WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:04.879 So we've been going through the book of Revelation, but y'all can all take a breath because we're not doing it today. 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:09.439 So the you know, the junior preacher is here, and so we're gonna go through Luke instead of Revelation. 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:10.080 So you're welcome. 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:11.599 You can lean back, you can take a breath. 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:13.519 So we're gonna go in the gospel today. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:15.439 Uh but I do want to say just really quick. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:19.679 I know Revelation has been preached really bad, it's been really scary to a lot of us for a long time. 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:22.320 But Revelation is a good book and it's good for the church. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:24.719 And so that's just that was free, that's all I got. 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:30.320 But today uh we're entering into a season that the church has historically called Lent. 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:42.719 Uh so for my Baptist in here, that might be the first time you've heard that word, but for the more high church type folk with liturgy, Lent is the season for the 40 days leading up to the crucifixion, leading up to Easter weekend, right? 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:57.439 And these 40 days is a callback to our passage in Luke 4 this morning, as we focus in on the sufferings of Jesus, the temptations of Jesus, and ultimately the wrath of God being poured out upon him as he's nailed to a Roman cross for us. 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:04.400 And so Lent is a time when for many of us we we think back on our childhood and kind of have some guilt around it, right? 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:16.560 Because maybe you grew up in a church where it was practice, and so you remember, man, in third grade, you show up to church, you got your nice white shoes on, show up to church, and then you know Sally Jane comes up to you and says, I'm giving up cookies for Lent, what are you giving up? 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.239 And then you panic, right, because you're like, oh gosh, I forgot it was Lent today. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:23.040 And so then you come up with something that you know you're not giving up, right? 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:24.319 Like, you're not giving up brownies. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:25.359 You're not giving them up. 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:27.439 But Sally Jane is, and she crushes it. 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:30.560 But so for many of us, man, might be some religious guilt there. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:36.959 Might think, yeah, like, man, if I don't give something up for these 40 days, God might not be mad at me, but he certainly is a little disappointed, right? 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:38.799 He's certainly a little disappointed in us. 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:40.079 And maybe that's you. 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:41.599 But here's the point for Lent. 00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:43.280 Here's just the simple point for us. 00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:46.480 Giving up something for Lent is not required by the Bible. 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:51.519 Lent is not a biblical word, it's not even necessarily a completely, uh, entirely biblical idea. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:59.040 It's not found in the Bible, but the church has historically given it these 40 days for us as the people of God to look to the cross of Christ. 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:00.000 That's what it's for. 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:04.640 So again, giving something up for Lent is not a practice for God to love you more. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:07.599 It doesn't increase your righteousness or standing before Him. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:09.759 But it could be a practice that is helpful for you. 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:11.280 So if you do practice Lent, great. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:13.120 If you don't practice Lent, great. 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:16.479 Um, that is not something that we're gonna hammer down, right? 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:23.120 Um but there is something to be said about the spiritual, biblical act of fasting that we see in the Bible. 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:29.199 And this is not related to the healthy thing that some of you guys do when you don't eat from 12, only from 12 to 8, right? 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:32.719 So for you all that eat from 12 to 8, I know that you know who you are. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:34.719 This is not, that's not what this is talking about, right? 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:35.520 And you can do that. 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:37.599 I'm gonna eat my all-star special at 9 a.m. 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:41.599 Uh you can you can frown at me, but I'm gonna eat my all-star special at 9 a.m. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:43.039 And you can't, so I'm sorry. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:55.439 Um, but what we're talking about is this spiritual act of fasting in the Bible, which is an act that we see throughout the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, but we especially see it in the life of Jesus and in the life of the apostles. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:03:03.599 And this is a place where they, in an act of self-denial, they they put the desires of their stomachs aside and they focus in on worship and on prayer. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:12.400 And one thing that we see, especially in the book of Acts, is that when the people of God commit themselves to fasting and prayer, that's when some of the mightiest acts of God happen. 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:18.159 So, fasting is a good thing that we are for, but it's not something that makes God smile upon you more. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:24.879 It doesn't increase his love for you, but it's something that we do out of his love for us to see more of his acts in our life. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:31.520 But here is the main point, again, of Lent: to focus us in on the sufferings and on the cross of Christ. 00:03:31.680 --> 00:03:32.719 That's what it's all about. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:33.840 And that's the whole purpose. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:35.360 And that's the season that we're in. 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:47.280 So for the next few weeks leading up to Easter, we're gonna be preaching through passages in the Gospels and in the Bible that show us the humanity of Jesus, that he was fully man, just like us, and that he suffered for us. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:49.919 So we're gonna be preaching through some of these things. 00:03:50.080 --> 00:04:00.159 And what we see in this, in this season, is that Jesus had one goal: to be put on a Roman cross for the sins of the world. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:03.039 That was his one mission, that was his one goal. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:07.439 So in Luke 4, we find ourselves in a really interesting passage. 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:17.439 It's an amazing chapter, and in a lot of commentaries I read, a lot of these theologians throughout the history of the church kind of consider Luke 4 to be almost like Jesus' rite of passage in a sense. 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:28.000 Not that Jesus now realizes he is the Son of God, but in the sense that he is showing his followers that he is identifying with us as fully a man and fully God at the same time. 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:34.079 So this is kind of his rite of passage to fulfilling his role as the prophet, priest, king. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.560 That's the language of the scriptures that we see. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:44.959 So in the Old Testament, there were these three kind of offices that people of God held, that the main kind of leaders in the people of God held, it was the prophet. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:49.759 And the prophets had this really difficult task of delivering the word of God to the people. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:52.240 It wasn't always this future dream-like thing. 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:54.720 A lot of times it was just thus saith the Lord. 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:57.920 And because of that, most of the Israelites hated the prophets, right? 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:00.480 They didn't like hearing the hard words of God, right? 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.600 People like Ezekiel, Isaiah, Moses, people like that. 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:05.040 Then we have the kings. 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:11.920 The kings, at least on paper, were supposed to rule the people of Israel with righteousness, with justice, with the love of God, right? 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:15.600 Didn't do all that great in the Old Testament, but we do have guys like David, right? 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:16.800 Guys that killed it. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:18.879 And then lastly, we had the priests. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:25.279 And the priests were the people who were the religious leaders, specifically the religious leaders over the people of Israel. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:30.079 And they were the, again, the people that brought the message of God to the people. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:33.040 And there was one specific priest, the high priest. 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:40.720 And the high priest, every single year, on the day of atonement, on Yom Kippur, I don't think you've heard that phrase before, but Yom Kippur means Day of Atonement. 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:48.160 The priest would enter into the Holy of Holies, the most holy place, where the presence of God was believed to be most present in that. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:55.360 And he would go through the veil, he'd move the curtain aside, and he would give a sacrifice for the sins of the people for the year. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:56.639 It was the Day of Atonement. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:59.920 He would sprinkle the blood of a lamb on the mercy seat. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:02.639 And on the mercy seat was where God was believed to be sitting. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:03.759 There was a cloud there. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:08.800 And he would sprinkle the blood there, and the forgiveness of sins thus would be so. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:12.480 And in this the people of God were atoned for. 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:22.079 Now, in our text this morning, I think this is the passage where Jesus is identified most clearly as our high priest, as our great high priest. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:25.040 This is when his rite of passage into that happens. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:41.920 And this is the one who stands in our place, who has made the sacrifice, not many has made one final complete sacrifice, and who now has torn the veil, giving us access to the fullness of God unhindered because of his blood. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:46.319 And you know, again, we don't have this dearly or yearly day of atonement, right? 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:54.240 We had this one Yom Kippur that happened 2,000 years ago that now forever marks us righteous for those who believe. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:59.439 Now, something that's frustrating about me is that most of the time I have a super one-track mind. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:01.759 I know y'all know people like this, it's their way or the highway. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:02.879 They're frustrating. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:03.439 I know it. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:04.240 I'm one of them. 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:10.480 Okay, so uh one thing that Grace and I, my wife, we love to do uh is we like to go on dates on the square. 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:15.279 We live close enough, by God's grace we can walk, praise the Lord, we can walk to the square. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:17.759 Uh so we walk, you know, we go to places like ice cream. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:20.879 More than likely we go to two birds at 5 30 on Thursdays. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:22.319 Uh, and that's where we're at. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:23.040 And I love it. 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:23.920 I love this date. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:25.839 I'm like, yes, let's go to Two Birds. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:30.560 One thing I've learned in a year and a half of marriage, I'm a pro, a year and a half of marriage. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:32.560 Uh, we walk the back way, okay? 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:36.319 We go the back way by the railroad tracks on the brick road, right? 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.920 We walk the red brick road all the way down to two birds, right? 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:44.560 And the reason for this, there's no stores along the brick path. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.600 You gotta you gotta go around to get to a store. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:49.279 There's no stores facing you, right? 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:54.000 So, what I've learned is that my wife, she loves the journey. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:55.439 She's all about the journey. 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:58.000 If the end goal comes, if two birds happens, great. 00:07:58.160 --> 00:07:59.839 She's not in it for two birds. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:03.279 She's in it for the walk, she's in it for the store fronts, right? 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:11.279 So, her ex her her kind of mindset is, yeah, we we might get to two birds, but I really want just I just want to go in these stores. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:14.639 And if we get to our date, great, and I'm like, I just want the destination. 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:16.000 I don't care about the stores. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:18.560 I want my happy hour at two birds with my wife, right? 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:19.600 That's what I'm in it for. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:25.680 Uh so there's there's certain stores, y'all know the square, there's certain stores that have a higher percent chance for a 23-year-old girl to walk into. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:26.160 All right. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:31.360 We got Sarah Liz, decent, decent chance, but a Deaf Leopard shirt is$98 in there. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:34.080 All right, so we we like to not go into Sarah Liz. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:38.480 Um we have we have Tuesdays in Marietta, we have Tuesday coffee, right? 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:39.360 Shout out the Beatons. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.279 We have Tuesdays, we love it, great coffee. 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:48.399 Um sometimes we go there, but then I remind her that we're about to go to Happy Hour, and so coffee plus that uh might not be a good recipe for her stomach, right? 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:49.840 So we don't normally end up there. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:51.919 Uh then you know, bubble tea, same argument, right? 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:52.480 Same argument. 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:56.799 82 ounces of sugar coffee and bubbles in it is not great for the stomach, right? 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:00.960 But let's pull up this picture uh of this store, right? 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:01.440 Okay. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:04.720 Ladies, just ladies, can we talk? 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:07.279 I don't know what this store does to you. 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:09.200 It's like they cast a spell. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:20.799 Like it's it's like witchcraft has come upon women in Marietta, and I mean, like, when we're walking and we're within 50 yards of Market with a B, my wife is like shaking out of excitement. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:24.080 Because she can't freaking wait to get inside Market with a B, right? 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:26.080 I don't know what it does, I don't know what it is. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:27.519 But I mean, I get it, right? 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:28.000 I get it. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:30.399 You can get little hipster journals, right? 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.360 Little hipster journals with good Tolkien quotes, right? 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:37.759 Or you know, you could you could get a single Rox glass for 24 bucks, right? 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:40.240 One Rox glass for 24 bucks. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:45.120 But my favorite is the three ounces of Diva fabric softener for 40, right? 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:45.840 That's my favorite. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:50.240 Y'all, you know, my diva people, you you in here, you know, 40 bucks for three ounces. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:54.559 But what really hurts is the eight-ounce candle 48, right? 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:57.840 That's the one that really stings me the most because I'm a candle guy. 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:02.320 And the four 48 dollar candle that's this big really hurts my heart, right? 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:06.399 So suddenly we're an hour late to happy hour, right? 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:08.240 Which could have been 20 bucks, right? 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.679 We could be in and out, 20 bucks with tip, done, right? 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:12.879 Still sunny out. 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:15.120 Now we show up, it's 6.30. 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:20.399 I just dropped$127, and I have a candle and a rock's glass, right? 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:24.879 So all of a sudden, we've quadrupled the happy hour date. 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:28.320 So, lesson learned is we go the back way. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:29.519 We go the back way. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:35.440 Now, this morning we have, in my opinion, one of the most important passages in the whole Bible. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:38.320 And it's the temptation of Jesus. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:43.360 And again, here's my claim for us that Jesus had a singular mission on earth. 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:48.080 The feeding of the 5,000, the quieting of the sea, those were secondary. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:50.720 His main thing was the main thing. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:52.000 Georgia fans, amen. 