Know Your Enemy
First Sunday of Lent – Temptation of Jesus
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan –
Baptism
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“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well
pleased.”
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Jesus down into the water just like a sinner
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Father’s response – “That’s my boy!”
o
This is what Jesus came to do – to save sinners
o
Central to his identity as the Son of God.
Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert
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40 days
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Ate nothing
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When they ended he was hungry (duh!)
The devil enters – opportunity to see how he operates to
Know our Enemy
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Devil means “slanderer”
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The devil will “slander” - say harmful false
things to make people think poorly
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About God
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About you
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Make you think badly of yourself.
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“If you are the Son of God …” (2x – 1st
and 3rd temptations)
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What had God just said? “You are my beloved Son”
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Devil wants Jesus to doubt his Father’s Word
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Wants Jesus to doubt His identity
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What has God said about you?
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Baptized
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Forgiven
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Beloved
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Reconciled
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Child of God
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Devil will try to get you to doubt – not believe
what God says about you.
o
He will try to get you to root your identity in
something other than what God says.
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Who are you? (Implying you are not good enough.)
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I am a baptized, forgiven, beloved, child of God!
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“You don’t act like it.”
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Ah, true, but that is what my Heavenly Father
says, so it must be true!
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If you are the Son of God command this stone to
become bread.
o
Seems pretty practical.
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Worldly wisdom – wisdom in a world that is
fallen and deeply deceived by the devil – is not God’s wisdom.
o
Turn the stone into bread – save yourself!
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But did Jesus come to save himself? No. He came
to save you. How? By dying and rising.
o
God’s people are sometimes accused of being so
heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.
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Offer forgiveness of sins. (World responds – why
would I want that? Give me something I can use!)
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Does the world need forgiveness? Yes!
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Devil would turn us to that worldly wisdom to be
“useful” as the cost of what is needful.
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Jesus counters with Scripture “Man shall not
live by bread alone.”
o
What do we live by? Word and promise of God!
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Need bread to sustain earthly life.
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God’s Word gives real and eternal life.
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Temptation 2 – Worship me and I will give you
authority and glory.
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Can the devil deliver on this promise? No.
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“The devil is a liar” – Jesus
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Lies about what is good, what will make us
happy, what will satisfy our desires.
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Never enough and in the end, destruction.
o
Worship as quid pro quo
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“If you worship me, I’ll do this.”
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“You worship God, what has he done for you?”
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Transactional religion.
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Devil wants us to doubt that God acts from
generosity and grace.
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Jesus, “You shall worship the Lord your God. Him
only shall you serve.”
o
Catch that word “serve” – this is part of our
glory to be found in God’s service
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He serves us forgiveness and grace
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We serve him in worship and repentance.
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Temptation 3 – Devil takes Jesus to Jerusalem
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What happened in Jerusalem? Crucifixion!
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Throw yourself from the temple.
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Twists scripture – still does!
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“God still speaks.” Yes, through the Word!
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I warn everyone who hears the words of the
prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the
plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone
takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his
share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described
in this book. – Revelation 22:18-19
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Turn away from the cross and amaze us all – God
will rescue you – you won’t have to suffer and die and everyone will know you
really are the Son of God. If you really are.
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“Do not put the Lord to the test.”
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Jesus shuns the Father’s protection.
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He goes to Jerusalem to suffer, to be forsaken
by God.
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Why? For you.
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Devil tempts us with glory in the now.
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Fed now.
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Authority now.
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Glory now.
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Separates glory from suffering.
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Jesus’ glory is revealed at the cross. Salvation
won!
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Tempts us to prefer earthly glory rather than
the glory to come.
Why did Jesus do all this? Why did He allow Himself to be
tempted?
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Devil is a subtle enemy.
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More than you and I can handle.
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Jesus faced him to overcome him … for you.
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Luke 11:21-22 - When a strong man, fully armed,
guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but
when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away
his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.
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Jesus is taking on the strong man to bind him,
defeat him, and take his spoils … and that is us. He faces the devil and
defeats him with the Word of God to save you. Amen.
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