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Message Eighteen:

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Matthew 6:13a

 

 

Some of you perhaps have heard the story about the preacher who parked his car his in a no-parking zone.  He was supposed to be at the hospital at 7:30 to pray with one of his members who was having surgery, and he was really running late.  He couldn’t find an open parking space anywhere, so he parked his car in the no-parking zone and put a note under his windshield wiper that said, “I have circled the parking lot five times looking for a place to park.  If I don’t park here, I’ll not be able to fulfill by obligations as a pastor.  “Forgive us our trespasses.’”

 

When he returned to his car, he found a citation along with a note that read, “I’ve circled this parking lot for five years.  If I don’t give you a ticket, I’ll lose my job.  ‘Lead us not into temptation.’”

 

That brings us to verse 13 of Matthew 6 where we read, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil . . .”

 

These are perhaps the most difficult of all the Lord’s words in this “Model Prayer.”  The difficulty arises from what may appear to be a contradiction.

 

I think we all understand that it is God’s nature to feed us (provide our daily bread) and to forgive us.  But is it God’s nature to tempt us?  I don’t know about you, but my first response to that question is “no.”  I base my response on what I find in James 1:13, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:  for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”

 

Having read those words from James, one is left to ask the question, “Why would I need to ask God not to do something that the Bible very clearly says He will not do anyway?”

 

It all seems a bit confusing at first, but the confusion can be cleared up with a short Greek lesson.  The Greek word used for “temptation” is used in several places in the New Testament, and can have a different meaning depending on the context.  For example, note the use of the same Greek word in James 1:2, 12, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

 

Now consider verse 13 again which reads, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:  for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”

 

The context of verses 1 and 12 is trials or testings.  The context of verse 13 is an inducement or enticement to do evil.

 

So depending on the context in which they are used, the words “temptation” or “temptations” can mean one of two things.

 

 

When we use the word “temptation” in English, we almost always understand it to mean a seduction to evil.  However, the Greek word is neutral.

 

This isn’t really as odd as it may appear as author David Jeremiah points out.  In his book, Prayer: The Great Adventure, he states that, “We do the same thing in English all the time.”  He then gives an example using the word “bag,” stating that “bag” can have several distinct meanings, depending upon context.  Pastor Jeremiah writes, “If I were to say, ‘I bagged the squirrel right over there.  I put him in that bag on the picnic table.  I sure hope Martha isn’t upset with me — the old bag.  I can see the puffy red bags under her eyes already.  But I suppose it’s too late to hide — the cat’s already out of the bag.’”  In that one paragraph, the word “bag” is used five times, each time in a different sense.  The meaning of the word depends on the context in which it was used.  The same holds true in the Greek.

 

It appears clear to me that the Lord’s use of the word “temptation” in verse 13 is in the sense of trials or testings.  While God would never entice us to sin, and therefore, there would be no reason to ask Him not to lead us into temptation in that sense, He does allow us to experience times of trial and testing.  And the truth is, during these trials and tests we are sometimes tempted to respond in a sinful way.  It is that temptation to sin — to do evil in the midst of testing — that we are praying to be delivered from.

 

I.                    THE REALITY OF TEMPTATION

Does God really allow His people to go through times of testing, or as Jesus called it, “temptation”?  The answer to that is yes.  One case in point is Abraham.  Genesis 22:1, in part, reads like this, “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham . . .”  Paul said in Hebrews 11:17, looking back to the time mentioned in Genesis 22, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac . . .”  Genesis 22 said that God “tempted” Abraham.  Paul understood that to mean in Hebrews 11:17, that God “tried” him or tested him.

 

            As we saw earlier, James addresses the reality of trials in James 1:2.

 

            Here we see that trials are:

A.                 Common

1.                  James didn’t say “if,” he said “when.”

2.                  Trials are common to every Christian.

3.                  Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33, “. . . In the world ye shall have tribulation

                                    . . .”

4.                  Anyone who would dare say “Just come to Jesus and all your troubles will be over,” would either be intentionally lying or terribly ignorant of Biblical teaching.

5.                  Let me add here, James is not talking about the problems we create for ourselves.   The Lord gets blamed for a lot of things He had nothing to do with.

6.                  But if you’re going through some turbulent times right now, don’t be surprised.  Trials are common.

B.                 Complex

1.                  Note the word “divers.”  That word literally means “motley.”

2.                  In other words, not everyone’s trial is going to be the same.

a.                   Physical trials

b.                  Emotional trials (Discouragement, Depression, Nagging Guilt, etc.)

c.                   Financial trials (Loss of job, unexpected expenses, etc.)

d.                  Marital trials

e.                   Parental trials (Rebellious and Unruly children)

 

 

II.                 THE REASON FOR TRIALS

Here’s the thing that everyone wants to know, “Why do these things happen to me?”  Fortunately, God doesn’t shy away from sharing with us His reasons for allowing trying times into our lives.

 

I’m thankful the Lord gives us some insight into the reason behind trials, because if we weren’t able to somehow connect our experience with something Biblical, we would be totally overwhelmed and unable to count it “all joy” when the trials come.

 

Our joy comes in the midst of trials when we are able to realize that God is up to something good in our lives.  It’s when we come to that realization that we are able to get on top of our trials instead of our trials getting on top of us.

 

Please don’t think I’m suggesting that we can know everything God knows about what’s going on in our lives.  But what I am suggesting is that we can know that it all has a purpose, and that’s important because what we know impacts how we feel.  When we know that God’s in it, we can feel assured, that in the end, it will be alright.

 

            Let me share with you some purposes behind God’s trials.

