WEBVTT 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:12.060 Good morning, everyone. Morning. So, what tempts you? What's your temptation? What draws you away 00:00:12.060 --> 00:00:21.839 from the goodness of God? The thing is, how do we distance ourselves, as we heard, from the source 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:27.719 of temptation? And let's be honest, we all get tempted. How do you distance yourself? This clip 00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:33.320 tells us something, something about our moral world, something about the world in which we live, 00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:42.159 the reality of life. And as the psychologist says, they don't care about doing wrong, but they do care 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:49.620 about being caught. You know, the temptation is not to, the temptation is not to take temptation 00:00:49.620 --> 00:00:56.420 seriously, isn't it? You know, we need to take this issue that Jesus is talking to us this morning 00:00:56.420 --> 00:01:03.100 about. And as we see in the scripture, the earliest point in the Garden of Eden, even at the beginning, 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:12.900 our moral stance is that we will be tempted. That is part of it. The next program examines when 00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:19.599 confronted with the evidence of how they try, the young people try to cover themselves, even to the 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:25.879 fact that through lying, that a big bird came down and licked it. Nothing to do with me. 00:01:27.739 --> 00:01:36.879 We are tempted to hide our temptation. And here we are at the beginning of Lent, as we go back to 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:45.259 spiritual basics, to examine our discipleship, our relationship with Jesus, how that is shaped and 00:01:45.260 --> 00:01:52.740 affirmed in the areas where that is marred by temptation in our life. This is the beginning. 00:01:52.900 --> 00:01:57.420 No wonder the scripture comes for us today. At the beginning in our reading this morning, 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:06.900 Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Why? Why? Firstly, 00:02:06.900 --> 00:02:20.560 the wilderness is a craggy, desolate place that is devoid of life. Why would he take him there? To the 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:27.599 very place that Jesus would have to rely on this anointing of the Holy Spirit, which he has just 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:33.939 received. Jesus has just been baptized. The Holy Spirit has descended on him. We hear those amazing 00:02:33.939 --> 00:02:41.900 words really from echoed this morning from the cross, you know, this is my son whom I love, with him I am 00:02:41.900 --> 00:02:51.159 well pleased. God is pleased in us with what he does. He wants to take us away and empower us afresh 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:57.680 from being drawn away from that relationship, that beautiful relationship that we are called to have 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:05.520 with him. This is effectively the start of Jesus' power-filled ministry. To confront evil, the devil, 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:14.360 Satan, the accuser, the deceiver, whatever you would want to call him in his tactics, he will be, 00:03:14.920 --> 00:03:23.540 as they say, hell-bent on drawing you away from a deeper and loving relationship with the Father. 00:03:23.539 --> 00:03:33.899 That's what he is about. That's his sole purpose is to disrupt whatever God is doing in you. The danger 00:03:33.899 --> 00:03:42.719 is with temptation is that we go into situations in our own strength. This is where we come back, 00:03:42.799 --> 00:03:49.259 because Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and taken into 00:03:49.259 --> 00:03:59.560 the desert. This is how it works. And here we have being filled afresh to actually confront everything 00:03:59.560 --> 00:04:05.599 that the evil one's going to throw at him. The danger is with temptation is that it not only in our own 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:12.000 strength, but also with our own doubts, our own insecurities. As we said, you know, faith is small as a mustard 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:22.519 seed. That's enough. That is enough. Our faith in God. But we walk in that faith. Yet Jesus demonstrates 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:29.459 that power to confront and resist the evil. All those things are available to us and through us 00:04:29.459 --> 00:04:37.360 in that daily filling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus proves us. You know, there is no excuse. There is no 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:47.280 excuse. There is no saying, the devil made me do it. I don't know what your cake looks like. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:59.379 We each have our own cake. What does that look like for us, if we're honest? One significant area is 00:04:59.379 --> 00:05:06.259 that we are susceptible to deviation. We are susceptible, as the people of God, to being drawn away 00:05:06.259 --> 00:05:13.500 by being tempted away. And our culture diverts us away from walking closely with Jesus. You know, 00:05:13.659 --> 00:05:18.920 from the big questions that we should be asking ourselves. You know, who are we? What is God's 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:25.240 purpose for me in my life? What is God's calling on my life? And so often we are diverted, aren't we? 00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:33.360 The trivia that evil uses to draw us away. You know, what's my status on social media? So many people 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:39.420 worrying about what their status is, whether they are liked or not liked, what people have said about 00:05:39.420 --> 00:05:47.620 them. You know, I have to conform because I don't want to offend anybody. You know, what a lie that is. 00:05:50.759 --> 00:05:56.939 How often have we been tempted away from confronting the real issues in our discipleship, 00:05:56.939 --> 00:06:05.620 our relationship with Jesus by being diverted? Three areas to be aware of. Number one, after fasting 00:06:05.620 --> 00:06:10.540 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, if you are the son of God, 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:17.139 tell these stones to become bread. The tempter comes at a time when you and I are vulnerable. