Talking To The Devil, Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. Stunningly tight needs.

I have rights receipt and then we end up spending too much drinking too much infidelity, pornography, whatever anger outbursts. I am I right, I am my needs temptation for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana when Pastor Bill got for now. Once again he shows us how God's word world there is a fallacy that many of us believe is it's articles like this.

If I live a good life and I obeyed God I pray every day I make wise decisions in my faith doesn't waiver, then God will protect me and everything in my life will go well. There is a principal in Scripture.

No doubt of sowing and reaping and living your life the right way and sowing in a sense the right actions will reap better results but I think we see it as an absolute promise in Scripture, much like Job's friends who said to Job. Things like you know your product of your choices and apparently you have made some really bad choices and those bad choices you made. Now God is angry with you and now this is what's happening in your life. It's not true.

You see in Matthew chapter 3. There is a fellow there who throughout all human history lived a life like no one else can only live the good life for wise life he lived the perfect life, and in fact he merited and heard the love of God in fact God the father said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And then the word then came the play and then what happened after that temptation, rejection, poverty, attempts on his life. Betrayal, grief and loss, torture finally death. What does that tell us. I think what that tells us is this. There's evil in the world see that income from Jesus Christ that came from the world in which he lived. The secularist of our day. Really hate that word evil when the last time you heard on the news. Someone referring to an event is evil, see the modern sort of secular view of evil is that it's just simply in out of date concept that if you educate the ignorant. If you change the social systems. If you provide the right kind psychological or pharmacological help you can give away with evil, but not all people feel that way. Even in the secular realm Columbia Prof. Andrew Domingo wrote a book called the death of Satan how Americans have lost their sense of evil one sends in that book, he writes this a golf is opened up in our culture between the visibility of evil which we all see and the intellectual resources available for coping with it. He then goes on in his book and he quotes another book Thomas Harris's novel called and you probably seem to me were heard of the movie.

The silence of the lambs, and in that movie. Of course the monstrous killer Hannibal lector is talking to officer Starling, who represents from the point of view, the author our culture's view of evil and Hannibal lector says this nothing happened to me officer Starling, I happened you can reduce me to a set of influences you've given up on good and evil, for behavioralism officer Starling you got everybody in moral dignity, pants, nothing is ever anybody's fault anymore look at me officer Starling can you stand there and say to me that I'm able. That's the dilemma of the cultural perspective the biblical view of evil is quite different than our culture. The Bible says that he will exist that it is. The Bible says that evil is both natural and supernatural, the Bible says that evil is inside of us and outside of us. The Bible says that he was both individual and is socially systemic and the Bible says something else even more difficult for culture to accept the Bible says there's an actual devil, and if there is a devil and demonic forces that evil cannot be reduced to simply bad human choices. I think that if you try to explain the world that you see around us now and the atrocities that are always always being perpetrated on us and you try to explain without the existence of evil. I think that you are spiritually and intellectually naïve. The better question is if we know the enemy is and that he is real.

How do we deal with them and once again I believe the best way to deal with them is the way the Lord dealt with and so were going to continue our conversations with Jesus this time is conversation with the devil. Open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 4 Matthew chapter 4. These conversations that Jesus had. He's had one with the skeptic name Nathaniel and another with Nicodemus was a religious insider and then he had one with an immoral outsider. The woman at the well and last time he had a conversation with a group of Pharisees who were extreme legalist and now he has a conversation with the devil, of all them by far this is the shortest conversation. The context begins in chapter 3 in verse 16, Matthew writes in after being baptized Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened. He says and he said he saw the Spirit of God descending on as a dove, and lighting on him, and behold a voice out of heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

We know that scene he goes into the water. In a sense, a carpenter comes out the Messiah of Israel. What a great statement when an affirmation. This is my son in whom I am well pleased. And then there is chapter 4 verse one remember in the original text are no chapters in the verses. This is just the next word then. Then Mark writes immediately then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The oblast, the accuser, the first thing you see.

By the way, Annette verse and by easy observation is this Satan going to the wilderness looking for Jesus. Jesus went into the wilderness looking for him. He was leading wilderness by the spirit of God amazing the spirit of God is as apt to lead you into the wilderness as it is to lead you up that he is the lead you to green pastures.

Sometimes a spirit of God be doing to the wilderness and it says here to be tempted. Wow, what a place to know wilderness to be tempted the wilderness by the waves, the land from the Dead Sea all the way up to almost Jerusalem.

It it's right around. I think 35 miles long 15 miles wide. It's desolate and that's what Jesus Christ is in it says in the text to be tempted know what's interesting about that.

You mean the spirit of God.