A.                 To Interrogate our Heart

1.                  1 Peter 1:6-7, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

2.                  In verse 5 Peter says that we are “kept by the power of God” in terms of eternal salvation.  But until we get to heaven, there are going to be times that we undergo some pretty intense testing.

3.                  Just as the fire draws the impurities to the top, and when they’re removed, what is left is pure gold, the trials that come into our lives have a way of bringing to the surface those impurities of heart that need to be removed from our lives.

B.                 To Improve our Patience

1.                  James 1:3

2.                  The word “patience” actually comes from two other Greek words which, when combined, mean to “stay under.”  In other words, we are to stay put in a trial until its purpose has been accomplished.

3.                  Our first response to trials is usually to find some way to bail out, but what God wants us to do is hang in, and by so doing, our patience is improved.

4.                  Just as our muscle strength improves as the result of resistance, so does our patience.

C.                 To Increase our Maturity

1.                  James 1:4

2.                  God’s ultimate goal in testing us is to bring us to a point of spiritual maturity or spiritual adulthood.

3.                  One of the most difficult things that a parent has to do is watch their child grow into adulthood knowing, that in order to get there, that child is going to have to go through some times of testing.

4.                  In order for you and I to reach that state of spiritual maturity or completeness, which is what the words “perfect and entire” mean, then we are going to have to go through some hard times.

 

 

5.                  It’s much like the butterfly who emerges from the cocoon.  The best thing in the world for that butterfly is for it to fight its way out.  If we were to open the cocoon to help the butterfly out, we would be doing it a disservice, because in the struggle to get out, the wings of that butterfly are strengthened, making it able to fly.

6.                  By the same token, if God came along and bailed us out of every trial, we’d never reach that state of spiritual maturity that He desires for us to achieve.

 

 

III.               THE RESPONSE TO TRIALS

Properly responding to trials is every bit as important as discovering the reality of trials and understanding the reason for trials.

 

            As James explains, we must . . .

A.                 Remain Joyful

1.                  Notice James said that we are to “count” it all joy.  The only problem is, sometimes things just don’t add up.  There are times when we just can’t seem to make sense of the numbers so to speak.  That’s when we have to abandoned human reasoning and begin to evaluate the trials of life from God’s perspective.

2.                  You see, our outlook determines our outcome.  Our attitude determines our actions.  What we’re talking about here is a decision of the will.

3.                  Here’s what tends to happen many times when trials come.  I’ll use a semi truck loaded with boxes to illustrate it.  When that cargo starts shifting around and sliding back and forth, the driver soon has a truck that is out of control.  The cargo has begun to dictate the ride.  So that driver can do one of two things.  He can continue down the road allowing the cargo to dictate where he goes, or he can decide to stop, rearrange the load, and once again take charge of the ride.

4.                  On the same hand, when trials come into our lives, and our feelings begin to sway back and forth, if we’re not careful, we will allow those feelings to take us where they want to go, rather than where we need to go.

5.                  Here’s the point.  Happiness depends on what happens, but joy is a decision.  We can decide to remain joyful, no matter what happens.  And how can we do that?  By remembering that when trials come, that means God is up to something good.

6.                  Jesus is our great example when it comes to joy in trials.

7.                  Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross . . . ”

8.                  What joy was there in the cross?  Was it in the beating He took?  NO!  Was it in the shame He suffered?  NO!  Was it in the pain He endured?  NO!

9.                  The joy was in the fact that He knew God was up to something good.  God was in the process of making it possible for all men everywhere to be saved.

10.              “Well Pastor, that’s Jesus and I’m not Jesus.”  Okay, let’s take a look then at the apostle Paul. 

a.                   2 Corinthians talks about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.”  Three times Paul asked God to deliver him from his trials, and three times God responded by saying “No.”

b.                  In verse 9 Paul said this, “. . . Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

c.                   How could Paul respond with gladness to his trials?  He knew that God was up to something good.

d.                  While he didn’t like what was happening, he made a conscience decision of the will to be joyful.

11.              This does not mean that we have to try and hide the pain or  the hurt that sometimes comes with trials.  But it does mean that we don’t have to be overcome by the pain and hurt.

B.                 Request Wisdom

1.                  Verse  5-7

2.                  When we begin to realize that trials mean that God is up to something good, we need to ask for wisdom to try and figure out what it is that He’s up to.

3.                  God may or may not reveal to us what His ultimate plan is, but what He will do is give us wisdom to know how to respond.

4.                  Notice that this asking must be without wavering.  That is, we cannot ask God for wisdom and then doubt that He’s going to give it.  We can’t ask God for wisdom and then set out to fix things on our own.  We can’t ask God for wisdom and then wonder in our hearts if He really cares.

5.                  We must ask in faith, knowing that He’s going to give it to us; knowing that His way is the best way; knowing that He does care about us.

6.                  When we ask in faith, James says that God will give us the wisdom we need liberally, and will not condemn us for asking.

C.                 Respond with Praise

1.                  Verses 9-11

2.                  Whether we’re rich or poor — strong or weak — healthy or unhealthy, we are to respond to trials with praise.

3.                  We are to praise the Lord whether we’re poor and don’t have enough money to solve our  own problems or whether we’re rich and have problems that all the money in the world can’t solve. 

4.                  By the way, what does it mean to praise the Lord?  It means to follow Hebrews 13:15 which tells us that praise is “the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.”

5.                  Why should we give thanks during trials?  Because God is up to something good.

D.                 Resolve to Go On

1.                  Note that James used the word “endure” in verse 12.  That word speaks of perseverance and fortitude.

2.                  The blessed are not those who quit — those who lose faith — those who turn back whenever they encounter trials.  The blessed are those who go on.