The Crown Without the Cross - Pt. 1

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Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious. I'm entitled to Mike's message crown without the cross we will be looking at Luke chapter 4 verses one through 13 so I wouldn't ask you to take your Bibles and turn their and what I want to talk about tonight's temptation and I really want to answer two questions. First, what is temptation and second, how can we as fallen man overcome it. So first, what is temptation temptation is an enticement to commit acts that are contrary to the law mostly in commandments that God has provided for us in his word and this enticement comes with a promise for gain in pleasure.

God is the one who's established was right and wrong is laid out his laws and commandments in his word, and so temptation is really any's inducement or any of allurement to go against God's word. God has given us his Word so that we know what's right and wrong is the know how to live a life in obedience to him. But we need a lot of help doing that only Greek mythology. This siren was a creature, half bird and half woman who lured sailors to destruction by the sweet sound of her voice a climber washing would want to document the name of it but the sea could hear the sirens over the ships would be with hear the sirens voice and they would be drawn to this in irresistible song that the sirens were singing and they would be lured off course and they would be brought to their destruction upon the rocks. The Greek hero DCS escaped this danger by stopping bus stopping here the ears of the sailors with wax so they cannot hear what the sirens were saying, but he wanted to hear it say or his sailors to tie him to the mass so that when he heard the sound of the sirens voice. He would not steer the ship.

Of course, would be shipwrecked.

Temptation is powerful like that man is a powerful date that lures unsuspecting man and women onto a path that leads to destruction and death. So what I want us to do two hours to learn from the master how to deal with temptation when you face back as we are faced with temptation every single day particular in the world in which we live.

So you want to read along with me, beginning with verse one. Here we are. Luke chapter 4, Luke writes Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the spirit in the wilderness where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil.

He ate nothing during those days at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, if you are the son of God, tell the stone to become bread. Jesus answered, it is written, man shall not live on bread alone, the devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world and he said to him I will give all their authority and splendor.

It is been given to me and I can give it to anyone I won't. So if you worship me it will all be yours. Jesus answered, is written. Worship the Lord your God and serve him only in the devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple and he said if you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, then he quoted from Psalm 91 he will command his angels concerning you to guard you. Carefully they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Jesus answered it says do not put the Lord your God to the test and this is when the devil had finished all this tempting. He left Jesus until an opportune time in G and gas. Satan is always looking for an opportune time with you and me now share with you some key differences between Jesus and us as we are established. Jesus is the God man that if he was in battle.

He still is hundred percent man and hundred percent God that when John was on Patmos in Revelation 5. He looked up and he saw a Lamb who look as if you can sling he was seeing Jesus in his glorified body still with the nail prints is a man that's what Grant told us when he was here a couple weeks ago as God, he does not have any evil desires within him, however, is a man he face the full onslaught of temptation without using any of his divine powers. Probably that's what made the temptation site tempting. Is it any moment he could've unveiled his deity and doing whatever you please. However, men before the foundation of the world. The sun submitted to his father's will in every respect. Paul writes about his self humiliation is submission. The submission of the son to the father in Philippians chapter 2 verses five through eight. This what Paul writes in Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grass, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on the cross. That's what Jesus did for you and me. He became a man in his the question.

Could Jesus have given into temptation and sin will first thing I want you to understand is that this is not a question of whether Jesus sent are not Scripture is clear that Jesus never what they never sent first Peter chapter 2 verse 22 says he committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth. Second, Quicken 521 says God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So back to the question.

Could Jesus have given into temptation sent will according to most theologians. Jesus even as a man still possessed his divine nature. Thus, he could not sin. To believe that Jesus could stand is the way that God could send God cannot sin classes to non-Cisco in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form Jesus was deity failed in human flesh you with me and he was fully human, and yet the same time he possessed the vanity.

I believe that what flippant is teaching us is that he temporarily set aside his divine attributes as he submitted to his father's will literally became a man and lived among us. And although Jesus was fully human. He was not born with a sinful nature like you and me because he did not. He did not possess evil desires.

He was sorely tempted. I believe in the same way that we are in the temptations were put before him by Satan. Nonetheless, he remain sinless because God is incapable of sinning against some of this is Mr. we can't fully fathom the God man we invest. We can't fully understand exactly what he endured to those temptations, but I do believe they were real temptations, but not to do evil. Okay he did have evil desires within him like you are not the miss some people respond well if Jesus could not have sand that he cannot truly experience temptation in the same way as mankind. Therefore he can't really understand. He can't really relate to us.

He can't really understand our struggles and weaknesses. What is Scripture say about that. God knows everything he's omniscient what God has never had the desire to sin, nor has he ever sin. He certainly understands sin and the nature of sin. He understands that we are man who made from what the dust of the earth, and he would live in a fallen world and we have a fallen nature. The under listen – if you don't leave, but with one thing tonight. I want you to understand this, Jesus understands us do know why, because became one of us and listen. He has great sympathy for you and me.

