Resisting Temptation: Trusting God's Provision in Lent

Mar 10, 2025

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And what we see every year as we dig into this temptation story there at the beginning of Lent is a reminder of our sin and a reminder that while Jesus will stand firm against temptation, we don't always stand firm against temptation. In fact, he had to do it for us in our place. [00:01:22] (19 seconds)


And so this past week as we were preparing for this Lenten season, I realized for myself, I have spent a lot of time talking about Matthew's version of the temptation of Jesus, a little bit of time talking about Mark's version because it's a really, really short account if you read it, but I'd never really sat in, spent time with Luke's telling of this important story of Jesus. [00:02:24] (25 seconds)


And every time that we are tempted, there is more at stake than we can perceive in the moment. We might think it's just once. small decision, one choice, one indiscretion. But yet every time you and I are tempted, there is always more at stake than we can perceive in the moment. [00:03:31] (20 seconds)


And so there's a direct correlation with what Jesus is doing to what Israel has done in the past. And where Israel in the past during those 40 years would not stand up to temptation, would fall to temptation time and time again, despite God's faithfulness, Jesus will do what Israel and what mankind could not. [00:05:09] (21 seconds)


And so Luke tells us here at the very beginning, there is this direct connection between what happened in the past in Exodus, in the Exodus account, to what Jesus is facing even now. And in the midst of this all, Luke tells us this 40 -day temptation of Christ in the wilderness found him fasting. [00:06:39] (20 seconds)


And that Word of God that Jesus calls on is from the Old Testament. It's from the book of Deuteronomy. In fact, this is where Jesus is going to go every single time that he is tempted, back into the God's Word, back to this final sermon that Moses is preaching to the Israelites before they finally end their wilderness wandering and go into the Promised Land. [00:08:48] (23 seconds)


And so in Jesus being tempted by Satan to take a shortcut, Jesus realizes he's, in doing so, if he would do what Satan has requested of him, what it was showing is this lack of trust of God's plan, who had led him, the Father who had led him by the Spirit to this time. [00:10:05] (17 seconds)


And so Jesus, remembering this event and firmly placed on that Word of God, recognizes he does not need to meet this legitimate need of food in an illegitimate way. In a way that would would rob, would feed his body, but rob him of his relationship with his Father in heaven. The danger that is to forget. [00:14:21] (26 seconds)


And he writes it this way in the large catechism, and this is in Concordia, the Lutheran Confessions edition of the large catechism. It's the sixth petition. Lead us not into temptation. Luther writes, we've heard enough about what toil and labor is needed to keep all we pray for and to preserve. [00:18:09] (18 seconds)


And third, the devil. He punishes and provokes in all directions, but he especially agitates matters that concern the conscience and spiritual affairs. He leads us to despise and disregard both God and his works. Great and grievous indeed are these dangers and temptation which every Christian must bear. [00:20:37] (22 seconds)


Friends, there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to temptation. Maybe new ways of packaging it and making it easier to be tempted and to fall into sin. But you read Luther's list in the large catechism and you're like, how does he know? Because he knows you and he knows me. [00:24:04] (23 seconds)


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