I would think it would be a little bit easier to ward off.
[457.14 --> 458.78]  Because we know it's a lie.
[459.82 --> 467.94]  But why it's so deceitful is that he takes a snippet of truth again and twists it in a false idea or message.
[467.94 --> 473.58]  Before we get into the actual content of the temptations,
[474.22 --> 478.74]  Notice that Jesus is led into the wilderness right after the baptism.
[478.74 --> 484.84]  The conjunctive word that connects the chapter 3 to chapter 4 that we read is the word tote.
[485.02 --> 486.06]  It just means then.
[486.70 --> 490.20]  And it's a conjunction connecting Jesus' baptism
[490.20 --> 494.22]  And continuing straight into the wilderness for his temptation.
[494.22 --> 498.40]  Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
[498.40 --> 506.64]  And this is important because there is a temptation to think that the natural or right path after being baptized
[506.64 --> 510.86]  Is now to live gloriously and triumphantly as new creation.
[511.92 --> 513.72]  That's the temptation to think that.
[514.00 --> 516.02]  That because I'm a Christian, everything is okay now.
[517.00 --> 519.16]  Just test that theory out right now.
[519.80 --> 523.40]  Was that the case for you after your baptism or your profession of faith?
[523.40 --> 527.42]  That all problems were gone and away with after you became a Christian?
[529.50 --> 533.78]  At the very least, Jesus, it wasn't the case for Jesus.
[535.40 --> 539.26]  God's Spirit himself leads Jesus into the wilderness
[539.26 --> 542.94]  So that he would be tested and tempted by the devil.
[544.54 --> 546.18]  God leads Jesus.
[546.46 --> 548.46]  God's Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness.
[548.88 --> 551.18]  And so I had to ask and kept asking,
[551.18 --> 556.64]  Why would God let Jesus or lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted?
[557.02 --> 559.06]  And then flip that around for ourselves.
[559.76 --> 563.40]  Why would God let us be tempted and tested?
[564.26 --> 566.90]  In the prayer that Jesus himself teaches us,
[567.14 --> 568.82]  He says to pray like this,
[569.22 --> 573.16]  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
[573.48 --> 577.10]  So if that's our prayer, if that is our desperate desire,
[577.10 --> 580.60]  Then how come we are still tested and tempted?
[583.26 --> 588.30]  My hope this morning is that the answer is found as we faithfully witness
[588.30 --> 591.46]  To the temptations that Jesus himself faced,
[591.82 --> 595.16]  And more importantly, how he responded to these temptations.
[595.94 --> 599.76]  And so before expanding on that and answering the question here explicitly,
[600.18 --> 601.76]  Allow me to leave you in suspense.
[602.02 --> 604.12]  Because I promise you, based on God's Word,
[604.42 --> 605.66]  It is good news for us.
[605.66 --> 608.60]  So the first temptation,
[609.34 --> 612.36]  The tempter tests Jesus through a weak spot.
[613.42 --> 613.88]  His hunger.
[614.96 --> 616.02]  Very real human.
[616.36 --> 617.60]  Came to be tested like us,
[617.64 --> 618.94]  And he fasted for 40 days.
[619.14 --> 619.98]  Now he's hungry.
[620.44 --> 623.24]  And so Satan pokes at that weakness,
[623.58 --> 626.66]  And challenges Jesus' own identity.
[627.18 --> 628.32]  So what does he say here?
[628.62 --> 629.02]  He says,
[629.36 --> 630.84]  If you are the Son of God,
[631.24 --> 633.74]  Or another translation, you could even say it like this,
[633.74 --> 636.58]  Since you are the Son of God,
[637.16 --> 638.00]  Feed yourself.
[640.00 --> 643.90]  He's not saying here that you are not the Son of God, Jesus.
[644.64 --> 645.90]  That's not his deception.
[646.26 --> 646.82]  He's saying,
[647.46 --> 648.62]  You are the Son of God.
[648.74 --> 649.98]  I know that you believe,
[650.06 --> 651.52]  You think you are the Son of God.
