To the Test

Pastor Tung Le

February 15, 2025

LC3 Sermon Notes
February 15 & 16, 2025 – Pastor Tung Le
The Gospel of Matthew: The King and His Kingdom

To the Test

Matthew 4:1-11

Temptation: a

to partake of something

Temptation itself is not sinful;

to that temptation may be sinful.

tempted (peirazō) =

; put to a test

Learning

to temptation in a God-honoring way is critical training for kingdom living.

“Temptation is Satan’s weapon to defeat us, but it can become God’s tool to build us.” (Warren Wiersbe)

We are easier targets for temptation and spiritual attack when we are

.

Temptation 1:

to God

to God is more crucial to our life than food.

Temptation 2:

of God

We’re called to

God no matter the

.

Temptation 3:

of God

of God is more valuable than the world’s wealth.

Question: Which of those 3 temptations do we struggle with most: obedience, trust, or worship?

Takeaways about Temptation:
1. Kingdom living

the devil’s temptations

“Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.” (Billy Sunday)

2.

is key to overcoming temptation

“When Jesus was tempted, Scripture flowed from His lips. When Jesus was challenged, Scripture flowed from His lips. When Jesus was crucified, Scripture flowed from His lips. One of the ways to live like Jesus is to internalize Scripture so that when we are cut, it spills out.” (Rich Villodas)

3. There is

awaiting us on the other side of temptation

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” (C.S. Lewis)

“Every temptation is an invitation to depend on Christ. The good news is God will always give you a way out.” (Craig Groeschel)

This passage is about the

to rule.