From the Circuit Rider’s Library

Today as I opened the treasure chest of sermons preached from the Circuit Rider (Clyde Thompson, my dad) this sermon titled “Threefold Temptation of the Church” based on 1 John 2:15-17 became an interest to me. It was a sweet moment to imagine him in his homemade suite jacket, his trademark facial hair of sideburns connected to the mustache, and glasses. It was August 30, 1981 in Rifle, Colorado.

It was 1981 in Rifle, Colorado, it was just before the massive oil shale bust of 1982 so the church house was probably full to capacity.  The Circuit Rider would preach with a few notes alongside of his Bible.

Here is the outline: (I think this could preach)

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Three fold Temptation of the Church: 1 John 2:15-17

He was tempted in all point as we are.
We are tempted as he was.

I. The Bread Business

• Jesus’ first temptation – turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:1-4 a physical appetite)
  • Satan wanted Jesus to go into the bread business
    • A church tempted to go into hunger programs – poverty projects may become very occupied and forget that: Man shall not live by bread alone.
  • Hunger is a matter for the church to concern herself with – seven men were chosen in Acts to serve tables (food)
  • The temptation in this the competition of feeding bodies vs. feeding souls
  • “I am the bread of life
• Some churches make institutional members by trying to take care of food, entertainment, social life, sports, etc…
  • More in producing social relief rather than producing Christians that live life by Biblical principles.
• Soap – Soup – Socializing – Salvation
  • Salvation become a low priority soap – soup – shows – socializing take over.
  • If the prodigal son had been given soup and a bed he might not have returned home.
  • Jesus said “Don’t labor for the meat that perishes but of the meat that endures.
• Our business- Proclaim the Gospel! Jesus Saves!

II. The Show Business

• Jesus’ second temptation – Jump! (Matthew 4:1-4)
• If the town crier announced “Jesus of Nazareth will leap from the Temple at 10:00 a.m. there might be a great crowd but there would be few converts.
• Many think that the end justifies the means. If this is so, Satan would have had Jesus in show business
• The church is to run a lifeboat not a showboat
• The gospel is not meant for entertainment. It is not a 3 ring circus.
• The Devil suggested that angels would assist in the act, but God ordered them to minister to Jesus after the temptations.
• Angels are to help us when we resist the devil not when we obey the devil.
  • Jesus…
    • walked on water
    • fed the multitude
    • raised the dead
    • healed the sick
    • made blind to see
    • made cripple to walk
    • cast out demons
    • healed the leper
    • turned water into wine
  • not for show… not because the Devil suggested it… To glorify the Father, to do the work of the Father.
  • Pentecost had no publicity… but had the power of God!
  • Jesus didn’t send the Demoniac to publicize… he told him to go home and witness.
  • At the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus asked the disciples to wait until the resurrection to tell what happened.
• Christ was “low-key”

III. The political Business (Matthew 4:8-11)

• All the kingdoms of the world. “It’s Yours”.
  • Was it his to give? (temporarily) God owned it – Satan possessed it.
• Christianity should get into everything, including politics… but… politics should not get into the church.
• The peace that passes all understanding… not the peace that passes legislation… through Jesus Christ!
• John saw a vision of God on the throne with the scroll on which was written the “secret destiny and meaning of history.
  • He saw the lamb slain
  • We are redeemed by the blood.
• The church does not survive by playing politics or by power plays… the church survives because of the blood of the slain lamb.
  • In the first days of the church, Christians got into trouble… but because they were praying, they would recall God’s words (Psalm 2).
    • BOLDNESS:
      • 3 times in Acts 4, boldness of these Christians was..
        1. seen by the world (Acts 4:13)
        2. Sought by the Churches (Acts 4:29)
        3. Supplied by the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31)
    • Today, few are shaken by what Christians believe
    • Because many churches are on shaky ground

Church, Beware of the…

• Bread Business
• Show Business
• Political Business

Jesus did not change the power structure of His day.

Pentecost did not convert Jerusalem.

The world needs to see what a church is like when it is a church.

Church, meet the devil the way Jesus did

• “It is written…”

Vance Havner…

“If Jesus could defeat Satan with these 3 statements, we ought to be able to defeat him with the whole Bible.”

photo courtesy of Terrell O’Brian