LENT 2021 “Little Do We Know What We Do Sometimes.”
Week 1 “Be more aware of your actions” Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” FIRST TEMPTATION (Physical Needs – Take care of yourself. Use your powers for your own benefit.) 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every wordthat comes from the mouth of God.’[Deut. 8:3]” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point ofthe temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[Psalm 91:11,12]” SECOND TEMPTATION (Test the promises of God, the Father) 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[Det. 6:16]” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” THIRD TEMPTATION (Take short cuts in life.) In this case, if Jesus only bowed down to Satan, he could have an earthly kingdom through “Compromise” without ever having to go to the cross. 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[Deut 6:13]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Recognize about Temptation that: 1. “ When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone…” - James 1:13,14 2. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out [God’s way] so that you can endure it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13 “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” - Matthew 6:13 3. “Because he [JESUS] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” -Hebrews 2:9-18 Be aware what may be Mastering you “A person is a slave to whatever has mastered them.” -2 Peter 2:19 “Awareness” is a big thing. The popular word of today for awareness seems to be the word “Woke”. When someone becomes aware of something not previously known, it is said that they have be awaken or “woke”. It is very important. Many people did not fully realize what they were doing when they interacted with Jesus. The soldiers thought that all they were doing was mocking Jesus, but they were doing so much more. Not even realizing it, they were proclaiming to others, who were open to becoming “aware” of who Jesus really was, that he is God, Lord, King and Savior. The next several weeks we will look at Matthew 27:27-31 The Soldiers Mock Jesus 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. Don’t try to dress Jesus up the way that you want him. We actually try to “Dress him up” all of the time. “Little do we know what we do sometimes.” Let’s be aware of how we do that this Lenten Season leading up to Easter. Let’s take Him as he is. He is enough that way. Don’t try to make him something else. He is the one who will help us through every temptation and will forgive us when we sin. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. -Luke 23:34 He is the one who forgives us of all of our sins even when we don’t have the full awareness of what we are doing. These next 40 days, let’s invite God to help us to be more aware of our relationship with Him and get to know him more as we read through John together. See John 40-day reading plan. —Pastor Dave Word of Life Church 17525 W. Bell Rd. Surprise, AZ 85374