Dressed for Temptation
Robert Dawson
Matthew 4:1-11
A family had a big evening planned so the mom told her young son, ''You don't have time to go swimming in the pond this afternoon. I need you to be clean and dry when I am ready to go.'' As the time drew near to leave the little boy was nowhere to be found. The mother went down to the pond and sure enough there her young son was swimming. She made him get out of the water and called him over to her and said, ''Son, didn't I tell you not to go swimming?'' He said, ''Momma, I didn't mean to but the devil tempted me and caused me to go swimming?'' She looked down at her son who was wearing and bathing suit and asked, ''What are you doing with your bathing suit on then if the devil tempted you?'' He said, ''Oh, I brought that along just in case I was tempted!''
That silly little story describes the relationship many of us have with temptation. No doubt about it, we are ready for temptation when it comes but not in the right way. Temptations, tests of faith, are one of the many certainties of life that is common to all of us. It is part of life.
It is a part of life that we really cannot forget. It is always there. Something we do forget is that it was also a part of Jesus' life. The difference is He never faltered in the face of temptation. He had to deal with the same challenges, trials, difficulties and temptations that we deal with in life.
1. His family may have faced financial struggles and hurt after Joseph died and Jesus become the leader of that family and had the responsibility of taking care of them.
2. The family dealt with gossip and finger pointing much of their lives - it was rumored that Jesus was supposedly Joseph's son but no one was ever certain of that.
3. He lived life as one of us and that means He lived life with people like us - that in itself - living life with others - is a temptation in itself.
a. There were the disciples whom He greatly loved but at times their thick-head ...
Robert Dawson
Matthew 4:1-11
A family had a big evening planned so the mom told her young son, ''You don't have time to go swimming in the pond this afternoon. I need you to be clean and dry when I am ready to go.'' As the time drew near to leave the little boy was nowhere to be found. The mother went down to the pond and sure enough there her young son was swimming. She made him get out of the water and called him over to her and said, ''Son, didn't I tell you not to go swimming?'' He said, ''Momma, I didn't mean to but the devil tempted me and caused me to go swimming?'' She looked down at her son who was wearing and bathing suit and asked, ''What are you doing with your bathing suit on then if the devil tempted you?'' He said, ''Oh, I brought that along just in case I was tempted!''
That silly little story describes the relationship many of us have with temptation. No doubt about it, we are ready for temptation when it comes but not in the right way. Temptations, tests of faith, are one of the many certainties of life that is common to all of us. It is part of life.
It is a part of life that we really cannot forget. It is always there. Something we do forget is that it was also a part of Jesus' life. The difference is He never faltered in the face of temptation. He had to deal with the same challenges, trials, difficulties and temptations that we deal with in life.
1. His family may have faced financial struggles and hurt after Joseph died and Jesus become the leader of that family and had the responsibility of taking care of them.
2. The family dealt with gossip and finger pointing much of their lives - it was rumored that Jesus was supposedly Joseph's son but no one was ever certain of that.
3. He lived life as one of us and that means He lived life with people like us - that in itself - living life with others - is a temptation in itself.
a. There were the disciples whom He greatly loved but at times their thick-head ...
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