The Tempter and the Tempted: Overcoming Temptation With the Gospel of Christ Sermon Series

A few weeks ago we finished our series looking at temptation emphasizing the temptation of Jesus. Here are all of the links, sermons, and other resources from that series.

Sermons:

July 1, 2012 | Mark 1:1-15 - Make War: The Great Cosmic War & the Warrior Whose Already Won It 
July 8, 2012 | 1 John 2:15-17 - Gone Fishing: The Bait & Hook Strategy of Temptation  
July 15, 2012 | Luke 3:18-4:22 - Who's Your Daddy?: Our Christian Identity and the Nature of Temptation
July 22, 2012 | Matthew 4:1-4 - Hungry? Why Wait?: Learning to Feast When on a 40 Day Fast
August 8, 2012 | Matthew 4:5-7 - Don't Jump: Why the Gospel is Greater Than Self-Vindication
August 15, 2012 | Matthew 4:8-11 - My Kingdom Come: Why the Gospel is Greater Than Kingdom Building Idolatry
August 22, 2012 - Isaiah 55 | Come & Seek A God Who Forgives - Audio & Notes





Articles:

Using God's Gifts As Weapons: Dr. Moore on the 3rd Temptation
"Tempted and Tried": A Review
Trip Lee "War" (lyrics)
Brad Stine on Fishing and Fishermen
"Make War!": Piper's Call To Fight Sin


Others:

Worship the King:  The Folly of Misplaced Allegiance 
November 22, 2009 - Self-Control in the Face of Temptation
Still Surviving The Storm


Other Series:

Ruth: Where Providence and Grace Kiss Sermon Series
Faith in the Midst of God-Ordained Storms Sermon Series 
God: Proper Theology Proper Sermon Series  
The Sermon on the Mount Series
Matthew Thus Far:  Matthew 1-5
Matthew 8-12 - The King Has Come: The Gospel According to Matthew Series
The Last Week of Jesus: From Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Grave Series
Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit
Basic Christianity Series
Revelation Study

Book Recommendation: "Humility" by CJ Mahaney

Originally published December 9, 2008.

Currently, we are walking through the basics of Christianity at church. We began with submission, moved to servanthood, and are now discussing humility (selflessness to keep the alliteration going). And I can think of a no more simpler and yet profound book on the subject than CJ Mahaney's book simply titled, "Humility: True Greatness."

Mahaney has written a short book that anyone can read and understand. It reminds me of the apostle John's writings: very simple to read and understand yet rich in content, theology, and depth. Mahaney walks the reader on the importance of humility and how we can live humble lives.

I want to briefly discuss what was perhaps the most compelling part of the book. In one chapter, Mahaney discusses the importance of seeing evidence of God's grace in everyone. His example for this is the Apostle Paul and his letter to the Corinthians. Though Paul had to deal with a lot of difficult issues in this letter (and in his 2nd letter, not to mention the letters that we do not have that he wrote), he nonetheless begins the letter thanking God for them.

Why? They certainly didn't deserve it. Paul knew that God had saved them and He was sanctifying them. Therefore, Paul was grateful for their, though infantile, knowing that God was still working in them. As a minister, I am constantly confronting with people whom I want to ignore and write off. Not so with Paul. Though the Christians in Corinth were struggling, Paul leaned on God nonetheless.

Paul saw in himself the same selfishness that characterized the Corinthians and thus points them to the cross. There is nothing more humbling than the cross. It is a constant reminder that God is good even though I am so bad. The cross means that I can not save myself, I must fully rely on someone else to get me out of the mess that I have made. That is humility.

More could be said about this fascinating and much needed little book, but this should suffice. I believe, and so does Scripture, that pride is the root of every sin. As CS Lewis wrote, pride is what made the devil the devil. Lewis also considers pride to be the great sin, and he is exactly right. As Christians, we must slay this dragon and live lives that reflect God's glory and we can do that by being humble Christians always reminded of the cross.


For more:
Mahaney on the Person and Work of Christ: Christ Our Mediator
Basic Christianity: Daniel 4:29-37 - Humility Before God
Basic Christianity: James 4:1-10 - Humility Before Others

Prince Of Egypt - The Parting & Crossing the Red Sea

For more:
Archeological & Historical Evidence of the Exodus
The Prince of Egypt: Moses and the Burning Bush Scene
The Prince of Egypt: The 10 Plagues

September 2, 2012 | Philippians 1:1-11 - The Joy of Thanksgiving & Prayer

Last Sunday we started a new series going verse-by-verse through the book of Philippians: the Epistle of Joy. Here is the first sermon from that series.

Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
³ I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, ⁵ in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷ For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; ¹¹ having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.




Audio 
Notes  


For more:
November 6, 2011 | Psalm 1: The Lord is My Delight
Everything is Awesome But Nobody is Happy: A Late Night Sermon on Psalm 1
January 17, 2010 - Matthew 5:1-12: If Your Joyful and You Know It . . .
Matthew 5:1-4 - The Joy of Spiritual Humility - Audio
Matthew 5:5 - Starving? Why Wait? - Audio
Matthew 5:6-9 - The Joy of Holiness - Audio
Matthew 5:10-12 - The Joy of Being Hated - Audio
The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

"He Wouldn't Have Any Joy": MacArthur on Philippians 1:12-14

Sunday morning we'll be looking at Philippians 1:12-18 which reads:

¹² Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, ¹³ so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, ¹⁴ and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. ¹⁵ Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; ¹⁶ the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; ¹⁷ the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice,
Regarding vs. 12-14 where Paul shares how his imprisonment has led to the progress of the gospel because God has opened new doors for ministry, even in his imprisonment, and it has strengthened the faith of other believers, even in his imprisonment.

Speaking, in this context, regarding Paul's joy, pastor Dr. John MacArthur had the following to say regarding joy; a theme which runs throughout the book of Philippians:


Now the key is to, notice in verse 18 this line, "I rejoice, yes and I will rejoice." Underline that in your Bible because that's what he wants them to know. He has a heart for them too. He doesn't want them needlessly worrying about him. Back in verse 4 he says, "My prayers even are filled with joy." Joy is the dominant attitude which he confesses. Chapter 2, "I rejoice," verse 17, "and share my joy with you all." Chapter 3 verse 1, "Rejoice in the Lord." Chapter 4 verse 4, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice." Don't be sad. Don't be sorrowful. Don't fret and worry. Rejoice, I am. The joy of ministry.

Now, beloved, would you please note that the joy of ministry in the life of Paul was unrelated to circumstances? If his joy was related to circumstances, he wouldn't have had any joy. If his joy was related to pleasures in this earth, he wouldn't have had any joy. If his joy was related to possessions in this world, he wouldn't have had any joy. If his joy was related to freedom in this life, he wouldn't have had any joy. If it was related to prestige, he wouldn't have any joy...to outward success, he wouldn't have any joy...to a good reputation, he wouldn't have any joy. But it was all related to something completely other than that. It was all related to the ministry and the joy in the ministry was, in the sense, absolutely indifferent to all other things.

The Prince of Egypt: The 10 Plagues

Jefferson Bethke: Counterfeit Gods