TRUMPING TEMPTATIONS POWER!
1 Corinthians 10:1-14
INTRODUCTION: An old country western song asked the question when I was young: “How can anything that seems so right be so wrong?” We always seem to be tempted by things that seem so right. Those things that tempt us are always to beautiful, interesting, wonderful things that attract our attention. I used to think that some good people never got tempted to sin but that is not what God’s Word says: Romans 3:23. We all get tempted but praise God He has promised us strength to overcome any temptation He allows in our lives: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.
- THE POWER OF TEMPTATION!
Temptation is so common to man that even our Lord Jesus Christ was tempted: Hebrews 4:15-16. Many think that because Jesus was God come in the flesh He could not be tempted by evil: James 1:12-15. Jesus was the totally unique One in that He was both man and God and as a man He could be tempted. My Bible says Jesus was tempted by the devil: Matthew 4:1-3. Temptation by food is as old as mankind and is very common even today. Adam and Eve were both tempted by food to sin: Genesis 3:6. Esau was so tempted by food that he gave up his birthright: Genesis 25:29-32. That birthright included: 1. Being the priest of his family. 2. The promise of being in the line of the Satan-Bruiser: Genesis 3:15. 3. Being in the line of the Earth-Blesser: Genesis 12:3. Even the entire nation of Israel was tempted to sin by food: Numbers 11:4-6. Jesus answer to the temptation of food was: Matthew 4:4. The devil also tempted Jesus with the pride of life: Matthew 4:5-6. The pride of life says you are someone special and that God will make exceptions for you. Eve was deceived into thinking she was special: Genesis 3:4. David thought he was special: Leviticus 20:10. Solomon thought he was special: Deuteronomy 17:17; Proverbs 29:23; Proverbs 16:18. We wonder at times why pride goes before a fall? 1 Peter 5:5. Jesus answer to the pride of life: Matthew 4:7. Jesus was tempted with the lust of the eyes: Matthew 4:8-9 just as many today are tempted by the lust of the eyes: Matthew 5:27-28. Jesus answer to the lust of the eyes: Matthew 4:10. Temptation is common to all: Matthew 26:35; 1 Corinthians 10:12. Temptation, when we are in the flesh seems so beautiful. How could something so beautiful be sin? Proverbs 16:25. 1 Corinthians 10:1-5.
2. TEMPTATION’S EFFECTS!
Temptation leads to sin and sin always leads to death: 1 Corinthians 10:6-10. Money can be a cause of temptation that leads many to do despicable acts: Romans 1:21-23. Because of the power of temptation and the results of it, 40% of all children born alive in America will live in homes without their daddy in them.
3. HOW CAN WE ESCAPE THE POWER OF TEMPTATION?
While it is true that temptation is common to all mankind, it is also true that our God is faithful: 1 Corinthians 10:13. We need to come to our senses: 1 Corinthians 10:14-15. We need to flee from whatever is tempting us. Proverbs 4:14-15. We are not as strong as we think we are: 1 Corinthians 10:11-12; James 3:12-15. We need to humble ourselves and receive the grace that Christ can empower us with so we can learn to say no to the temptations of this life: Titus 2:11-13.