Click DOWNLOAD for audio, TITLE for summary, on summary page for ppt "click here"

Scripture reading: Matthew 4:1-11

“Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” (Quote from the movie,” Love Story”)

This is not true!! With human nature, the exact opposite is true: Love often means having to say you’re sorry. WE COULD SAY THEN THAT THIS IS HOW LOVE DOES NOT WORK!

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO SEE HOW LOVE DOES NOT WORK. WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT GOD IS LOVE AND HIS WAYS ARE SURE. HIS WAY OF LOVE DOES WORK

WE ARE –IN The 40-day period of Easter Preparation AND WE ARE EXPERINECING Jesus’ time in the wilderness, the 40 days of fasting right before he began his ministry,

NOW THIS IS THE TIME WHEN he was tempted by the SATAN, THE DEVIL -THE enemy

Jesus was preparing for ministry by spending time with his Father, solidifying his desire to follow the Father’s will. During this time of preparation, the enemy tempted Jesus to do things his way. Remember Jesus’ baptism. “A voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Jesus went into the desert right after being confirmed by the Father, full of assurance and desiring to get closer to God and his will.

THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF FASTING, NOT TO GET GOD TO DO SOMETHING FOR US, BUT TO GET CLOSER TO HIM SO WE CAN SEE AND FOLLOW HIS WILL. DURING LENT WE OFTEN DO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FASTING. WE OFTEN GIVE UP SOMETHING FOR THESE FEW WEEKS, SOMETHING THAT WE LOVE DOING OR EATING - SO THAT WE CAN ALSO SPEND TIME WITH GOD.

The wilderness story shows how love works and how love doesn’t work.

HOW DOES LOVE WORK?

We can notice how love doesn’t work by looking at how Satan approaches Jesus in three different ways and how Jesus responds. WE WANT TO KNOW HOW LOVE WORKS!!

Read Matthew 4:1-11 again. JESUS HAD BEEN FASTING FROM FOOD AND DRINK – HE WAS VERY HUNGRY AND TIRED

Matthew 4:3-4 Satan is pointing out the problem and telling Jesus to fix the problem himself.

AND THIS IS HOW LOVE DOES NOT WORK. SATAN IS TRYING TO GET JESUS TO FIX HIS OWN PROBLEMS

How often, when we are faced with a problem, do we think it is all up to us? We know we are sinners in need of a Saviour, so we repent and try harder. We fast, we study, we pray, we work harder, and we still sin. We eventually learn it’s not about what we do, it’s about who we know, or better stated, who knows us. It’s about Jesus’ forgiveness and love for us that motivates us to change. It’s because we are loved and cared for. We see this in Jesus’ instructive response to the enemy: he emphasizes his connection to the Father. He knows that his physical needs will be taken care of at the proper time. We could summarize his response as Being loved means I am cared for.

HOW DOES LOVE WORK?

Matthew 4:5-7 Satan says to Jesus if you are really God’s Son, you can throw yourself off a high tower, and God will send his angels to save you. He’s telling Jesus to make the Father prove his love for the Son. THAT’S LIKE ASKING FOR A SIGN!! This is a sin. Jesus points out that TESTING LOVE IS NOT HOW LOVE WORKS. We could summarize his response as Being loved means I must respond to that love by showing respect.

HOW DOES LOVE WORK?

Matthew 4:9-10 Satan says if you worship me, I’ll give you all the world’s kingdoms. He’s making love a transaction here, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EARNED OR BOUGHT. and THAT’S NOT HOW LOVE WORKS. We could summarize Jesus’s response as Being loved means I am more interested in giving than getting.

TEMPTATION
Read 1 John 2:16 We mustn’t give the devil more than he is due, but we are under constant attack by the world, the flesh and the devil. WE ARE BOMBARDED BY THE WORLDLY THINGS I’m here to tell you that being a Christian means that you will face TRALS AND TEMPTATIONS on a regular basis. It’s like a jungle sometimes. BUT WHEN YOU RESIST YOU ARE LOVING THE ONE WHO MADE YOU. YOU ARE DISPLAYING HOW LOVE REALLY WORKS. Read 1 Peter 5:8 Every follower of Christ who shares in worship today is engaged in a spiritual battle. We are at war, and you are fighting against a merciless and vicious foe. If He cannot kill you, he will LIE TO you and do all within his power to hinder your effective service to the Risen Saviour. Our enemy desires to consume us, but we find strength to resist him when we are dependent upon God for His strength.

AND THIS IS HOW LOVE WORKS. WHEN WE RESIST TEMPTATION, WE ARE BEING LIKE CHRIST. WE ARE SHOWING HOW LOVE WORKS

Application:

• WE NEED TO Recognize WE are loved and cared for and know that WE are never alone. We need to recognize and trust in God’s loving care for us and for others rather than thinking we must solve everything ourselves.
• WE NEED TO Show respect to those who love US We show respect to those who love us by appreciating their love and by not making ourselves difficult for them to love. WE ARE NOT TO TEST THEM!!
• WE NEED TO, seek to give LOVE and give it lavishly. Be more interested in giving than receiving.

Satan’s encounter with Jesus in the desert shows us how love doesn’t work. Satan’s warped view of love makes it a “Me first” test and transaction. ME FIRST SAYS THAT I DON’T NEED TO SAY I’M SORRY. GOD FIRST SAYS THAT I NEED TO CARE ENOUGH TO SAY I’M SORRY.

Easter Preparation is a season of learning more about who Jesus is, who he is in us and who we are in him, what his love means and how we better participate with him. It’s a season of spending time with Jesus—the One who saves us because he loves us.