Sermon Application Questions

First Baptist Church Delray

Sermon Application Questions

January 19, 2025

Pastor Jimmy’s Message: “A Battle for Your Life”
Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Review the Exegesis of the Scripture

Read Luke 4:1-2

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. Andwhen they were ended, he was hungry.

1. After Jesus was baptized, what did God lead Him to do?

2. How can fasting and praying help a person become spiritually strong even while becoming physically weak?

3. Why would God lead a person into a season of spiritual wilderness and temptation?

4. What is the difference between “temptation” and “sin?”

5. Describe the three typical types of Satan’s temptations to sin as summarized in 1 John 2:16 –

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Read Luke 4:3-4

 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone. (Deuteronomy 8:3).’”

6. Describe how the lying devil tried to confuse Jesus and question His identity when God had just told Him at His baptism, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

7. How would the devil have used this bread to make Jesus focus on Himself rather than God’s will?

8. How do we see the devilish temptation for “the lust of the flesh” in this conversation?

9. What did Jesus use to fight back this satanic attack?

Read Luke 4:5-8
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all the authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”  And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

10. Is it true that God has allowed the devil this world for a while? (See 2 Corinthians 4:4 and 1 John 5:19)

11. How do we see the devilish temptation for “the lust of the eyes” in this second conversation?

12. How would this temporary pleasure of power have been traded for eternal glory?

13. What was Jesus reminding Himself of when He answered the devil, “You shall worship the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 6:13 and Deuteronomy 10:20) and “him only shall you serve” (Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 6:13)?

Read Luke 4:9-13

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

14. How do we see the devilish temptation for “the pride of life” in this third conversation?

15. How did the lying devil misuse scripture (Psalm 91:11-12) to attack Jesus?

16. How did Jesus use scripture, quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, to overcome this temptation to go ahead and rise to power before going to the cross?

17. What do we see here about the importance of trusting in God’s promises rather than in testing Him?

18. How was Jesus strengthened and ready for his public ministry through His time in the wilderness that God took Him into?

Make Personal Applications of the Lessons

19. Make an honest assessment with yourself: which temptations are the devil attacking you with?

a. The lust of the flesh – overeating, misuse of drugs and alcohol, money, sex outside marriage, immorality, coveting things like clothes and cars and houses and trips, angry about what I lack, lack of self-control in words or actions, the extremes of either idleness or overdoing, putting my natural desires to satisfy myself above God’s will

b. The lust of the eyes – greedy ownership, desire for power and authority, misuse of my position over others, constant need for entertainment, pornography, focus on my looks, focus on other’s looks, focus on beautiful experiences in the world apart from worshipping and serving God  

c. The pride of life – selfish ambition, shame and self-harm, looking down on other people, having a relationship with someone that is outside of the instruction of the Word of God, deciding for myself things to do for God rather than doing what He says, testing God rather than trusting in His Word, identity in my success rather than in belonging to God

20. If you are born again, baptized, and involved in church, what temptations might the devil be using to turn you from your faith in God back to trusting in yourself which ends up as worshipping him? 

21. Describe how you can embrace the fight you are going through in the wilderness so that you strengthen your spiritual muscles according to James 1:2-4 –

Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

22. Why is it important to know that the devil is real?

23. What does the Bible say about the origins of the devil in Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:16-18; and Revelation 12:9?

24. Which of the following names of the predatory, deceiving, and tempting devil best describes how he tempts you to oppose God and to sin?

a. Satan: This name means "adversary" or "accuser." He opposes God's people and seeks to lead us astray.

b. Lucifer: Often associated with the passage in Isaiah 14:12, which describes the fall of a figure who sought to exalt himself above God. This name signifies pride and rebellion.

c. Beelzebub: Meaning "lord of the flies," this name appears in the New Testament (Matthew 12:24). It suggests a connection to filth or decay and is used to denote a demonic entity.

d. The Tempter: Used in Matthew 4:3 during the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, this title indicates his role in enticing individuals to sin.

e. The Serpent: Referring to the form he took in Genesis 3, this name emphasizes cunning and deception, as he led Eve to sin.

f. The Evil One: This title highlights his true nature and opposition to God’s goodness (1 John 5:19).

g. Accuser of the Brethren: Found in Revelation 12:10, this name illustrates his role in accusing believers before God.

h. Prince of the Power of the Air: This title from Ephesians 2:2 suggests his influence over the world and its systems, indicating a position of authority in spiritual realms.

i. Father of Lies: In John 8:44, this name implies that deceit is his primary weapon against humanity.

j. Adversary: In 1 Peter 5:8, he is described as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, portraying him as a powerful and predatory force.

25. What can we learn from this lesson where Jesus combats the devil using the scripture to overcome temptation?

26. What kinds of things will you begin doing to systematically learn, study, meditate on, and memorize scripture?

a. Pick a book of the Bible to read in every morning.

b. Find some trustworthy commentaries or online sources to help be understand the Bible better.

c. Spend some time focusing on what I’m reading and listen to how the Holy Spirit might use it to speak into my life.

d. Write out Bible verses on index cards to review regularly. First, pick verses I already know. Then add verses from my daily reading that God uses to speak encouragement and direction to me.

e. In times of need in my life or in the lives of people I minister to, look to the Holy Spirit to bring to my mind verses He wants to use to speak truth.

f. Learn to walk with God and be empowered by Him in these ways.

27. Say aloud to God, “I won’t quit!” and passionately repeat 1 Timothy 6:12 aloud to yourself in the mirror –

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

28. Which family, friends, and co-workers are counting on you to fight back with scripture?

29. Instead of identifying yourself as a failure, voice a heart-felt yet simple prayer of a child of God in repentance and be restored to Him according to 1 John 1:9 –

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

30. Do you need to cling to Jesus, accept the wilderness and get back in the fight for God’s wonderful plans for your life?

31. Think about and write down some specific plans in each of the following categories to overcome the devil’s temptations for you in this season of your life:

a. Be prepared for a fight.

b. Know my enemy.

c. Fight back with scripture.

d. Don’t quit.

e. Cling to Jesus.