Let them in the wilderness to be tempted. Yes and maybe even more than that the word tempted is the word pie Rosso. It's a very unusual word in this sense, in the Greek the word pie Rosso means to be tempted and the word pie Rosso means to be tested.

There are actually two sides of the exact same coin.

So whenever you see God is testing someone word pie Rosso is used when data Satan or Lucifer the devil was tempting someone. The word pie Rosso is used. Satan uses the incident to attempt God uses the incident to test what is he testing maybe the best way to put it would be sort of like an illustration. Maybe I found the story when the Union Pacific Railroad was being built across the United States Way out west. They came across a large ravine made to build a bridge across the remaining running engineering needs than he built a bridge when the bridge was complete. He said I want to put I want to train brought in. That will go from one end of the bridge to the other and I want it loaded with twice as much weight in it as any train is allowed to carry and so we did that and he brought him he said it there and he said it therefore one full day one of the workers who work in the bridge said why are you doing that.

Why are you putting this double weight training on this bridge, he said, don't you think it would fall. He said no. When I brought it on the bridge force assure that it won't fall in other words, I'm testing it you testing the positive attributes of the bridge, not the negative attribute of the bridge. That's what happens with Jesus noticed Ms. Satan's point of view is being tempted by the way, how does the Bible start answering temptations going on there. It's interesting Max locator writes this. Does the word rematch mean anything to you for the second time in the history and unfallen mind will be challenged by the fallen Angel. The second Adam has come to succeed with the first item is failed. Jesus, however, faces a test far more severe. Adam was tested in a garden Christ in a wasteland or wilderness. Adam face Satan with on a full stomach. Christ is in the midst of the fast. Adam had a companion, Eve, Christ had no one. Adam was challenged to remain sinless in a sinless world. Christ, on the other hand, was challenged to remain sinless in a student written world. The second Adam is tempted in the wilderness by the way, you don't have to go to Israel to be in the wilderness in order to be tempted in the cemetery be tempted to get me in a hospital be tempted. You made a terrible marriage and be tempted you to me in Bankruptcy Court be tempted see there are a lot of places to be tempted as a wilderness experience for virtually all of us is always got the same ideas for the child of God one is tempting us in our Lord is testing us to see if we really are authentic and true. So now we go to the temptation. The very first temptation in the conversation. This is called the temptation of self-satisfaction and the tempter came and said to him, if you are the son of God, command that these stones will become bread. Now you say what's the context of the context in verse two, as most understated thing I think I've ever read. And after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights. And here's the statement he then became hungry 40 days and 40 nights and then became hungry while in so the tempter comes to him and says if you are the son of God. In English that's not good because this is if it does say yes, but in Greek. That means if and it's a first-class conditional clause if, in its true or if I can assume it you could translate that the word since.

By the way you think the devil knows that Jesus Christ, the son of God. Yes you did say it this way since you are the son of God, command that these stones become bread. In other words, always telling him here to do is look meet your needs, the son of God you're hungry.

Take the stones turn the bread by the way, can Jesus do anything with food, I meekly take a few fish in a few loaves and feed 5000 women me can do this by the way, sadness, or even simple. No, not necessarily what he is saying, though, is look, you need to meet your needs with your means. That's what you need to do. You need to meet your needs with your means kind of interesting.

We face the same temptations.

This Downey how many times will say things like this. I have needs. I have rights you see and then we end up spending too much drinking too much infidelity, pornography, whatever anger outbursts. I have my rights, I am. I needs is a temptation member the response of Jesus Christ to but he answered he said to him, it is written mentioned not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

When response. By the way, this whole encounters kind of strange mean this is not the way Holly would be due this is like a superhero movie for Hollywood. This is when the son of God meets the Prince of darkness. I mean no disrespect like lightning, thunder, earthquakes, smoke, fire, and spinning. I mean this is the good and the evil meet when you see it's just like wow this is a really short quite conversation is not much going on here, but there's a lot going on here. You see, it's interesting you looking to beat the devil down with verbosity and I got a talking to death is just a matter what your perspective is Jesus Christ to simply hear coach of Scripture any quotes Deuteronomy chapter 8 now be worth our archives to go back and take a peek hear this go back to Deuteronomy holder poison Matthew to Deuteronomy chapter 8 Moses writing in the book of Deuteronomy and now I think you're going to see the parallel first to Deuteronomy 8 Moses rights God speaking you shall remember all he says the way which the Lord your God has led you into the wilderness.

These 40 years, Jesus was in there 40 days there in the wilderness 40 years, time of testing that he might humble you don't notice the next words testing you.

