Vocabulary
- Worship: to honor, praise, and serve God
What was the second thing Satan tempted Jesus with? Satan claimed he could give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. Why was this a temptation to Jesus? Because he had come to earth in order to lead all men to God. Satan was offering Jesus what He wanted, but through the wrong method - a means that was false. Satan could possibly have given Jesus the world's allegiance, but not their hearts - which is what God wants. Jesus answered, “Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” To rule the world physically was not what Jesus came for. He came to rule the world spiritually - and He accomplished that without Satan.
What was the third thing Satan tempted Jesus with? Satan took Jesus to the top of the temple. He wanted Jesus to throw Himself down and have the angels raise Him up. He was trying to appeal to Jesus’ pride. Jesus was not accepted by many, and this act would be ‘proof’ that He was the Messiah. That’s true, but again, it would have been a selfish act. Jesus performed miracles to prove Himself, but they served others, not himself. Jesus answered, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Jesus knew that He had angels at His service. He didn’t need to test them. Jesus performed many other miracles - and the Jews still denied him. This show of power would not have convinced them either.
I want to be a worker for the Lord
How does Satan tempt us? Through lies, pride, selfish desires, fake shortcuts. Emotions like jealousy, anger, selfishness, greed often lead us to do wrong. He’ll try to tell us it’s ok - if we read the Bible we will know the difference. He’ll use things we want to keep us from helping others.
Will God help us resist Satan? Yes. Read 1Cor.10:13. God provides a way to overcome each temptation. It may not be easy, but it’s there. Read James 4:7. If you resist Satan, he will retreat.
If Satan quoted scripture, how could he be wrong? Because he used the scripture incorrectly. Often people misuse verses or use them out of context, (without the surrounding verses.) Beware: just because someone quotes scripture, does not mean they are using it correctly. Study to determine what the whole passage says.
No comments:
Post a Comment