Do you remember the Stanford University
marshmallow study I told you about? Children were given one marshmallow and
told if they didn’t eat it before the researcher returned, they could have a
second marshmallow.
Some of those kids made faces, they pushed
it away, they turned their back on it. A
second group picked at the marshmallow eating little crumbs. Finally, of
course, there were the kids who, as soon as the researcher turned his or her
back, ate the marshmallow.
Which one are you? The waiter? … the nibbler? ... or the
gobbler?
That is not just a hypothetical question…
Which one are you? It makes a difference
because I think it is a clear indicator of how we handle temptation of all
kinds.
Me?
I’m the waiter… I’m the kid that stashed Halloween candy away so I could
torture my little gobbler brother by having a little candy every few days until
Christmas.
But temptation is a lot more serious than
Halloween candy or marshmallows. For
children and adults alike the consequences of nibbling at temptation, and
gobbling temptation can be very serious. We can lose friends, jobs, spouses,
face expulsion or firing, and in the worst cases even jailtime. The spiritual consequences can also be quite
serious because guilt and regret will clog up our connection to God.
To be human is to be “temptable.” Every single human being, including
me, and bishop Laurie, and John Wesley, and the Apostle Paul, and Jesus himself
experience temptation. Hebrews
4:15 says, “We do
not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we
have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.”
Let’s learn about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
After his baptism, right after he heard the voice of truth say, “You are
my beloved son,” Jesus was led (or according to Mark driven) into the
wilderness to be tempted. I want to be clear. God is not doing the tempting
here. Temptation is a product
of our free will. James 1:13 tells us that “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” So, let’s put
that myth to rest. God does not “send”
temptation it grows from our hearts.
After 40
days of fasting and prayer, with Jesus stomach growling, and his mouth almost
too dry to speak, the devil tempted Jesus to turn stone into bread. The
wilderness near galilee is filled with so many rocks it would be enough bread
for a lifetime. What a temptation when
one has not eaten for 40 days. Jesus response, however, is straight from scripture, “It is written, ‘One
does not live by bread alone.’” From Deuteronomy 3:8
See Each temptation in this
story as a prototype for temptations we face. For instance, I think this one is
about more than food. I think Jesus is being tempted with immediate gratification. One of the most common temptations in our
lives is the temptation to short term pleasure regardless of any future
consequences or benefits.
·
The marshmallows are a classic example. “I want this marshmallow
now, and I am OK with giving up the second one later.”
·
Exercise or nap?
·
A one-night stand or a lasting marriage?
·
Vacation or IRA contribution?
We all know those temptations.
The details might change, but every single one of us is subject to the
temptation immediate gratification.
Luke continues, “Then the
devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the
world. … If you, then, will worship
me, it will all be yours.” In other
words, “All this can be yours for one easy payment that lasts all eternity. It
will only cost is your soul.“ This is the temptation to sell out.
I can’t relate to world dominance as the devil offers Jesus, but we
all know this temptation well.
·
Do I give up my integrity to avoid this
conflict?
·
Do I compromise my values to be liked?
·
Do I break this promise so life will be
easier?
We understand those temptations, don’t we? In the extreme, of
course it is about giving up God in order to get power, but it is also about
selling out our personal integrity, trading our faith, or compromising our
values in order to get something that seems even better. But nothing is worth betraying ourselves. There
might not be anything wrong with the reward… but the cost strikes at our very
core… and selling out is much too high a price to pay.
Finally, the devil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple. At
this corner of the temple wall, the first step is a doozie at least 300 feet
straight down. For perspective that is at least a 30-story building!
The devil says “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself
down from here, for it is written, ’He will command his angels concerning you,
to protect you,’ This is a spiritual Judo move. The devil is using
Jesus’;’ own scripture against him trying to get him off balance.
Jesus calmly replies with Deuteronomy 6:16 “Do not
put the Lord your God to the test.’”
So, what do you think the temptation is here?
First, we had the temptation for instant gratification. Then the temptation to sell
out. This is the temptation of pride. Making
ourselves important at the expense of others.