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:23.040 That is the time that he will come. Maybe that's been your experience. It has certainly been mine. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:30.180 A time when you are vulnerable. Jesus is hungry. How many times have we been tempted in that place 00:06:30.180 --> 00:06:36.040 of our vulnerability? Maybe when finances aren't so good. Maybe we are tempted to, 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:48.140 yeah, lie on our tax return. To turn to recreational drugs or alcohol as a substitute when we're under 00:06:48.139 --> 00:06:56.819 stress. To see gratification for our sexual needs in ways when maybe our marriage isn't good or maybe 00:06:56.819 --> 00:07:04.839 we're struggling with our celibacy. Temptation will come. Beware of temptation when we are vulnerable. 00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:11.279 That is the time to draw close and be filled again and again. Turn these stones into bread. 00:07:11.599 --> 00:07:17.819 Typical. You can hear the evil one speaking, can't you, in our own lives. And Jesus said, 00:07:17.819 --> 00:07:24.399 it is written, man shall not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. 00:07:25.019 --> 00:07:31.719 Don't tell me that. This is where it comes from. Back to the word of God. You can be fed physically, 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:38.500 we all know. But that does not mean you're fed spiritually. And what we're talking about here 00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:45.500 at the beginning of Lent is being fed spiritually. Get into the word of God in Lent. Come back. 00:07:45.500 --> 00:07:51.399 Draw close. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus has been filled with the Holy Spirit. And if you 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:56.920 were filled and fed by the Holy Spirit, you trust and rely on that filling. You know that God is with 00:07:56.920 --> 00:08:02.759 you, in you, and through you, living, working, and strengthening you. Yes, your stomach may be empty, 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:05.180 but you don't sell your soul for a loaf of bread. 00:08:05.180 --> 00:08:14.300 Many Anglicans at the moment are having to make tough spiritual decisions as to whether the recent 00:08:14.300 --> 00:08:21.819 decisions by General Synod are leading us away from sound, biblical, orthodox teaching in the Bible. 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:29.860 Often you hear those words, don't you? Oh, well, change the scripture to be what you want it to be. 00:08:29.860 --> 00:08:34.639 No. Sell yourself for what? To conform to the pattern of this world? 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:42.180 Paul spoke very clearly when faced with pressures in the early church. Do not conform any longer to 00:08:42.180 --> 00:08:50.879 the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, then you will be 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:58.840 able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. The answers are all 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:06.820 there in the word of God for us if we go back and hold to it. The evil one is persistent. Next is, 00:09:07.019 --> 00:09:14.180 we move second level. We move to a different level. The temple, the seat, and the very heart of religion 00:09:14.180 --> 00:09:23.600 that he takes Jesus to. What a cheek. Then the devil took him to the holy city, stand at the highest point 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:30.180 of the temple. If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down, for it is written, he will command 00:09:30.180 --> 00:09:36.440 his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:45.120 against the stone. It's from Psalm 91. The evil one is tempting him with scripture. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:56.419 You know, how audacious is that? The evil one will use anything at all, even scripture itself, 00:09:56.419 --> 00:10:04.220 to try and draw you away from the closeness and love of God. Go on, test it. You're filled with 00:10:04.220 --> 00:10:11.279 the Holy Spirit. You can do it. God will catch you. Do you ever get that from people? Do you ever get 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:17.720 that tempting, that goading, that challenging from other people who are tempting us in our faith? 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:26.319 You know, where is your God now? Call yourself a Christian? Why does your God, your God, cause so 00:10:26.319 --> 00:10:33.659 much suffering? You know, all those things that goading us into and away from that close relationship. 00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:40.819 The evil one's sole purpose is to spread doubt, spread doubt in the people of God. Even at the 00:10:40.820 --> 00:10:46.220 crucifixion, the tempter comes and is active in people's hearts, as we will find as we move through 00:10:46.220 --> 00:10:52.660 our Easter story. You know, if you're the son of God, come down from the cross. You know, he can't even 00:10:52.660 --> 00:11:01.060 save himself. You know, the evil one just doesn't give up. That's why we need to be filled. 00:11:01.059 --> 00:11:10.759 Jesus replies to the tempter, using Scripture straight back again from Deuteronomy 6. Cool move. 