Rev. David Holwick    ZI
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 27, 1996
                                                            Matthew 6:13

                            DON'T TEMPT ME
                            ==============
        [See F.F. Bruce, "Hard Sayings of Jesus," for an even better
            treatment....]

  I. The comedy of temptation.
      A. It gets light treatment from the world.
          1) Oscar Wilde:  "I can resist anything except temptation."
          2) Diana Cooper, a live wire in British society between the
                wars, always edited the Lord's Prayer when reciting it.
             She refused to say "Lead us not into temptation" because
                "it's no business of His."
                                                                    #3444
      B. Temptation is no joke.
          1) Many ruin their lives due to lack of self-control.
          2) More than enticement of calories:  lust, greed, violence.

      C. Most perplexing phrase in Lord's Prayer.                   #3897
          1) Would a holy, loving God consider leading us into temptation?
              a) Questions asked since 2nd century.
              b) Tertullian bristled at suggestion.
                 "Far be the thought that the Lord should seem to tempt,
                  as if He were either ignorant of the limits of someone's
                    faith, or else eager to overthrow that faith."
          2) Echo of James 1:13-14.
              a) What are similarities // differences?

 II. Meaning of Temptation.
      A. "Peirasmos" is Greek word used.                        Matt 6:13
          1) Variety of meanings in Greek as well as English.
      B. Enticement to sin.
          1) In James 1:13-14 emphasis is on enticement, which is
                stated explicitly.
          2) This enticement comes from devil or ourselves, never from
                God.

      C. Trial or testing.
          1) God permits such testing.
              a) Examples of Abraham, Job, Jesus.
              b) He also protects us from it.                  John 17:15
          2) Earlier, James associates term "peirasmos" with
                perseverance.                                Jam 1:2-3,12
              a) This would suggest a test rather than enticement.
              b) But even trials usually involve some sense of enticement
                    to sin.
                  1> Painful circumstances may make us doubt God's
                        goodness.
                  2> Some believe the temptation in the Lord's Prayer is
                        the ultimate one - apostasy, or losing your faith.

III. God's role in temptation.
      A. God's part is indirect - "don't LEAD us into temptation."
          1) Is this different from tempting us?
          2) Even if God won't entice us, will he lead us to a place
                where we will be enticed?
              a) Temptation of Jesus shows he can do just this.
              b) Note that Spirit led Jesus into the desert.     Matt 4:1

      B. Evidently temptation - whether testing or enticement - can be
            used redemptively by God for his glory and for our good.

 IV. How God can use temptation.
      A. It reveals what is in our hearts.
          1) Temptation is a test of character.
              a) Abraham & Isaac.
                  1> He overcame temptation to disobey.
                  2> God gave him a commendation and a promise.
              b) David & Bathsheba.
                  1> Showed extent to which lust ruled his heart.
                  2> He repented, and so showed that he also desired
                        to please God.
                  3> He failed his test, but God used it to correct
                        him, as shown in Psalm 51.

      B. It clarifies significant issues.
          1) Temptation of Jesus.
              a) Enticement to worship and preserve self pinpointed
                    the ultimate issues involved in Jesus' mission.
          2) Martin Luther - "My temptations have been my masters
                in divinity."

      C. It fortifies our will.
          1) Our commitment is strengthened each time we overcome.
          2) Train self to be godly.                            1 Tim 4:7

      D. We can provide an example for others.
          1) We can be a witness of God's grace to outsiders.
              a) Job (and Satan).
              b) When we maintain faith despite suffering, we present
                    unbelievers with something to think about.
          2) We can become an encouragement to other Christians.
              a) Actions of someone who has overcome is more powerful
                    than a thousand sermons.
              b) (Note popularity of "out of the gutter" testimonies.)

  V. Why pray against a good thing?
      A. Why would we pray not to enter something that will be a
           blessing to us?
          1) Jesus also said to rejoice in persecutions, but also to
                flee from them.

      B. Emphasis seems to be on overcoming temptation, rather than
            avoiding it.                                      (Stott)
          1) The devil is too strong, so we need God's help in
                overcoming him.                               (Stott)
          2) Lord's Prayer is emphasizing deliverance rather than the
                test.
              a) Literary form called "litotes."                 (Carson)
              b) Expresses something by negating the contrary.
                  1> "Not a few" means "many.
                  2> "I will never drive away..."               John 6:37
                      A> More than "I will receive all" it means "I will
                            keep all."
              c) "Into temptation" is negated.
                  1> Meaning becomes "Lead us AWAY from it, keep us
                        righteous."
                  2> Note positive expression of this - "deliver us from
                        evil."
                      A> God can keep us from temptations that would
                            overwhelm us.
                      B> He can help us overcome those we are in.

 VI. Respect temptation.
      A. Humans are more depraved than we realize.
          1) Jeremiah - heart is desperately wicked, who can fathom it?
          2) Paul - all have sinned, fall short of God's glory.

      B. Nevertheless, we CAN overcome temptations.
          1) Everyone has some willpower.
          2) Don't cave in so quickly.

      C. When God puts us in a sticky situation, he doesn't put us
            there to fail.
          1) No temptation is too powerful for us.     1 Cor 10:12-13
              a) God has set a limit on the intensity of every temptation.
              b) Alongside every temptation, God has designed a way out.
                  1> Focus on the temptation at hand:
                        rather than saying, "I'll never drink again,"
                          say, "I won't drink THIS ONE."
              c) God provides us with the power to overcome.         #878
                  1> That power may be in the form of other Christians.
          2) "The will of God will never lead you where the grace of
                    God cannot keep you."
                                              Minnesota Bible Fellowship
                                                                    #1756
VII. Petition protects us from pride.
      A. Lord's Prayer teaches us about relation of God and ourselves.
          1) Daily bread shows we have physical needs.
          2) Forgive our debts assumes we are sinful.
          3) Lead us not into temptation says we are weak.

      B. We tend to make ourselves the focus of our prayers.
          1) Lord's Prayer keeps focus on God.
          2) Our most subtle temptation is to put ourselves in
                God's place.
      C. Keep God in his place, and remember he is there.

         Gladys Aylward, missionary to China during World War II,
            was forced to flee when the Japanese invaded Yangcheng.
         But she could not leave her work behind.
         With only one assistant, she led more than a hundred orphans
            over the mountains toward Free China.
         During Glady's harrowing journey out of war-torn Yangcheng she
            grappled with despair as never before.
         After passing a sleepless night, she faced the morning with
            no hope of reaching safety.

         A 13-year-old girl in the group reminded her of their much-loved
            story of Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.
         "But I am not Moses," Gladys cried in desperation.
         "Of course you aren't," the girl said, "but Jehovah is
            still God."
         When Gladys and the orphans made it through, they proved once
            again that no matter how inadequate we feel, God is still God,
               and we can trust in him.
                                                                    #3271


(Study notes are extensive but omitted)


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