[651.68 --> 652.74]  So prove it.
[653.50 --> 654.58]  Prove it for yourself.
[655.54 --> 657.12]  You've now just been baptized,
[657.46 --> 659.82]  Anointed as the Messiah to save the whole world.
[659.82 --> 662.76]  Making stones into bread should be nothing.
[662.90 --> 664.50]  I mean, you did it with the water into wine.
[665.46 --> 666.72]  This should be nothing for you.
[667.06 --> 667.78]  So prove it.
[667.96 --> 668.82]  Prove your identity.
[671.18 --> 672.66]  It's a twisting of the truth.
[673.06 --> 676.36]  Challenging Jesus' true identity as the Son of God.
[676.74 --> 679.22]  Do something spectacular so you know for sure.
[680.40 --> 681.80]  That's the temptation here.
[682.66 --> 684.04]  This might be a silly example,
[684.16 --> 685.68]  But as I was reflecting on this,
[685.68 --> 686.64]  It occurred to me,
[686.76 --> 689.64]  It would be like asking Lionel Messi,
[689.78 --> 691.50]  Like one of the greatest soccer players in the world.
[691.74 --> 693.72]  It would be like going and asking him
[693.72 --> 694.88]  To score a goal,
[695.10 --> 696.68]  Playing against a whole bunch of kids.
[697.06 --> 698.48]  Which sometimes it feels that way,
[698.60 --> 699.64]  Him playing in the MLS.
[700.02 --> 700.68]  No offense.
[701.12 --> 701.34]  But,
[702.06 --> 704.10]  It's like asking him to go score a goal,
[704.30 --> 706.84]  To prove that you're one of the greatest soccer players in the world.
[708.28 --> 709.42]  That's a silly question.
[709.76 --> 712.20]  Because Messi doesn't have to go score a goal,
[712.20 --> 716.38]  Playing against kids to prove his identity as a good soccer player.
[717.04 --> 717.96]  Unless what?
[719.44 --> 721.02]  Unless he doubts it.
[722.04 --> 724.46]  Unless he doubts his identity.
[725.22 --> 726.98]  And now turn this around on ourselves.
[727.60 --> 731.88]  If we doubt our own self-identity as God's children,
[732.74 --> 737.22]  We may be faced with temptations to try and prove our identity.
[737.22 --> 740.04]  Do something spectacular,
[740.58 --> 744.22]  So that you know for sure that you are really God's child.
[746.72 --> 747.28]  So,
[747.58 --> 748.04]  For me,
[748.28 --> 749.88]  Simply thinking about this,
[749.96 --> 751.16]  It was this simple phrase,
[751.66 --> 754.28]  Instead of loving because we are loved,
[754.82 --> 757.34]  Which would be to live out our God-given identity.
[757.86 --> 758.00]  So,
[758.36 --> 761.12]  Instead of loving because we are first loved,
[761.56 --> 765.18]  It would be like loving to be loved by God.
[765.50 --> 766.94]  Trying to prove that identity.
[767.22 --> 769.80]  So,
[769.80 --> 771.00]  So now we turn to our Savior.
[771.86 --> 774.28]  How does Jesus respond in the face of doubt?
[775.18 --> 775.94]  Well, first of all,
[776.26 --> 777.80]  In all three temptations,
[778.20 --> 780.84]  Jesus uses the only weapon that he has,
[781.10 --> 782.30]  The sword of the Spirit,
[782.46 --> 783.62]  Which is the word of God.
[784.14 --> 785.46]  That's very important to note.
[785.86 --> 788.02]  Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy,
[788.10 --> 789.58]  A part of the passage that reads,
[790.22 --> 791.18]  He humbled you,
[791.68 --> 792.80]  Causing you to hunger,
[793.02 --> 794.40]  And then feeding you with manna,
[794.40 --> 797.42]  Which neither you nor your ancestors had known,
[797.96 --> 799.70]  To teach you that man,
[800.16 --> 801.02]  Or more literally,
[801.18 --> 801.68]  Ha'adam,
[801.74 --> 802.44]  So the human,
[803.06 --> 806.52]  To teach you that the human does not live on bread alone,
[806.72 --> 809.38]  But on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
[809.38 --> 814.10]  What Jesus is telling the devil is that God's children,
[814.76 --> 816.54]  And himself as the Son of God,
[816.90 --> 819.02]  Live in full trust in him.
