February 12, 2012
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse,
2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New
Jersey, 08553
Telephone:
615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10: 15 AM
Bible Class
Sunday 11 AM Morning
Service
Thursday 7 PM Midweek
Service
TEMPTATION
Matthew 4:1-11
Brethren, though our Savior was tempted of the devil, Christ conquered
our foe (1 Jn 3:8; He
2:14-15, 18). Yet, we need to learn from Satan’s tactics as
well as from how our Lord resisted. Our
Lord had no sin in him to tempt, but we do. John summed up our
weakness in these three things, “…the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life” (1 Jn 2:16). We will use these three
things to outline the devil’s tempting tactics.
The Lust of the Flesh (Mt 4:2-4)
Satan sought advantage at our Lord’s hunger attempting to cause Christ
to distrust God and be his own provider, saying, “If thou be the Son of God,
command that these stones be made bread.” When he took the form of a servant for his people
our Lord trusted his Father to provide for him (Mt 4:4).
For instance, the Lord fed a multitude with a few loaves and fish, but
the Lord Jesus did not work a miracle to feed himself. As the servant of God, the Lord Jesus trusted
every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. Brethren, in providing our basic necessities
the lust of our flesh will cause us to stumble in a desire to obtain those
things, and more, for ourselves.
Remember brethren, God has promised to provide and more than any other
bread, we need the Bread from heaven. We
are born by the Word, sustained by the Word, kept by the Word and it is the
Word which shall strengthen the inner man and make us to abide steadfast in the
faith (Ja 1:18; 1 Pe 1:23; Ro 10:17; 1 Cor 1:21; 1 Pet 2:2; Eph 6:16-17). When the devil tempts us to provide for
ourselves turn to Christ the Word, his gospel, his scriptures and trust that
God shall provide all.
The Pride of Life (Mt 4:5-7)
When the
believer is doubted as a child of God it is pride to desire to prove ourselves
otherwise. Christ knew no sin of pride, but Satan tried to tempt Christ that way, “if thou be the Son of God…” The
believer has nothing to prove. When
questioned and doubted by another, humility draws near to God. Also, it is pride to presume upon the
promises of God. Satan took Christ up to the holy city, to the pinnacle of the
temple. He used the promises of God
attempting to make Christ jump off.
Indeed, the grace of God takes us as children into the holy, heavenly
city and makes us to ride upon the high places of the earth as God did
Jacob. Our Father makes us stones in his
holy temple in Christ our Foundation. He
reveals great and precious promises in our hearts through his gospel. But where the grace of God works, it does not
promote presumption upon God’s promises.
God promises that his child shall not perish in the water and fire of
trial because of the sure blood of Christ (Is 43:1-2). But that does not make us presume we can
build a fire and jump in it! The Lord
promises “their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” but that does not
lift us in pride so that we presume we can run into sin. The Lord promises, “I’ll never leave thee nor forsake thee” but that does not make a
child of God “forsake the assembly of the saints” (He 10:17, 19-23). If I ever find myself using the scriptures
to prove myself or to presume upon God’s promises, I can be sure it may be the
pride of my flesh but it is certainly not of God! (Ja 1:14; Mt 4:7).
The Lust of the Eyes (Mt 4:8-11)
When it came to a reward whereby the devil promised to give Christ
those things which the sinful eye covets, the faithful Servant ended the whole
matter: “Then saith Jesus unto him,
Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and him only shalt thou serve” (Mt 4:10). Christ did not serve God
for the things the lustful eye covets.
Christ served God his Father for the reward of glorifying God and saving
his children. Likewise, the believer’s reward in heaven is not
the lust of the eyes but God’s glory and our Savior Jesus Christ. Brethren, we have a great, almighty
Friend and Advocate in heaven. Flee to
him for help. He who was tempted and conquered our adversary will also cause us to be
triumphant over the tempter and our temptations, giving his angels charge to
protect us (Rom 16:17 -20;
1 Thes 5:23-24).
Sitting By
Luke 5:17
Charles Spurgeon
There is something (every preacher has
felt it) in a congregation itself which affects the preacher, even as he
affects the congregation. I soon feel
when godly men are praying for me, and crying, “O Lord, help him to preach!” I
cannot tell you how it is, but so it is that some congregations freeze me, and
others set me on fire. When the doctors of the law and the Pharisees are
“sitting by,” they drag us down, and we cannot do many mighty works. If my eye
catches the glance of one of these ice-men; if I perceive his wretched
indifference, and detect his half-concealed sneer, I am weakened by it. I fancy
I hear such folks saying, “We care nothing for what you say. We do not belong
to those whom you can influence. We are clad in mail against your weapons.”
This chills one to the marrow. Now, this is the tendency of your conduct if you
are “sitting by”—you chill the preacher, and in chilling the preacher you do
boundless mischief to the congregation. Don’t you know that it was said even of
Jesus, “He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief”? When he saw their faith he healed the sick of
the palsy; and at another time, when he saw their unbelief, he looked round
with indignation. It is a terrible fact that certain of you may be so acting as
to hinder the salvation of others by your indifference to the sacred message. I
believe that this is eminently the case with you that are very good people in
all but the one thing needful. You do not fear God, and your very goodness
works for evil. The example of a rank and rotten profligate will not influence
certain minds; for they are disgusted by its grossness, and driven to seek
something better. But when young men see an excellent person like you, so moral
and amiable, without religion, they gather from your example that godliness is
not absolutely needful, and take license to do without it. Thus, you who are
“sitting by” may be a curse where you little suspect it: you may be encouraging
others in the attempt to live without the Savior. Yet let me not finish this
head without repeating the remark that we are glad to have these people
“sitting by” rather than not coming at all. Being in the way, the Lord may meet
with them. If you go where shots are flying you may be wounded one of these
days. Better to come and hear the gospel from a low motive than not to come at
all.