1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,000 Call July 2nd at 1-877-OPEN365 2 00:00:05,000 –> 00:00:07,000 We’re listening to a sermon from Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 3 00:00:08,000 –> 00:00:12,000 To contact us call us at 1-877-OPEN-365 4 00:00:13,000 –> 00:00:18,000 or visit our website openthebible.org 5 00:00:18,000 –> 00:00:22,000 Let’s get to the message. Here is Pastor Colin. 6 00:00:23,000 –> 00:00:26,000 We like in this series that we’re calling The Inside Story 7 00:00:26,000 –> 00:00:29,000 to a triathlon one event with three 8 00:00:30,000 –> 00:00:32,000 parts and we’ve come through stage one which was 9 00:00:32,000 –> 00:00:35,000 the Inside Story of human life 10 00:00:35,000 –> 00:00:37,000 and today we conclude the second part 11 00:00:37,000 –> 00:00:39,000 which is the Inside Story of the Christian life. 12 00:00:40,000 –> 00:00:42,000 So we’ve kind of in triathlon terms 13 00:00:42,000 –> 00:00:43,000 we’ve done the swim and we’ve done the bike. 14 00:00:44,000 –> 00:00:47,000 Today we come to the last part then of the second stage 15 00:00:47,000 –> 00:00:49,000 of the series 16 00:00:49,000 –> 00:00:52,000 as we’ve been looking at the Inside Story 17 00:00:52,000 –> 00:00:54,000 of the Christian life. 18 00:00:55,000 –> 00:00:57,000 The Inside Story really boils down to this 19 00:00:57,000 –> 00:00:59,000 that a Christian is a person who is in Christ 20 00:00:59,000 –> 00:01:01,000 and in the body at the same time. 21 00:01:03,000 –> 00:01:05,000 Being in Christ means that we have the power to live 22 00:01:05,000 –> 00:01:07,000 a new life but being in the body means 23 00:01:07,000 –> 00:01:09,000 that we face all kinds of pressures and battles. 24 00:01:11,000 –> 00:01:13,000 This means that the normal Christian life 25 00:01:13,000 –> 00:01:15,000 is a lifelong warfare against sin 26 00:01:15,000 –> 00:01:17,000 and against temptation 27 00:01:17,000 –> 00:01:19,000 that is constantly landing in our lives. 28 00:01:19,000 –> 00:01:22,000 The flesh provides a landing place 29 00:01:22,000 –> 00:01:24,000 for the impulse to sin. 30 00:01:24,000 –> 00:01:26,000 And we saw that sin itself 31 00:01:26,000 –> 00:01:28,000 does not die in our lives unless 32 00:01:28,000 –> 00:01:30,000 it be constantly weakened. 33 00:01:30,000 –> 00:01:32,000 Spare it and it renews its strength. 34 00:01:32,000 –> 00:01:34,000 We learned from John Owen a great phrase 35 00:01:34,000 –> 00:01:36,000 it says, 36 00:01:36,000 –> 00:01:38,000 always be killing sin 37 00:01:38,000 –> 00:01:40,000 or it will be killing you. 38 00:01:40,000 –> 00:01:42,000 And he got that from Romans 8 39 00:01:42,000 –> 00:01:44,000 verse 13, where we are told 40 00:01:44,000 –> 00:01:46,000 that we are to put to death the misdeeds 41 00:01:46,000 –> 00:01:48,000 of the body by the power 42 00:01:48,000 –> 00:01:50,000 of the Holy Spirit. 43 00:01:50,000 –> 00:01:52,000 We learned this word mortification, 44 00:01:52,000 –> 00:01:54,000 putting to death the misdeeds of the body, 45 00:01:54,000 –> 00:01:56,000 putting off the chutes of sin 46 00:01:56,000 –> 00:01:58,000 before they establish themselves 47 00:01:58,000 –> 00:02:00,000 in our lives. Act early, 48 00:02:00,000 –> 00:02:02,000 act often. We saw that 49 00:02:02,000 –> 00:02:04,000 every time you say no to 50 00:02:04,000 –> 00:02:06,000 a particular sin or temptation 51 00:02:06,000 –> 00:02:08,000 you weaken its power in your life 52 00:02:08,000 –> 00:02:10,000 you gain against it. 53 00:02:10,000 –> 00:02:12,000 But every time you say yes to a sin 54 00:02:12,000 –> 00:02:14,000 or a temptation you actually increase 55 00:02:14,000 –> 00:02:16,000 its power in your life. Sin as it were 56 00:02:16,000 –> 00:02:18,000 moves forward against you. 57 00:02:18,000 –> 00:02:20,000 We liken this to the analogy 58 00:02:20,000 –> 00:02:22,000 of a football game which is all around yardage 59 00:02:22,000 –> 00:02:24,000 and gaining possession and where the 60 00:02:24,000 –> 00:02:26,000 initiative and the momentum is 61 00:02:26,000 –> 00:02:28,000 and we said move the ball 62 00:02:28,000 –> 00:02:30,000 forward by winning some battles 63 00:02:30,000 –> 00:02:32,000 in your war against 64 00:02:32,000 –> 00:02:34,000 the flesh. 65 00:02:34,000 –> 00:02:36,000 Well these are some of the dynamics of the Christian life 66 00:02:36,000 –> 00:02:38,000 that all of us experience 67 00:02:38,000 –> 00:02:40,000 and today as we wrap up this part 68 00:02:40,000 –> 00:02:42,000 of the series 69 00:02:42,000 –> 00:02:44,000 I’d like to draw your attention to Matthew 70 00:02:44,000 –> 00:02:46,000 chapter 26 and 71 00:02:46,000 –> 00:02:48,000 verse 41. These 72 00:02:48,000 –> 00:02:50,000 are the words of Jesus 73 00:02:50,000 –> 00:02:52,000 restating to our battle with temptation 74 00:02:52,000 –> 00:02:54,000 Matthew chapter 75 00:02:54,000 –> 00:02:56,000 26 and verse 76 00:02:56,000 –> 00:02:58,000 41. 77 00:02:58,000 –> 00:03:00,000 Jesus comes to the disciples 78 00:03:00,000 –> 00:03:02,000 in the garden of Gethsemane 79 00:03:02,000 –> 00:03:04,000 he has been praying and he has 80 00:03:04,000 –> 00:03:06,000 asked them to watch 81 00:03:06,000 –> 00:03:08,000 with him and he says 82 00:03:08,000 –> 00:03:10,000 these words, watch 83 00:03:10,000 –> 00:03:12,000 and pray 84 00:03:12,000 –> 00:03:14,000 so that you will 85 00:03:14,000 –> 00:03:16,000 not fall into temptation 86 00:03:16,000 –> 00:03:18,000 the spirit is willing 87 00:03:18,000 –> 00:03:20,000 but the body 88 00:03:20,000 –> 00:03:22,000 is weak 89 00:03:22,000 –> 00:03:24,000 and most of us will be familiar with these words 90 00:03:24,000 –> 00:03:26,000 but I wonder how much you have thought about them 91 00:03:26,000 –> 00:03:28,000 What does it mean to fall 92 00:03:28,000 –> 00:03:30,000 into temptation 93 00:03:30,000 –> 00:03:32,000 is that different from being tempted 94 00:03:32,000 –> 00:03:34,000 and if so how 95 00:03:34,000 –> 00:03:36,000 What particularly 96 00:03:36,000 –> 00:03:38,000 does it mean to watch 97 00:03:38,000 –> 00:03:40,000 how would you do that this week 98 00:03:40,000 –> 00:03:42,000 what are the parts of watching 99 00:03:42,000 –> 00:03:44,000 and how particularly 100 00:03:44,000 –> 00:03:46,000 should you pray in such 101 00:03:46,000 –> 00:03:48,000 a way that you will prevail 102 00:03:48,000 –> 00:03:50,000 and you will not 103 00:03:50,000 –> 00:03:52,000 do, as Jesus says here, fall 104 00:03:52,000 –> 00:03:54,000 in to temptation 105 00:03:54,000 –> 00:03:56,000 these are real questions of the most practical 106 00:03:56,000 –> 00:03:58,000 sort 107 00:03:58,000 –> 00:04:00,000 and as we conclude this part of the series 108 00:04:00,000 –> 00:04:02,000 I want to speak to you as practically 109 00:04:02,000 –> 00:04:04,000 as I possibly can 110 00:04:04,000 –> 00:04:06,000 about the battle that all of us 111 00:04:06,000 –> 00:04:08,000 are engaged with 112 00:04:08,000 –> 00:04:10,000 all the time against various forms 113 00:04:10,000 –> 00:04:12,000 of temptation that come 114 00:04:12,000 –> 00:04:14,000 into our lives 115 00:04:14,000 –> 00:04:16,000 the place to start is surely here 116 00:04:16,000 –> 00:04:18,000 all of us are tempted 117 00:04:18,000 –> 00:04:20,000 we’ve seen in this series that as long as we are in the body 118 00:04:20,000 –> 00:04:22,000 temptation can reach us 119 00:04:22,000 –> 00:04:24,000 the impulse to sin has a landing place 120 00:04:24,000 –> 00:04:26,000 in the flesh 121 00:04:26,000 –> 00:04:28,000 and so it’s very significant that Jesus 122 00:04:28,000 –> 00:04:30,000 does not say, watch and pray 123 00:04:30,000 –> 00:04:32,000 so you won’t be tempted 124 00:04:32,000 –> 00:04:34,000 the New Testament never holds out the prospect 125 00:04:34,000 –> 00:04:36,000 of a time in this life 126 00:04:36,000 –> 00:04:38,000 when a Christian is somehow beyond temtation 127 00:04:38,000 –> 00:04:40,000 that belongs to heaven 128 00:04:40,000 –> 00:04:42,000 but in this life 129 00:04:42,000 –> 00:04:44,000 you will experience temptation 130 00:04:44,000 –> 00:04:46,000 as long as you are in the flesh 131 00:04:46,000 –> 00:04:48,000 so what Jesus says 132 00:04:48,000 –> 00:04:50,000 is watch and pray so that you will not fall 133 00:04:50,000 –> 00:04:52,000 into temptation 134 00:04:52,000 –> 00:04:54,000 or literally translated 135 00:04:54,000 –> 00:04:58,000 so that you will not ENTER into temptation 136 00:04:58,000 –> 00:05:00,000 again our friend John Owen is helpful here 137 00:05:00,000 –> 00:05:02,000 he says that entering 138 00:05:02,000 –> 00:05:04,000 into temptation has two distinct features 139 00:05:06,000 –> 00:05:08,000 the first is that Satan becomes 140 00:05:08,000 –> 00:05:10,000 more earnest than usual 141 00:05:10,000 –> 00:05:12,000 now that is very important to grasp 142 00:05:12,000 –> 00:05:14,000 not all days are the same 143 00:05:14,000 –> 00:05:16,000 in the Christian life 144 00:05:16,000 –> 00:05:18,000 we read from Ephesians. Chapter 6 145 00:05:18,000 –> 00:05:20,000 of particular days 146 00:05:20,000 –> 00:05:22,000 that are described as the day of evil 147 00:05:22,000 –> 00:05:24,000 a time when 148 00:05:24,000 –> 00:05:26,000 Satan’s temptations and his attack 149 00:05:26,000 –> 00:05:28,000 against you may come with particular 150 00:05:28,000 –> 00:05:30,000 vigour and particular strength 151 00:05:30,000 –> 00:05:32,000 a time when you may be 152 00:05:32,000 –> 00:05:34,000 especially tested at another level 153 00:05:34,000 –> 00:05:36,000 from the way in which it happens 154 00:05:36,000 –> 00:05:38,000 in other