[819.84 --> 823.44]  That we don't use our God-given identity for our own purposes.
[823.44 --> 827.26]  It is a calling to fully trust in God.
[828.32 --> 830.56]  And so in a response to a temptation of doubt,
[831.66 --> 834.04]  We can answer with Jesus,
[834.38 --> 837.28]  And stand against this temptation,
[837.74 --> 839.22]  Resist this temptation,
[839.76 --> 840.36]  To say,
[840.72 --> 842.02]  Are you really God's child?
[843.66 --> 844.74]  Yes, I am.
[845.82 --> 848.68]  I fully trust that God loves me,
[848.76 --> 850.38]  And that I am his child.
[850.38 --> 855.14]  We have our hope in our Savior and our God,
[855.36 --> 856.64]  Who is the bread of life.
[857.84 --> 859.28]  He is our only hope.
[860.96 --> 862.42]  And then at this point,
[862.56 --> 865.12]  I picture Satan kind of responding like this.
[865.90 --> 866.72]  Alright, fine.
[866.84 --> 867.70]  Great comeback, Jesus.
[868.56 --> 871.94]  You're right when you say that you are to fully trust God as God's children.
[871.94 --> 876.14]  But if you say that you live by God's word,
[876.60 --> 879.54]  Then jump off the top of this holy temple here.
[879.86 --> 881.72]  Because the word that you quoted,
[881.82 --> 882.92]  I'm going to quote myself,
[883.32 --> 885.72]  From God's holy scripture itself,
[886.06 --> 886.86]  It says,
[888.36 --> 890.66]  He will command his angels concerning you,
[890.92 --> 892.88]  And they will lift you up in their hands,
[892.96 --> 895.22]  So that you will not strike your foot against the stone.
[895.22 --> 899.44]  Satan, I should say,
[899.74 --> 902.82]  Is using again a snippet of truth and perverting it.
[903.36 --> 903.74]  Saying,
[903.92 --> 905.56]  Hey, the Bible you quoted,
[905.68 --> 906.62]  I'm quoting as well.
[907.10 --> 910.20]  The Bible says that you will be provided and protected for.
[910.76 --> 911.78]  So jump off.
[912.34 --> 915.00]  Again, it's the same temptation, isn't it?
[915.60 --> 916.58]  Prove your identity.
[917.84 --> 919.30]  Prove you are the son of God.
[919.78 --> 920.78]  Because it says,
[921.06 --> 922.84]  God's children will be protected for.
[922.84 --> 926.44]  The key here,
[926.68 --> 928.76]  Just like the temptation from before,
[929.02 --> 933.88]  Is to know and name the purpose behind Satan's temptation.
[935.02 --> 936.30]  What's his purpose?
[936.64 --> 937.86]  What does he stand for?
[939.52 --> 944.26]  He is trying to split the relationship between God the Father here,
[944.40 --> 945.32]  And God the Son.
[946.04 --> 948.22]  That's the purpose behind the temptation.
[949.32 --> 950.06]  In other words,
[950.06 --> 954.18]  If Jesus were to try and prove his identity by jumping off a roof,
[954.44 --> 955.04]  And in turn,
[955.22 --> 957.16]  Forcing God to act to protect him,
[957.70 --> 961.80]  It would be to prioritize his own privilege as God's son,
[962.14 --> 963.34]  Over and against,
[963.50 --> 963.74]  Again,
[964.52 --> 965.94]  Fully trusting in him.
[966.66 --> 967.96]  Fully trusting in God.
[968.02 --> 969.04]  That's what we're called for.