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:20.079 It is written, do not put the Lord your God to the test. Full stop. Have some of that straight back. 00:11:21.339 --> 00:11:26.799 Sometimes we need to answer Scripture with Scripture. You know, when that's being thrown at us 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:33.179 in a context, it is also written, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, 00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:39.079 with all your mind, and all your strength. The tempter will come and tempt you to weaken the Word 00:11:39.079 --> 00:11:47.819 that we read in the Bible, to water down Scripture that has been given to us. People, hold to the Word, 00:11:47.820 --> 00:11:59.360 and to the Word may flash. Amen? Amen. Thirdly, he takes Jesus to an even higher level. And here we go. 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:05.400 This is the persistence. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the 00:12:05.400 --> 00:12:14.900 kingdoms of the world in all its splendor. All of this he will give you, he said, if you just bow down 00:12:14.899 --> 00:12:22.579 and worship him, what point do you get to? You know, does that ring true or resonate with you? 00:12:23.699 --> 00:12:32.559 The evil one is replicating and deceiving us as though he actually cares for us, as though he's 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:40.860 actually something to trust in or worship. Trust me, I will sort this all out for you if you do this 00:12:40.860 --> 00:12:49.639 one thing. I'll give you a solution. I don't think so. You know? What is our solutions to things that 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:56.399 the evil one puts to us? You know, you find yourself in a position maybe of insecurity in your marriage 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:02.539 or in your religion. Flirt a bit with others. You know, that'll make your husband and wife or your 00:13:02.539 --> 00:13:10.120 partner attract you a little bit more. No, I don't think so. Go on, spend that hard-earned cash on the 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:15.840 lottery. All your problems will be solved. You can even give a few quid to the church. 00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:26.080 You know? Have the larger car. You know? Never mind the overdraft. Have the larger house, 00:13:26.259 --> 00:13:30.860 like your sister or your brother or your neighbor, you know, which you've coveted for ages. 00:13:31.899 --> 00:13:37.680 Deserve it. You deserve it. Gosh, you know, Clive, you deserve this more than anybody else I know. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:45.039 Why not? Grab that promotion, but grab it by stealth. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:56.759 But what have you got to give up in order to get it? That's the thing. The devil never shows you 00:13:56.759 --> 00:14:04.079 what the real deal is, what you've got to give up to get. I don't come to church anymore because I 00:14:04.079 --> 00:14:09.360 have to work six days a week to keep up my lifestyle. I've heard it time and time and time before. 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:15.259 I don't come to church on Sunday because I'm so busy for the other six days. If you're busy for the 00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:22.180 other six days, this is the one place you need to be on the seventh day to empower you, to equip you, 00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:28.279 to hear God's Word, to go out empowered into the world, to have this supportive structure that we 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:38.220 talked about, about being church. You know, to engage in worship, to reset your spiritual life in worship 00:14:38.220 --> 00:14:45.899 for the one who can do all things, to stir up the gifts in us, to stand firm in faith together, 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:51.000 to gain strength from each other in our shared discipleship. I can give you a list of things, 00:14:51.060 --> 00:14:58.920 and I'm sure you have them too, of where the tempter offers us so much if we worship his ways. 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:10.839 fame, popularity, money, significance, greed, status, pride, lust, the list goes on. He will offer you 00:15:10.839 --> 00:15:12.039 everything. 00:15:15.319 --> 00:15:21.419 I remember speaking to somebody some time back who said, I said, what are you giving thanks for? 00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:28.639 And they said, actually, I'm giving thanks for the pay at pump in the garage. It's a great thing. 00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:37.059 Well, tell me about it. Why are you giving thanks? And they said, well, actually, I have a huge issue 00:15:37.059 --> 00:15:47.399 with gambling and addiction. I fill my car up and I go into the booth and there in front of me is all 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:57.179 the scratch cards and everything. And now I pay at pump because I go and I don't enter into temptation. 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:07.299 And I give thanks for pay at pump every day. That's another thing, how the evil one changes our 00:16:07.299 --> 00:16:15.500 vocabulary to soften the temptation, isn't it? You know, I'm having a flutter on the horses. You know, 00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:20.620 the highest number of suicides are being recorded through younger people who have been caught in 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:29.919 the grip of online gambling at the moment. He or she is having an affair. An affair? No, no, 00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:38.320 I think it's called adultery, isn't it? I've managed, I've massaged, I love this one, I've massaged my tax 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:48.240 return. I think they call that deception, I think. In response to all this, here's a phrase we need to 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:56.320 learn more and more, brothers and sisters. Jesus says, away from me, Satan, worship the Lord your God 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:09.519 and serve him only. Yeah? Away from me, Satan, it is written, worship the Lord your God and serve him only. 