This is a test for them. He says to know what is in your heart, whether you will keep his commandments are not, he humbled you and let you be hungry and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know that he might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, he says, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord, by the way test Israel in the wilderness for 40 years and they feel you test the son of God in the wilderness for 40 days and he succeeds and notice what Jesus Christ responses back your mental not live by bread alone, but every word comes in the mouth of God. In other words, his answer clarify something your spiritual needs are greater than your physical needs always better Jesus Christ the same spiritual needs are greater than my physical needs. Remember when he talked to the woman at the well. They came back in the city. If you remember from Sy Carney said here, Lord eat because I have food you guys don't know about. In other words, yes, I'm hungry, but no my spiritual need is much greater than my physical need, and here's another example of it.

It's interesting, it's better to obey and depend on God and wait for his provision than the grab satisfaction for ourselves is what he is saying but without the temptation we always face we face exactly that type of temptation.

Think about that how often that happens, my needs, my rights over so we just cut you off in line in the grocery store and traffic what you doing what's the first thing you think my rights, my rights, that's my rights BBB you when you doing this in my rights are more important, the most important thing is my rights is not. You see is not. That's why this is such hyperbole. I mean, my goodness, who would blame him after 40 days of not eating the turned the stones to bread who would blame him for that. Not us. You see, not us. It's astounding how many times we try to substantiate his sin by saying things like I have needs really overdue is listening to the tempter. So the temptation there self-satisfaction. The second temptation is the temptation of what I call the sensational solution Satan or the devil changes a strategy uses then the devil took him into the holy city had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. Another something spiritual born or because are moving from the wilderness to Jerusalem to a mountain and I don't think you're walking slowly, I think they just move there anything you put some of probably the eastern side of the temple portico of Herod's Temple and probably one the highest point of that portico on the eastern side of the temple. It actually overlooks the Green Valley Josephus says that from that portico to the bottom of the valley is 450 feet so that substantial that's really substantial.

That's 45 stories. Notice what he does, then, and he's very good at this, by the way he uses scripture, the devil says to him, if you are the son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, he will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands. He says they will bear you up, so that you will not strike your foot against the stone is what the Bible says if I go to place and go to Psalm 91 with me. Psalm 91 and you see these words in the Old Testament, you gotta give Lucifer a little credit to repent and those it that tells me knows the word of God. Verses 11 and 12 of Psalm 91.

Read this way is the psalmist wrote it for he will give us true angels charge concerning you to guard you in all your ways, and they will bear you up in their hands that you will not strike your foot against a stone. While pretty good by way already told you something just because someone's quote Scripture after doesn't necessarily mean you're telling the truth so the devil is using Scripture.

What is he doing here. Why is that change. This is the temptation of a sensational solution. What I mean by that is that the in the first temptation he asked Jesus to do something for himself but you got the part of the son of God. Just turn the stones in the bread.

Now he says hey let God do some for you, you see that see what God can do for you, the son of God right. What a prophecy say that the LLM harm come to you soon just throw yourself off of here and injures a cat you know.

Why would that even be a temptation I mean in a true sense like why was it like that even be a temptation with think about it there on the pinnacle of the temple right there. The pinnacle now there are people all over Jerusalem and especially the temple.

What Jesus Christ himself 150 feet done. He's falling in everyone's watching and at the end always sends me jellybeans catch him and stand him. You think there might be a little right going on there. You think they might want to make him king and Messiah right then. Right now, of course, and by the way, that was the kind of thing the false messiahs try to do all the time. William Barclay and his candidate on in his commentary on Matthew talks about some of these users. There was a man named Brutus who led a group of people from the temple to the Jordan River and he told the people that I was split. Now the river in half.

He didn't do it. He failed and then everyone walked away. Did listen to many more but is not done.

There was an Egyptian Messiah in pretender who claim that he could flatten the walls of Jerusalem simply by saying the B-flat he walked to the walls. He gave a shot and nothing happened, and no one followed him anymore tradition holds. Barclay writes that Simon the magician out of the book of acts chapter 8 verse nine the book of acts. Simon the magician tried the very feet which Satan tempted Jesus with. He jumped off the top of the temple from the pinnacle into the kid Green Valley and died by the wave when a sense of irony, though. Another thing about tradition. James, the Lord's brother who was the elder of the Jerusalem church.

That's all he was martyred.

They took him up to the pinnacle of the Temple and threw him into the kid Green Valley to kill him. So he says look to slow yourself off if you essentially the son of God, the Scriptures, he went back me up and how do you call that the temptation of the sensational solution. If you think about that, just for a moment. Jesus Christ says to him, on the other hand, it is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Deuteronomy 6. By the way same book. He quotes Deuteronomy 6. You see, if you're going to test God. That means something that means you… And if you doubt God. That means you don't trust God and if you don't trust God, you have no faith in your incision, Jesus is on looking to do that been listening to Pastor Brogan on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world.

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