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LUKE 4:1-13

"TEMPTATION"

Intro: It is God's desire you have fullness of joy, peace, abundant life. He declares  that
       it comes by denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Him. Satan  declares
       you can only experience the good life by indulging yourself. His is  usually the 
       promise of immediate fulfillment  Temptation is the suggestion that I  leave God's path
       of the cross and eternal fulfillment for the path of indulgence  and immediate 
       fulfillment.

I. "COMMAND THIS STONE TO BE MADE BREAD."
        A. I have no doubt but that Jesus could have done it.
                1. His first miracle was changing water into wine.
                2. He later multiplied the loaves and fishes.
        B. Suggestion was to indulge His appetite, in exotic way.
                1. Appetites are God created urges.
                        a. Nothing wrong or sinful about appetite.
                        b. Sin usually lies in how we seek to satisfy our appetites.
        C. Suggestion was that man can answer the needs of his life in the material things.
                1. He can live his whole life on the physical plane.
                2. You don't need the spiritual dimension.
        D. Reflected in response of Jesus, "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone,
           but by every word of God."
                1. How many men today are trying to live by bread alone.
                2. Two dimensional life--body and mind.
                        a. This is animal life.
                                1. I can see more credence in some of latest speculations of
                                   evolutionists, ape evolved from man.
                                2. I see many men moving towards ape.
                3. Man tries to answer the reason for his existence in physical
things.
                        a. Seeks to fill a spiritual void with a physical experience.
                4. You cannot be a total person without spiritual development.

Il. I WILL GIVE YOU POWER AND THE GLORY OF THE WORLD IF YOU WILL BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP ME.
        A. The power and glory of the world is a strong desire of many people today.
                1. And many are bowing down to Satan in order to attain it.
                        a. Lie, steal, cheat, deceive, defraud, sell their bodies.
                2. Notice the trap, if you want power, bow down to me.
                        a. The moment I bow I become a slave, I am not ruling, I am serving.
                        b. I see so many enslaved by their lust for power and glory.
        B. This offer to Jesus was subtly powerful. He came to redeem this world back to God.
                1. He was born to die on the cross to redeem world.
                        a. Satan is suggesting cross not necessary.
                        b. Immediate fulfillment possible, just turn from God's path of the 
                           cross, worship me.
                2. How often Satan seeks to detour you from God's path.
                        a. God's path calls for self-denial, seIf-sacrifice.
                        b. Satan cries no, no it's in seIf-indulgence, seIf-assertiveness the
                           world is realized.
        C. It is written thou shalt worship the Lord God and Him only shalt thou serve.
                1. Man is so constructed that he must serve something.
                        a. His appetites or self interests.
                                1. Appetite is important, you were never meant to serve it.
                        b. Meant to serve God.
                                1. Do you find that distasteful? Consider alternatives.

III. JUMP FROM HERE, IT IS WRITTEN," HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE TO KEEP THEE..."
        A. Satan quotes scripture, but cleverly misquotes deleting important phrase.
                1. "In all thy ways..."
                2. Walking in God's ways you will be kept.
        B. Temptation to sensationalism to attract crowds.
        C. Temptation to prove God.
                1. Any attempt to prove God- is a sign of unbelief.
                2. Those who fully believe in Him have no need to prove Him, He constantly is 
                   proving Himself and His word in their lives.
        D. "It is written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."
                1. All temptation answered with Word.
                        a. "Thy Word have t hid in my heart..."