occasions or more ordinary 155 00:05:38,000 –> 00:05:40,000 circumstances of your Christian life 156 00:05:40,000 –> 00:05:42,000 and Owen says 157 00:05:42,000 –> 00:05:44,000 we have to be awake to these times 158 00:05:44,000 –> 00:05:46,000 there is a time, he says 159 00:05:46,000 –> 00:05:48,000 where temptation comes to its high noon 160 00:05:48,000 –> 00:05:50,000 and its power 161 00:05:50,000 –> 00:05:52,000 seems to reach 162 00:05:52,000 –> 00:05:54,000 a particular intensity in a person’s 163 00:05:54,000 –> 00:05:56,000 life and 164 00:05:56,000 –> 00:05:58,000 that is what Paul describes 165 00:05:58,000 –> 00:06:00,000 as the day of evil 166 00:06:00,000 –> 00:06:02,000 and the second mark of 167 00:06:02,000 –> 00:06:04,000 entering into temptation 168 00:06:04,000 –> 00:06:06,000 is that it is a time when the heart is 169 00:06:06,000 –> 00:06:08,000 unable to escape 170 00:06:08,000 –> 00:06:10,000 from the trap of a particular 171 00:06:10,000 –> 00:06:12,000 temptation. So if you 172 00:06:12,000 –> 00:06:14,000 think about your Christian life 173 00:06:14,000 –> 00:06:16,000 temptations come and you 174 00:06:16,000 –> 00:06:18,000 are often able to push them 175 00:06:18,000 –> 00:06:20,000 off and that may involve some 176 00:06:20,000 –> 00:06:22,000 degree of struggle or battle 177 00:06:22,000 –> 00:06:24,000 but you are able to do this usually without 178 00:06:24,000 –> 00:06:26,000 particular difficulty 179 00:06:26,000 –> 00:06:28,000 but there may come a time 180 00:06:28,000 –> 00:06:30,000 Owen says when you find that a particular 181 00:06:30,000 –> 00:06:32,000 temptation has gained power 182 00:06:32,000 –> 00:06:34,000 and it has gained vigor 183 00:06:34,000 –> 00:06:36,000 and you find yourself 184 00:06:36,000 –> 00:06:38,000 divided. You want to reject 185 00:06:38,000 –> 00:06:40,000 this temptation but at the same 186 00:06:40,000 –> 00:06:42,000 time you are unable to wholly 187 00:06:42,000 –> 00:06:44,000 free yourself from 188 00:06:44,000 –> 00:06:46,000 it. 189 00:06:46,000 –> 00:06:48,000 I am trying to think of an illustration 190 00:06:48,000 –> 00:06:50,000 that would to help to make this 191 00:06:50,000 –> 00:06:52,000 clear. Think with me about a salesman 192 00:06:52,000 –> 00:06:54,000 who comes knocking on your door 193 00:06:54,000 –> 00:06:56,000 and he or she 194 00:06:56,000 –> 00:06:58,000 has something to offer 195 00:06:58,000 –> 00:07:00,000 and wants to engage you in conversation 196 00:07:00,000 –> 00:07:02,000 you open the door 197 00:07:02,000 –> 00:07:04,000 and realize that it is a salesperson 198 00:07:04,000 –> 00:07:06,000 and it is really not terribly difficult 199 00:07:06,000 –> 00:07:08,000 at that point, to say, well I am terribly 200 00:07:08,000 –> 00:07:10,000 busy and I am 201 00:07:10,000 –> 00:07:12,000 not interested in this and why don’t you 202 00:07:12,000 –> 00:07:14,000 go and talk to these wonderful people 203 00:07:14,000 –> 00:07:16,000 who live next door just 204 00:07:16,000 –> 00:07:18,000 on the street and say, that’s not terribly 205 00:07:18,000 –> 00:07:20,000 difficult, is it? 206 00:07:20,000 –> 00:07:22,000 But suppose alternatively 207 00:07:22,000 –> 00:07:24,000 you say, well come in 208 00:07:24,000 –> 00:07:26,000 and they sit down on your sofa there in your living 209 00:07:26,000 –> 00:07:28,000 room and so the salesperson now gets 210 00:07:28,000 –> 00:07:30,000 out the product and goes through the routine 211 00:07:30,000 –> 00:07:32,000 and talks to you about how much 212 00:07:32,000 –> 00:07:34,000 you need this thing that he has 213 00:07:34,000 –> 00:07:36,000 and how much better 214 00:07:36,000 –> 00:07:38,000 your life will be when you get it and how there’s 215 00:07:38,000 –> 00:07:40,000 never been a better time to get it than now 216 00:07:40,000 –> 00:07:42,000 and so forth and so on. And as you 217 00:07:42,000 –> 00:07:44,000 listen to him, what happens? Your heart 218 00:07:44,000 –> 00:07:46,000 and your mind gets engaged. Some 219 00:07:46,000 –> 00:07:48,000 rapport develops between you 220 00:07:48,000 –> 00:07:50,000 and this person! And now 221 00:07:50,000 –> 00:07:52,000 it is much 222 00:07:52,000 –> 00:07:54,000 harder to say get out of 223 00:07:54,000 –> 00:07:56,000 here, isn’t it? It really is! 224 00:07:56,000 –> 00:07:58,000 It really is! 225 00:07:58,000 –> 00:08:00,000 Now, this is what it means to enter 226 00:08:00,000 –> 00:08:02,000 into temptation. 227 00:08:02,000 –> 00:08:04,000 You’re engaged with it, 228 00:08:04,000 –> 00:08:06,000 you’ve become connected to 229 00:08:06,000 –> 00:08:08,000 it, you’ve become involved in it. 230 00:08:08,000 –> 00:08:10,000 This impulse to sin that 231 00:08:10,000 –> 00:08:12,000 first landed in your flesh, it’s 232 00:08:12,000 –> 00:08:14,000 now worked its way into you affections 233 00:08:14,000 –> 00:08:16,000 and your heart is now 234 00:08:16,000 –> 00:08:18,000 divided. Yes because you’re 235 00:08:18,000 –> 00:08:20,000 a christian, you say no no, 236 00:08:20,000 –> 00:08:22,000 this is not what I should do. This is not what 237 00:08:22,000 –> 00:08:24,000 I should go. And yet there’s now a 238 00:08:24,000 –> 00:08:26,000 hold that this temptation has 239 00:08:26,000 –> 00:08:28,000 within you and you’re finding yourself 240 00:08:28,000 –> 00:08:30,000 in great difficulty. 241 00:08:30,000 –> 00:08:32,000 Now Jesus says, 242 00:08:32,000 –> 00:08:34,000 Watch and pray 243 00:08:34,000 –> 00:08:36,000 so that you don’t end up in that position. 244 00:08:36,000 –> 00:08:38,000 That is 245 00:08:38,000 –> 00:08:40,000 not where you want to be. 246 00:08:40,000 –> 00:08:42,000 Now you’ll see immediately 247 00:08:42,000 –> 00:08:44,000 that this fits exactly with 248 00:08:44,000 –> 00:08:46,000 all we’ve been learning in this series. 249 00:08:46,000 –> 00:08:48,000 We have been seeing 250 00:08:48,000 –> 00:08:50,000 the way temptation works 251 00:08:50,000 –> 00:08:52,000 is that it grows 252 00:08:52,000 –> 00:08:54,000 in power as 253 00:08:54,000 –> 00:08:56,000 it builds a position 254 00:08:56,000 –> 00:08:58,000 in your life. 255 00:08:58,000 –> 00:09:00,000 It wants to get, as it were, from knocking 256 00:09:00,000 –> 00:09:02,000 on the door to sitting there in the sofa 257 00:09:02,000 –> 00:09:04,000 and engaging you heart to heart 258 00:09:04,000 –> 00:09:06,000 so that you become involved 259 00:09:06,000 –> 00:09:08,000 and it’s now very, very hard to say no. 260 00:09:08,000 –> 00:09:10,000 And Jesus says, 261 00:09:10,000 –> 00:09:12,000 now that’s what you must not let happen. 262 00:09:12,000 –> 00:09:14,000 You must watch and pray so that 263 00:09:14,000 –> 00:09:16,000 you do not enter into 264 00:09:16,000 –> 00:09:17,000 temptation 265 00:09:18,000 –> 00:09:20,000 The way temptation works 266 00:09:20,000 –> 00:09:22,000 is all about 267 00:09:22,000 –> 00:09:24,000 a position in your life. 268 00:09:24,000 –> 00:09:26,000 And 269 00:09:26,000 –> 00:09:28,000 that’s why we use the analogy of football, 270 00:09:28,000 –> 00:09:30,000 of moving the ball forward. 271 00:09:30,000 –> 00:09:32,000 You see the game is about a positioning 272 00:09:32,000 –> 00:09:34,000 that’s not the only analogy. Think about the 273 00:09:34,000 –> 00:09:36,000 game of Chess. 274 00:09:36,000 –> 00:09:38,000 Here’s this Grand Master 275 00:09:38,000 –> 00:09:40,000 and you’re sitting on the other 276 00:09:40,000 –> 00:09:42,000 side of the board, trying 277 00:09:42,000 –> 00:09:44,000 to move your pieces around against him 278 00:09:44,000 –> 00:09:46,000 and you know you’re going to lose 279 00:09:46,000 –> 00:09:48,000 and how does he win? He doesn’t 280 00:09:48,000 –> 00:09:50,000 win by making one move on 281 00:09:50,000 –> 00:09:52,000 the other word. No, what he 282 00:09:52,000 –> 00:09:54,000 does is he gradually builds a position 283 00:09:54,000 –> 00:09:56,000 you see. He moves 284 00:09:56,000 –> 00:09:58,000 his pieces onto the strategic 285 00:09:58,000 –> 00:10:00,000 squares and every 286 00:10:00,000 –> 00:10:02,000 time he takes another strategic 287 00:10:02,000 –> 00:10:04,000 square and he moves another key 288 00:10:04,000 –> 00:10:06,000 piece you’re going oh boy I’m in a worse position 289 00:10:06,000 –> 00:10:08,000 I’m in a worse position and 290 00:10:08,000 –> 00:10:10,000 gradually as it were, the whole thing 291 00:10:10,000 –> 00:10:12,000 is tightening until in the end you have no place 292 00:10:12,000 –> 00:10:14,000 to go. And your king 293 00:10:14,000 –> 00:10:16,000 gets knocked over and you have lost the game. 294 00:10:16,000 –> 00:10:18,000 It’s the same in a 295 00:10:18,000 –> 00:10:20,000 company, when there is a hostile takeover. 296 00:10:20,000 –> 00:10:22,000 How does a hostile takeover happen? 