Sermon in Phoenix 09.03.2014

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Let us quieten this evening as we begin our services in opening prayer and thanksgiving.

Holy and righteous God, our beloved Heavenly Father, as we pause this evening before your holy and precious word, we pause, dear Father, with thankful hearts that we have again on this day of grace been protected as your children, and that you have provided for us a place of peace. All needs of this day, needs of both body and spirit.

But more than this, dear Father, we thank you for giving us of your Son, that one that you sent into this cold and dark world to fulfill your holy and righteous will, and to take the sin debt of all of mankind to the middle cross of Golgotha, so that even on this day we have hope of salvation through the merit works of your Son.

As we gather this evening before your holy word, we pray, dear Father, for your service blessing, that you would give us a place of peace, and that you would give us a place of peace, and we want to ask you to give unto us your word, that you would speak to us according to your holy and righteous will.

We know, dear Father, that you know the hearts of each of us. You know of that which we need now and always. So we simply and humbly ask that you would be with us through your word, and that you would give us ears to hear and hearts to believe that which is according to your holy and righteous will.

All of this we ask in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

This evening, as we gather here before God's Word, I thought to read a portion from the book of James. This is the time that we are now living. It is the time of Lent, and today being the first Sunday in Lent. Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, and it begins in earnest the time of Lent, which is a time of prayer and fasting as we approach the day of Easter. It is a 40-day period.

Lent is the time of preparation for Easter. In the first chapter of James, it speaks of this matter of, and the theme of this Sunday is how Jesus is the victor over temptation. So, I will read from the 12th through the 15th verse of that first chapter of James.

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation. And when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Amen.

When we think of temptation, it is a word that we understand from a very young age. To be tempted by something is inherent. It is a part of us. We cannot escape it. In fact, so much so that when we think of temptation, this word brings, at least to me, a feeling of angst or sorrow or worry or those kinds of things that cause us to even tremble and worry.

Because we feel, especially with temptation, that we can't escape it. That it's a part of us. That it feels like we are tempted on all sides. And it is true. But in this portion of God's Word, James writes that blessed is the man that endureth temptation.

The enemy of souls is that one that brings temptation. As it says in our text, God does not tempt man. On the other hand, it's interesting, I think, when I think of temptation and what God must think of temptation. I think God both loves and hates temptation.

I think God loves temptation when it evokes, in the heart of man, a desire to seek him. To ask him for help. To call upon him in our time of need. I think God likes this part of temptation. But he hates that part of temptation that causes us to fall into sin.

When we pray in the Lord's Prayer "lead us not into temptation," we are praying that God wouldn't lead us to that place that would cause us to be tempted, but that we would be protected always from temptation.

On the other hand, we cannot escape it. Have you, brothers and sisters in your life, prayed like the Apostle did? The Apostle Paul prayed three times that there was a thorn that was in his flesh that it would be removed.

And in God's word, it doesn't exactly say, in the book of Corinthians, where it speaks to that, it doesn't say what exactly that temptation was that Paul experienced. He did. He experienced temptation. Just like all of us have.

In the 12th chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul writes of this kind of a strange experience of how, on one hand, he's tempted, and he's tempted so that the glory wouldn't be his, but that the glory in all things would be of God.

And he writes that, unless I should be exalted above measure. We know that Paul was a servant of God. And Paul was given very special gifts to use.

And sometimes I've pondered this, that in the work of the kingdom, and I don't know, maybe I'm the only or the most frail one here, but there's times that I've considered those who have served in God's kingdom and how God has given certain gifts that have been very beneficial to the work, that along with that gift, God also gives some kind of a glaring weakness for that individual.

And I think it's for a purpose that that individual that has a lot of gifts, that God gives them glaring weaknesses so that we wouldn't follow after man.

And perhaps this was the same for the apostle because it says that, in God's word, that Paul wasn't the easiest man to be around. He was difficult to behold.

He was difficult to look at. And some have thought maybe it was because of that experience he had when he was struck blind on the road to Damascus. And he was disfigured perhaps.

And sometimes we know how a disfigured person or someone who looks different than normal, it's hard to embrace them or to be real close to them. Our flesh is that kind that would kind of run away from something that's abnormal.

And perhaps this is the reason that God has allowed even in workers in God's kingdom that they would have these glaring deficiencies so that we wouldn't follow after man.

But Paul felt this inward struggle and he says, unless I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations. And he was given abundance of revelation. He was given understanding of scriptures and of God's word. And he was given knowledge in many things.

