REACHING FOR THE WORD

REACHING FOR THE WORD

1John 2: 16, Matthew 4: 1-11

 

Intro:

            The following story is somewhat childish, yet it illustrates wonderfully the true power of temptation in our lives.  There was once a Toad named Toad.  On a certain sunny day, he baked some cookies. "These cookies smell very good," said Toad. He ate one. "And they taste even better," he said.  Toad ran to Frog's house. "Frog, Frog," cried Toad, "taste these cookies that I have made."

Frog ate one of the cookies, "These are the best cookies I have ever eaten!" said Frog.

Frog and Toad ate many cookies, one after another. "You know, Toad," said Frog, with his mouth full, "I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick."

"You are right," said Toad. "Let us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one last cookie.  There were many cookies left in the bowl.

"Frog," said Toad, "let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie.

"We must stop eating!" cried Toad as he ate another.

"Yes," said Frog, reaching for a cookie, "we need willpower."

"What is willpower?" asked Toad.

"Willpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to do," said Frog.

"You mean like trying hard not to eat all these cookies?" asked Toad.

"Right," said Frog.

Frog put the cookies in a box. "There," he said. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."

"But we can open the box," said Toad.

"That is true," said Grog.

Frog tied some string around the box. "There," he said. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."

"But we can cut the string and open the box." said Toad.

"That is true," said Frog. Frog got a ladder. He put the box up on a high shelf.

"There," said Frog. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."

"But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box," said Toad.

"That is true," said Frog.

Frog climbed the ladder and took the box down from the shelf. He cut the string and opened the box. Frog took the box outside. He shouted in a loud voice. "Hey, birds, here are cookies!" Birds came from everywhere. They picked up all the cookies in their beaks and flew away.

"Now we have no more cookies to eat," said Toad sadly.

"Not even one."

"Yes," said Frog, "but we have lots and lots of willpower."

"You may keep it all, Frog," said Toad. "I am going home now to bake a cake.”

            In our lives today, we are often like the toad in the story.  Once we yield to temptation, we find it almost impossible to stop.  Then, when we do find enough will power, we find that it is so very easy to return to sin. 

            In the book of 1John 2: 16, we find John warning us of the dangers of the three forms of temptation.  He cautions us concerning the “Lust of the Flesh”, the “Lust of the Eye”, and the “Pride of Life.”   In hearing these three listed, we understand that it is into these traps which we often allow ourselves to fall victim over and over again.  Today, we want to change our ways, and go in a better direction.

            In Matthew 4, we read that Christ has been led by The Spirit into the wilderness for the express purpose of being tempted by Satan.  In the first ten verses of Matthew 4, we read of the devil using these three forms of temptation against Jesus, and Jesus actually prevailing.  This morning we want to examine the fact that in order to firm up our will power, resist temptation, and enjoy victory over Satan, we must “REACH FOR THE WORD.”  I pray that you will think on your own life along with your own temptations, and decide once and for all to use God’s word to combat the devil when he comes calling your name.    

 

 

PURPOSE: The purpose of this lesson is to examine the three areas mentioned by John, and then show how Jesus reached for the Word of God in order to defeat Satan in each of these areas.

 

I.                    COMBATING THE LUST OF THE FLESH

 

1.       Notice what Satan did here in order to tempt Jesus.

A.      Matthew 4: 2 Christ had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, and was hungry when the devil came calling.

B.       Matthew 4: 3 Satan then tempts the savior by attempting to sway him into using his God-given power to turn simple stones into bread.

C.       John 2: 1-10 Jesus obviously had the power and talent to turn the stones into bread, but instead he reaches for the Word of God to defeat the devil.

D.       Matthew 4: 4 Jesus states that even the needs, wants, and wishes of this mortal body must take a backseat to the Word of the Lord.

2.       The truth of life is that the devil continues to tempt and assault our flesh in the same way.

A.       As in the case of Jesus, Satan will come to us when he sees that we are weak and hungry.

B.       The devil doesn’t tempt us where we are strong, but instead he looks for the chink in our armor.

C.       Joshua 7: 20 certainly he waited for the perfect moment to come and tempt Achan.

D.         James 1: 13 the devil will also look for the “perfect” time to tempt you, when you are weak and hungry, make sure that you reach for the Word of God to combat his efforts.

 

II.                   COMBATING THE PRIDE OF LIFE

 

1.       IN order to understand this point, we must first understand this phrase.

A.      1John 2: 16 in all of scripture, this phrase appears only here in this single verse, yet the concept can be seen throughout the Bible.

B.       Matthew 4: 5-7 at its foundation, Satan here is attempting to tempt Jesus into using his God given ability and faith to set himself above others in an arrogant way.

C.       Genesis 3: 6 it is the same pitfall in which Eve found herself.

D.       Numbers 20: 10 it is the same pitfall in which Moses found himself.   

E.        2Samuel 11: 15 it is the same pitfall in which David found himself.

2.       The truth of the matter is that Satan continues to attempt to get to us through our own pride of life.

A.      As in our first point, we must recognize that the only hope we have of combating Satan’s efforts is by applying the Word of God.

B.       Numbers 12: 3 we must learn from scripture that humility in all that we do is valued by God.

C.       Proverbs 16: 18 we must learn from scripture that pride and arrogance can and will lead to destruction.

 

III.                COMBATING THE LUST OF THE EYE

 

1.       Here in this temptation, we see Satan offering the world for a little worship.

A.      Matthew 4: 8-9 the devil promises the world and all that it contains just as long as Jesus will worship him.

B.       Notice, he showed him what he was offering, and enticed him in a visual way.

C.       Essentially, Satan here is offering a short-term reward based upon an eternal decision.

2.       Today, given the state of our society, it would appear that the devil continues to make this same offer to us.

A.      1Timothy 6: 10 the love of money continues to be a weakness exploited by Satan.

B.       Matthew 19: 22 the love of possessions continues to be a weakness exploited by Satan.

C.       Deuteronomy 6: 13 yet the solution for you and I remains the same as it was in the time of Israel, and Jesus, which is to fear God and keep his commandments.

D.       James 1: 12 what we must do if we are to combat the lust of the eye is look not on the short-term rewards of the devil, but turn our hearts toward the eternal reward given by our God to them that love him and keep his commandments!