Sunday, June 22, 2003

Growing Up Like Jesus

Growing Up Like Jesus

gtcotr/ss062203

I. Luke 4

1 ¶ And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. …

A. Jesus was tempted for 40 days, not just the 3 times detailed here.

2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

B. When He was at His weakest moment

3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

C. In other words: If You are really Who You claim to be … and can do what You can claim You can do … You can satisfy Yourself

D. The devil continued jabbing & harpooning Jesus’ tired mind & weak body …

E. Sometimes temptations hit you where you live -- They Did Jesus

* His Body - ‘Make this stone bread’

* His Community - ‘Become King’

* His Church - ‘See Angels Serve God In The Temple’

Sure Jesus was most likely physically & mentally exhausted …

F. … but the devil forgot one important thing:

* though Jesus’ body & mind were tired, His Spirit was strong

* The Apostle Paul would later say:

2 Corinthians 4

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

II. This Morning: Overcoming The Common Temptations Of Life

Luke 4

1 ¶ And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

14 ¶ And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee …

A. What happened between verses 1 & 14?

B. What is the difference between

* being led by the Spirit &

* walking in the power of the Spirit

D. Overcoming The Common Temptations Of Life

* The things you desire & hunger for

* The things you are designed for

* The things you are destined for

> In your own personal & family life

> Within your community circles

> Concerning your church & service to God

III. How Did Jesus Overcome The Devil?

A. Of Course --- The Word Of God

B. But Also

* Jesus Had His Life In Order

1. Jesus Was Under The Authority God Placed Over Him

Luke 2

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

> ‘Jesus had His personal & family life in order’

* He did not give Himself permission to break rank or abandon the family pattern just:

^ because He knew more

^ because He grew more

^ because He could do more

2. He Confined Himself To Community Guidelines

He waited until He was 30 to begin public ministry

Luke 3

23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph …

We catch a glimpse of Jesus in Luke at birth, at boyhood and now we see Him at 30 years old.

What was Jesus like, what did He do during those 18 years between 12 & 30?

Luke 2

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

It is accepted that Jesus kept the law & did not sin

It is stated that Jesus increased in wisdom & maturity & in favor with God & man

It is not so stated but should be easily understood that one produced the other:

* Jesus kept the whole law: (not the traditions so much - at least not the traditions which ran afoul of the intent of the law)

* Jesus: (during the 18 year interval) In Pleasing His Father

> Loved God more than He loved Himself

> Loved His neighbors as much as He loved Himself

And as was the common & accepted path of life that a man was not an adult until age 30 & not released to His own decision & direction until then.

He submitted Himself to this guide. He must have felt it had merit and it did bring Him into wisdom, maturity & favor, with both God and man.

> ‘Jesus had His community life in order’

* He overcame the temptation to feel exempt from standards

^ because He knew more

^ because He grew more

^ because He could do more

3. Jesus Committed Himself To Attend & Meaningfully Participate In Regular Weekly Church Services

Luke 4

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Jesus was found in the synagogue on many important occasions:

* His dedication to God Luke 2:22ff

* At 12 years old (He called it “His Father’s business”)

Luke 2:42ff

* Luke 4:16 … as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

* Luke 6:6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

> ‘Jesus had His spiritual life in order’

* Jesus did not forsake church attendance & meaningful participation

* He followed the heavenly pattern of saints gathering in the sanctuary

* He assembled Himself together with the family of God in cities and villages everywhere He went

> This is affirmed over and again as admonition to us:

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

* See the importance Jesus & the scriptures place on this blessed event we call church, where we, from all walks of life, families of all ages and strains of our common society gather each week to worship God in corporate unity under an embraced banner of shared vision, is nothing less than a spiritual mandate to follow the God revealed pattern where no person or family will be exempt from the great gatherings which await us in the sweet eternal sanctuary of heaven.

Jesus did not forsake church attendance & meaningful participation just:

^ because He knew more

^ because He grew more

^ because He could do more

Jesus had His spiritual life in order

IV. Do You Want To Overcome The Devil

A. To Be Led By The Spirit

B. To Walk In The Power Of The Spirit

C. To Increase In Wisdom, Maturity & Favor With God & Man

D. Then Do This:

1. Get Your Personal & Family Life In Order

2. Follow The Standards Of Order For Community

3. Attend & Meaningfully Participate In The Church God Has Set You In

* Specifically in regards to church attendance & meaningful participation.

If You Want To Be Like Jesus, You Will Have To Go To Church

You Can Get To Heaven Without Going To Church … but … You Will Not Stay In Heaven Without Going To Church

If You Go To Heaven, You Will Go To Church

Why Not Go To Church Now & See If You Can Help Bring A Little Of Heaven To Others On Earth Now …

Don’t compromise just because:

* you are tired & hungry

* you know more than others

* you have grown more than others

* you can do more than others

Stay in the heavenly order

Follow the rules with regards to:

* family

* community

* church

2 Potential New Points:

Where God given historical record and eternal reality validate pattern, we need only comply with heaven’s clear instructions

The historical record’s job is to establish pattern; The eternal reality’s job is to validate the pattern; the current generation’s duty is to support the pattern.