So except that I would be, so I wouldn't be exalted above that, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh. It was a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

And then he says, and for this thing I besought the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And I'm not saying it's wrong. And the Lord didn't take that thorn that was in his flesh away.

But rather he left it there and he said unto Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

So he was willing now to accept that thorn that was in his flesh so that the glory wouldn't be of his own, but rather of God.

And he says, therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So he didn't want to feel like his power was in his own strength.

So when we go back to this matter of temptation, and James writes that blessed is the man that endureth temptation. That's us, brothers and sisters. We're blessed if we're able to endure.

And how does the enemy of souls, we know that God doesn't tempt. God loves us. God allows trials. It is according to his word.

God gives trials so that we would stay close to God. He allows us trials in life so that we would be mindful that God is the one who orchestrates all things. He leads all things. He is the Lord of life and the Lord of death.

He has allowed us this time to live and to dwell. And it's according to his wishes. It is not ours to decide.

And in fact, when we think of temptations, there are many. The young man, oh how close our flesh is. I think of you young, my beloved young brothers and sisters.

The lusts and desires of the flesh are close. I know. I lived once as a young man. And I know how difficult those temptations of the flesh of youth were.

And I would like to say this evening that, or even to be able to boast this evening, that those temptations of youth have disappeared, but they haven't entirely gone.

But the strength of those temptations of the youth, the lusts and the desires thereof, oh they're close. And the temptations, they don't go away because we grow older.

An older man, an older person, 20s, 30s, there's this desire and temptation for worldly possessions. Gold, silver, honor. All of those things that are also close to our flesh.

And just because we grow older, doesn't mean, and even to old age, that we're released from temptation. But rather, even the temptation of old age can be greed. It can be pride.

We might start to think that, I've lived as a child of God for these many years and now, I've become more holy. This is a temptation as we grow older.

So all of these are temptations and perhaps God willing we would speak a little bit more specifically of some of them.

But perhaps the worst temptation that might come before man is to put ourselves equal to God, or start to think that we are in the place of God.

Maybe even argue with God about how things ought to go in our lives, how things ought to go in our families or in our careers, or how we think that things ought to go with our health or with the number of times we have to go to church, with the number of children that God has given.

These are things that, when we read from God's word, we have no place being there and putting ourselves in the place of God.

But the life that God has given to us and the day that we've been given to live and all things that we have as His children are given by God and from Him and Him alone.

None of us can make any amends or changes or even as the Bible says that who of you, Jesus said, who of you by taking thought, thinking, or pondering, can add one cubit to your stature.

Meaning, who of you can add 18 inches to your height by simply taking thought. Meditate this evening and say, okay, I want to grow. I want to grow. I want to grow another inch tomorrow. We can't do that. That's not our place.

This is God who allows all of these things. When we enter into that place of becoming equal with God, then this would be, I think, a very dangerous place to be.

But here James says, blessed is the man that endureth temptations. And whatever those temptations are, those temptations come from the enemy of souls.

And the sooner that we recognize that this is where they're coming from, perhaps the safer it is for us.

Sometimes I've thought the enemy of souls this way, that he's kind of like a barking dog.

And I know if you walk in these streets, you'll see him. If you walk in these neighborhoods around here or trails in, or in roads and developments and so on, you'll go by many yards where there's dogs that are penned up. It's so around here.

And when you walk by a dog that comes to the fence and barks, you have a couple of options. One is to just dismiss him, walk by and ignore him. And if you do this, the dog quits barking. What's the point any longer?

But if you were to stop at that fence and growl at that dog or provoke that dog, that dog is going to become even more agitated and riled up to the point that it would even try to attack you through the fence.

Right down the road here, there's one of those kinds of dogs that if you pay any kind of attention to at all, he would come and snarl.

I thought the enemy is very similar. That he places these temptations before us. And whatever that temptation is, we have that opportunity to either allow that temptation to be there, to walk on and ignore it.

And all of a sudden if we do that, the enemy of souls, his wishes are defeated. And it must be a great disappointment for the enemy of souls to think that, oh, here's one person that I've brought this temptation and he walked right on by.

But I've experienced it the other way, where you look at that temptation and you face that temptation and you start to battle against the enemy of souls, face to face.

And it hasn't been a good picture. Thinking that with my own strength, that I can battle against this temptation.

I think of, in another analogy or another picture, I think of, for example, the internet as a place of doors and windows.

As you're scrolling through the internet, and whatever you're on there for, it could be social media, it could be trying to figure out how to repair your car, it could be searching out some kind of a menu that you might want to prepare for dinner.

There's many reasons why we research things on the internet. But there the internet is doors and windows.