297 00:10:22,000 –> 00:10:24,000 It doesn’t happen all in a moment 298 00:10:24,000 –> 00:10:26,000 It happens by the 299 00:10:26,000 –> 00:10:28,000 company that is seeking to 300 00:10:28,000 –> 00:10:30,000 make this takeover 301 00:10:30,000 –> 00:10:32,000 it develops a position 302 00:10:32,000 –> 00:10:34,000 They position themselves with regards 303 00:10:34,000 –> 00:10:36,000 to shares and then a seed on the board 304 00:10:36,000 –> 00:10:38,000 and then more seeds on the board and more influence 305 00:10:38,000 –> 00:10:40,000 and alliance and eventually 306 00:10:40,000 –> 00:10:42,000 a circumstance has come where the 307 00:10:42,000 –> 00:10:44,000 position has been built 308 00:10:44,000 –> 00:10:46,000 where the takeover is inevitable you see 309 00:10:46,000 –> 00:10:48,000 This is exactly how 310 00:10:48,000 –> 00:10:50,000 temptation works 311 00:10:50,000 –> 00:10:52,000 it’s the same in warfare 312 00:10:52,000 –> 00:10:54,000 If you study the history of great battles in the 313 00:10:54,000 –> 00:10:56,000 history of the world, you will find this 314 00:10:56,000 –> 00:10:58,000 that they were won or lost by the strategy 315 00:10:58,000 –> 00:11:00,000 of the generals who were able 316 00:11:00,000 –> 00:11:02,000 to say now this unit must 317 00:11:02,000 –> 00:11:04,000 take this particular piece of high ground 318 00:11:04,000 –> 00:11:06,000 that is strategic and then 319 00:11:06,000 –> 00:11:08,000 you guys have to move over this side of the flank 320 00:11:08,000 –> 00:11:10,000 and the position is developed 321 00:11:10,000 –> 00:11:12,000 and eventually 322 00:11:12,000 –> 00:11:14,000 position is achieved 323 00:11:14,000 –> 00:11:16,000 within which the enemies 324 00:11:16,000 –> 00:11:18,000 whole situation becomes untenable 325 00:11:18,000 –> 00:11:20,000 and the whole thing collapses 326 00:11:20,000 –> 00:11:22,000 Think about what is happening 327 00:11:22,000 –> 00:11:24,000 in the Garden of Gethsemane 328 00:11:25,000 –> 00:11:27,000 Here’s Jesus and he’s engaged 329 00:11:27,000 –> 00:11:29,000 in prayer and this battle is 330 00:11:29,000 –> 00:11:31,000 raging 331 00:11:31,000 –> 00:11:33,000 What is Satan doing? 332 00:11:33,000 –> 00:11:35,000 Satan is trying to build 333 00:11:35,000 –> 00:11:37,000 a position in which he can prevail 334 00:11:38,000 –> 00:11:40,000 and already he’s worked 335 00:11:40,000 –> 00:11:42,000 his way into the heart of Judas 336 00:11:42,000 –> 00:11:44,000 He can’t work his way 337 00:11:44,000 –> 00:11:46,000 into the heart of Jesus as Jesus 338 00:11:46,000 –> 00:11:48,000 resistor all the enslaught’s 339 00:11:48,000 –> 00:11:50,000 of the enemy 340 00:11:50,000 –> 00:11:52,000 And as Jesus is praying, now he comes over 341 00:11:52,000 –> 00:11:54,000 to these three disciples and what is 342 00:11:54,000 –> 00:11:56,000 happening is that Satan is going to go after 343 00:11:56,000 –> 00:11:58,000 them as well that is part of his building 344 00:11:58,000 –> 00:12:00,000 the position 345 00:12:00,000 –> 00:12:02,000 And Jesus says here’s what you are going to have to do 346 00:12:02,000 –> 00:12:04,000 You are going to have to 347 00:12:04,000 –> 00:12:06,000 watch 348 00:12:06,000 –> 00:12:08,000 You are going to have to pray 349 00:12:08,000 –> 00:12:10,000 So that you 350 00:12:10,000 –> 00:12:12,000 do not fall 351 00:12:12,000 –> 00:12:14,000 into temptation 352 00:12:14,000 –> 00:12:16,000 don’t get into 353 00:12:16,000 –> 00:12:18,000 the position 354 00:12:18,000 –> 00:12:20,000 where sin has gained 355 00:12:20,000 –> 00:12:22,000 an overwhelming power over 356 00:12:22,000 –> 00:12:24,000 You 357 00:12:24,000 –> 00:12:26,000 Now friends, this is a word of great importance 358 00:12:26,000 –> 00:12:28,000 for us 359 00:12:28,000 –> 00:12:30,000 Because temptations 360 00:12:30,000 –> 00:12:32,000 come to you 361 00:12:32,000 –> 00:12:34,000 And come to me and they will come 362 00:12:34,000 –> 00:12:36,000 to us this week 363 00:12:36,000 –> 00:12:38,000 And you will 364 00:12:38,000 –> 00:12:40,000 find yourself engaged in this warfare 365 00:12:40,000 –> 00:12:42,000 and Satan 366 00:12:42,000 –> 00:12:44,000 will be seeking to build 367 00:12:44,000 –> 00:12:46,000 a position from which you 368 00:12:46,000 –> 00:12:48,000 will fall 369 00:12:48,000 –> 00:12:50,000 to mount the pressure 370 00:12:52,000 –> 00:12:54,000 And Jesus says this is what you must therefore 371 00:12:54,000 –> 00:12:56,000 do. You have to watch 372 00:12:56,000 –> 00:12:58,000 And you have to pray 373 00:12:58,000 –> 00:13:00,000 So that you 374 00:13:00,000 –> 00:13:02,000 will not fall into 375 00:13:02,000 –> 00:13:04,000 temptation 376 00:13:04,000 –> 00:13:06,000 Now, what does this mean 377 00:13:06,000 –> 00:13:08,000 and what does it look like 378 00:13:08,000 –> 00:13:10,000 and how can you do it 379 00:13:12,000 –> 00:13:14,000 Watch 380 00:13:14,000 –> 00:13:16,000 What does it mean to watch 381 00:13:16,000 –> 00:13:18,000 What would you watch 382 00:13:18,000 –> 00:13:20,000 for this week 383 00:13:20,000 –> 00:13:22,000 Let me suggest 384 00:13:22,000 –> 00:13:24,000 three angles of watching 385 00:13:24,000 –> 00:13:26,000 for you 386 00:13:26,000 –> 00:13:28,000 The first is, Watch by 387 00:13:28,000 –> 00:13:30,000 identifying your 388 00:13:30,000 –> 00:13:32,000 primary battles 389 00:13:32,000 –> 00:13:34,000 What are 390 00:13:34,000 –> 00:13:36,000 your primary battles 391 00:13:36,000 –> 00:13:38,000 Could you write down the top 3 right now 392 00:13:40,000 –> 00:13:42,000 If you do not know what you are up against 393 00:13:42,000 –> 00:13:44,000 then you are not watching 394 00:13:44,000 –> 00:13:46,000 Now 395 00:13:46,000 –> 00:13:48,000 All Christians 396 00:13:48,000 –> 00:13:50,000 are tempted but not all Christians 397 00:13:50,000 –> 00:13:52,000 are tempted in precisely the same 398 00:13:52,000 –> 00:13:54,000 way, of course there are 399 00:13:54,000 –> 00:13:56,000 obvious temptations that are common to all 400 00:13:56,000 –> 00:13:58,000 But, 401 00:13:58,000 –> 00:14:00,000 remember what we saw from James 402 00:14:00,000 –> 00:14:02,000 in chapter 1 where he said that each one 403 00:14:02,000 –> 00:14:04,000 of us is tempted by his own 404 00:14:04,000 –> 00:14:06,000 evil desires 405 00:14:06,000 –> 00:14:08,000 In other words, James tells us that 406 00:14:08,000 –> 00:14:10,000 there are distinctive 407 00:14:10,000 –> 00:14:12,000 temptations that arise 408 00:14:12,000 –> 00:14:14,000 up from our own 409 00:14:14,000 –> 00:14:16,000 flesh 410 00:14:16,000 –> 00:14:18,000 And what that means is that 411 00:14:18,000 –> 00:14:20,000 your distinctive battles, the ones 412 00:14:20,000 –> 00:14:22,000 you face are to some extent 413 00:14:22,000 –> 00:14:24,000 rooted in your temperament 414 00:14:24,000 –> 00:14:26,000 and the ones that I face 415 00:14:26,000 –> 00:14:28,000 are to some extent rooted in mine 416 00:14:28,000 –> 00:14:30,000 All Christians 417 00:14:30,000 –> 00:14:32,000 are tempted, but we may be 418 00:14:32,000 –> 00:14:34,000 tempted in different ways and 419 00:14:34,000 –> 00:14:36,000 in different spheres 420 00:14:36,000 –> 00:14:38,000 So knowing yourself 421 00:14:38,000 –> 00:14:40,000 therefore is of huge 422 00:14:40,000 –> 00:14:42,000 importance in the Christian life 423 00:14:42,000 –> 00:14:44,000 John Calvin 424 00:14:44,000 –> 00:14:46,000 said on one occasion 425 00:14:46,000 –> 00:14:48,000 that nearly all the wisdom 426 00:14:48,000 –> 00:14:50,000 that we can possess in this world 427 00:14:50,000 –> 00:14:52,000 comes down to two things 428 00:14:52,000 –> 00:14:54,000 Knowing God and knowing yourself 429 00:14:54,000 –> 00:14:56,000 and then he said 430 00:14:56,000 –> 00:14:58,000 you can never get the one with out the other 431 00:14:58,000 –> 00:15:00,000 So knowing yourself 432 00:15:00,000 –> 00:15:02,000 is of huge importance 433 00:15:02,000 –> 00:15:04,000 huge importance 434 00:15:04,000 –> 00:15:06,000 I don’t 435 00:15:06,000 –> 00:15:08,000 often watch American 436 00:15:08,000 –> 00:15:10,000 Idol, but I’ve seen 437 00:15:10,000 –> 00:15:12,000 enough of this to get the general idea 438 00:15:12,000 –> 00:15:14,000 of the phenomenon. I mean the popularity 439 00:15:14,000 –> 00:15:16,000 of this show is remarkable 440 00:15:16,000 –> 00:15:18,000 and what has been so 441 00:15:18,000 –> 00:15:20,000 striking to me about it 442 00:15:20,000 –> 00:15:22,000 is the extraordinary number of people 443 00:15:22,000 –> 00:15:24,000 who seems to have no 444 00:15:24,000 –> 00:15:26,000 self knowledge what so ever 445 00:15:26,000 –> 00:15:28,000 I mean here is a woman 446 00:15:28,000 –> 00:15:30,000 and she comes on and she’s absolutely 447 00:15:30,000 –> 00:15:32,000 sure she can sing and she can’t have 448 00:15:32,000 –> 00:15:34,000 a note in tune you know 449 00:15:34,000 –> 00:15:36,000 and she comes on, the thing is an 450 00:15:36,000 –> 00:15:38,000 absolute disaster and the judges show 451 00:15:38,000 –> 00:15:40,000 mercy in telling her the absolute plain 452 00:15:40,000 –> 00:15:42,000 and unvarnished truth 453 00:15:42,000 –> 00:15:44,000 so what does she do, does she go away and say 454 00:15:44,000 –> 00:15:46,000 Oh thank you, now I have discovered something about myself 455 00:15:46,000 –> 00:15:48,000 I should do something different, no she 456 00:15:48,000 –> 00:15:50,000 doesn’t, she says I will 457 00:15:50,000 –> 00:15:52,000 prove to you, I will show these judges 458 00:15:52,000 –> 00:15:54,000 that they are wrong. she become more 459 00:15:54,000 –> 00:15:56,000 convinced than ever that she can see 460 00:15:56,000 –> 00:15:58,000 you know it’s easy 461 00:15:58,000 –> 00:16:00,000 isn’t it, we see it in other people 462 00:16:00,000 –> 00:16:02,000 how does she not see that 463 00:16:02,000 –> 00:16:04,000 about herself, how does he not see 464 00:16:04,000 –> 00:16:06,000 that about herself, how could 465 00:16:06,000 –> 00:16:08,000 anyone be so unaware 466 00:16:08,000 –> 00:16:10,000 but of course 467 00:16:10,000 –> 00:16:12,000 the real question is 468 00:16:12,000 –> 00:16:14,000 how aware am I of 469 00:16:14,000 –> 00:16:16,000 what’s going on in me 470 00:16:16,000 –> 00:16:18,000 how aware 471 00:16:18,000 –> 00:16:20,000 are you of what’s going on in 472 00:16:20,000 –> 00:16:22,000 in you, do you know your distinctive 473 00:16:22,000 –> 00:16:24,000 temptations and battles 474 00:16:24,000 –> 00:16:26,000 see 475 00:16:26,000 –> 00:16:28,000 