How Do You Handle Temptation?

March 13th, 2011 – 1st Sunday in Lent
How Do You Handle Temptation? – Matthew 4:1-11
By Rev David Pettitt

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Matthew Matthew 4:1-11 [NLT]

The Temptation of Jesus

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. ²For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

³ During that time the devil^[a] came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

⁴ But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,

‘People do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, ⁶and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,

   ‘He will order his angels to protect you.
   And they will hold you up with their hands
      so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’^[c]”

⁷ Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’^[d]”

⁸ Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

¹⁰ “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,

‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’^[e]”

¹¹ Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

Footnotes:
[a]  Greek the tempter.
[b] Deut 8:3.
[c] Ps 91:11-12.
[d] Deut 6:16.
[e] Deut 6:13.  

    

Scripture taken from taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation^®. Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Tags: Matthew, Matthew 4, Matthew 4:1-11, New Living Translation, Rev David Pettitt

February 27th, 2011
You Can’t Live Tomorrow Today – Matthew 6:24-34
By Rev David Pettitt

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Matthew 6:24-34 [NLT]

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Footnotes:
[a]  Some manuscripts do not include ‘of God’.

    

Scripture taken from taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation^®. Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Tags: Matthew, Matthew 6, Matthew 6:24-34, New Living Translation, Rev David Pettitt

February 2oth, 2011
Making the Gospel Relevant – Matthew 5:38-48
By Rev David Pettitt

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Matthew 5:38-48 [NLT]

Teaching about Revenge

³⁸ “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’^[a] 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. ⁴¹ If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,^[b] carry it two miles. ⁴² Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

Teaching about Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’^[c] and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I say, love your enemies!^[d] Pray for those who persecute you! ⁴⁵ In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. ⁴⁶ If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. ⁴⁷ If you are kind only to your friends,^[e] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. ⁴⁸ But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Footnotes:
[a]  Greek “the law that says: ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21.
[b] Greek milion [4,854 feet or 1,478 meters].
[c] Lev 19:18.
[d] Some manuscripts add “Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you.” Compare Luke 6:27-28.
[e]  Greek “your brothers.” 

    

Scripture taken from taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation^®. Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Tags: Matthew, Matthew 5, Matthew 5:38-48, New Living Translation, Rev David Pettitt

February 6th, 2011  
Salt & Light – Matthew 5:13-16 
By Rev David Pettitt

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Matthew 5:13-16 [NLT]

Teaching about Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Footnotes:   

    

Scripture taken from taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation^®. Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Tags: Matthew, Matthew 5, Matthew 5:13-16, New Living Translation, Rev David Pettitt