[969.28 --> 970.74]  But here in this temptation,
[971.20 --> 972.14]  It's to challenge,
[972.42 --> 973.68]  And flip that hierarchy,
[973.90 --> 974.84]  And say,
[975.14 --> 975.96]  And tempting us,
[975.96 --> 978.48]  If you really are the son of God,
[978.52 --> 980.10]  If you are God's child,
[980.58 --> 981.70]  You have to prove it.
[982.34 --> 983.56]  Make God act.
[983.56 --> 990.02]  You could think that jumping off the roof,
[990.28 --> 990.58]  Now,
[990.66 --> 991.32]  When I was younger,
[991.44 --> 994.22]  This is sometimes how I thought of in this temptation.
[995.40 --> 996.46]  Jumping off a roof,
[996.54 --> 998.46]  Isn't that like taking a leap of faith?
[998.76 --> 1000.26]  Like literally and figuratively?
[1000.94 --> 1002.76]  That you're testing your own faith?
[1002.84 --> 1003.84]  You're not testing God.
[1004.08 --> 1005.06]  Why would Jesus say that?
[1005.28 --> 1006.74]  You're testing your own faith
[1006.74 --> 1009.02]  To see if you really believe in God or not.
[1009.02 --> 1013.46]  But in this context,
[1014.20 --> 1016.98]  The specific purpose behind Satan's temptation
[1016.98 --> 1018.92]  Is to flip that hierarchy,
[1019.12 --> 1022.26]  To split that relationship between God the Father and the Son.
[1022.72 --> 1028.00]  Because it really is a testing and manipulating of God
[1028.00 --> 1029.74]  To follow our agenda.
[1030.60 --> 1032.66]  Not to fully trust in him.
[1032.90 --> 1034.14]  So in a simpler way,
[1034.60 --> 1036.74]  It would be to simply ask the question here.
[1036.74 --> 1042.12]  Do we follow God and fully trust in him?
[1042.26 --> 1042.78]  Bless you.
[1043.74 --> 1046.50]  Do we follow God and fully trust in God?
[1047.00 --> 1047.46]  Or,
[1048.30 --> 1052.06]  Do we require God to follow us
[1052.06 --> 1053.56]  In our own agendas?
[1054.46 --> 1055.96]  That's the temptation.
[1056.34 --> 1059.70]  The latter is what the devil is trying to entice from Jesus.
[1061.74 --> 1063.90]  And then applying this to our lives,
[1064.28 --> 1065.60]  I think to myself,
[1065.60 --> 1068.68]  Do we not do that sometimes in our own faith journeys?
[1069.54 --> 1071.84]  Do we always trust in God,
[1072.02 --> 1074.50]  Even if life looks dark and gloomy?
[1075.82 --> 1076.38]  Or,
[1076.56 --> 1081.12]  Do we demand that God follow our agenda
[1081.12 --> 1083.04]  Because we have tithed enough,
[1083.28 --> 1083.94]  Prayed enough,
[1084.06 --> 1085.04]  Gone to church enough?
[1086.12 --> 1089.70]  Do we demand that God now follow our own agendas
[1089.70 --> 1091.38]  And somehow fix all of our problems
[1091.38 --> 1093.32]  Because we have done all these things?
[1093.32 --> 1097.30]  In our weakness and desperation,
[1097.30 --> 1099.50]  We seek God's healing and guidance,
[1099.60 --> 1100.26]  Of course.
[1100.82 --> 1103.22]  And this is out of trust in his ultimate wisdom.
[1104.34 --> 1105.54]  We fully trust in him.
[1105.66 --> 1106.70]  That is a truth.
[1106.98 --> 1110.26]  But do we sometimes even take this truth
[1110.26 --> 1112.32]  And pervert it in a way
[1112.32 --> 1115.22]  Where we require him to follow us
[1115.22 --> 1116.44]  Instead of us following him?
[1116.44 --> 1120.14]  And notice something very significant here.
[1120.38 --> 1123.76]  Because Jesus says that the most important commandments in the Bible are,
[1124.60 --> 1125.30]  Love God,
[1125.78 --> 1126.36]  Love neighbor.
[1126.66 --> 1128.68]  And I love how this commentator pointed this out.