think about it, the ways in which 476 00:16:28,000 –> 00:16:30,000 different people are tempted 477 00:16:30,000 –> 00:16:32,000 king david 478 00:16:32,000 –> 00:16:34,000 what kind of person was king david 479 00:16:34,000 –> 00:16:36,000 well you read his life story 480 00:16:36,000 –> 00:16:38,000 I think it is very fair to say 481 00:16:38,000 –> 00:16:40,000 by nature and temperament like a lot of us 482 00:16:40,000 –> 00:16:42,000 he was an impulsive person 483 00:16:42,000 –> 00:16:44,000 go for it kind of a guy 484 00:16:44,000 –> 00:16:46,000 now you 485 00:16:46,000 –> 00:16:48,000 think about his temptation 486 00:16:48,000 –> 00:16:50,000 when he sinned with Bathsheba 487 00:16:50,000 –> 00:16:52,000 you see how that arises 488 00:16:52,000 –> 00:16:54,000 right out of his own flesh 489 00:16:54,000 –> 00:16:56,000 he is an 490 00:16:56,000 –> 00:16:58,000 impulsive guy 491 00:16:58,000 –> 00:17:00,000 and he commits 492 00:17:00,000 –> 00:17:02,000 impulsive sins 493 00:17:04,000 –> 00:17:06,000 Jonah was the very opposite of an impulsive guy 494 00:17:06,000 –> 00:17:08,000 there wasn’t any impulse in him 495 00:17:08,000 –> 00:17:10,000 he was a guy who had sticky seat syndrome 496 00:17:10,000 –> 00:17:12,000 you might say 497 00:17:12,000 –> 00:17:14,000 I’m here and I’m not moving 498 00:17:14,000 –> 00:17:16,000 there is no impulse in him at all 499 00:17:16,000 –> 00:17:18,000 so what is the distinctive 500 00:17:18,000 –> 00:17:20,000 temptation that’s going to come to Jonah 501 00:17:21,000 –> 00:17:23,000 well to see god bringing revival 502 00:17:23,000 –> 00:17:25,000 to a city 503 00:17:25,000 –> 00:17:27,000 and to sit outside 504 00:17:27,000 –> 00:17:29,000 of a great work of God 505 00:17:29,000 –> 00:17:31,000 and to sit there sulking and self 506 00:17:31,000 –> 00:17:33,000 absorbed 507 00:17:33,000 –> 00:17:35,000 that is a totally different kind of temptation 508 00:17:35,000 –> 00:17:37,000 but it’s the way that Satan 509 00:17:37,000 –> 00:17:39,000 tempts a totally different kind of 510 00:17:39,000 –> 00:17:41,000 temperament 511 00:17:41,000 –> 00:17:43,000 now here is something that you might find helpful 512 00:17:43,000 –> 00:17:45,000 in life groups this week 513 00:17:45,000 –> 00:17:47,000 as we try to be really practical 514 00:17:47,000 –> 00:17:49,000 about this thing 515 00:17:49,000 –> 00:17:51,000 here’s my suggestion 516 00:17:51,000 –> 00:17:53,000 in the life groups get a sheet of paper 517 00:17:53,000 –> 00:17:55,000 and divide it into two columns 518 00:17:55,000 –> 00:17:57,000 and on one column write down all the different 519 00:17:57,000 –> 00:17:59,000 kind of personality types 520 00:17:59,000 –> 00:18:01,000 that you could think of and describe 521 00:18:01,000 –> 00:18:03,000 and then in the other column 522 00:18:03,000 –> 00:18:05,000 try to identify 523 00:18:05,000 –> 00:18:07,000 the particular temptations 524 00:18:07,000 –> 00:18:09,000 that you think 525 00:18:09,000 –> 00:18:11,000 each of these personality types 526 00:18:11,000 –> 00:18:13,000 or temperaments might be especially 527 00:18:13,000 –> 00:18:15,000 prone to 528 00:18:15,000 –> 00:18:17,000 once you’ve completed the sheet 529 00:18:17,000 –> 00:18:19,000 you’ll be able to quickly identify 530 00:18:19,000 –> 00:18:21,000 where you belong 531 00:18:21,000 –> 00:18:23,000 and you might just see more clearly 532 00:18:23,000 –> 00:18:25,000 some of the distinctive 533 00:18:25,000 –> 00:18:27,000 sins and battles 534 00:18:27,000 –> 00:18:29,000 that you’re up against 535 00:18:29,000 –> 00:18:31,000 I’m pleading with you to become 536 00:18:31,000 –> 00:18:33,000 a student of your own heart 537 00:18:33,000 –> 00:18:35,000 and to become wise 538 00:18:35,000 –> 00:18:37,000 in waging this spiritual warfare 539 00:18:37,000 –> 00:18:39,000 against our enemy the devil 540 00:18:39,000 –> 00:18:41,000 think of it this way 541 00:18:41,000 –> 00:18:43,000 a person who’s meticulous 542 00:18:43,000 –> 00:18:45,000 I’m just giving you a couple of things 543 00:18:45,000 –> 00:18:47,000 to get you started on the list 544 00:18:47,000 –> 00:18:49,000 you can do the rest it’s not difficult 545 00:18:49,000 –> 00:18:51,000 the person who is meticulous 546 00:18:51,000 –> 00:18:53,000 it’s a certain kind of person 547 00:18:53,000 –> 00:18:55,000 that person may very 548 00:18:55,000 –> 00:18:57,000 often be 549 00:18:57,000 –> 00:18:59,000 tempted to hold 550 00:18:59,000 –> 00:19:01,000 a grudge 551 00:19:01,000 –> 00:19:03,000 and not to forgive 552 00:19:03,000 –> 00:19:05,000 it might be a distinctive 553 00:19:05,000 –> 00:19:07,000 temptation if you’re a meticulous 554 00:19:07,000 –> 00:19:09,000 person that comes to you 555 00:19:09,000 –> 00:19:11,000 a person who is 556 00:19:11,000 –> 00:19:13,000 very cautious may be tempted to live 557 00:19:13,000 –> 00:19:15,000 life entirely on the 558 00:19:15,000 –> 00:19:17,000 basis of fear and never to take an initiative 559 00:19:17,000 –> 00:19:19,000 of faith 560 00:19:19,000 –> 00:19:21,000 a person 561 00:19:21,000 –> 00:19:23,000 who is a perfectionist will very 562 00:19:23,000 –> 00:19:25,000 often be tempted to sins of the tongue 563 00:19:25,000 –> 00:19:27,000 to a 564 00:19:27,000 –> 00:19:29,000 pattern of criticism 565 00:19:29,000 –> 00:19:31,000 nothing ever being good enough you become 566 00:19:31,000 –> 00:19:33,000 such a difficult person to live with 567 00:19:33,000 –> 00:19:35,000 and that’s your battle 568 00:19:37,000 –> 00:19:39,000 and what about 569 00:19:39,000 –> 00:19:41,000 cool dudes 570 00:19:43,000 –> 00:19:43,000 571 00:19:45,000 –> 00:19:47,000 what would be the temptation of a 572 00:19:47,000 –> 00:19:49,000 cool dude 573 00:19:51,000 –> 00:19:53,000 well, you see, would it not 574 00:19:53,000 –> 00:19:55,000 be something like this 575 00:19:55,000 –> 00:19:57,000 to never become sacrificially 576 00:19:57,000 –> 00:19:59,000 committed to anything 577 00:19:59,000 –> 00:20:01,000 to live within your comfort zone 578 00:20:01,000 –> 00:20:03,000 to go through your entire 579 00:20:03,000 –> 00:20:05,000 life and never to have spent a half night 580 00:20:05,000 –> 00:20:07,000 in prayer or to have given yourself 581 00:20:07,000 –> 00:20:09,000 something and never really 582 00:20:09,000 –> 00:20:11,000 to have launched out into the deep in a 583 00:20:11,000 –> 00:20:13,000 way that really was sacrificial 584 00:20:13,000 –> 00:20:15,000 and gave evidence that you were someone 585 00:20:15,000 –> 00:20:17,000 who was carrying the cross 586 00:20:17,000 –> 00:20:19,000 in following Jesus 587 00:20:21,000 –> 00:20:23,000 So, I’m saying to you, as Jesus 588 00:20:23,000 –> 00:20:25,000 calls us to watch so that we 589 00:20:25,000 –> 00:20:27,000 do not fall into temptation 590 00:20:27,000 –> 00:20:29,000 surely that begins by us having 591 00:20:29,000 –> 00:20:31,000 some awareness of our particular 592 00:20:31,000 –> 00:20:33,000 primary battles 593 00:20:33,000 –> 00:20:35,000 so that we know what we’re up against 594 00:20:35,000 –> 00:20:37,000 so we can win this war with our eyes open 595 00:20:37,000 –> 00:20:39,000 rather than wandering through the battlefield 596 00:20:39,000 –> 00:20:41,000 with our eyes closed 597 00:20:41,000 –> 00:20:43,000 Ask God to help you in this 598 00:20:43,000 –> 00:20:45,000 use the prayer of Psalm 139 599 00:20:45,000 –> 00:20:47,000 Oh God search me and know my heart 600 00:20:47,000 –> 00:20:49,000 and test me and know my anxious 601 00:20:49,000 –> 00:20:51,000 thoughts and see if there is any 602 00:20:51,000 –> 00:20:53,000 wicked way in me so that you 603 00:20:53,000 –> 00:20:55,000 may lead me in the way everlasting 604 00:20:56,000 –> 00:20:58,000 Identify your primary battles 605 00:20:58,000 –> 00:21:00,000 your distinctive 606 00:21:00,000 –> 00:21:01,000 areas of temptation 607 00:21:02,000 –> 00:21:04,000 2nd 608 00:21:04,000 –> 00:21:06,000 allows you to watch 609 00:21:06,000 –> 00:21:08,000 remember to note 610 00:21:08,000 –> 00:21:10,000 your most vulnerable times 611 00:21:12,000 –> 00:21:14,000 now 612 00:21:14,000 –> 00:21:16,000 folks this is practical someone said to me after the first service 613 00:21:16,000 –> 00:21:18,000 this is right down at the shoe 614 00:21:18,000 –> 00:21:20,000 leather kind of level 615 00:21:20,000 –> 00:21:22,000 it’s right out of the bible itself 616 00:21:22,000 –> 00:21:24,000 what was the circumstance 617 00:21:24,000 –> 00:21:26,000 in which of these men 618 00:21:26,000 –> 00:21:28,000 Jesus said to them 619 00:21:28,000 –> 00:21:30,000 watch and pray so you will not enter 620 00:21:30,000 –> 00:21:32,000 into temptation the first thing is very obvious 621 00:21:32,000 –> 00:21:34,000 we’re very tired 622 00:21:34,000 –> 00:21:36,000 this is late at night 623 00:21:36,000 –> 00:21:38,000 they’re in the garden of Gethsemane 624 00:21:38,000 –> 00:21:40,000 they’ve been engaged in ministry the whole week 625 00:21:40,000 –> 00:21:42,000 everyday debating answering 626 00:21:42,000 –> 00:21:44,000 questions and the whole thing 627 00:21:44,000 –> 00:21:46,000 has been exhausting 628 00:21:46,000 –> 00:21:48,000 they’re tired 629 00:21:48,000 –> 00:21:50,000 and 630 00:21:50,000 –> 00:21:52,000 when you’re tired 631 00:21:52,000 –> 00:21:54,000 you especially need to watch 632 00:21:54,000 –> 00:21:56,000 and pray because that is a 633 00:21:56,000 –> 00:21:58,000 particularly vulnerable season 634 00:21:58,000 –> 00:22:00,000 don’t you 635 00:22:00,000 –> 00:22:02,000 don’t you recognise that this part 636 00:22:02,000 –> 00:22:04,000 of the the reality of living 637 00:22:04,000 –> 00:22:06,000 in the body 638 0:22:06,000 –> 00:22:08,000 we all know this 639 00:22:08,000 –> 00:22:10,000 when I’m tired I don’t see 640 00:22:10,000 –> 00:22:12,000 things clearly 641 00:22:12,000 –> 00:22:14,000 I get things out of proportion 642 00:22:14,000 –> 00:22:16,000 I’m less careful in what I 643 00:22:16,000 –> 00:22:18,000 say 644 00:22:18,000 –> 00:22:20,000 I’m less patient, I’m more irritable 645 00:22:20,000 –> 00:22:22,000 I’m much more easily provoked 646 00:22:22,000 –> 00:22:24,000 so when I am 647 00:22:24,000 –> 00:22:26,000 tired I am more vulnerable 648 00:22:26,000 –> 00:22:28,000 to temptation 649 00:22:28,000 –> 00:22:30,000 you’ve found that in my life haven’t you 650 00:22:30,000 –> 00:22:32,000 and so at that time 651 00:22:32,000 –> 00:22:34,000 Jesus comes to them and he says 652 00:22:34,000 –> 00:22:36,000 watch and pray so that you do not enter 653 00:22:36,000 –> 00:22:38,000 into temptation 654 00:22:38,000 –> 00:22:40,000 here’s another part of the 655 00:22:40,000 –> 00:22:42,000 circumstance, another vulnerable time 656 00:22:42,000 –> 00:22:44,000 when a friend has failed 657 00:22:44,000 –> 00:22:46,000 never 658 00:22:46,000 –> 00:22:48,000 underestimate the impact 659 00:22:48,000 –> 00:22:50,000 of choices made by 660 00:22:50,000 –> 00:22:52,000 your friends, on your own following 661 00:22:52,000 –> 00:22:54,000 of Jesus 662 00:22:54,000 –> 00:22:56,000 and I say that because that’s exactly the context 663 00:22:56,000 –> 00:22:58,000 here. Remember Jesus had 12 664 00:22:58,000 –> 00:23:00,000 disciples, these guys have been 665 00:23:00,000 –> 00:23:02,000 a team, they’ve been together full time, three 666 00:23:02,000 –> 00:23:04,000 years, they’ve really bonded and what has 667 00:23:04,000 –> 00:23:06,000 just happened, one of them has walked out 668 00:23:06,000 –> 00:23:08,000 and left 669 00:23:08,000 –> 00:23:10,000 and the rest are all vulnerable 670 00:23:12,000 –> 00:23:14,000 your friend has an 671 00:23:14,000 –> 00:23:16,000 affair 672 00:23:16,000 –> 00:23:18,000 and suddenly that’s in your mind 673 00:23:18,000 –> 00:23:20,000 your friend 674 00:23:20,000 –> 00:23:22,000 tries a drug 675 00:23:22,000 –> 00:23:24,000 and you say she tried it 676 00:23:24,000 –> 00:23:26,000 wonder if I should 677 00:23:28,000 –> 00:23:30,000 when someone you 678 00:23:30,000 –> 00:23:32,000 know and love has fallen 679 00:23:32,000 –> 00:23:34,000 into a sin 680 00:23:36,000 –> 00:23:38,000 watch and pray 681 00:23:38,000 –> 00:23:40,000 watch and pray 682 00:23:40,000 –> 00:23:42,000 that’s why in Galatians Paul says 683 00:23:42,000 –> 00:23:44,000 if someone’s caught in a sin you who are spiritual 684 00:23:44,000 –> 00:23:46,000 should seek to restore 685 00:23:46,000 –> 00:23:48,000 him gently 686 00:23:48,000 –> 00:23:50,000 but watch yourself 687 00:23:50,000 –> 00:23:52,000 so that you will not always 688 00:23:52,000 –> 00:23:54,000 also be tempted 689 00:23:54,000 –> 00:23:56,000 and then obviously here 690 00:23:56,000 –> 00:23:58,000 we’re in a situation where people are very hostile 691 00:23:58,000 –> 00:24:00,000 to Jesus that’s another time that we 692 00:24:00,000 –> 00:24:02,000 especially need to watch and pray 693 00:24:02,000 –> 00:24:04,000 the soldiers are coming to arrest 694 00:24:04,000 –> 00:24:06,000 the Lord Jesus and then Peter’s going to go 695 00:24:06,000 –> 00:24:08,000 outside the high priest’s house the girl’s 696 00:24:08,000 –> 00:24:10,000 going to ask him about does 697 00:24:10,000 –> 00:24:12,000 he know Jesus and all the people 698 00:24:12,000 –> 00:24:14,000 there are against Jesus and when you’re 699 00:24:14,000 –> 00:24:16,000 in an environment in a school or a college 700 00:24:16,000 –> 00:24:18,000 or a business 701 00:24:18,000 –> 00:24:20,000 and the huge majority of people 702 00:24:20,000 –> 00:24:22,000 that are against Jesus, they’re hostile to Jesus 703 00:24:22,000 –> 00:24:24,000 the great pressure on you 704 00:24:24,000 –> 00:24:26,000 is to be really quiet and 705 00:24:26,000 –> 00:24:28,000 even to distance yourself 706 00:24:28,000 –> 00:24:30,000 from Jesus all together 707 00:24:30,000 –> 00:24:32,000 and as our culture becomes 708 00:24:32,000 –> 00:24:34,000 increasingly hostile towards Christ 709 00:24:34,000 –> 00:24:36,000 we need to watch 710 00:24:36,000 –> 00:24:38,000 and pray 711 00:24:38,000 –> 00:24:40,000 so that we do not fall into 712 00:24:40,000 –> 00:24:42,000 temptation, so we’re just trying to get 713 00:24:42,000 –> 00:24:44,000 a handle on what it means to watch 714 00:24:44,000 –> 00:24:46,000 and I’m saying to you 715 00:24:46,000 –> 00:24:48,000 identify your 716 00:24:48,000 –> 00:24:50,000 primary battles and take 717 00:24:50,000 –> 00:24:52,000 special note of seasons 718 00:24:52,000 –> 00:24:54,000 where you are most vulnerable 719 00:24:54,000 –> 00:24:56,000 when you’re very tired 720 00:24:56,000 –> 00:24:58,000 when a friend has 721 00:24:58,000 –> 00:25:00,000 fallen into great sin 722 00:25:00,000 –> 00:25:02,000 and that’s in your mind 723 00:25:02,000 –> 00:25:04,000 and times when you’re in an environment 724 00:25:04,000 –> 00:25:06,000 that’s very hostile to Jesus 725 00:25:06,000 –> 00:25:08,000 watch and pray so that you 726 00:25:08,000 –> 00:25:10,000 do not fall into temptation 727 00:25:10,000 –> 00:25:12,000 and here’s one more thing on the 728 00:25:12,000 –> 00:25:14,000 watching here 729 00:25:14,000 –> 00:25:16,000 a third way to watch is to study 730 00:25:16,000 –> 00:25:18,000 past experience 731 00:25:18,000 –> 00:25:20,000 and especially to reflect on 732 00:25:20,000 –> 00:25:22,000 past failures 733 00:25:22,000 –> 00:25:24,000 because reflecting on past failures 734 00:25:24,000 –> 00:25:26,000 is the best way to avoid 735 00:25:26,000 –> 00:25:28,000 repeating them 736 00:25:28,000 –> 00:25:30,000 never move on from 737 00:25:30,000 –> 00:25:32,000 sin until you 738 00:25:32,000 –> 00:25:34,000 have learnt from your failure 739 00:25:34,000 –> 00:25:36,000 how to do better 740 00:25:36,000 –> 00:25:38,000 in combating next time 741 00:25:38,000 –> 00:25:40,000 that’s a huge principle 742 00:25:40,000 –> 00:25:42,000 for Christian growth 743 00:25:42,000 –> 00:25:44,000 never put it behind you 744 00:25:44,000 –> 00:25:46,000 until you have learned 745 00:25:46,000 –> 00:25:48,000 from you own failure 746 00:25:48,000 –> 00:25:50,000 how you could do better 747 00:25:50,000 –> 00:25:52,000 in combating against 748 00:25:52,000 –> 00:25:54,000 next time because, for sure 749 00:25:54,000 –> 00:25:56,000 you’re going to be tempted in the same way another time 750 00:25:56,000 –> 00:25:58,000 learn from the sports guys on this 751 00:26:00,000 –> 00:26:02,000 see when the football defence team 752 00:26:02,000 –> 00:26:04,000 has conceded touchdowns 753 00:26:04,000 –> 00:26:06,000 what do they do when they come 754 00:26:06,000 –> 00:26:08,000 in on a Monday or on a Tuesday morning 755 00:26:08,000 –> 00:26:10,000 the defence are sitting 756 00:26:10,000 –> 00:26:12,000 there with their coach and they’re going to watch the video 757 00:26:12,000 –> 00:26:14,000 and they’re going to watch it again 758 00:26:14,000 –> 00:26:16,000 and again 759 00:26:16,000 –> 00:26:18,000 they’re going to watch it in slow motion they’re going to watch it from every angle 760 00:26:18,000 –> 00:26:20,000 how was it that we conceded 761 00:26:20,000 –> 00:26:22,000 that touchdown 762 00:26:22,000 –> 00:26:24,000 and what could we do next time 763 00:26:24,000 –> 00:26:26,000 against that play so that that play 764 00:26:26,000 –> 00:26:28,000 will not prevail against us 765 00:26:28,000 –> 00:26:30,000 where could we position 766 00:26:30,000 –> 00:26:32,000 ourselves better so that if that same play 767 00:26:32,000 –> 00:26:34,000 was run against us, we would be able to 768 00:26:34,000 –> 00:26:36,000 shut it out next time and they will not 769 00:26:36,000 –> 00:26:38,000 rest until they know how 770 00:26:38,000 –> 00:26:40,000 they would deal with it better another time 771 00:26:40,000 –> 00:26:42,000 now you see it’s exactly that same kind of 772 00:26:42,000 –> 00:26:44,000 thinking that is going to help 773 00:26:44,000 –> 00:26:46,000 us be those who watch 774 00:26:46,000 –> 00:26:48,000 with regards to temptation 775 00:26:48,000 –> 00:26:50,000 and therefore to grow in the Christian 776 00:26:50,000 –> 00:26:52,000 life John Owen is so 777 00:26:52,000 –> 00:26:54,000 wonderfully helpful on 778 00:26:54,000 –> 00:26:56,000 as he says we need to be 779 00:26:56,000 –> 00:26:58,000 intimately acquainted with the ways 780 00:26:58,000 –> 00:27:00,000 that gives sin its success 781 00:27:00,000 –> 00:27:02,000 he says this is how men 782 00:27:02,000 –> 00:27:04,000 deal with their enemies 783 00:27:04,000 –> 00:27:06,000 they search out their enemies plan 784 00:27:06,000 –> 00:27:08,000 and they ponder their goals and 785 00:27:08,000 –> 00:27:10,000 they consider by what means their 786 00:27:10,000 –> 00:27:12,000 enemies have prevailed over them in the past 787 00:27:12,000 –> 00:27:14,000 then the enemies can be defeated 788 00:27:14,000 –> 00:27:16,000 you can’t win any 789 00:27:16,000 –> 00:27:18,000 war without intelligence 790 00:27:18,000 –> 00:27:20,000 you have to look at the enemies strategy 791 00:27:20,000 –> 00:27:22,000 look at how he’s won, look at how he has 792 00:27:22,000 –> 00:27:24,000 prevailed, look at how he operates 793 00:27:24,000 –> 00:27:26,000 and then you are in a 794 00:27:26,000 –> 00:27:28,000 better position to fight the battle 795 00:27:28,000 –> 00:27:30,000 Owen says this 796 00:27:30,000 –> 