YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO SERVE SOMEBODY

July 16, 2010

YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO SERVE SOMEBODY

Luke 4:1-13

Mike Rand

Central Truth

It is in times of temptation that our dependence on the Lord is tested.

Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'" (Luke 4:8)

The Temptation of Jesus

1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”

9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’

11 and

‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

As believers in Christ, we are children of God, His precious ones, so loved that He came down from heaven to redeem us. Wow—it can’t get any better than that, can it?

Then why does temptation work? Why are we so forgetful, so weak? How does Satan know just what buttons to push to attack our vulnerabilities? Sin appeals to that part of human nature that looks for immediate gratification or the easy way out. Just get what you want now, and pay for it later. After all, you deserve it, right?

Jesus models strength we can only imagine. In the garden Adam and Eve had all they desired, but still fell for Satan’s tricks. In Luke 4 Jesus (fully man) has been in the desert fasting and is at His weakest when Satan tempts Him. But He responds with total faith in the Father and uses the Word as the “sword of the Spirit” to rebuke Satan. What a model for us!

In Luke 4:5-7, Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and uses his power as the prince of this fallen world to make Jesus quite a proposal: Serve me, and this will all be yours! Satan’s temptations were his attempt to offer Jesus all the glory of this world, eliminating the need to go through with the messy plan for man’s salvation. How fortunate we are to have a God who so quickly dispatched Satan just so that He could go to the cross for us!

Scripture tells us that "the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8) When Satan attacks, I have learned to lean upon the familiar Scripture: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV)

So, the next time you are tempted, who are you gonna serve?

1. Why do you think the Lord allows temptation to enter our lives? Why does He let Satan continue to attack?

2. What is the biggest temptation you face today?

3. Are you repeatedly corrupted by the same temptations? Can you change your surroundings or situation to remove the temptation?

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What does it mean to be tempted? Have you ever been tempted to go against God’s Word?

2. Is being tempted the same as sinning? Everyone, even Jesus, is tempted to go against God’s Word. If we obey Scripture, we will not fall into the temptation and sin.

3. How did Jesus respond to the temptation? Take time to memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13 to help you resist the next time you are tempted.