[1129.02 --> 1129.80]  Simple fact,
[1130.18 --> 1131.86]  Jumping off the top of a roof
[1131.86 --> 1133.22]  And testing God
[1133.22 --> 1135.18]  Does neither of these things.
[1137.18 --> 1139.46]  Testing God by jumping off a roof
[1139.46 --> 1141.76]  Does neither loving God more
[1141.76 --> 1143.60]  Or loving our neighbors more.
[1143.60 --> 1146.14]  So what's the point?
[1146.78 --> 1149.88]  Well, the point was for Satan to try to split that relationship.
[1152.92 --> 1155.66]  And finally, we come to the last temptation.
[1156.22 --> 1157.88]  As one commentator titled it,
[1158.24 --> 1160.86]  Challenging Jesus' love for God's world.
[1161.98 --> 1167.00]  And this temptation is a challenge against the core of Jesus' own vocation.
[1167.00 --> 1170.42]  He came to save the world that was lost
[1170.42 --> 1172.54]  Because it was broken in sin.
[1173.90 --> 1175.90]  That was his job, you can say.
[1177.14 --> 1178.52]  And Satan here
[1178.52 --> 1182.72]  Is perversely offering that completion of the job
[1182.72 --> 1184.04]  To Jesus
[1184.04 --> 1187.38]  Only if he would bow and worship Satan.
[1188.86 --> 1190.08]  I'll give you this world.
[1190.16 --> 1191.06]  You came to save it.
[1191.14 --> 1191.94]  I'll give it to you.
[1192.30 --> 1193.62]  Just bow and worship me.
[1194.98 --> 1196.56]  Do you see the purpose behind it now?
[1197.20 --> 1198.10]  What's he trying to do?
[1198.40 --> 1200.68]  If Jesus were to bow down and worship Satan,
[1201.44 --> 1202.44]  That would be, again,
[1202.56 --> 1204.86]  Breaking that relationship between him and God.
[1204.86 --> 1206.84]  Because God is the only one
[1206.84 --> 1210.62]  Who is deserving of all praise and worship.
[1211.60 --> 1212.94]  Breaking of the relationship.
[1215.24 --> 1218.02]  Satan is tempting us as well,
[1218.12 --> 1219.20]  Like he did to Jesus.
[1220.00 --> 1222.60]  Tempting us to think that when we are successful,
[1223.32 --> 1225.30]  And when our work advances,
[1225.30 --> 1229.92]  Then the glory of God automatically advances as well.
[1230.18 --> 1231.78]  This is the subtlety here.
[1232.40 --> 1235.82]  It is one thing to do our best to be faithful to God's calling,
[1236.14 --> 1238.58]  Wherever he calls us to.
[1239.02 --> 1240.40]  Whatever he calls us to.
[1241.20 --> 1246.24]  The truth is that doing our best does reflect God's goodness through our lives.
[1246.24 --> 1247.84]  That is a truth.
[1247.84 --> 1249.80]  But this same truth,
[1249.92 --> 1251.68]  This same vocation or calling,
[1252.00 --> 1254.40]  Can be turned quickly into an idol
[1254.40 --> 1257.04]  When we would do absolutely anything
[1257.04 --> 1259.08]  To not let it fail.
[1259.08 --> 1263.28]  The lies that we sometimes believe,
[1264.00 --> 1265.62]  You need to be successful,
[1266.06 --> 1267.82]  Otherwise God will not love you.
[1268.16 --> 1269.10]  Or the lie,
[1269.54 --> 1272.76]  You are only as good as you are successful at your job.
[1272.76 --> 1277.10]  That is a blatant lie.
[1277.10 --> 1278.96]  But it's a deceptive lie.
[1279.10 --> 1280.78]  Because we can always think to ourselves,
[1281.04 --> 1282.54]  But I'm doing all this for God.
[1284.72 --> 1286.74]  This is all for God's glory, isn't it?
[1287.86 --> 1289.48]  No, it's not for my pride.
[1289.72 --> 1290.98]  No, it's for God.