00:27:32,000 one of the most important parts of spiritual 797 00:27:32,000 –> 00:27:34,000 wisdom is to find out 798 00:27:34,000 –> 00:27:36,000 how sin uses occasions 799 00:27:36,000 –> 00:27:38,000 or opportunities to gain an advantage 800 00:27:38,000 –> 00:27:40,000 see that’s part of 801 00:27:40,000 –> 00:27:42,000 learning 802 00:27:42,000 –> 00:27:44,000 to wage the warfare of the Christian 803 00:27:44,000 –> 00:27:46,000 life, how does sin get advantage 804 00:27:46,000 –> 00:27:48,000 over you, where, when how does it happen 805 00:27:48,000 –> 00:27:50,000 he 806 00:27:50,000 –> 00:27:52,000 says we need to trace the serpent 807 00:27:52,000 –> 00:27:54,000 and all it’s turnings and it’s windings 808 00:27:54,000 –> 00:27:56,000 and it’s secret tricks and bring them out 809 00:27:56,000 –> 00:27:58,000 into the open and then he says this 810 00:27:58,000 –> 00:28:00,000 we must get to the place 811 00:28:00,000 –> 00:28:02,000 where we are able to say to sin 812 00:28:02,000 –> 00:28:04,000 this 813 00:28:04,000 –> 00:28:06,000 is your usual method 814 00:28:06,000 –> 00:28:08,000 and I 815 00:28:08,000 –> 00:28:10,000 know what you are up to 816 00:28:10,000 –> 00:28:12,000 I really love that 817 00:28:12,000 –> 00:28:14,000 where you could say to a temptation 818 00:28:14,000 –> 00:28:16,000 this is your usual method 819 00:28:16,000 –> 00:28:18,000 or I could say ah yes 820 00:28:18,000 –> 00:28:20,000 I’m very tired right now 821 00:28:20,000 –> 00:28:22,000 and I know exactly what you’re 822 00:28:22,000 –> 00:28:24,000 up to, 823 00:28:24,000 –> 00:28:26,000 because you’ve studied your past failures 824 00:28:26,000 –> 00:28:28,000 and you’ve learned from them 825 00:28:28,000 –> 00:28:30,000 and you are a growing christian 826 00:28:30,000 –> 00:28:32,000 and you’re in a better position 827 00:28:32,000 –> 00:28:34,000 to wage this warfare of 828 00:28:34,000 –> 00:28:36,000 the christian life 829 00:28:36,000 –> 00:28:38,000 Now Jesus says 830 00:28:38,000 –> 00:28:40,000 Watch and Pray 831 00:28:40,000 –> 00:28:42,000 Watch and pray 832 00:28:42,000 –> 00:28:44,000 it’s almost like you need to 833 00:28:44,000 –> 00:28:46,000 squeeze these words together 834 00:28:46,000 –> 00:28:48,000 and make them one 835 00:28:48,000 –> 00:28:50,000 it’s kind of like watch and pray 836 00:28:50,000 –> 00:28:52,000 watch and pray 837 00:28:52,000 –> 00:28:54,000 because the one without the other 838 00:28:54,000 –> 00:28:56,000 will never be effective 839 00:28:56,000 –> 00:28:58,000 think about this with me for a moment 840 00:28:58,000 –> 00:29:00,000 if you watch 841 00:29:00,000 –> 00:29:02,000 but you don’t pray 842 00:29:02,000 –> 00:29:04,000 in other words you’re a really good student 843 00:29:04,000 –> 00:29:06,000 of your own soul. You’re very good at 844 00:29:06,000 –> 00:29:08,000 self analysis and 845 00:29:08,000 –> 00:29:10,000 consideration of your past failures 846 00:29:10,000 –> 00:29:12,000 you watch your own particular movements 847 00:29:12,000 –> 00:29:14,000 and circumstances in life 848 00:29:14,000 –> 00:29:16,000 you really have a good handle on that 849 00:29:16,000 –> 00:29:18,000 you watch, but you don’t pray 850 00:29:18,000 –> 00:29:20,000 well then here’s 851 00:29:20,000 –> 00:29:22,000 your position 852 00:29:22,000 –> 00:29:22,000 853 00:29:22,000 –> 00:29:24,000 you’re going to be like person who has a 854 00:29:24,000 –> 00:29:26,000 diagnosis but no prescription 855 00:29:26,000 –> 00:29:28,000 you’ll be profoundly 856 00:29:28,000 –> 00:29:30,000 depressed, because you’ll know everything that’s 857 00:29:30,000 –> 00:29:32,000 wrong with you, but you won’t have any means 858 00:29:32,000 –> 00:29:34,000 by which to put it right 859 00:29:34,000 –> 00:29:36,000 watching without praying 860 00:29:36,000 –> 00:29:38,000 will always leave you in defeat 861 00:29:38,000 –> 00:29:40,000 you will simply see a problem 862 00:29:40,000 –> 00:29:42,000 but you will not be in a position to take 863 00:29:42,000 –> 00:29:44,000 action against it 864 00:29:44,000 –> 00:29:46,000 so obviously watching without 865 00:29:46,000 –> 00:29:48,000 praying makes no sense, equally 866 00:29:50,000 –> 00:29:52,000 praying without watching makes 867 00:29:52,000 –> 00:29:54,000 no sense either, and that 868 00:29:54,000 –> 00:29:56,000 may be the greater danger for many of us 869 00:29:56,000 –> 00:29:58,000 if you are a disciplined person 870 00:29:58,000 –> 00:30:00,000 with a regular prayer time 871 00:30:00,000 –> 00:30:02,000 and you say, really, I do pray, I pray everyday 872 00:30:02,000 –> 00:30:04,000 most days, and yes 873 00:30:04,000 –> 00:30:06,000 I certainly am praying 874 00:30:06,000 –> 00:30:08,000 and I’m asking you, are you watching? 875 00:30:09,420 –> 00:30:11,420 because if you pray without watching 876 00:30:11,420 –> 00:30:13,420 your praying is actually going to be very very shallow 877 00:30:14,800 –> 00:30:16,800 here’s what it will be like 878 00:30:16,800 –> 00:30:18,800 if you pray and you don’t watch 879 00:30:18,800 –> 00:30:20,800 you’ll be like a person who is sick 880 00:30:20,800 –> 00:30:22,800 and goes into a pharmacy 881 00:30:22,800 –> 00:30:24,800 where you have all these 882 00:30:24,959 –> 00:30:26,959 marvellous medications 883 00:30:26,959 –> 00:30:28,959 but you can’t use any of them 884 00:30:28,959 –> 00:30:30,959 because you don’t know what your own condition 885 00:30:30,959 –> 00:30:32,959 actually is 886 00:30:32,959 –> 00:30:34,959 you have no diagnosis 887 00:30:34,959 –> 00:30:36,959 so you’re surrounded by the provision 888 00:30:36,959 –> 00:30:38,959 but the provision remains 889 00:30:38,959 –> 00:30:40,959 on the shelf 890 00:30:40,959 –> 00:30:42,640 it is not actually acquired of you 891 00:30:42,640 –> 00:30:44,640 because you don’t know what to acquire 892 00:30:46,280 –> 00:30:48,280 you’re praying 893 00:30:48,280 –> 00:30:50,280 but you’re not watching 894 00:30:50,280 –> 00:30:52,280 and therefore, although you pray very regularly 895 00:30:52,280 –> 00:30:54,280 you don’t really grow significantly 896 00:30:54,280 –> 00:30:56,280 because you’re just blind to the same temptations 897 00:30:56,280 –> 00:30:58,280 that just go on getting deeper 898 00:30:58,280 –> 00:31:00,280 and deeper roots within your life 899 00:31:00,280 –> 00:31:02,280 so Jesus said 900 00:31:02,280 –> 00:31:04,280 you got to put these two things together 901 00:31:04,280 –> 00:31:06,280 watch and pray, watch and pray 902 00:31:06,280 –> 00:31:08,280 so that you will not enter into temptation 903 00:31:08,280 –> 00:31:10,280 temptations will come to you this week 904 00:31:10,280 –> 00:31:12,280 so, watch and pray 905 00:31:12,280 –> 00:31:14,280 so that it does not build the position 906 00:31:14,280 –> 00:31:16,280 that will overwhelm you 907 00:31:18,280 –> 00:31:20,280 and Jesus gives to us 908 00:31:20,280 –> 00:31:22,280 this particular reason for praying 909 00:31:22,280 –> 00:31:24,280 he says you’re to pray 910 00:31:24,280 –> 00:31:26,280 because the Spirit is willing 911 00:31:26,280 –> 00:31:28,280 but the flesh 912 00:31:28,280 –> 00:31:30,280 is weak 913 00:31:32,280 –> 00:31:34,280 these temptations will come to you 914 00:31:36,280 –> 00:31:38,280 and don’t overestimate 915 00:31:38,280 –> 00:31:40,280 your own abilities 916 00:31:40,280 –> 00:31:42,280 to cope with them 917 00:31:42,280 –> 00:31:44,280 your strength is 918 00:31:44,280 –> 00:31:46,280 in the lord 919 00:31:47,280 –> 00:31:49,280 that’s why you pray 920 00:31:50,280 –> 00:31:52,280 You know Peter was at a moment 921 00:31:52,280 –> 00:31:54,280 in his life where he really stumbled 922 00:31:54,280 –> 00:31:56,280 because of overconfidence 923 00:31:57,280 –> 00:31:59,280 he 924 00:31:59,280 –> 00:32:01,280 remember had said 925 00:32:01,280 –> 00:32:03,280 if everyone else 926 00:32:03,280 –> 00:32:05,280 denies you Jesus, I won’t 927 00:32:05,280 –> 00:32:07,280 if they all scatter 928 00:32:07,280 –> 00:32:09,280 not me 929 00:32:09,280 –> 00:32:11,280 I’m your man 930 00:32:11,280 –> 00:32:13,280 I’m ready to die with you 931 00:32:14,280 –> 00:32:16,280 and Peter has a certain swagger 932 00:32:16,280 –> 00:32:18,280 about him and he’s 933 00:32:18,280 –> 00:32:20,280 a leading disciple, isn’t he? 934 00:32:21,280 –> 00:32:23,280 and he has a certain confidence 935 00:32:23,280 –> 00:32:25,280 he’s a strong guy 936 00:32:26,280 –> 00:32:28,280 but Jesus says to him now 937 00:32:28,280 –> 00:32:29,280 the spirit is willing Peter 938 00:32:29,280 –> 00:32:31,280 but the flesh is 939 00:32:31,280 –> 00:32:33,280 weak and so you need 940 00:32:33,280 –> 00:32:35,280 to watch and pray. Peter didn’t 941 00:32:35,280 –> 00:32:37,280 hear this 942 00:32:37,280 –> 00:32:39,280 so what we find is that after Jesus 943 00:32:39,280 –> 00:32:41,280 goes back and continues to pray 944 00:32:41,280 –> 00:32:42,280 Peter does not watch 945 00:32:42,280 –> 00:32:44,280 and he does not pray and so what 946 00:32:44,280 –> 00:32:46,280 happens, he does enter into temptation 947 00:32:46,280 –> 00:32:48,280 and before the night is out, he’s calling down 948 00:32:48,280 –> 00:32:50,280 curses on himself and he’s denying 949 00:32:50,280 –> 00:32:52,280 the name of Jesus Christ 950 00:32:53,280 –> 00:32:54,280 now what we learn from 951 00:32:54,280 –> 00:32:56,280 this call to prayer therefore is that 952 00:32:56,280 –> 00:32:58,280 the one who thinks that he stands, should be 953 00:32:58,280 –> 00:33:00,280 very careful in case he should fall 954 00:33:00,280 –> 00:33:02,280 I want to make this 955 00:33:02,280 –> 00:33:04,280 application to all of us 956 