Jesus the Philosopher: Answers for Life
Luke 4:1-14, February 28, 2021
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: When was the first time you went fishing and what was it like.
Read out loud: Luke 4:1-15
Temptation #1.
3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
The bait on that hook is called bread and represents materialism. Do you think everyone in the United States is materialistic? What does it take to be materialistic? I, Pastor Ed, has been accused of being materialistic so, “Can a Pastor have a pool and not be materialistic?!” Is materialism tied to how much stuff you have or is it an attitude?
Temptation #2.
“And the devil said to Him… 7 Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
The bait on that hook is called the easy way out and represents hedonism.
Hedonism is the love of pleasure as the chief good of life. Do people gain the greatest satisfaction from pleasurable or stressful situations? Which one builds character in the most effective way? Does a person need both experiences? Why? Why did Jesus use scripture to combat Satan’s temptations? What’s been the most effective scripture for you in battling temptation?
Temptation #3.
“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You to guard You…’So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus answered…“It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
The bait on that hook is called popularity and represents sensationalism. Think back to Jr. & High School, do you think students struggled with being popular or unpopular? Why do people crave attention? Was there anyone in school that got to sports, talent show, theatre, or academics when all of a sudden people’s attitudes changed toward them because of their newly recognized skill? 13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. Do you think when people are hungry, tired and lonely they’re more susceptible to temptation? Why?
Which one of the following is most important to remember when facing temptation?
#1. Satan will always be your enemy. #2. Biblical Truth is your only authority. #3. The Holy Spirit is your only source of power. #4. Forgiveness is your only point of connection.
Family Time: Summarize how Satan tempted Jesus to do the easy thing instead of the hard thing and Jesus refused. Ask them if they’ve ever been tempted to look at someone else’s paper for the answer on a test because they wanted a good grade and couldn’t remember the answer.