This will think I have learned about Jesus that I love so much. He's been sympathetic towards Russ Andrews and I didn't deserve it, is that he fully understands why we get into temptation is more than any other man is ever lived.

He face the full magnitude of the lure of temptation. Think about a bubble blowing up a balloon you know them the more you blow in it it it expands until the pressure on the inside is more than on the outside and explodes. So how much and think of the aorta sworn in as the temptation how much temptation, how much air does it take for your billing pops.

Not much but see if you resist temptation. The pressure keeps building. Jesus never gave into temptation. Do you understand he faced more pressure from temptation because he resisted it to the full extent God imitates something because what he went through the understands what were doing with man. He was a man. Hebrews 414 through 16 says therefore, since we have a great high priest who is going through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way that in every way, just as we are yet was without sin, then he goes on site. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that what so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our hour of need.

I bet some of you come in here tonight probably with a guilty conscience over something when you get into temptation in the last week. You probably have had some guilt, some anxiety Slim asking if you think Jesus wants to condemn you. The Bible says he did not come to condemn the world, but to what save the world and in the Bible says he delights in showing mercy is that as a believer. If you send what should you do run to the throne of grace is rather like the thought of the prodigal, with open arms. Same company also will who are weary and burdened, I'll give you rest. If that's what you find grace and mercy up into the throne of grace, and he found it ridiculous. I'm attempting to go before you run out of opportunities. You don't run out infinite.

So now wants to look at this temptations how was Jesus tempted ugly.

He was tempted in three ways physically, psychologically and spiritually. In other words, the entire humanity of Jesus was tempted his mind his body in a solo. Guess what, guys. That's what Satan what to do with your mate because after our whole being, our mind in our body and our soul and what he does.

He wants to destroy us and he begins on the inside and works his way out, literally killing as he goes about his work.

So let's take these temptation separately. First, Satan appealed to Jesus physical desire for food. You know why he was hungry. It was hungry like you are hungry soon after Jesus was baptized wheat we learned about that last week he said he was full of who is the Holy Spirit and it was the third person of the Godhead. He was full of the Holy Spirit and in the spirit led him into the desert to be tested so for 40 days and 40 nights.

Jesus ate nothing. Can you imagine the hunger pangs. He must've been with.

I remember years ago how to set also fast 24 hours because I'm not bragging because I've only done it about. I got can count one happy town attempts every times I've done it so I got up to 24 hours. I made it through breakfast I made lunch with no problem and I came home and I was determined to walk to the kitchen and in bypass the study and I won't in after a long day at work with an empty tank and when I will came to the door. This incredible aroma hit me in my nostrils. My wife Creasy was cooking a feast for two sons were probably 12 and 10. At the time she had a port one roast in the oven.

She had stewed corn on the stove with mashed potatoes and snap things and I won't run by said Lord, please help me. After being home for little while present Russ I need a run out for a minute. I'm afraid the corn is going to burn D- turn it while I'm gone. And I said well okay I'll do that you need understand it corn was my favorite vegetable growing up a group in Bethel and we had some farmland and we grew corn you ever tasted good early corn is good, and nail my mother used to put up she was in for four days putting up jars of corn. We would have it all throughout the winter, but I so much at one time I threw up. That's another story. And so Creasy learned he could corn like my mother someone without to get laid off cash to get spoon and I started stirring and then this'll fall in her mama, you know, it really will be breaking the fast.

I just take one bite that took one bite she was.

I can taste it right now. I took another bite and then I turned around and I grabbed a plate from the cabinet that was in the kitchen for me boys were out plan Creasy go and I took the pork roast out of the oven accurately to big piece in late and I powder my plate with corn and snap beans and mashed potatoes and I devoured it and it was good sin. The Bible says taste good for a while but then you wake up in is a disaster.

Listen what I just described to you is a picture of the way temptation works when you're awake. The devil will appear and ask you destroy corn and use okay tae kwon do store.

Not a big deal. As Jesus dealt with his hunger pangs. The devil appeared to him out of nowhere because I listen it and say this but can't you say there's nothing he's probably right. How you think the devil appeared as a women with a little former Angel note in splendor, glorious powerful. Remember his name used to be Lucifer.

He was the most beautiful angel in all of heaven and the most powerful next to God, but he want to be like God and he had seen the sun in his former glory. Sure, the throne with his heavenly father.

And now here is the son in a frail human body is dying hunger pangs in this powerful beam stands before the sun Jesus and says if you are the son of God, tell the stone to turning the bread in essence what Satan said was, since you are the son of God, the same view it. He believed it until your father take care of you.

That's what he did for the Israelites for four years when they wander through the desert and he took care of them he gave them manna and quail. Certainly, if you really are the son of God who did the same for you to give Jason be going without food for 40 long days and he felt he was dying as the hunger pains, convulsed his body, and since he had the power to turn stones into bread. His body was screaming.

