Point of Grace Worship 1.28.24 Sermon Notes – “The War, The Warrior and The Win 3!”
What is God revealing to us about Jesus and the Kingdom of God through the “temptation” account?
There is a War…… There is a Warrior…. There is a Win
Matthew 3:16-4:11 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil……..
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
What is the Spirit revealing about satan’s temptations, about Jesus and about the way things work in His kingdom?
In an attempt to derail Jesus and His mission Satan offers a shortcut to glory, to being the boss, to reigning over the earth …. which is what the ‘Son of God’ should be doing.
Jesus is tempted to ‘get power and authority” without going the way of the cross. This is a big way satan tempts… offering success without sacrifice, resurrection without crucifixion, living the new life without death to the old life…… forgiveness without repentance……
Jesus did get “all authority in heaven and on earth” He is exalted to the highest place……. He is worthy to receive all glory and honor because …………………………….He is the Lamb who had been slain. Revelation 5 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, …… 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Something more sinister in satan’s temptation. Jesus is tempted to see life with God as “transactional instead of relational”!
Satan offers Jesus a “deal” ……………… the Father has given Him an “identity”? Jesus honors His Father, not because it’s a good deal but because its who He is …. He is the Son and He only has One Father.
Satan will always tempt us to question whether we are getting a good deal from God – am I getting what I am paying for - is my religious effort “worth it”…… does prayer “pay off”….. am I getting the spiritual goods and services my “tithe” is in essence buying for me.
We now honor our Father in heaven and do His will, not because it is a good deal, but it who we are “Children of God”!
We only have One Father – One God – One Savior – One Jesus!
“Worship the Lord your God and serve Him Only”
Holy and Victorious Trinity – Father Son and Holy Spirit………
You alone are worthy of all my worship, my heart’s devotion, all my praise, all my trust and all the glory of my life.
I love you, I worship you, I trust you.
I give myself over to you in my heart’s search for life. You alone are Life, and you have become my life.
I renounce all other gods, all idols, ………. and I give you the place in my heart and in my life that you truly deserve.
Jesus, You are the Hero of this story, and I belong to you. Forgive me for my every sin.
Search me and know me and reveal to me where you are working in my life, and grant to me the grace of your healing and deliverance, and a deep and true repentance.