[1291.36 --> 1293.14]  And we keep deceiving.
[1293.26 --> 1296.36]  We have the temptation of deceiving ourselves with that.
[1299.02 --> 1300.82]  We belong to God.
[1301.24 --> 1303.46]  And as Jesus proclaims from Scripture again,
[1303.58 --> 1309.20]  The ultimate truth is that only God is worthy to be served and worshipped.
[1310.80 --> 1314.70]  And this God that we worship loves us unconditionally,
[1315.18 --> 1316.74]  No matter where we are.
[1317.80 --> 1320.42]  And we are called to trust fully in Him.
[1323.14 --> 1325.98]  And then at the end of our passage,
[1326.10 --> 1326.46]  It says,
[1326.94 --> 1327.92]  The devil left Him,
[1328.12 --> 1330.22]  And angels came and attended to Him.
[1332.74 --> 1335.72]  So to fully loop back to the question that I posed earlier,
[1337.00 --> 1341.32]  Why does God allow Jesus and us in our own Christian journeys
[1341.32 --> 1342.72]  Go through temptations?
[1343.76 --> 1348.06]  What is the purpose behind God allowing us to suffer through temptations
[1348.06 --> 1348.82]  Is the question.
[1349.66 --> 1351.84]  And the answer to temptations is the question.
[1351.84 --> 1354.18]  And the answer to this,
[1354.26 --> 1357.20]  As we witness to Jesus facing His own temptations,
[1357.46 --> 1361.64]  We know and our calling is to trust fully in God's ways.
[1362.12 --> 1366.00]  Because God's ways is with the purpose of testing us
[1366.00 --> 1367.72]  To build us up,
[1368.04 --> 1371.86]  To shape and equip us to live in His love.
[1373.60 --> 1376.02]  Satan's purpose is to tear down,
[1376.38 --> 1377.56]  Break apart relationships.
[1377.56 --> 1380.90]  God's purpose behind all that we go through,
[1381.10 --> 1382.58]  All that we would suffer through,
[1383.06 --> 1384.32]  Is to build us up,
[1384.92 --> 1385.76]  Strengthen us,
[1385.88 --> 1386.48]  Train us,
[1386.58 --> 1388.82]  Because our own sinful natures,
[1389.04 --> 1390.96]  Our own disordered desires,
[1391.40 --> 1392.62]  Our flesh we call it,
[1392.84 --> 1394.70]  The world that pulls us away from God,
[1394.78 --> 1396.06]  And the devil himself,
[1396.34 --> 1398.70]  That is always constantly trying to break down,
[1398.94 --> 1399.72]  And deceive us,
[1399.78 --> 1401.30]  And break our relationship with God.
[1401.30 --> 1403.50]  God knows that's what we face,
[1403.64 --> 1408.00]  And that's why God always strengthens us,
[1408.08 --> 1409.78]  By His Holy Spirit,
[1410.14 --> 1411.74]  To build us up,
[1412.66 --> 1414.04]  Not tear us down.
[1415.72 --> 1416.94]  In other words,
[1417.28 --> 1420.22]  God does not give us anything that we cannot handle,
[1420.54 --> 1422.94]  With the power that He gifts us with.
[1422.94 --> 1426.52]  That is the good news,
[1426.58 --> 1427.00]  Isn't it?
[1427.74 --> 1430.76]  Because Jesus did not suffer on the cross,
[1430.76 --> 1432.46]  To end in the grave.
[1432.82 --> 1435.48]  Jesus did not go and suffer through temptations,
[1435.56 --> 1436.24]  Just like us,
[1436.36 --> 1438.12]  To end up in doubt,
[1438.54 --> 1439.80]  In doubting His own identity.
[1440.92 --> 1442.68]  Jesus went through all these things,
[1442.94 --> 1444.52]  And defeated devil,
[1444.80 --> 1445.36]  And Satan,
[1445.56 --> 1446.34]  And the world,
[1446.52 --> 1446.96]  And sin,
[1447.10 --> 1448.06]  Once and for all.
