The Temptation on the Cross

● The Mission of Jesus was to Save Others.

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

○ Salvation was accomplished on the Cross.
○ What was the temptation of the cross?

● The Temptation on the Cross was “Save Yourself.”

○ Those who passed by

You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Matthew 27:40

○ Chief Priests

Save Yourself, and come down from the cross!… He saved others; himself he cannot save. Mark 15:30- 31

○ The Soldiers

“If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” Luke 23:37

○ One of the Criminals

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” Luke 23:39

Satan’s Temptation to Thwart Jesus’ Mission was “Save Yourself.”

Our Mission is to share the good news of salvation and show through our actions how it has changed our lives.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mk. 16:15

We had such a strong desire to help you that we were happy to give you the Good News. Because we loved you so much, we were ready to give you our own lives also. 1 Thess. 2:8 NLV

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 Jn. 3:16

● Today, Satan’s Temptation to Us is the same… “Save Yourself.”

Self-Preservation is the Strongest Natural Human Drive.

● Our Mission Today is Carried Out on a Cross.

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. Luke 9:23-24

● You Can’t Save Yourself and Others at the Same Time.

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. John 12:24

…what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 1 Cor. 15:36

● The Only Power to Override Self-Preservation is Love.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jn. 3:16

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom. 5:7-8

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35