Lent Week 2 “Faith Factor” | Pastor Sarah Coppernoll

-Faith, how would you define that?

-Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1)

-Faith sometimes feel…unreal, but this verse claims it is SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE

How? What is this faith factor?

Luke 4:1-13 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Jesus Journey toward the cross – in the Desert

• What brought Jesus into the desert?

• Holy Spirit
• Jesus was filled with the Spirit, full up with Spiritual food
• He felt great strength walking in

• How long did he fast?

• 40 Days
• This is where we get our length of fast for Lent

• How long was he tempted?

• 40 Days
• Had often thought of this passage as them temptation happening after the fasting, but scriptures shows that it was not after but during

• As each day went by without food
• In the dessert – hot in the day 100degrees plus, freezing at night in the 30s or less (felt maybe a TINY bit of that during power outage this week)
• Fasting was not a time for Jesus to become closer to God, get to understand God more and learn God’s will (what we use – or should use- fasting for)
• No Jesus time in the desert…these 40 days were ONLY for the purpose of being tempted
• It was a chance for the Devil to see the Faith factor Jesus had

First Temptation – stone into bread

• A possibility for Jesus
• Holy Spirit is prompting a fast, but Jesus could give that up

• It would be convenient and easy for Jesus to make some food.
• God created mana from nothing…Jesus had stones right there
• Ever been tempted to give up doing what the Spirit called you to do at the earliest convenience?

• Not enough money
• Other people are younger

• Don’t have the resources
• Don’t have the man power
• Complicated…to complicated
• Much more convenient to just…stop
• Stop the fast

• Stop the serving
• Stop that faith…
• Why does faith have to be a factor anyway?

• Jesus contoured this temptation with faith –

• Don’t need bread to survive, I have God with me,

• God’s word is a lamp to my feet and _______ (a Light to my path) I will hide God’s word in my heart ____________ (that I might not sin against you) PSALM 11:105
• The Holy Spirit called Jesus out to FAST…Jesus knew this and used scripture!
• Faith Factor 1 – know the WORD

• The substance of Faith is knowing about…well faith
• Scripture is part of this SUBSTANCE

• It brings evidence of things God has done that we cannot see
• Creation! Flood! Call of Abraham…we were not there
• Jesus walking on the earth in the flesh…we were not there
• But in knowing scripture we find the faith factor…we find substance and evidence!
• Know it…study it…read it…come to Bible study and Sunday school to discuss it…

• Get it into your heart…hide it there so that you will not fall into the sin of conveniently giving up what God has called you to

Temptation 2 – Kingdoms of the World

• Jesus is offered…the world

• To Physically rule
• Oddly this was likely exactly what Jesus disciples and the jews that had been awaiting the messiah essentially wanted
• Give the people what they want! Is what Satan is offering here
• Don’t need a cross
• Don’t need the weight of sin put on you…just do the expected thing

• Anything else is just…just asking too much
• God ever ask too much of you?

• Too much money
• Too much time
• Too much commitment

• Too much service
• Easier just to do what’s expected right?
• Your expected to show up for Sunday worship…why serve in pantry or come to grief support group?
• Your expected to give 10%...why give more just because you have more (Blessing last week from a couple in church…$50 for my family to go out to eat, an incredible blessing they felt asked to give. Was such a HUGE blessing especially this week as we were without power)

Faith Factor 2 – rely on God’s plan

• Jesus counters this temptation yet again, He is going to serve God…not his own self interest
• This was going to cost Jesus more than it had cost any person…ever
• The substance and the evidence of our Faith Factor CAN ONLY BE REALIZED if you are fully relying on God
• If you can do it yourself
• If it is within your reasonable expectation…then it doesn’t take much faith

Temptation 3 – show your power

• On the highest point of the temple in the heart of Jerusalem
• If there was any place where Jesus could be seen as God…here it was
• If there was anything that could be done…here it was

• Satan even uses scripture to back the point… (Psalm 91)

• Great example of taking a verse out of context
• Satan chooses the part of the scripture that will suit the temptation
• Scripture can easily be twisted to suit our needs

Faith factor 3 – Take refuge in God

• Jesus was tempted…yes
• William McDonald - The purpose of the temptation was not to see if he would sin, but to prove that he could not sin. Only a holy sinless man could be our redeemer.
• I love the way Jesus answers this…JESUS IS GOD…stop testing God
• And the only response Satan has left…is to Go

• He leaves Jesus alone…waits for a better time “I’ll come back…later”
• As your realize how big a factor Faith plays by 1. Knowing God’s Word and 2. Relying on God’s plan…you can #3. Take refuge in God
• You see…that’s what the Devil left out of his scripture quote Psalm 91

• The substance and evidence of faith comes…in seeing the refuge God gives
• Looking back at the deliverance God has brought to you

When the Israelites were to bring some of their harvest to the temple as a giving of thanks to God (and a provision for the priests) they were to recite the deliverance God brought to them…deliverance from slavery into freedom

• How has God been a refuge for you? Can you remember? Will you share? Write it down, share it with others

• Because that is REAL it is substance…it is evidence…it is the Faith Factor

-Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1)