We're walking down the street and we're looking into windows or we can glance by and as a little boy we would go in Minneapolis, downtown Minneapolis, and we would, Christmas time, and all of the storefronts would be filled with Christmas decorations.

And as a little boy I was intrigued that now it's Christmas time and we can go window shopping, we called it, you didn't even have to have a penny to go.

But you could just enjoy that time of the season, the Christmas season, the festivities that were there, to hear the Christmas music.

And so you'd go by one store and there'd be one window, and you'd go to another store and there'd be another window.

You had the choice there of either window shopping or then going down a bit further and going in the door to that store.

It's the same for us today when we consider this tool of the internet. We have these windows that pop up, then we have this opportunity to go into that store or that place with a click of a mouse.

So we can open that door and enter. We find how the enemy of souls in those places lurks for us.

There are those things that are enticing to our corrupt flesh. And we have that opportunity when going down that road to say, Nah, I don't want to go there. No, I don't want to go there.

I'm going down here because I want to research this particular subject on history, math, whatever the case is. And there's an end there.

And if we're not waylaid on the way, the enemy must be especially disappointed.

But I think this is what James is writing about. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation. We are blessed. We are truly blessed as we sing in that very familiar and favorite song of the youth.

But how has it been, brothers and sisters, in real life application? Have you been so successful to say that you haven't ever entered into those doors of sin and corruption?

Oh, how I wish that I could sit here this evening and say that I've never succumbed to the temptations that the enemy of souls has brought.

He comes. And he's such an evil man. He's so evil.

You know, the enemy of souls started his work. Think of when. How has he, when did he start his work? He was an angel in heaven.

The enemy of souls was. And he was cast out of heaven. When he was causing that disruption there, he was cast out.

And he was cast to dwell in the earth. Remember in Job when this question was asked of Job.

And in this conversation that was there between God and Satan. And this discussion was going on there between God and Satan.

And they were saying, well, look at Job. The enemy of souls said, well, look at Job. You've given him so much that you've protected him. You've given him abundance of health and family and loved ones and riches.

This is the reason why Job loves you. And God knew differently. He knew that Job had a heart of a believing man.

And so he allowed the enemy to tempt Job. And at first the response was that you can tempt Job, but you can't touch him.

And as you read from that account, we find. And I wonder if this kind of conversation has happened since. And I'm sure it has.

Why hasn't it? That the enemy of souls wants us for his own. But God knows us as his children. And he's promised to protect us.

But this went on. And it says that this question was asked that where have you been? Where has the enemy of souls been?

It says he's been walking to and fro through the world. He was there wandering wherever he might do his damage.

And he still remains. He remains in our midst. And he's had from that time that he was cast out from the heaven.

And I don't know how many years we could put that in. But thousands of years. When he was cast out from heaven.

And now he became this kind of an evil enemy. He's honed his skills.

Some of you already older. You lived your life as a young man going to school. You honed your knowledge in school.

You graduated from high school. You learned more in college. And you went on to work. And get your degree in college.

And you've continued to hone your skill. And you worked over the years as an engineer, as a doctor, as some professional. Or on the other hand as some kind of a tradesman.

And you know with me that after a number of years, those things that you thought you knew as a young man. Oh, when I was 20, 21 years old. And I was working in the trades. And I was so full of energy. And I was so anxious to learn.

And I would watch these older guys. And they were kind of moving slowly. And I was able to, in my mind, I thought I could out produce them.

How wrong I was. Because after many years of practice, you hone that skill much greater than you were as a young person.

So even in a short course of life of 50, 60, 70 years. We learn. And we can hone a certain skill or an application.

So think how skilled the enemy of souls has become over the course of thousands of years.

He's been able to hone his skill in a way that as people, as individuals, we are helpless. We have no way as individuals. We don't have that kind of ability.

We don't have that kind of a skill set. Or that kind of a defense that we could battle face to face against the enemy of souls.

We're no match for him. The devil is a very powerful force. He is the ruler of the kingdom of darkness.

And you know, brothers and sisters with me, how many in this world he has under his thumb. How many there are in this world that listen to him and live in the kingdom of ungodliness.

This evening at services there's but a handful of people. And even much less than there were here this morning.

Around the world, God's kingdom relatively is numbered as few. How many there are multitudes in this world who have succumbed to the temptations that the enemy brings.

So when James writes, blessed is the man that endures temptations. James is writing about you, dear brother and sister. You have endeavored to battle against the temptations that have come.

And where have they come from? This morning we heard through our dear brother that we have this threefold enemy. The world, Satan, and our own corrupt flesh.