We all want a pat on the back. We all want to be appreciated. But this temptation is beyond that. It is puffing ourselves up to seem more
important than anyone else. We all know
people who HAVE to be right. They are constantly correcting us. They are
constantly explaining to us even when we don’t need it. For instance, there was a pastor who just HAD
to explain everything that was being said by the bishop and others at the
virtual annual conference last weekend. By time it was ½ over I just wanted
someone to cut his internet connection.
How do you make yourself feel important? Maybe
you intentionally drive your beautiful new tricked out truck past a friend’s
house so they can see how important and successful you have become. Maybe you
rub your last promotion in a coworker’s face. Maybe you put down those who
aren’t as good as you at sports or math. It is OK to be pleased and even proud
of your accomplishments, but not if that pride comes at the expense of others.
The key is any time you must put someone down in order to lift yourself up, you
have given in to temptation and slid into the sin of pride.
The three prototypes of temptation in today’s
story are instant gratification, selling out, and pride. We can all identify
with at least one… and maybe all of them.
And we have all been tricked by at least one of those temptations. Romans
3:23 says, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
So how do you beat it? How do we resist temptation? I wish we were
all like Jesus and had great spiritual willpower. Willpower is not a gift given
to most of us. Just ask folks who have tried to quit smoking or have tried to
diet. Willpower is a rare commodity.
So first, using Jesus model we combat temptation
with prayer and scripture. Jesus was fasting and praying and used scripture to
answer the temptation. Our first line of defense is prayer and scripture.
The second line is what I want to focus on. True
or False…If you sit under an apple tree eventually you will get hit on the head
with an apple. The further you get away
the less chance, right?
True, so temptation is the same way. The more we
place ourselves in tempting situations, the more likely we are to succumb to
sin. Let’s be clear, temptation is not irresistible. The truth is that most of
us don’t do anything to avoid it. Many of us ask for temptation by going to
where the temptation is strongest.
·
People who have trouble controlling their
drinking seem to congregate at bars or with friends who have the same problem.
·
Folks who have a problem with lying, just keep
piling one lie upon another.
·
People who have trouble being faithful in
marriage, keep seeing the person who with whom they have been unfaithful… Do you see what I mean?
·
People who gossip love Facebook or the telephone.
·
People who cheat on tests, seem to not study so
they end up cheating again.
When I was working construction, I had a pretty
bad mouth on me. When I quit to do youth ministry it disappeared almost overnight…
but when I put my toolbelt back on my mouth flew out of control. The obvious
answer if don’t put on the toolbelt.
·
If you have a problem with internet porn, only
work on the computer when other people are in the room.
·
If you are tempted to drive like a maniac when
certain friends are with you… meet them where you are going rather than give
them a ride.
·
If you are one who gets snarky on Facebook, let
your thoughts ferment for a day before you commit them to a comment.
It isn’t that hard. Yet over and over we place
ourselves in the same position, with the same people, and the same temptations…
and then we wonder why we sin.
Look at it this way, the kids will be making
bridges in vacation bible school this week. They will be seeing how much weight
their bridges can hold.
Here is the person you want to be. Here is the person you are tempted to be. You are caught between the two. But just like this, you can hold up, can’t
you? If you don’t invite temptation. But
watch.
·
Add going to the place that tempts you to sin and
see what happens.
·
Then we add hanging out with the friends with
whom you like to sin and see what happens.
·
Then we imagine how much fun you could have if
you did it.
·
Then we add wanting to look cool if you are
young, or successful if you are old like me.
·
And with that we have caved into temptation. And fallen into sin.
Whether you are a gobbler, a nibbler, or a waiter
three things are true for every one of us.
1.
We all know the challenge of temptation.
2.
When temptation comes, start with prayer and
scripture.
3.
To keep temptation at bay, don’t keep putting
yourself in that situation.
My prayer is that you can face temptation, be
proven faithful, and come out the other side stronger and with more resilience
than before.
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