The Gospel of Luke: Tested | Wilderness | Trials | Fasting - Audio

City Light Church Sermons

Sermon Date: 11/24/24 Speaker: Brian Crawford Luke 4:1-12 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . How do Christs temptations in the wilderness relate to us? Trials teach us what we are and who we are made of. Right after His baptism, we discover what Jesus is made of by His temptations by Satan. Trials reveal our character. (What are the responses to your trials saying about you)? God allows our Trials and testing. (Full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the spirit) Jesus was not in this position due to an error Jesus made. It was deliberate and not random. God was allowing Jesus to be tested to succeed in His covenant, where man has failed in his. Jesus could do what man cannot do. This story brings to mind the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. God was announcing to the world that Jesus was His son in this moment of testing. God does not tempt us with evil. In any situation we are tested, God is not giving us evil, but rather the devil is tempting us. But rather providing the way out, know this, though, God does allow the storm, the testing. So that we can see what type of person we are and what we have to deal with in our own lives. Trials are meant to grow you, and not Grieve you! In the midst of your testing, the Lord is often trying to work something out of us - impurities that might be removed when they rise to the surface. God reveals certain things with certain tests. The only reason for Jesus to be tempted to turn stones to bread is because He *can* do it. Something about this test reveals Jesus’s character to us. He is in the end of a 40 day fast. It makes complete sense for Satan to tempt Jesus with food. But this attempt is trying to turn Christs trust away from His Father. Which makes Jesus’s response so important - “man shall not live by bread alone” revealing His trust in the Father. The second question Satan asks is "is it worth your obedience? Worship me and I will give you all things!" But Jesus replies “only Him shall you serve.” The truth is that God owns everything in its fullness. The temptation is to believe the lie that God is not actually in control. In these moments of trial and testing, it reveals what we really believe in those moments. What are you saying with your own life? Do you believe that God can reward? The last test - throw yourself from the rooftop and angels will supernaturally take care of you. And Jesus responds “you will not test Him.” Satan is actually saying “if you continue to worship Him, will He protect you. Let’s see!” We all crave safety and protection. But, the life of Christ is NOT SAFE! He was sent to die for us. What does this reveal about our Savior? We have a High Priest who weathered all the temptations we can. And we can look to our savior, and put our faith in someone who has been through what we’ve been through.