[1448.06 --> 1450.76]  This Savior,
[1451.86 --> 1452.74]  This Jesus,
[1453.14 --> 1454.58]  Is the one who is with us,
[1454.60 --> 1455.44]  And is for us.
[1457.64 --> 1460.86]  And since He has already defeated Satan,
[1461.76 --> 1462.80]  We are therefore,
[1463.44 --> 1465.98]  Even if we may feel like sometimes,
[1466.16 --> 1467.82]  Our trials are too challenging,
[1467.94 --> 1469.66]  Or too daunting for us to handle,
[1470.14 --> 1471.74]  We can overcome it.
[1471.96 --> 1473.48]  We can resist it.
[1474.12 --> 1475.62]  Not by our own strength,
[1475.62 --> 1477.40]  But by the strength of Him,
[1477.40 --> 1479.84]  Who empowers us by His own spirit.
[1480.96 --> 1482.10]  He is our hope.
[1482.48 --> 1485.12]  And we get to live into that same simple truth.
[1486.10 --> 1487.34]  Trust in Him.
[1488.06 --> 1489.44]  Trust in God's ways.
[1491.50 --> 1494.58]  And so as I want to conclude our message this morning,
[1494.64 --> 1495.52]  My message this morning,
[1495.92 --> 1497.24]  Three encouragements for us,
[1497.28 --> 1501.56]  As we face our real temptation through our real lives.
[1502.42 --> 1502.78]  One,
[1503.28 --> 1504.32]  First encouragement,
[1504.32 --> 1507.38]  Read and depend on God's word.
[1507.38 --> 1508.70]  This is our weapon.
[1509.26 --> 1511.40]  It is called the sword of the spirit in Ephesians.
[1512.66 --> 1514.58]  There is power in God's word,
[1514.86 --> 1519.46]  And there is power the more we rely and depend on our Savior through His word.
[1521.06 --> 1523.62]  Jesus faced His temptations relying on Scripture.
[1524.48 --> 1525.72]  We are called to do the same.
[1527.40 --> 1527.66]  Second,
[1528.16 --> 1531.12]  Surround yourselves with other brothers and sisters of faith.
[1531.12 --> 1533.62]  There is power in community.
[1534.04 --> 1536.90]  You don't even need to be Christian to know this objective fact.
[1537.74 --> 1539.60]  There is power when you face struggles,
[1539.88 --> 1542.10]  When you are in community together.
[1542.66 --> 1547.12]  How much more power is there when you know that other brothers and sisters of faith,
[1547.26 --> 1549.26]  Who depend on God themselves,
[1549.62 --> 1550.68]  Are journeying with you,
[1550.76 --> 1555.06]  Are facing the same struggles and temptations that you are as well.
[1555.06 --> 1557.50]  We journey together.
[1557.68 --> 1560.08]  We are called as a family of God,
[1560.22 --> 1561.64]  Not just as individuals.
[1563.12 --> 1563.70]  And lastly,
[1564.52 --> 1565.34]  Through prayer.
[1566.44 --> 1566.90]  Prayer.
[1567.88 --> 1570.76]  Now it's not explicitly mentioned in our passage,
[1571.48 --> 1573.20]  But I think it's safe to assume
[1573.20 --> 1577.68]  That Jesus was not just hiking as He was doing His 40-day fasting.
[1578.30 --> 1579.38]  He was praying.
[1579.38 --> 1583.34]  He was abiding with His heavenly Father through prayer.
[1584.14 --> 1586.16]  Total dependence in Him.
[1588.04 --> 1590.58]  And these spiritual practices that are named,
[1590.66 --> 1594.46]  Among a whole bunch of other spiritual practices that we can do,
[1595.30 --> 1599.08]  These are not just some self-help methods just to get healthier.
[1599.40 --> 1600.94]  That's not the ultimate goal.
[1601.92 --> 1603.90]  See how even this truth can be twisted?
[1604.40 --> 1607.10]  If you're just wanting to end up being a healthier person,
[1607.10 --> 1608.58]  And that's the ultimate goal.