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:53.679 Keep the main thing, the main thing, right? 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:55.519 He kept the main thing, the main thing. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:04.960 And he, the eternal word of God, became man again with one goal: to put your sin upon the cross to be fully, freely, and forever forgiven. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:06.480 That was his one goal. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:07.440 That was just one mission. 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:09.759 He wouldn't get let anything get in the way of that. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:12.240 He would not let anything get in the way of that. 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:14.240 He will go upon that cross. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:15.200 Why? 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:19.919 Because the sins of broken humanity depend on it. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:22.159 Because it depends on it. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:29.200 And here's the thing: the devil's primary goal here is to get Jesus off the cross. 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:32.399 That's his whole goal is to get Jesus off the cross. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.919 If he can do that, friends, we're still on our sin. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:38.320 We're still without hope in the world. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:39.919 So that's his goal. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:40.960 But here's our main point. 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:42.960 So my type heirs, main point. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:44.240 Alright, y'all can breathe now. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:45.039 Type heirs. 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:45.440 We're good. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:46.559 Main point, here we go. 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:51.039 Satan's primary temptation for Jesus was to get him off the cross. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:55.840 And his primary temptation for us is to get our eyes off the cross. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:02.960 See again, if Satan can get Jesus off the cross, then the rest of humanity is doomed and we're still stuck in our sin. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:09.759 And if Satan can get our eyes off of Jesus and off the cross, then we're left with a weak substitute. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:16.480 We're left with a life of religious striving, life chasing for the next thing, more money, more whatever. 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:20.799 We're left with a life that's just really no life at all. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:23.200 If our eyes are not fixed on the cross. 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:26.639 And so again, the primary temptation, get Jesus off his mission. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.799 That's what's happening in Luke 4. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:38.080 So Jesus was a man, fully 100% a man, not 98% a man, not 99%, 100% a human being. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:49.919 Therefore, God himself put on flesh, just like you and I, to be fully 100% a man so that he could identify with us fully, so that he could get it. 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:58.639 Jesus had just been baptized in Luke 3 by a sinful man named John the Baptist, was baptized by him so that he could identify with us. 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:04.639 And then in his final act before moving into his public ministry, he identifies with us completely. 00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:07.519 We're now nothing is off limits. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:15.039 And there's a phrase that I'm gonna repeat a few times for us this morning, and it's by this ancient church father named Gregory of Nizansius. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:16.000 I think that's how you say it. 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:17.679 And side note, this is free. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:23.279 Find an ancient friend that has been following Jesus and that wrote things like a thousand years ago. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:28.480 We as American Christians can just get really stuck in the way we read the Bible, in the way we do church. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:29.679 So find an ancient friend. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:30.720 They're really helpful. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:34.080 Um but my ancient friend is one of them is Gregory. 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:35.360 So this is what he says. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:36.720 It's five words. 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:39.200 The unassumed is the unhealed. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:41.039 The unassumed is is the unhealed. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:43.759 And if you take notes, that's a good five words to write down. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:52.639 And here's what he means: if there is a corner of our humanity that Jesus did not become, that's outside of the blood. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:56.480 That's outside of forgiveness, that's outside of redemption. 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:03.120 If Jesus was not 100% a man, then there would be corners of our life that the blood of Jesus does not touch. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:05.360 But that's the good news for us. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:12.960 That Jesus was 100% a man, and so that now for us, there is no corner that's untouched by the blood. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:15.759 There is no corner that's untouched by his love. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:19.519 There's no corner that's not felt by him. 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:21.279 And that's good news. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:25.039 And he especially assumed all of our temptations. 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:30.799 Not just our humanity, not just that he might have gotten sick, probably had stinky feet, right? 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.960 But that he could become our perfect high priest. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:46.720 The writer of Hebrews says this for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:51.200 So remember, the main temptation, get Jesus off the cross. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:52.879 So let's look at these three. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:55.759 Temptation one says, Hey Jesus, you're hungry. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:57.279 Turn this rock into bread. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:14:57.759 Right? 00:14:57.840 --> 00:14:59.039 I love how deep the Bible is. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:04.559 We talked about this at our Bible study this morning with the high schoolers, but the Bible says he didn't eat for 40 days and he was hungry. 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:06.320 We love the word, we love the Bible. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:06.879 It's deep. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:10.399 Uh so yeah, first temptation, Jesus, turn this rock to bread, right? 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:11.279 Temptation one. 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:16.960 Temptation two, hey Jesus, bow down to me, Satan, and all the kingdoms of the world are yours. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:23.759 And then temptation three, hey Jesus, jump off this building and God will protect you. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:27.279 And all three of these temptations are ultimately doing the same thing. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.000 Hey Jesus, you're you're the son of God, man. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:31.600 You don't deserve to be hungry. 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:34.639 You have reigned on the throne forever. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.799 You don't deserve to be hungry, Jesus. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.519 Hey Jesus, you just just bow down to me. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:41.919 Then you can get all the power in the world back, right? 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.080 I know it's really yours, but just bow down to me. 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:45.440 You don't have to go to the cross for that. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:48.879 You don't have to suffer to reclaim your kingship. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:52.559 And the last one, he says, hey Jesus, just jump off this building. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:54.320 Obviously, you've read the Bible. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:56.080 The Bible says God will protect you, right? 00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:58.399 The Bible says you're not gonna really suffer. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:01.600 But Jesus is faithful. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:04.080 And again, he's so set on his goal. 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:09.440 He's so set on the end goal that he responds out of what he knows to be most true. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:14.480 Not that he had these verses to like Harry Potter just zapped the devil earth, right? 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:16.559 It's no Harry Potter work here. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:22.480 But what the scriptures have done in his heart and his life is that they permeate him. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:28.720 So that he knows what is most true about him based on what he sees in the word and based on what he knows about himself. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:32.639 And so he knows his mission is to suffer. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:38.399 He knows that the rescue of sinful humanity doesn't come from him being a political powerhouse. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:41.679 It comes from him going on a Roman cross for us. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:45.440 One very important note here. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:55.200 We read this and we we only see three temptations, but remember if you read the scripture, we see that Jesus actually was tempted for all 40 days. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:17:00.720 All 40 days, and he wasn't tempted by some junior varsity demon, he was tempted by El Diablo himself, right? 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:02.639 I know y'all got some temptations, alright? 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:03.600 Let's talk. 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:05.839 Yeah, you've been tempted by El Diablo. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:11.279 So Jesus goes out with the devil to be tempted for 40 days. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:13.359 But we just see three. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:14.880 So, what does this all mean for us? 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.160 What does this all mean for us? 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:21.279 The first thing is that we have a high priest who gets it. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:24.880 We have a high priest, a savior who's been there. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:40.720 See, in your temptation, in your greatest moments of depress of distress, depression, addiction, temptation, you don't just have a king who's looking down on you, kind of scoffing, kind of disappointed. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.799 You have a savior who's been there. 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:56.000 You have a savior who's actually been through the weeds with you, not some ethereal feathered hair, you know, cloud-like Jesus up in the clouds looking down, and you have one who's been in the dirt with you, who's been on the ground, who fights with you, and who's felt it. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:58.160 That's the savior that we have. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:04.240 There's a really sweet comfort when you go somewhere new and the person you you're going with has been there, right? 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:10.640 Like when you're traveling, when you go somewhere new, you go to a new school, when you have a friend who's been there who can lead you, right? 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:13.200 And it really stinks when you have to go somewhere new all alone. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:22.319 So a couple weeks ago, uh, my wife and I, we we were invited to this couple shower uh as um you know all 24-year-olds get married at the same time. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:24.400 So we have 47 of them uh a semester. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:33.359 But we had a couple shower and we got invited to it and we went, and uh, well, the thing is, my wife was out of town, and so I had a dilemma for like six days in a row. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:34.960 I was wrestling with it. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:38.000 I was, do I go alone or do I bail? 