In Matthew 26 we find Jesus has gone into the Garden of Gethsemane. He took Peter, James and John with Him and tells them to pray. Jesus then goes farther into the garden to be alone to pray to the Heavenly Father. When he returns, he finds these disciples asleep.
He wakes them up and warns them; “Matthew 26: 41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” It is the same warning that we need to be aware of in our lives today. Many of us act as if we could never be tempted to sin or to drift away from faithful service to the Lord.
I want us to look at three temptations each believer faces in this day we live. These temptations tempt us to make our wants a priority and not allow the Lord to have control of our lives.
The first is the “Temptation to Whine.” We seem to find so many things to whine or complain about as we go through this life. We want to talk about the things we don’t have or gripe about the things we do have. I see the Children of Israel as the Lord brought them miraculously out of Egypt and through the wilderness and yet they always seemed to find something to whine or complain about to Moses.
God calls us to serve Him, and it seems that no matter the situation, we find something to whine about: “I could do more if I had what someone else has” or “If I had the ability to speak like they speak;” or “why can’t I have the same advantages as they have in their life.” Sometimes we whine about others by being critical: “They did it the wrong way, I think it ought to be accomplished another way,” or “I would have done it differently.” So, we accomplish nothing because we have given into the temptation to whine.
We need to be reminded that Jesus, our supreme example, never one time whined. He came to this earth for the purpose of dying on the cross of Calvary to pay a sin debt that He did not owe, in place of worthless sinners like you and me and yet He did not complain or whine but followed the will of the Father. When the temptation to whine comes to us, let us be reminded of what Paul said: Phil:4:11: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Second there is the “Temptation to Shine.” There are so many people that seem to only want to serve the Lord if they can be the star of the show. They want that special job where they can be seen by everyone. They seem to say ‘If I can’t be the one out front then I will find another place to serve.’ They desire the praise of man and if they do not get that praise, they are not willing to do the unseen jobs that God needs done to carry the message of Jesus to a lost world.
I am reminded of Simon in Acts 8. He saw the disciples’ lay hands on the people and receive the Holy Spirit. He said, “I want to be able to do that.” He offered them money to receive the power of “laying on of hands.” Peter rebuked him for even thinking that he could buy that power. The problem was he saw the power of God demonstrated and he wanted to shine like those apostles of Jesus.
We must remember that no matter how insignificant the job seems that the Lord assigns to us, it is important. Just as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, if we do something for the praise of man, when it is finished, we have our reward from man but not from God.
It is when we do our work for the glory of the Lord, that one day, the Lord will reward us in heaven. We should desire to hear the Lord say: “Well done thy good and faithful servant.” The way that happens is when we forget about who does what, and just be obedient in whatever the Lord calls us to do.
Third, we have the “Temptation to Recline.” This happens when we become indifferent or complacent in the work of the Lord. Let’s be honest, it can happen to all of us, no matter what our calling. We start saying things like: “It is not my job;” “let someone else do it;” “I don’t have time for that job.” There are so many more excuses we use that shows we are reclining on the Lord.
The disciples in the text scripture most likely thought everything would be all right. They may have thought, “Nothing can happen to us, we are disciples of Jesus.” It wouldn’t hurt us to stop and take a nap.”
We must be mindful that time is short and there are people all around us that need to hear the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ. We need to be carrying that message so when Jesus calls us home by death or the rapture, we will be found faithful – not reclining. Jesus has warned us that temptations will come but let’s be watchful and pray that through His power we can overcome.
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