[1609.24 --> 1610.12]  Then at the end of the day,
[1610.18 --> 1610.96]  You might be thinking,
[1611.14 --> 1612.18]  Oh, I don't need God then.
[1613.64 --> 1615.42]  That's another twisting of the truth.
[1615.86 --> 1619.14]  But these habits of faith that we journey with,
[1619.92 --> 1624.92]  These are constant physical, mental, emotional, spiritual reminders
[1624.92 --> 1627.18]  That you belong to God.
[1628.18 --> 1629.90]  Reminders of your true identity.
[1629.90 --> 1631.64]  That you belong to Him.
[1631.98 --> 1635.32]  And that the devil's schemes and his lies and his temptations
[1635.32 --> 1636.82]  Are at the end of the day,
[1637.02 --> 1638.06]  They are pointless.
[1638.46 --> 1639.36]  They are powerless.
[1642.06 --> 1644.64]  So hope, abide with God,
[1645.16 --> 1646.40]  Through His word,
[1646.84 --> 1647.74]  With His people,
[1647.88 --> 1648.68]  And through prayer.
[1650.68 --> 1653.96]  For, and now I want to end by quoting Hebrews,
[1653.96 --> 1657.40]  For we do not have a high priest in Jesus,
[1657.96 --> 1660.46]  Who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses,
[1660.96 --> 1663.94]  But we have one who has been tempted in every way,
[1664.40 --> 1665.44]  Just as we are.
[1666.14 --> 1667.64]  Yet, He did not sin.
[1669.32 --> 1673.14]  Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence,
[1673.82 --> 1677.24]  So that we may receive mercy and find grace
[1677.24 --> 1679.88]  To help us in our time of need.
[1680.88 --> 1681.32]  Amen.
[1682.10 --> 1682.58]  Amen.
[1682.58 --> 1683.22]  Let's pray.
[1693.62 --> 1694.44]  Loving Father,
[1694.56 --> 1695.62]  We come before You
[1695.62 --> 1698.20]  In humility and independence,
[1698.84 --> 1700.06]  Because Lord,
[1700.68 --> 1703.02]  We can only face our trials,
[1703.16 --> 1704.02]  Our temptations,
[1704.38 --> 1705.84]  And we can only resist them
[1705.84 --> 1707.94]  By the power You allow us to have.
[1707.94 --> 1712.52]  So just as we prayed in our prayers of confession,
[1712.98 --> 1715.68]  Just as we have sung in our worship,
[1716.82 --> 1718.22]  Lord, we need You.
[1719.36 --> 1720.82]  We need Your love,
[1720.88 --> 1722.08]  And we need Your power
[1722.08 --> 1724.04]  To guide us,
[1724.86 --> 1727.60]  And to empower us through our everyday journeys
[1727.60 --> 1728.42]  As Your children.
[1728.42 --> 1734.32]  So I pray over all the temptations and addictions and brokenness over our lives,
[1734.56 --> 1737.84]  And that by the power You grant us in Your name,
[1738.36 --> 1740.26]  We would be able to face them,
[1740.52 --> 1741.32]  And resist them,
[1741.38 --> 1745.00]  And overcome everything with the hope that we have in You.
[1745.68 --> 1746.98]  You are our confidence.
[1747.48 --> 1748.90]  You are our only hope.
[1748.90 --> 1750.96]  We come before You
[1750.96 --> 1753.58]  In needing,
[1753.70 --> 1754.88]  In desperate need
[1754.88 --> 1756.26]  For Your guidance.
[1756.82 --> 1757.44]  Once again.
[1758.34 --> 1759.64]  We thank You for the truth.
[1759.98 --> 1761.48]  We thank You for this good news.
[1762.92 --> 1764.22]  We thank You for Your love.
[1764.44 --> 1765.42]  In Jesus' name we pray.
[1766.00 --> 1766.28]  Amen.
[1766.28 --> 1770.22]  I invite you to stand as we sing our song response.
[1770.22 --> 1770.70]  Amen.
[1770.70 --> 1800.68]  Thank you.