We know in the world around us how corrupt the world is. Well, hopefully we don't know how corrupt it is. Hopefully we've been preserved.

But we don't know how corrupt it is. From experiencing that kind of depth of corruption that the world offers.

Sometimes for me it's shocking to see how evil and corrupt man can be. God has protected me and preserved me despite my own corruption.

From witnessing that which Satan has done to me. From seeing that which the world has offered in its fullness.

I was in, I was at the jail some time back and I was listening. It's inevitable. Some of those visiting areas are very close.

And I was listening as I was waiting for, I don't remember who it was, Judith at the time or Nina to come and visit.

I was listening to this table next to me. Of this church. This lawyer and his client.

And they were going over the details of her allegations and the crime that she was alleged to have done.

And I shuddered to think that those matters that they were speaking about could have ever been a part of any man's life.

And I there said a prayer of thanks that God has protected me from witnessing or seeing that kind of corruption.

But he has tempted me with plenty. The enemy of souls has offered plenty of enticements.

The world still remains an enticement for me. My flesh is that kind that would be drawn very quickly to the things of this world.

So this threefold enemy is close. The world. And you with me know how that world might tempt you.

Especially for you young people in your time of youth. The enemy brings and paints the world with a lot of love and respect.

Where to lead? The enemy brings and paints the world to be a very glorious place. He paints it there with the glamour. The glitter.

He paints it for you dear sisters with this kind of picture painting that why wouldn't you dress yourself provocatively. Why wouldn't you wear those kind of clothes that the world would recognize and see.

Why wouldn't you wear that kind of apparel or wear that kind of make-up for it or earrings that is so pleasing to the world you can be recognized and known and you can be famous and popular and all of those things rather than be just one of those lowly, plain, simple believers.

You know, beloved young, of your own temptations therein. You young men know also of those temptations that the enemy has brought before you.

And they're for one reason. To draw you away from God's kingdom. There's no other reason. But one reason only.

You have a choice. We all have a choice. To listen to that which the enemy brings or to backtrack. To fight.

The battle never ends. We will face this until the end. But James says, blessed is that man that endureth these temptations.

God's word doesn't say, blessed is that man that giveth in to the wiles of the enemy.

And you know with me of how many ways and how close he comes.

The world is out there somewhere. We're protected from the world here in this gathering. We don't feel the effects of the worldly music and the glamour and glitter of this world.

And we don't feel so closely those effects when we're gathered together in the hearing of God's word or in the fellowship of God's children.

Is it a reason then that in God's word he has told us through his word that we would gather together and even more, all the more as we see the day approaching.

So the world is out there somewhere even this evening. We know we have that kind of a foe with the enemy of souls.

But he comes so close even into our own corrupt flesh. And unfortunately this evening we have carried that flesh here even to these services.

The enemy comes as close as our own corrupt flesh. We feel it. We are troubled by it.

That flesh that Paul prayed would be taken from him. But God didn't take. He allowed that flesh to remain there.

That it would be a messenger of Satan to buffet him.

So then our strength is not in ourselves, but our strength is in the power of the gospel.

And this is that which sustains us as a child of God.

How has it been when you've faced those temptations? And when you've succumbed to the whisperings of the enemy?

Oh, how a liar he is. You know, he's used this kind of a picture that, oh, you can do that sin. It's nothing.

In fact, you can enjoy that sin. And what no one would know is a young boy he would tempt that way or a young girl.

You're by yourself. Who would know? Parents aren't around. Your friends aren't around. Who's to know that you would do this?

And so those kinds of whisperings might come. And at one point, you might walk away, walk past that barking dog.

Other times, you might stop to look.

I remember one time as a little boy, and I've shared this many times at camps, many times at camp, when I was a little boy, I went with my cousin to the store there not far from where my cousin lived.

And I went there to that store without any money. My first mistake.

And I went there, and to this day, I like candy. And the enemy knew that.

And as a little boy, I stood there before that candy rack, and I wanted some of that candy.

And I stood there, and on one shoulder, the enemy of souls was tempting me to take some of that candy. You don't have any money. You can steal that. No one sees you.

And on the other side, this other voice was, Eric, don't do that. That's stealing. That's sin.

This battle was being waged there. Have any of you experienced a similar temptation? I don't think I'm alone in this. I don't think I'm the only sinner here this evening.

But I did. I succumbed to that temptation. And I reached in there, and I grabbed a package of candy. I put it in my pocket.

And of course, already I felt guilty and convicted. And then what happened? I was standing there, and this big, big hand on my shoulder.