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:18.019 Where does my strength come from? My strength comes from the Lord. And in the Lord, I just want to affirm 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:27.639 you, if like me, if like me, you have been caught in sin, you have been caught as we all have, there is 00:17:27.639 --> 00:17:36.099 God's grace to come back to in the power of the cross. Don't stay with that guilt in your sin. 00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:46.379 There is the line, I am forgiven, I am restored, I am whole, I am back with you, Jesus. Yeah? 00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:54.860 Don't be defined from your past, but be defined by your life with Jesus in the future as you step over 00:17:54.860 --> 00:18:02.800 that line. Be restored, be made new, be filled. Jesus went into the desert filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:09.880 Paul talks about putting on the armour of God. You don't go into a situation unless you have the armour 00:18:09.880 --> 00:18:18.940 on. Pray for the armour on every day. The things that we will face. The devil doesn't have a day off. 00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:25.540 He doesn't give up on Sunday. Might be people actually sat here now. We might be sat here thinking, 00:18:25.840 --> 00:18:34.040 well, I didn't like that worship song. You know, no, behind me, Satan, I am here to worship my Lord 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:40.940 and my God. It's not about preference. And that's why we're here, to worship the Lord our God and serve 00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:48.500 him only. You see, you can have the cake and you can eat it, I promise you. The Lord gives us cake 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:58.180 and allows us to eat it. He doesn't leave it just there to tempt us. Taste and see that the Lord is good. 00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:04.220 He gives us what you need. Jesus gives us life, life in all its fullness. 00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:11.259 I'm going to ask you the question that I asked earlier. What tempts you? 00:19:13.060 --> 00:19:21.180 What actually is tempting you at the moment? And maybe you need to just step over that line 00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:30.560 in God's grace and say, I repent, I step over the line and I begin a new life. Whatever you might be 00:19:30.560 --> 00:19:36.200 carrying from the past. I don't know about you, the evil one has this amazing thing of telling me 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:41.660 of things that happened years back where I didn't get it right. Have you ever experienced that? 00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:50.120 Glad I'm not alone. You know, you have no place in this, Satan. I am restored, I am renewed, 00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:57.899 I am filled afresh with the Holy Spirit. What tempts you and where are all these levels? Away from me, 00:19:58.019 --> 00:20:03.000 Satan. I just sensed this morning 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:12.719 that we ask for that refilling of the Holy Spirit that Jesus went in. The classic this morning was 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:22.100 is that Jesus went into that situation filled and refreshed. To face everything that was thrown at him 00:20:22.100 --> 00:20:25.500 and still to stand in worship. 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:34.160 For whatever situation we're in, wherever we are, whatever we are facing in our own life, 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:42.700 should we just ask for that now? Maybe you'd just like to hold your hands in anticipation of that 00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:51.740 filling that isn't just for now. It is day, moment by moment by moment. Paul says, keep being filled. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:21:00.220 Be filled again and again and again. What does it prosper a person if they inherit the whole world 00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:05.980 but lose their own soul? That isn't Jesus' plan for us? 00:21:11.100 --> 00:21:13.100 Come, Holy Spirit, I pray. 00:21:15.180 --> 00:21:20.299 Would you fill us afresh this Lent as we move towards Easter? 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:23.380 Would you restore our relationship with you? 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:29.839 Would we be filled again afresh to withstand whatever we are facing? 00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:34.059 In our discipleship? 00:21:35.339 --> 00:21:41.299 To truly reflect, Lord, the beauty that you see in us and through us 00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:42.759 and that we see in you. 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:51.120 Pray that the Lord would bless us in our Lenten journey. 00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:55.720 Pray that he would strengthen us, he would guard us, he would empower us 00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:56.880 and refresh us. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:22:04.779 Pray that we would use those words again and again. 00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.960 Away from me, Satan. 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:09.779 Because you have no place here. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:11.180 I belong to Jesus. 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:13.480 Amen. 00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:14.860 Amen.