00:33:04,280 –> 00:33:06,280 who have been Christians for a while 957 00:33:06,280 –> 00:33:08,280 you’re established as a 958 00:33:08,280 –> 00:33:10,280 Christian, you’ve got a few 959 00:33:10,280 –> 00:33:12,280 years following Christ under your belt 960 00:33:12,280 –> 00:33:14,280 as it were, you’ve been 961 00:33:14,280 –> 00:33:16,280 on this road for a while 962 00:33:16,280 –> 00:33:18,280 and the great danger for you 963 00:33:18,280 –> 00:33:20,280 is that you might overestimate 964 00:33:20,280 –> 00:33:22,280 the strength of your position 965 00:33:22,280 –> 00:33:24,280 and that you may forget that the flesh is 966 00:33:24,280 –> 00:33:26,280 weak and that therefore you need 967 00:33:26,280 –> 00:33:28,280 to watch and pray 968 00:33:28,280 –> 00:33:30,280 so that you do not fall into 969 00:33:30,280 –> 00:33:32,280 temptation 970 00:33:32,280 –> 00:33:34,280 One of my great heroes of the Christian life 971 00:33:34,280 –> 00:33:36,280 is a man by the name of Robert Murray 972 00:33:36,280 –> 00:33:38,280 McShann, can you guess what country 973 00:33:38,280 –> 00:33:40,280 he’s from? 974 00:33:40,280 –> 00:33:42,280 Wonderful godly pastor, died 975 00:33:42,280 –> 00:33:44,280 at the age of 29 976 00:33:44,280 –> 00:33:46,280 and in his short life 977 00:33:46,280 –> 00:33:48,280 pursued holiness 978 00:33:48,280 –> 00:33:50,280 with a vision and a passion 979 00:33:50,280 –> 00:33:52,280 that was quite extraordinary 980 00:33:52,280 –> 00:33:54,280 His memoir is one of the most inspiring 981 00:33:54,280 –> 00:33:56,280 things I have ever read 982 00:33:56,280 –> 00:33:58,280 and I try to read it again every 983 00:33:58,280 –> 00:34:00,280 few years. Here’s something that 984 00:34:00,280 –> 00:34:02,280 he says, he includes in his 985 00:34:02,280 –> 00:34:04,280 diary 986 00:34:04,280 –> 00:34:06,280 examples of his commitments 987 00:34:06,280 –> 00:34:08,280 and of his watching of his own soul 988 00:34:08,280 –> 00:34:10,280 and his confession of his particular 989 00:34:10,280 –> 00:34:12,280 temptations and this kind of thing 990 00:34:12,280 –> 00:34:14,280 and he says this 991 00:34:14,280 –> 00:34:16,280 I am tempted to 992 00:34:16,280 –> 00:34:18,280 think that I am now 993 00:34:18,280 –> 00:34:20,280 an established Christian 994 00:34:20,280 –> 00:34:22,280 that I have 995 00:34:22,280 –> 00:34:24,280 overcome this or that lust 996 00:34:24,280 –> 00:34:26,280 for so long that I have got into the 997 00:34:26,280 –> 00:34:28,280 habit of the opposite grace 998 00:34:28,280 –> 00:34:30,280 and so there is no fear 999 00:34:30,280 –> 00:34:32,280 I don’t … you know I’ve been on 1000 00:34:32,280 –> 00:34:34,280 this road and I have not fallen in this way or that 1001 00:34:34,280 –> 00:34:36,280 so, you know I don’t need to worry 1002 00:34:36,280 –> 00:34:38,280 and he says and so I 1003 00:34:38,280 –> 00:34:40,280 venture very near to temptation 1004 00:34:40,280 –> 00:34:42,280 nearer than other men 1005 00:34:42,280 –> 00:34:44,280 and he says that 1006 00:34:44,280 –> 00:34:46,280 thought that I am okay 1007 00:34:46,280 –> 00:34:48,280 he says this is a lie 1008 00:34:48,280 –> 00:34:50,280 of Satan 1009 00:34:50,280 –> 00:34:52,280 and then this 1010 00:34:52,280 –> 00:34:54,280 I might as well speak about 1011 00:34:54,280 –> 00:34:56,280 gunpowder getting by 1012 00:34:56,280 –> 00:34:58,280 habit the power of 1013 00:34:58,280 –> 00:35:00,280 resisting fire so as 1014 00:35:00,280 –> 00:35:02,280 not to catch the spark 1015 00:35:02,280 –> 00:35:04,280 he says if I 1016 00:35:04,280 –> 00:35:06,280 think that because I’ve been a Christian for a few 1017 00:35:06,280 –> 00:35:08,280 years now that I’m less vulnerable 1018 00:35:08,280 –> 00:35:10,280 then I 1019 00:35:10,280 –> 00:35:12,280 am being as foolish and believing a lie 1020 00:35:12,280 –> 00:35:14,280 of Satan that is as 1021 00:35:14,280 –> 00:35:16,280 absurd as to say that 1022 00:35:16,280 –> 00:35:18,280 by habit 1023 00:35:18,280 –> 00:35:20,280 gunpowder becomes 1024 00:35:20,280 –> 00:35:22,280 less vulnerable 1025 00:35:22,280 –> 00:35:24,280 to fire and will not catch the 1026 00:35:24,280 –> 00:35:26,280 spark 1027 00:35:26,280 –> 00:35:28,280 that’s crazy 1028 00:35:28,280 –> 00:35:30,280 it’s a lie of Satan 1029 00:35:30,280 –> 00:35:32,280 and then he says this 1030 00:35:32,280 –> 00:35:34,280 the seeds of all 1031 00:35:34,280 –> 00:35:36,280 sins are in my heart 1032 00:35:36,280 –> 00:35:38,280 and perhaps all the more 1033 00:35:38,280 –> 00:35:40,280 dangerously because 1034 00:35:40,280 –> 00:35:42,280 i do not see them 1035 00:35:42,280 –> 00:35:44,280 the seeds of all sins are in my heart 1036 00:35:44,280 –> 00:35:46,280 and perhaps 1037 00:35:46,280 –> 00:35:48,280 all the more dangerously 1038 00:35:48,280 –> 00:35:50,280 because I do not see them 1039 00:35:50,280 –> 00:35:52,280 so for 1040 00:35:52,280 –> 00:35:54,280 anyone who is sitting comfortably today 1041 00:35:54,280 –> 00:35:56,280 has been a Christian for so many years 1042 00:35:56,280 –> 00:35:58,280 and I see other people who are struggling 1043 00:35:58,280 –> 00:36:00,280 with obvious compulsions but of course 1044 00:36:00,280 –> 00:36:02,280 I am an established Christian 1045 00:36:02,280 –> 00:36:04,280 well 1046 00:36:04,280 –> 00:36:06,280 Jesus says to you watch 1047 00:36:06,280 –> 00:36:08,280 and pray 1048 00:36:08,280 –> 00:36:10,280 so that you do no 1049 00:36:10,280 –> 00:36:12,280 enter into temptation 1050 00:36:12,280 –> 00:36:14,280 don”t have the over confidence of Peter 1051 00:36:14,280 –> 00:36:16,280 because though the spirit is willing 1052 00:36:16,280 –> 00:36:20,280 the body is weak 1053 00:36:20,280 –> 00:36:22,280 pray because your flesh is weak 1054 00:36:22,280 –> 00:36:24,280 but also pray because 1055 00:36:24,280 –> 00:36:26,280 your saviour is strong 1056 00:36:26,280 –> 00:36:28,280 this is something very, very 1057 00:36:28,280 –> 00:36:30,280 wonderful and lets end by looking 1058 00:36:30,280 –> 00:36:32,280 our saviour here 1059 00:36:32,280 –> 00:36:34,280 see whats happening in the story 1060 00:36:34,280 –> 00:36:36,280 Jesus comes to these disciples and he says 1061 00:36:36,280 –> 00:36:38,280 watch and pray this is what you got to do 1062 00:36:38,280 –> 00:36:40,280 but you know what happens? 1063 00:36:40,280 –> 00:36:42,280 Peter does not watch and he does not pray 1064 00:36:42,280 –> 00:36:44,280 he does enter into temptation and 1065 00:36:44,280 –> 00:36:46,280 his collapse is very, very great 1066 00:36:46,280 –> 00:36:48,280 and isn’t that our position? 1067 00:36:48,280 –> 00:36:50,280 wait, none of us is here saying 1068 00:36:50,280 –> 00:36:52,280 we have done this and therefore 1069 00:36:52,280 –> 00:36:54,280 we are here without sin 1070 00:36:54,280 –> 00:36:56,280 we come here to church as sinners before the lord 1071 00:36:56,280 –> 00:36:58,280 recognizing our need of a saviour 1072 00:36:58,280 –> 00:37:00,280 none of us can find 1073 00:37:00,280 –> 00:37:02,280 peace and rest looking at the path of our 1074 00:37:02,280 –> 00:37:04,280 own obedience, none of us has watched 1075 00:37:04,280 –> 00:37:06,280 or prayed as we ought 1076 00:37:06,280 –> 00:37:08,280 we have entered into temptation 1077 00:37:08,280 –> 00:37:10,280 and sin mars our lives in many ways 1078 00:37:10,280 –> 00:37:12,280 as a result of it therefore 1079 00:37:12,280 –> 00:37:14,280 we need to look to christ 1080 00:37:15,280 –> 00:37:17,280 and we’re given such as wonderful glimpse 1081 00:37:17,280 –> 00:37:19,280 of christ and what he does for us here 1082 00:37:19,280 –> 00:37:21,280 what is Jesus doing for Peter? 1083 00:37:21,280 –> 00:37:23,280 well Luke records 1084 00:37:23,280 –> 00:37:25,280 it’s not in Matthew but it’s in Luke’s gospel 1085 00:37:25,280 –> 00:37:27,280 in chapter 22 1086 00:37:27,280 –> 00:37:29,280 Jesus said to Peter 1087 00:37:29,280 –> 00:37:31,280 Simon 1088 00:37:31,280 –> 00:37:33,280 that was his other name, Simon Peter 1089 00:37:33,280 –> 00:37:35,280 satan 1090 00:37:35,280 –> 00:37:37,280 has desired 1091 00:37:37,280 –> 00:37:39,280 to sift you like wheat 1092 00:37:41,280 –> 00:37:43,280 that’s why you gonna have to watch 1093 00:37:43,280 –> 00:37:45,280 and pray Peter because satan’s after you 1094 00:37:45,280 –> 00:37:47,280 he’s got an eye on you, he wants to destroy you 1095 00:37:47,280 –> 00:37:49,280 wants to tear you apart 1096 00:37:49,280 –> 00:37:51,280 he’s trying to build a position 1097 00:37:51,280 –> 00:37:53,280 but 1098 00:37:53,280 –> 00:37:57,280 I have prayed for you 1099 00:37:57,280 –> 00:37:59,280 Jesus says 1100 00:37:59,280 –> 00:38:01,280 that your faith will not fail 1101 00:38:01,280 –> 00:38:03,280 you say well didn’t Peter fail? 1102 00:38:03,280 –> 00:38:05,280 Yeah, sure, Peter failed 1103 00:38:05,280 –> 00:38:07,280 like you’ve failed many times and I’ve failed many times 1104 00:38:07,280 –> 00:38:09,280 Jesus prayed for Peter 1105 00:38:09,280 –> 00:38:11,280 was that his faith 1106 00:38:11,280 –> 00:38:13,280 would not fail 1107 00:38:13,280 –> 00:38:15,280 and his faith 1108 00:38:15,280 –> 00:38:17,280 did not fail 1109 00:38:17,280 –> 00:38:19,280 which is why he was wonderfully restored 1110 00:38:19,280 –> 00:38:21,280 and the moment of this great 1111 00:38:21,280 –> 00:38:23,280 failure 1112 00:38:23,280 –> 00:38:25,280 became a moment of deepening his love 1113 00:38:25,280 –> 00:38:27,280 for Christ 1114 00:38:27,280 –> 00:38:29,280 humbling his own arrogance 1115 00:38:29,280 –> 00:38:31,280 and self-confidence 1116 00:38:31,280 –> 00:38:33,280 actually to Satan’s 1117 00:38:33,280 –> 00:38:35,280 confounding, to move him forward 1118 00:38:35,280 –> 00:38:37,280 in usefulness 1119 00:38:37,280 –> 00:38:39,280 to his Lord 1120 00:38:39,280 –> 00:38:41,280 and his Saviour 1121 00:38:41,280 –> 00:38:43,280 isnt’t it wonderful to have a saviour 1122 00:38:43,280 –> 00:38:45,280 who intercedes for us 1123 00:38:45,280 –> 00:38:47,280 and this saviour who 1124 00:38:47,280 –> 00:38:49,280 prays for Peter, he goes to the cross 1125 00:38:49,280 –> 00:38:51,280 the next day to bear the sins 1126 00:38:51,280 –> 00:38:53,280 and failings of all of his people 1127 00:38:53,280 –> 00:38:55,280 so that no falling into temptation 1128 00:38:55,280 –> 00:38:57,280 will ever be the end of hope for you 1129 00:38:57,280 –> 00:38:59,280 this Jesus 1130 00:38:59,280 –> 00:39:01,280 rose from the dead and today he is 1131 00:39:01,280 –> 00:39:03,280 at the right hand of the father 1132 00:39:03,280 –> 00:39:05,280 and he extends grace to all 1133 00:39:05,280 –> 00:39:07,280 who will come to him 1134 00:39:07,280 –> 00:39:09,280 and he intercedes on our behalf 1135 00:39:09,280 –> 00:39:11,280 when you 1136 00:39:11,280 –> 00:39:13,280 are engaged in the battle, you are 1137 00:39:13,280 –> 00:39:15,280 not alone 1138 00:39:15,280 –> 00:39:17,280 the Son of God is at the right hand of the 1139 00:39:17,280 –> 00:39:19,280 father, he is there for you 1140 00:39:19,280 –> 00:39:21,280 He is with you by his Holy Spirit 1141 00:39:21,280 –> 00:39:23,280 you are never alone in the fight 1142 00:39:23,280 –> 00:39:25,280 and the joy and privilege 1143 00:39:25,280 –> 00:39:27,280 of prayer is that 1144 00:39:27,280 –> 00:39:29,280 as you watch and see the battle 1145 00:39:29,280 –> 00:39:31,280 you are able to come to the 1146 00:39:31,280 –> 00:39:33,280 Saviour and you are able 1147 00:39:33,280 –> 00:39:35,280 to ask of his help 1148 00:39:35,280 –> 00:39:37,280 you are able to know that he hears you 1149 00:39:37,280 –> 00:39:39,280 and that he stands with you, and his spirit 1150 00:39:39,280 –> 00:39:41,280 is given to you 1151 00:39:41,280 –> 00:39:43,280 and that he knows what it is to be 1152 00:39:43,280 –> 00:39:45,280 tempted 1153 00:39:46,280 –> 00:39:48,280 and that in his mercy and in his grace 1154 00:39:48,280 –> 00:39:50,280 he will never turn you away 1155 00:39:50,280 –> 00:39:52,280 but will enable you to 1156 00:39:52,280 –> 00:39:54,280 stand as you look to him 1157 00:39:56,280 –> 00:39:58,280 Do you know the last thing 1158 00:39:58,280 –> 00:40:00,280 I want to say is just this 1159 00:40:01,280 –> 00:40:03,280 At the end of the New Testament 1160 00:40:03,280 –> 00:40:05,280 near the end, there are 1161 00:40:05,280 –> 00:40:07,280 a couple of verses, quite well 1162 00:40:07,280 –> 00:40:09,280 known, that talk about 1163 00:40:09,280 –> 00:40:11,280 how God 1164 00:40:11,280 –> 00:40:13,280 uses trials that come 1165 00:40:13,280 –> 00:40:15,280 to us to prove 1166 00:40:15,280 –> 00:40:18,280 that faith is genuine 1167 00:40:18,280 –> 00:40:20,280 and that what will 1168 00:40:20,280 –> 00:40:22,280 happen in the end therefore is 1169 00:40:22,280 –> 00:40:24,280 that praise, glory, 1170 00:40:24,280 –> 00:40:26,280 and honor will bounce 1171 00:40:26,280 –> 00:40:28,280 back when Jesus Christ is 1172 00:40:28,280 –> 00:40:30,280 revealed 1173 00:40:30,280 –> 00:40:32,280 Have I said enough for you 1174 00:40:32,280 –> 00:40:34,280 to recognize who wrote these verses 1175 00:40:34,280 –> 00:40:36,280 that I am referring too? 1176 00:40:36,280 –> 00:40:38,280 Who wrote these verses? 1177 00:40:38,280 –> 00:40:40,280 Peter! Peter 1178 00:40:40,280 –> 00:40:42,280 That is significant 1179 00:40:42,280 –> 00:40:44,280 And when he wrote these verses 1180 00:40:44,280 –> 00:40:46,280 I’m going to read them in full to you just now 1181 00:40:46,280 –> 00:40:48,280 The word that he 1182 00:40:48,280 –> 00:40:50,280 used for trials 1183 00:40:50,280 –> 00:40:52,280 is exactly 1184 00:40:52,280 –> 00:40:54,280 the same word as 1185 00:40:54,280 –> 00:40:56,280 Jesus used in the garden 1186 00:40:56,280 –> 00:40:58,280 of Gethsemane when Jesus said 1187 00:40:58,280 –> 00:41:00,280 to him, Watch and pray 1188 00:41:00,280 –> 00:41:02,280 so that you will not 1189 00:41:02,280 –> 00:41:04,280 enter into temptation 1190 00:41:04,280 –> 00:41:06,280 trials, temptation 1191 00:41:06,280 –> 00:41:08,280 The same word is used, and so it can be translated that way 1192 00:41:08,280 –> 00:41:10,280 So now let me read you the verse 1193 00:41:10,280 –> 00:41:12,280 it is 1 Peter chapter 1, 6 and 7 1194 00:41:12,280 –> 00:41:14,280 Now 1195 00:41:14,280 –> 00:41:16,280 for a little while 1196 00:41:16,280 –> 00:41:18,280 you may have 1197 00:41:18,280 –> 00:41:20,280 to suffer in all 1198 00:41:20,280 –> 00:41:22,280 kinds of temptations 1199 00:41:22,280 –> 00:41:24,280 these 1200 00:41:24,280 –> 00:41:26,280 have come so that your 1201 00:41:26,280 –> 00:41:28,280 faith of greater 1202 00:41:28,280 –> 00:41:30,280 worth than gold 1203 00:41:30,280 –> 00:41:32,280 will be proved genuine 1204 00:41:32,280 –> 00:41:34,280 just as Peter’s faith was proved genuine 1205 00:41:34,280 –> 00:41:36,280 and Jesus prayed that it would be 1206 00:41:36,280 –> 00:41:38,280 and may result in praise 1207 00:41:38,280 –> 00:41:40,280 and glory and honor when 1208 00:41:40,280 –> 00:41:42,280 when Jesus Christ is revealed 1209 00:41:42,280 –> 00:41:44,280 what Peter writes here 1210 00:41:44,280 –> 00:41:46,280 comes right out of his experience 1211 00:41:46,280 –> 00:41:48,280 in the garden of Gethsemane and the failure 1212 00:41:48,280 –> 00:41:50,280 that followed and the restoration that came after 1213 00:41:50,280 –> 00:41:52,280 that 1214 00:41:52,280 –> 00:41:54,280 see here’s the marvelous thing 1215 00:41:54,280 –> 00:41:56,280 temptation is a double-edged 1216 00:41:56,280 –> 00:41:58,280 sword, it’s all that 1217 00:41:58,280 –> 00:42:00,280 Satan can do but it’s a 1218 00:42:00,280 –> 00:42:02,280 dangerous sword for him to wield 1219 00:42:02,280 –> 00:42:04,280 because while it was the 1220 00:42:04,280 –> 00:42:06,280 undoing of Judas 1221 00:42:06,280 –> 00:42:08,280 it was the making of Peter 1222 00:42:08,280 –> 00:42:10,280 even his failure 1223 00:42:10,280 –> 00:42:12,280 led to repentance and 1224 00:42:12,280 –> 00:42:14,280 proved that his faith was genuine 1225 00:42:14,280 –> 00:42:16,280 it made him more humble 1226 00:42:16,280 –> 00:42:18,280 it got rid of the swagger 1227 00:42:18,280 –> 00:42:20,280 and the arrogance 1228 00:42:20,280 –> 00:42:22,280 it made him more realistic about his weakness 1229 00:42:22,280 –> 00:42:24,280 more grateful to his 1230 00:42:24,280 –> 00:42:26,280 Savior, more sensitive 1231 00:42:26,280 –> 00:42:28,280 to other people and kinder 1232 00:42:28,280 –> 00:42:30,280 and gentler 1233 00:42:30,280 –> 00:42:32,280 one of the 1234 00:42:32,280 –> 00:42:34,280 fathers of the church said this 1235 00:42:34,280 –> 00:42:36,280 Christ 1236 00:42:36,280 –> 00:42:38,280 became like 1237 00:42:38,280 –> 00:42:40,280 us in 1238 00:42:40,280 –> 00:42:42,280 order that he may be tempted 1239 00:42:42,280 –> 00:42:44,280 we 1240 00:42:44,280 –> 00:42:46,280 are tempted 1241 00:42:46,280 –> 00:42:48,280 in order that we may become 1242 00:42:48,280 –> 00:42:50,280 like Christ 1243 00:42:52,280 –> 00:42:54,280 so look to the Savior today 1244 00:42:54,280 –> 00:42:56,280 before temptation 1245 00:42:56,280 –> 00:42:58,280 in temptation 1246 00:42:58,280 –> 00:43:00,280 and after temptation 1247 00:43:00,280 –> 00:43:02,280 He is 1248 00:43:02,280 –> 00:43:04,280 able to help you when you are tempted 1249 00:43:04,280 –> 00:43:06,280 to stand up under it 1250 00:43:06,280 –> 00:43:08,280 He is able to restore you 1251 00:43:08,280 –> 00:43:10,280 when you have fallen and when you have failed 1252 00:43:10,280 –> 00:43:12,280 and he is 1253 00:43:12,280 –> 00:43:14,280 able to keep you from falling and 1254 00:43:14,280 –> 00:43:16,280 eventually to present you 1255 00:43:16,280 –> 00:43:18,280 without fault and with great 1256 00:43:18,280 –> 00:43:20,280 joy because you are cleansed in 1257 00:43:20,280 –> 00:43:22,280 the blood of Jesus 1258 00:43:22,280 –> 00:43:24,280 at the right hand of the Father 1259 00:43:24,280 –> 00:43:26,280 and therefore to Him 1260 00:43:26,280 –> 00:43:28,280 be all the glory and all 1261 00:43:28,280 –> 00:43:30,280 the honor both now 1262 00:43:30,280 –> 00:43:32,280 and forever more 1263 00:43:32,280 –> 00:43:34,280 and all the people together said 1264 00:43:34,280 –> 00:43:36,280 Amen 1265 00:43:36,280 –> 00:43:38,280 We are so grateful 1266 00:43:38,280 –> 00:43:40,280 Father that in this battle in which 1267 00:43:40,280 –> 00:43:42,280 you call us to watch and pray 1268 00:43:42,280 –> 00:43:44,280 You have given 1269 00:43:44,280 –> 00:43:46,280 us a Savior 1270 00:43:46,280 –> 00:43:48,280 and that we are not alone 1271 00:43:48,280 –> 00:43:50,280 and that the 1272 00:43:50,280 –> 00:43:52,280 Savior we have is one who 1273 00:43:52,280 –> 00:43:54,280 has been tempted and is gentle 1274 00:43:54,280 –> 00:43:56,280 and merciful 1275 00:43:56,280 –> 00:43:58,280 and to 1276 00:43:58,280 –> 00:44:00,280 Him we come 1277 00:44:00,280 –> 00:44:02,280 Be to 1278 00:44:02,280 –> 00:44:04,280 us all that we need 1279 00:44:04,280 –> 00:44:06,280 in all that we face 1280 00:44:06,280 –> 00:44:08,280 in all of our lives 1281 00:44:08,280 –> 00:44:10,280 dear Lord 1282 00:44:10,280 –> 00:44:12,280 for it is in your name that we pray 1283 00:44:12,280 –> 00:44:14,280 Amen 1284 00:44:16,280 –> 00:44:18,280 You’ve been li