Emulating Christ: Overcoming Temptation Through Daily Practice
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the story of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness as recorded in Matthew 4. This passage serves as a powerful example of how to handle temptation and stay connected to God. Over the past few weeks, we've explored different types of temptations and how they can draw us away from God. We discussed the big, obvious temptations using the story of David and Bathsheba, and the more subtle distractions that can lead us astray, as illustrated by the story of Mary and Martha. Today, we focused on a solution to these temptations: looking more like Jesus every day.
The core of our discussion centered on the importance of studying Jesus' words and actions. By understanding what Jesus said and how He lived, we can model our lives after Him and stay connected to the Father. This isn't about achieving salvation through our actions but about maintaining a close relationship with God. We emphasized the need for daily, intentional effort in this pursuit. Just as athletes need consistent training and nutrition, Christians need daily spiritual nourishment to stay strong against temptation.
We also touched on practical steps to achieve this. First, study what Jesus said by reading the Gospels. Understand His teachings on various aspects of life, from handling opposition to dealing with money. Second, study how Jesus lived. Observe His habits, such as prayer, fasting, and how He interacted with others. Finally, practice these teachings in your daily life. The goal is not just to know about Jesus but to live like Him.
This approach helps us stay connected to God and equips us to handle life's challenges. By looking more like Jesus, we not only strengthen our faith but also become a reflection of Him to others. This week, I challenge you to read the Gospels daily, take notes, and apply what you learn. Use resources like the Bible Project if you need additional guidance. Remember, the journey to look more like Jesus is ongoing, but it's a journey worth taking.
### Key Takeaways
1. Study What Jesus Said: Understanding Jesus' teachings is foundational to living a life that reflects Him. The Gospels are rich with His words on how to handle various aspects of life, from dealing with opposition to managing resources. By immersing ourselves in His teachings, we gain wisdom and guidance for our daily lives. [10:30]
2. Study How Jesus Lived: Observing Jesus' lifestyle provides a practical blueprint for our own lives. His habits of prayer, fasting, and interacting with others show us how to maintain a strong connection with God. Emulating His lifestyle helps us stay grounded and focused on our spiritual journey. [12:05]
3. Practice Daily: Knowledge alone is not enough; we must put it into practice. Daily application of Jesus' teachings helps us internalize His ways and make them a natural part of our lives. This consistent effort strengthens our faith and prepares us to face temptations effectively. [15:02]
4. Be Consistent: Consistency in our spiritual practices is crucial. Just as athletes need regular training, Christians need daily spiritual nourishment. This consistent effort keeps us spiritually strong and ready to face life's challenges. It helps us stay connected to God and avoid the pitfalls of temptation. [16:31]
5. Reflect Jesus to Others: As we strive to look more like Jesus, we become a reflection of Him to those around us. This not only strengthens our own faith but also serves as a powerful witness to others. Our actions and attitudes can inspire others to seek a closer relationship with God. [13:34]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:06] - Reading Matthew 4:1-11
[02:25] - Recap of Previous Weeks
[03:41] - Examining Distractions
[05:08] - Introducing Today's Solution
[06:22] - Mission of the Church
[07:48] - Look More Like Jesus
[09:11] - Study What Jesus Said
[10:30] - Study How Jesus Lived
[12:05] - Practice Daily
[15:02] - Importance of Consistency
[16:31] - Daily Spiritual Nourishment
[17:55] - Running Analogy
[19:26] - Practical Application
[20:36] - Context of Matthew 4
[23:16] - Jesus' Response to Temptation
[24:32] - Importance of Knowing Scripture
[26:02] - How to Practice
[28:44] - Homework Challenge
[30:06] - Bible Project Recommendation
[31:19] - Reflecting Jesus to Others
[32:42] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Matthew 4:1-11
- 1 John 2:6
### Observation Questions
1. What were the three temptations that Jesus faced in the wilderness according to Matthew 4:1-11?
2. How did Jesus respond to each of the temptations presented by the devil? ([01:06])
3. According to 1 John 2:6, what is expected of someone who claims to belong to Christ?
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus used scripture to respond to the devil's temptations? How does this reflect His understanding and use of God's word? ([24:32])
2. What does it mean to "live the same kind of life Christ lived" as stated in 1 John 2:6? How can this be practically applied in daily life?
3. How does the practice of fasting, as demonstrated by Jesus in Matthew 4, contribute to spiritual strength and resilience against temptation? ([26:02])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent temptation you faced. How did you respond, and how might Jesus' example in Matthew 4 guide you in future situations? ([27:33])
2. Jesus emphasized the importance of knowing scripture. What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your understanding of the Bible? ([24:32])
3. Consider your daily routine. What changes can you make to incorporate more consistent spiritual practices, such as prayer, Bible reading, or fasting, to stay connected to God? ([16:31])
4. Identify one area in your life where you feel distracted or drawn away from God. What practical steps can you take to refocus and draw nearer to Him? ([03:41])
5. Think about someone in your life who might benefit from seeing Jesus reflected in your actions. How can you intentionally demonstrate Christ-like behavior to them this week? ([13:34])
6. How can you use resources like the Bible Project to enhance your study of Jesus' teachings and life? What specific topic or passage will you start with? ([30:06])
7. Reflect on the concept of being proactive rather than reactive in your faith. What specific actions can you take to ensure you are spiritually prepared for challenges and temptations? ([15:02])
Devotional
Day 1: Understanding Jesus' Teachings
Description: Understanding Jesus' teachings is foundational to living a life that reflects Him. The Gospels are rich with His words on how to handle various aspects of life, from dealing with opposition to managing resources. By immersing ourselves in His teachings, we gain wisdom and guidance for our daily lives. Jesus' words are not just historical records; they are living instructions that can transform our lives today. As we study His teachings, we begin to see the world through His eyes and align our actions with His will. [10:30]
Matthew 7:24-25 (ESV): "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock."
