Lead Us Not into Temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil, Part II
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-46
St. John’s United Church of Christ
Greeley, Colorado
February 18, 2024
Rev. Juvenal Cervantes
It is a joy to study “The Lord’s Prayer,” the manual for Christian living.
Let’s continue our focus on the phrase, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Some people think that is says, “Now, Lord don’t tempt us…” and that is not what it says. Instead, we’re proclaiming what is true: Father you are the one that can lead us from temptation and from sin, we cannot do it ourselves. I cannot keep myself from evil. I have a propensity towards sin.
As kingdom people in Christ, our fight is for an unrestrained intimacy with Jesus, that’s where the fight is.
As Christ stirs our affections for him, our focus is on him. What we need is the expulsive power of a new affection that allows any other affection that comes into our hearts and into our minds to be done away with. It is a constant battle, and it happens all throughout life.
Last week we focused on who we fight? We fight the devil and the satanic forces that are at work in our lives; the Bible calls it the flesh, the world and the devil. We’re promised abundant-life living when we surrender to God our intellect, our flesh, and our will.
What do we fight? Ephesians 6 says that we fight the schemes of the devil. The word “schemes” is the word, “methodia” in the Greek. The methods, the strategies of the evil one. This wrestling that we’re in is tactical. We have to know who we’re fighting up against and how to fight.
This is why Jesus came into the world. 1 John 3:8,
The reason why the son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
When Jesus came, it was an invasion, what John calls “light” into darkness.
When Jesus came he was dropped into enemy lines. You’ve heard the military acronym HALO, a method of delivering paratroopers, equipment and supplies from a parachute. HALO, high altitude, low opening where you jump out of a plane and at the last minute they open the chute so that a person does not die and is more effectively able to fight the enemy.
Jesus was dropped in from the very highest place, Philippians 2, from the top all the way down. God comes down as a man, as an invasion to fight against evil and now his Spirit lives in us for those of us who believe in Christ. We are victors and the Spirit is within us to give us power to overcome.
In James 1 we see the methods and schemes of the evil one. This is helpful to us because we as Christians are wrestling with sin. We’ve heard that the good guys fight, we’re in a battle. It does not mean that we are a bad guy, we’re in a fight and the good guys fight.
If you don’t think you’re struggling with sin, as a Christian, you’re not living. I’m struggling with sin all day long, I’m challenged with temptation all the time. We need to admit it, to say, “I’m wrestling with this, and I can’t do it on my own.” That’s the first step.
James tells us how we can look at the strategy. It is interesting: we see this pattern in Genesis 3, the same pattern in Matthew 4, Mark 1 where Jesus is tempted and Satan is cunning and skillful in his evil strategies.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial (this is the same word that is translated in “temptation” in the Lord’s Prayer) for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Obedience is life, disobedience is death.
Verse 13:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
God does allow test in our lives, situations. In Mark 1 when Jesus is tempted in the desert he says that he was driven out, by the Spirit, to be tempted by the devil.
The Lord tested Abraham, he tested Israel, in the New Testament he tested Peter. You and I are put to a test. Why?
He says “Count it all joy.” What!!!? Because it leads to obedience. But let us not confuse the occasion with the cause.
Suppose we’re in an Algebra class and the teacher gives us a test. We do not study for the test and the teacher give us an F. Is it fair for us to say, “If the teacher had not given me a test, I would not have failed it.” We blame it on the teacher, we blame it on the test.
The occasion is the test and the failure is us. So there is a test that can lead to temptation.
Verse 14:
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
We are lured, like a fish that is lured. Satan comes after our weaknesses.
The test can bring a temptation; the situation we’ll find ourselves in.
Verse 15:
Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Consider the order: There is a test, in the test there is temptation, temptation leads to obedience or disobedience.
Testing, temptation and obedience.
There is a situation, then we are tested. Why does God test us? God test us that we may abide in him.
Last Sunday the Kansas City Chiefs won the super bowl against the San Francisco 49rs. Prior to the super bowl, both had been watching films. They were watching liabilities on the defense, they watched coaches, they had meetings. They wanted to exploit every weakness they could find. Satan does the same.
We need to declare war against sin in our lives. Explore your sources of strength, what do you have in your arsenal? How are you putting on the whole armor of God? Who is your accountability partner or confidant who will encourage you, help you to see your blind spots and one who you trust and talk about your struggles or mistakes in your life?
Are you aware of your personal weaknesses so that you don’t easily fall prey to the strategies of Satan?
Several years ago, our county received two government grants to help families: 1) Strengthening Families and 2) Healthy Relationship Grant. I was invited to help with the Spanish-language training of both grants.
A wonderful activity was called the “Primary Colors” It takes about 5-10 minutes’ multiple answer test and depending on a number order you are assigned a color. The value of this activity is that one is able to clearly see our strengths and our areas of growth.
Psalm 139:23-24 remind us, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
In Christ we are more than conquerors. Be encouraged.