Do it using order temptation not from evil but to do something good this temptation ugly was both physical and spiritual nature. If he gave in. He would usurp his father's will, who led him to actually fast and who promise to take care of him yet.

He was starving. His body craved nourishment. In spite of the hunger pangs.

Jesus was faithful according to Matthew chapter 4 verse four cheese responded is written, man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God was the lesson there are life does not consist of what we have what we eat, but on nourishment from the word of God see Jesus believed God's word and he trusted in his heavenly father to take care of him and therefore he was faithful.

What should we say to Jesus right now.

Thank you Jesus because he was faithful. We are sitting here tonight if that was the first temptation, Jesus passed with flying colors. But Satan pushed a little harder and a little deeper with the second one he appealed his psychological desire to get the crown without the cross to bypass the pain-and-suffering just go straight to the kingdom's of the Bible says the devil took him up to the top of a high mountain, and he somehow showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world and then then the ruler of this world first John 519 says the whole world is under control of her the evil one shall know that he has limited control is like a lion on a chain, but he has control of the world and he said to to Jesus. All of these kingdoms, which have been given to me.

I'll give you if you just do one thing thou your knee and worship me it will all be yours.

You think I want to temptation Jesus came into this world to do what to establish his kingdom on earth. His greatest desire was for the people of the world to worship his father and to follow him so that he could give you and me eternal life. However his greatest red was the cross. Remember the boys arrest in the garden. He was asking his father what if it's possible father take this cup from me, but not my will but thy will be done and he was so full of anxiety of what is your face. I don't think it was the plaintiff suffered all that without part of it. Usually the first time when the father looked away as he took the soft filthy sins upon his body so he dreaded the cross and his anxiety was so severe that he perspired blood. So here he was presented with a way to establish his kingdom on earth and able to cross. We cannot think we can imagine how tempting this was to Jesus in his humanity. Just a quick bow just a fleeting moment of recognition before this beautiful, powerful being, it would pass in an instant it in his kingdom will come to this earth and all of its glory. Just a quick little nod.

Imagine Jesus in this we can condition existing in a frail human body and standing before this imposing been masquerading as an angel of light. I believe in the unseen realm all of the heavenly angels watch to see how the sun respond because they do not they were omniscient. Did Jesus disappoint them. He replied to the devil. It is written, worship the Lord your God and serve Jesus remain faithful. What should we say thank you Jesus. When I when I prepare this. A lot of us today. I really was so thankful as I thought about what Jesus did for us. This is just the beginning of the battle got three more years of battling this for all the way to the cross weasel crap rewards. One of those three words. Here is finished. I guess he did it for you and me, but he still got a long battle ahead of him. Three more years, so the devil of the anti-this time Satan appealed his spiritual desire to know and feel the love of his heavenly father allow that he never without the devil took him to the highest place on the Temple Mount, which I believe is the corner of the southeast corner of the of the wall. I look at it with some amount some people to travel to Israel with us three years ago from the other side of the Kidron Valley NSA 450 dropped to the bottom so somehow Satan and Jesus standing there on the edge of that wall. Looking back and once again, the devil in the splendor and beauty said if you are the son of God.

Three. Step down from here porch written so now listen, Jason according Scripture now cites quoting it thinks like to know the Bible says, he said Jesus he will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully. They will lift you up in their hands that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

I believe this was the most powerful temptation that Jesus faced you see the sun. As I stated in Jordan fellowship with his father from eternity past. Not only had the father not fit him yet but then never devil was questioning the love of the father for his one and only son, Satan reminded Jesus by quoting Psalm 91 that God promise to take care of him.

Anyone who trust in him.

You what he was saying to Jesus. Just prove it prove to the world if you roil the son of God.

Prove it in the whole world will know who you really are doing now and you can avoid the cross, just a shortcut to the kingdom bypass the pain-and-suffering once again.

Jesus was faithful to his father.

He replied it says do not put the Lord your God to the test to me. Jesus was faithful all to all the way to the end.

So what should we say thank you Jesus. This is when the devil is finished, testing him. Satan left to wait for another opportunity administrators for urinary you pass one test is another one, near the beginning us. It will go to answer two questions. First, what is temptation we establish it. Temptation is allurement or an enticement to sin against God's word, pleasure, or gain Jesus was off the world but to take it. He would have to go against his father's work and will and he refused. So the second question and wonder why want to camp out on as we and tonight is this how do we overcome temptation or to answer this question, don't you take your Bibles and turn with me back to the book of James right after Hebrews James chapter 1 with a look at verses 13, 14 and 15 giant thing as part of your homework assignment this week. James 113, 14 and 15 is what James writes when tempted no one should say God is temptingly for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone, but each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed enough desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown. His birth death interview ever experience that deadly cycle. Let me give you some truths about temptation. First temptation in and of itself is not sin.

You can let birds fly via, but don't let them go to nest. This would become sin, temptation become sin. When you get into being a Christian is not about being religious but about having the dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living, and discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources finding purpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

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