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A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY


AUDIO


The devil's agenda

Jerry Varnado, pastor
Gateway Church, Athens GA

March 21, 2004
  • Main Scripture text: Luke 4:1-13.
  • The devil can accomplish his ends without getting us to commit gross sins. We can see in this text a more subtle, hidden agenda that can destroy us.

  • Four temptations in this story -- Jesus was tempted to:

    1) Use His power in a way not consistent with God's plan for Him (by turning stones to bread);
    2) worship the devil;
    3) test God; and
    4) doubt His own identity.

  • It is this fourth one that is the most insidious. "If You Are The Son of God..." The devil is tempting Jesus to doubt what the Father had declared in Luke 3: "You are my Son, whom I love."

  • Even worse, Jesus is being tempted to doubt the Father's integrity and goodness.

  • We've all experienced this temptation when we've faced difficult situations. If God is good, if God is all-powerful, if God really loves me and cares about me, why did He allow this to happen?

  • If we look beyond the major and obvious issues in the other temptations we find the same thing. "Turn these stones to bread." In other words, "Better take care of yourself. Looks like the God is doing such a hot job of it. You can't trust Him.

  • "Worship me and I'll give you all the kingdoms of this world." -- "All that suffering is unnecessary. Why would God make you go through all that when you don't have to?"

  • "If you are Son of God throw your self down from the pinnacle of the temple because the Bible says God will save you." -- "Jump off and see if He will save you. Ah hah! You really don't think He will, do you?"

  • The goal of each temptation is the same: "Is God capable and faithful? Does He really love you and intend good for you -- or is He just using you?"

  • This is the devil's agenda: sowing in the human heart seeds of mistrust and doubt toward God, because he knows that trust is essential element to our relationship with the Lord. If we stop trusting God, the devil has won the battle.

  • Here is the truth: In Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible has demonstrated His love toward us, as well as His faithfulness, and His ability.

  • No matter what happens, never to succumb to the devil's agenda of trying to get you to doubt God.

  • I don't know the answers to all of life's hard questions. I don't understand why things don't always work out the way I think they should. But I do know three absolute truths:

    1) God is good -- all the time;
    2) He loves us passionately; and
    3) He causes all things to work together for our ultimate good.


Supporting texts: Luke 3:21-22 | Genesis 3:1-5


A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here.
(Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.)

An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available
free of charge (U.S. requests only).
Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office.
Please specify tape number 040321a: The Devil's Agenda.

© 2004 Gerald R. Varnado

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