And this voice, it sounded like the voice of a loud, roaring lion, gruff-sounding voice. Young man, do you have money to pay for that candy?

And I looked up, and it was the store owner. And I felt so small, fearful.

Of course, I was left with getting my money. I wasn't carrying a bag of candy, and I didn't know the employee had.

I arrived at the store, so I teared up a little bit of the candy. I had done a warmup on the inside of the car, and in it there was a box of candy, so there I could eat.

I had been with a sign me where I lived and I told him I lived in Michigan, which is another lie.

One matter went to another. You were telling a lie to cover another lie, to cover that original sin that took place.

He told me he was going to call the police and I knew that I was going to end up in jail.

All of those matters I remain and I remember to this day.

But it was such a struggle. He didn't call the cops. He forbade me from going into that store. I never went back there ever again in my life.

The worst part was now that I carried this sin on my conscience. How would I rid myself now of this matter?

I stayed that night at my cousin's. I didn't sleep much. I went home and I was sure that the first thing I would do when I got home would speak to my mom and dad about that which happened.

But the enemy, again with his tools of deceitfulness, told me that, no, you can't speak of that matter because mom and dad won't love you any longer.

You know all the truth. You can't speak of that matter. You can't love your mother. You're not your father. You know all the stories.

The enemy's a liar. He's been a liar from the get-go.

I carried that matter for many days, in fact many weeks, until finally one morning I said, I've had enough. I can't carry this any longer.

As a little boy, I went bursting into my mom and dad's bedroom. They weren't even awake yet.

I spoke of that matter and God gave me strength to speak of that.

It was troubling. And all of those lies that the enemy had told me were not true.

Of course, mom and dad loved me even more. They preached that gospel of forgiveness.

I was freed from that burden.

And I think of that Psalm of David in the 32nd Psalm. And these have been so close.

And perhaps you have also experienced, brothers and sisters in your life, those same kinds of feelings that David had.

Where in the 32nd Psalm he says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile."

He says, "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old, and I was cold through the roaring all the day long. For day and night my hand was heavy upon me. Thy hand was heavy upon me. My moisture is turned into the drought of summer."

But then he says, "I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Blessed is that man whose sin is covered."

Iniquity is forgiven. And oh, the joy that came when that burden was lifted.

This weekend we have also experienced as I visited with our dear brother who was granted the grace of repentance this weekend, a great burden has been lifted from him.

He is now traveling with us. The sin is that kind of burden that weighs us down.

He is now traveling with us. You're not that kind of a beast that can carry that burden. You don't have four legs as an oxen or a horse. You only have two legs which are feeble.

Don't carry the burden of sin but rather speak of those matters that trouble and weigh you down.

Blessed is the man whose transgressions and burdens are forgiven.

I have thought so often in my days of how it would be impossible to remain as a child of God without the help that God has given to me a sinner.

It is also important not only that we take care of matters but that we also flee from temptation.

When we read from the fourth chapter of James he also says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you."

How do we resist? How do we battle against the enemy of souls? We battle not with our own strength but with the strength that God has given to us through his Son that we can believe through his name and shed blood that our sins are forgiven.

And this evening you dear child of God as you find yourself surely I know feeling your own temptations none of us are exempt.

All of us are exempt to carry our own bosom sins. The enemy comes close in our own address, in our own place, in our own watching.

He does not leave us alone. He will not allow us rest until we gain that final place of rest there in the glory of heaven.

But you can battle this evening and even remain believing even now that your sins are all forgiven in the name and precious atoning blood of Jesus.

That is what will carry us home.

Beloved young, resist the devil. Flee from him. Gather together as you even this evening are.

It's so good and so nice to see that there's this desire in your heart to come into the hearing of God's word.

There you are strengthened. There you are comforted to take another step forward. Believe.

Precious kingdom that we live in. Where God has prepared everything for us. All we need to do is believe.

Put sins away. And travel as a grace beggar in God's kingdom.

All of us are the same. Sinful but yet righteous through the merit work of Christ.

But this evening I feel myself especially sinful. I wonder if I can still hear the gospel.

I want to believe with each of you. In Jesus name. Amen.

Let us quieten this evening in closing prayer and benediction.

Dear Heavenly Father, as we go out to our night's rest, we again pause with thankful hearts for the blessings of this day.

We are mindful of this great blessing that we are your own and we are on your way towards eternal life in the glory of heaven.

Therefore dear Father, we cast all of our cares and worries upon your Son, and we ask the Lord bless us and keep us.

The Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious unto us.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.