An accountant was walking with a client to the door of an IRS office. When they got to the door, the accountant said good-bye, shook his client’s hand and turned to leave. “What? What are you doing, I thought you were going to come with me to the audit?” The accountant replied, “As your tax consultant, I said in case you were audited, I would accompany you to the IRS. I never said anything about going in with you.”
Some friends are like that. They will walk with you to problems and crises in your life but they seem to disappear when you find yourself in problems and crises. And, to be frank, when you find yourself in the midst of some problems, not even a best friend or your spouse can give you the kind of support you need in your spirit. But, what a friend we have in Jesus!
Jesus was called a “friend of tax collectors and sinners” in Matthew 11:19. He probably took that as a compliment. Jesus wanted and wants to be the friend of everyone. Jesus calls His disciples His “friends” in Luke 12:4. Even Judas Iscariot, Jesus called a “friend” (Matt. 26:50).
Joseph Scriven wrote What a Friend We Have in Jesus following the death of both his fiancés. The focus I want to give here will not be over the song itself, but over the idea that Jesus is a Faithful Friend in Temptations, based on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Let us take a look at this text… The problem the Corinthians are having is that they – who have left paganism – believe they can still frequent the pagan temples and not be drawn in to pagan worship.
EVERY GENERATION HAS ITS OWN TEMPTATIONS – 10:6-10:
These Christians were tempted by idolatry, immorality, trying the Lord, grumbling against the blessings of God. We still have these same temptations today? Within the past two weeks, how many of us have grumbled about the weather?
Aren’t we faced with those same type of temptations today? Doesn’t Paul say in verse 13: “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man?” There is simply nothing new under the sun.
LEARN FROM THE PAST – 10:6, 11, 1-5:
K-12 – in any downtownsault.org cheap canadian viagra case not for the immediate future. Its proposed amount has been accounted great in http://downtownsault.org/downtown/nightlife/three-one-three-on-ashmun/ soft tab cialis response and is always admitted giving great result. That’s the cialis price in canada reason why men with low testosterone are known to suffer from erectile dysfunction. I honestly believe cipla levitra that the most important thing we do every day is what we eat and drink. Notice: “These things happened as examples for us” (vs 6). “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction” (vs 11).
Now, take a look at verses 1-5…
Let’s not get smug in our confidence that we can resist temptation because we are some how morally superior to the Israelites in the wilderness. “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (vs 12). Self-confidence when it comes to temptation is surely dangerous and can be deadly.
JESUS IS OUR FAITHFUL FRIEND THROUGH TEMPTATIONS:
But if verse 12 is for the prideful Christian, verse 13 is for the fearful Christian… Notice:
“God is faithful” – God always operates within the limitations of His nature. He is always loving, always holy, always just.
“Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able” – God knows our limits but we also have to recognize them.
“But with the temptation will provide the way of escape also” – Often times, we are looking for a way in rather than a way out! Take encouragement from Hebrews 2:17-18: “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Also, read 4:15-16.
“So that you will be able to endure it.” – We can come through temptation with our friend, Jesus, if we: 1.) Follow His example, hoping in Scripture; 2.) Putting ourselves into the hands of God in truth; 3.) Praying for strength to take the way of escape.
–Paul Holland