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:38.240 Right? 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:42.799 And at that point we had already said yes, and so like if I bail, it's on me. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:43.759 It's on me. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:50.240 So I'm wrestling, but here's it got me hooked because the theme of it was bubbles and bourbon, right? 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:52.880 And I'm like, genius, I'm in, you got me. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:53.359 Let's go. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:55.359 So, okay, so I go, but I fought all week. 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:57.279 I did not want to go, but I showed up. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:00.880 So I got dressed, and let me tell you, I felt like I looked pretty darn good. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:05.920 Had on my navy pants, good golf belt, got my East Lake shirt on, quarter zip, right? 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.720 I'm feeling good. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:07.599 Feeling good. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:11.279 I show up face to face with a 47,000 square foot house. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:13.680 I promise you, 47,000 square feet. 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:17.039 I look, there's a bridge like over the driveway. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:18.480 A bridge over the driveway. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:25.119 And come to the door, I go inside, there's like seven dudes, look like they're CEOs, look at me, they got on sport coats way better than this one. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:27.200 All right, like I'm talking sport coat sport coats, right? 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:30.720 Like custom fit, their last name is on the tag kind of sport coat, right? 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:36.799 And they're looking at me, they got the rollies on, and I'm there in my core zip, like first of all, underdressed as a mug, right? 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:38.160 I mean, just so underdressed. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:40.720 So I make the awkward small talk, right? 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:45.839 I find the friend that got engaged, I give her a little, give a little hug, a little high five, you know, happy engagement, whatever. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:49.440 I look at the 250-pound bullet ice statue that was there. 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:51.279 250 pounds ice statue. 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:54.240 The best part is the people that work for the ice company. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:56.400 My friend was like, hey, look, when are you gonna come pick this up? 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:57.359 And they're like, it's ice. 00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.160 We're not getting it. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:19:59.519 Like, you just let it go. 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:01.759 It'll it's not gonna be here in about a day, right? 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.640 I love that. 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:06.079 But so I'm in and out in 12 minutes, all right? 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.200 12 minutes. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.000 I timed it. 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:10.559 I called Grace on the way out, 12 minutes. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:19.599 And I felt like it was record timing, but what was what was fascinating is that I managed to sweat through two layers of clothing in those 12 minutes because I was by myself nervous, right? 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:20.880 Like that's that's what happened. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:22.000 It was great. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.359 Going somewhere new all alone is really hard, isn't it? 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.720 It's really hard. 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:32.640 But the good news for us this morning is that we don't have anywhere to go alone anymore. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:49.200 We have a high priest who's been there, who stands in our place, who's given us full access to God the Father on high, the creator of the universe by his blood, so that securely now, with no questions, with full confidence, we can go before Him. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:56.480 And as we walk through different challenges, different trials, our Christ has been there. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:57.839 Our Christ has been there. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:02.319 He assumed all things so that all things might be healed. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:04.880 Here's what that means for us. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:15.359 In each corner of our lives, whatever that is, job, money, sex, whatever it is, temptations, trials, addictions, in all of those places the blood of Christ can touch. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.240 In all of those places the blood of Christ can touch. 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:27.680 See, when when our perfect Lamb, when our perfect high priest went upon that cross, it wasn't just this vague idea of sin that went on the cross with him. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:30.480 It was like your specific sin. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:34.720 Like the places that you think about right now that you don't want anybody to find out about. 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:36.400 Like that's what's on the cross. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:38.319 That's what's on the cross. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:58.799 And as he wept and moaned and sweat blood, as he faced an eternity of hell in a moment, as the full wrath of God was poured out upon his shoulders, so your pain, so your grief, your struggles, your temptations, your addictions have been placed there too to be healed. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:21:59.519 Why? 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.519 Because he's been there. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:09.440 I find myself tempted to believe that his temptations, his trials weren't as hard for him because he was God, right? 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:16.559 It's kind of like he was Tony Stark and could just press the button, and then he's like this magical superhero, right? 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.200 But Jesus was not Tony Stark. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:25.279 He was fully a man, fully feeling human things. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:30.880 Fully faced every temptation to the fullest extent, beyond anything we can fathom. 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.640 And that is the good news. 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:36.799 So again, main point get Jesus off the cross. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:40.559 And if Satan did that, then we got nothing to hope for. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:43.119 But Jesus stayed on his mission. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:47.279 And with that, the mission of Satan has officially been defeated. 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:49.039 Officially been defeated. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:53.279 So there's two just closing main things for us, right? 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:58.240 If our eyes are taken off the cross, here's what the ways I think it shows up in my life. 00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:01.119 I think one, uh, some sort of religious striving. 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:02.559 If my eyes are taken off the cross. 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:05.839 And by that I mean, uh, man, the cross really isn't quite enough. 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:12.240 It's almost enough, but I have to, I have to make sure I add a little bit so that God's really satisfied with me and actually forgives my sin. 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:13.440 That's where my mind goes. 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:14.240 That's one. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:16.400 So maybe I need to fast for Lent. 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:18.559 I need to stop eating cookies for 40 days, right? 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:19.680 Then God will be happy. 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:24.079 Or I need to go to church a little bit more or read my Bible a little bit more, then God will be happy with me. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:26.079 So maybe that's that's one thing that you feel. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:27.599 Religious striving on that. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:33.119 And then the second one hurts a little bit more for me is minimizing sin in our lives. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:38.400 See, if the cross of Christ makes mostly good people a little better, then it's not good news, is it? 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:42.160 If it's like a TED talk with Jesus' name attached to it, it's not good news. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:49.599 But the good news is that enemies of the gospel like you and me are now brought near and made to be brought to life by his blood. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:50.799 And that's the good news. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:24:01.440 But I notice in my own life is that as my eyes are peeled away from the cross, peeled away from his sacrifice for my sins, what I notice is that, right, like the little things start to become okay. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:02.640 The little things are okay. 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:05.920 The big things, still the big things, but the little things start to become okay, right? 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:08.559 Like when I speak unkindly to my wife. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:13.519 When, right, like the second or third glass of bourbon starts to sound really, really good. 00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:17.039 To numb to numb the pain, right? 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:19.920 Like that, that's when things like that start to slide. 00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:30.480 See, the godliest people in my life that I know of and throughout church history are the ones that were the most aware of their sin and where the gospel was the most sweet to them. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:36.799 I want to close with this quote that I love from a guy named Charles Spurgeon. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:38.000 Probably use them every sermon. 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:38.640 Sorry. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:40.000 But here we go. 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:43.039 Remember this, Christian, and let it comfort you. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:48.160 However difficult and painful the road, it is marked by the footsteps of your Savior. 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:55.680 And even when you reach the dark valley of the shadow of death and the deep waters of the swelling Jordan, you will find his footprints there. 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:57.440 Let's pray together. 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:03.039 Father, we bless you in the name of Jesus. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:06.799 God, thank you for each of these people in this room. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:11.759 Father, there are men and women in this room that know you, that are following you. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:13.759 Pray that you strengthen their faith. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:19.599 Father, there are people in this room that are not walking with you, that might think that they're Christians, but Lord, they don't know you. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:24.960 And I pray, Father, that this morning, even so, you would have opened eyes to the truth of the gospel. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:30.480 You would have opened eyes to the beauty of Jesus crucified on our behalf. 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:33.680 Father, pray just blessings through your word. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:43.839 Pray that you would let all of mine fall flat and that the words of your gospel would be most true, would ring in our ears all week. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:45.599 It would change us from the inside. 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:47.200 Father, we bless you for Jesus. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:53.359 Thank you that our sins, past, present, and future, are fully, freely, and forever forgiven by the blood of Jesus. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.960 Thank you for the hope. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:56.400 Thank you for our high priest. 00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:57.039 We love you. 00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:58.640 Pray all this in Jesus' name. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:25:59.279 Amen.