Reflection: What specific teaching of Jesus can you apply to a current challenge in your life today? How can you start implementing it immediately?
Day 2: Observing Jesus' Lifestyle
Description: Observing Jesus' lifestyle provides a practical blueprint for our own lives. His habits of prayer, fasting, and interacting with others show us how to maintain a strong connection with God. Emulating His lifestyle helps us stay grounded and focused on our spiritual journey. Jesus' life was marked by intentional practices that kept Him aligned with the Father. By adopting these practices, we can cultivate a deeper relationship with God and navigate life's challenges with grace and wisdom. [12:05]
Luke 5:16 (ESV): "But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray."
Reflection: What one habit of Jesus can you incorporate into your daily routine this week? How will you ensure consistency in this practice?
Day 3: Daily Application of Jesus' Teachings
Description: Knowledge alone is not enough; we must put it into practice. Daily application of Jesus' teachings helps us internalize His ways and make them a natural part of our lives. This consistent effort strengthens our faith and prepares us to face temptations effectively. Living out Jesus' teachings requires intentionality and perseverance. As we practice His words daily, we become more attuned to His voice and more resilient against the distractions and temptations of the world. [15:02]
James 1:22-25 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
Reflection: What is one teaching of Jesus that you find challenging to practice? What steps can you take today to start living it out?
Day 4: Consistency in Spiritual Practices
Description: Consistency in our spiritual practices is crucial. Just as athletes need regular training, Christians need daily spiritual nourishment. This consistent effort keeps us spiritually strong and ready to face life's challenges. It helps us stay connected to God and avoid the pitfalls of temptation. Regular spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible study, and worship are essential for maintaining a vibrant faith. By committing to these practices, we build a solid foundation that sustains us through both good times and trials. [16:31]
1 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV): "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."
Reflection: What spiritual practice do you struggle to maintain consistently? How can you create a plan to incorporate it into your daily routine?
Day 5: Reflecting Jesus to Others
Description: As we strive to look more like Jesus, we become a reflection of Him to those around us. This not only strengthens our own faith but also serves as a powerful witness to others. Our actions and attitudes can inspire others to seek a closer relationship with God. Living like Jesus means embodying His love, compassion, and humility in our interactions. When others see Jesus in us, they are drawn to the transformative power of His love and grace. [13:34]
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to see the love of Jesus through you today? What specific action can you take to reflect His love to them?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The solution is this. Look more like Jesus every day. That's it. You're dismissed. Seriously though, 1 John 2 6 tells us, the one who says he belongs to Christ should live the same kind of life Christ lived." [06:22] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Sometimes we get so caught up in our own stuff or in feeling like we need some wise, brilliant, perfect sermon or feel like we aren't smart enough or capable enough to handle the situation to our problems or understand the Bible that we tend to overcomplicate and miss the simple truth of Jesus and the benefit of following and modeling our life after him." [07:48] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Looking like Jesus is a way to help us draw and stay near to the Father. So how do we do this? How do we look more like Jesus? I'll give you a couple ways we can do this, right? This is designed. I'm going to say this again in a few minutes. This is designed for my fifth grader who will be in the second service. We can all understand what I'm fixing to say here. It's just a matter of if we're going to do it or not, right?" [09:11] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Study what he said. We have so much teaching from Jesus, right, in the New Testament. So of course we should read and study his teaching. It's all over the Gospels. If you're new to the Bible, kind of the back third of the Bible. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Those are the Gospels. Those are four accounts of Jesus's life by four different men. Within those are teachings from Jesus and the way that Jesus lived his life." [10:30] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Attempting to look more like Jesus is this journey that you're probably, spoiler alert, never going to fully accomplish. Right? But it's a journey worth taking. Really. Like honestly, how cool would it be if someone saw Jesus through you as a result of you learning to fight off temptation in your life?" [31:19] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "So these past two weeks we've been kind of diving into some different kinds of temptation. Week one we looked at like the big bad temptations that were drawn towards and kind of ways that we can avoid them, right? Using this case study of David and Bathsheba. You guys remember that week one, right? Practically we went over some kind of some simple steps that David just... Did not take and encourage everyone to look out for, you know, these promises." [02:25] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So this week, to wrap up our little mini-series on temptation, we're going to dive into a solution for our temptation problems, specifically when it comes to our ability to have the strong faith we so desperately, as believers, want to have and to keep. A solution on how we can avoid losing those good and godly initial intentions and stick to those convictions that were drawing us near to God in hopes that he would, as promised, draw near back to us." [05:08] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So today we're talking about a solution to the temptation to your perispao. As a bonus for everybody, this solution will actually probably benefit you in every area of your walk as a follower of Jesus. Whether you've been following him for 50 years or today is your very first day." [05:08] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "So when you get to that moment of perispao, you can go back to what he said when figuring out if what you are doing is something that looked like Jesus or not. That's it. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. When it comes to your faith and you wanting to draw near to God, start with simply knowing, like the back of your hand, what all Jesus said. Allow things to start there. Be amazed with the peace and wisdom and freedom that come with it. You'll be shocked at how much this will help you." [10:30] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "So if the answer is like, no, maybe we can practice by making sure we know what this says. Know what God says. Know who Jesus is and allow that to come out of you. So again, we can fight, we can practice fighting temptations by equipping ourselves with the word of God, right? Maybe you take some extra time this week to be prayerful and intentional to begin to equip yourself with the word of God and what it has to say and not lean so much on your own strength, but God's strength through you, especially when it comes to temptation." [27:33] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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