Please take your Bibles now and turn with me to Matthew chapter 6. Matthew chapter 6, as we look at the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer together tonight. And I just want to speak to my plan from here as we come towards the end, to the end of this prayer. My plan is next time to consider the traditional conclusion to the Lord's Prayer. Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. And I'll say a few words about why sometimes that is in a footnote in our Bible. It's not in every English translation, but we will be considering that as part of the Lord's Prayer next time. And then after that, Lord willing, I do want to look at the section following the Lord's Prayer in verse 16 through 18. where Jesus moves right into teaching about fasting. This is part of the larger section on prayer, and fasting is very tied closely to prayer, so Lord willing, we'll be considering that as well, and that will then bring our series to the Lord's Prayer to a conclusion. But tonight, we're considering the sixth and final petition, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. I'm going to read verse 27 of chapter 5. This is part of the same sermon, verse 27 through 30, because Jesus speaks there about radically dealing with sin, avoiding temptation. even sin in the heart that's not outwardly acted upon. And he speaks to the seriousness of sin and the reality of hell. And if you were here this morning, we heard about that as well this morning. But I'm gonna read that short section and then jump down to verse five of chapter six and read through the end of the Lord's Prayer. So let's give our attention to the word of God, beginning at Matthew five, verse 27. You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell." And now, scoot down to verse 5 of chapter 6. This is in the same sermon, but Jesus is teaching us here about prayer. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this, our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. That's where we'll end the reading of God's word. Let's stop and ask for his help as we hear it. Our Father in heaven, we do ask that you would lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And even right now, as we hear your word, our minds are going to be tempted to move on to the week ahead and be distracted and be tempted to not want to hear and believe what you have to say. And so we pray that you would lead us away from that and lead us into your truth. Lord God, write the eternal truth of your word onto our hearts. Let us receive it with faith and practice it in our lives to your glory and our good. And so help us and give us your Holy Spirit now as we hear your word together. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Well, as we come to the sixth and final petition of the Lord's Prayer together tonight, I want to just very briefly recap where we've been so far. Jesus has taught us that prayer is a sincere act of faith addressed to God our Father in heaven. He then began with three petitions that focused on God and his glory and his purposes. And then he concludes the prayer with three petitions focused on man and our weakness and our needs. The fourth petition sought God's provision. The fifth sought God's pardon. And now the sixth and final petition seeks the Father's protection. So we've covered provision, pardon, and now tonight, protection. Lead us not into temptation. Father, protect us because we are spiritually weak. We are God's children, but we still battle sin. We're in a dangerous and daily battle with temptation and with Satan. And this petition, this sixth and final petition, brings together our weakness and God's strength. One writer says of this petition, the realism, self-distrust, and humble dependence on God that breathes through this petition is something we all need to learn. And Jesus gave us this petition out of personal experience. He lived this daily battle. He fought Satan. As we've already heard from Hebrews 4, he was tempted in every way. And he knew that temptation was no minor matter. And if you're here tonight and you think sin and temptation is not really that big of a deal, well, not according to Jesus. Not according to Jesus. Here it is in his model prayer at the climax of the prayer, the last note. Lead us not into temptation. Sin and temptation are life and death matters. Jesus had to come to earth and battle Satan and die on the cross to defeat them. And if we treat them lightly, we fail to understand the wickedness and destructive power of our sin and of Satan. We failed to understand what our sin deserves and the price that Jesus Christ paid. We failed to understand the cost of sin to us and others of not dealing with it biblically, with not getting God's help in our temptation. We failed to understand we are weak and vulnerable and we need the Father's help. And so, people of God, your father, praise God, he pardons sin, but he also protects and delivers you from temptation, and you need his help. And Jesus is giving these words to you because he loves you, and he wants to lead you and protect you. And so, seek to live and pray this petition, this prayer, in faith. Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And let us consider that more deeply together tonight. And to do so, I want us to think about four truths that this petition teaches us about temptation to help us pray this and fight temptation. So we want to consider the reality of temptation tonight. the sources of temptation, fighting temptation, and then finally the conqueror of temptation. And so let's start by considering the reality of temptation. Look again with me at verse 13. Jesus says, pray then like this, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Jesus gives us these words because of the ongoing reality and threat of temptation. If it were not there, and if it was no big deal, he would not have taught us to pray verse 13. But he has. And he's given this to us in his model prayer. Temptation is a reality. But what exactly is it? What are we asking God to lead us away from and protect us from here? Well, in this context, temptation is negative. It is a danger. Temptation entices and allures us away from God. It seeks to induce us to sin. And temptation is different from a test. In a test, God might bring a difficult trial or circumstance in order to humble us or discipline us or strengthen us, strengthen our faith and draw us closer to him. God can test, but God never tempts. God never leads us into temptation. And so temptation, as it's used here in verse 13, is always meant to draw us away from God, weaken our faith. It invites us to not do God's will as we pray in the third petition. One writer says, temptation is an invitation to sin, an encouragement to engage in something contrary to God's law. And the reality is temptations are everywhere. They're a real, daily, serious threat. And the way to deal with them is not to dismiss them or downplay them, but to admit their existence as well as our own weakness and susceptibility to them. Our inability to sometimes spot them and avoid those temptations and resist them on our own strength. The fact that we are God's children if we are in Christ by faith, the fact that we are pardoned from all our sins does not mean that we are not still led into temptation. In fact, being God's children puts a target on our back. Satan knows that he cannot and he will not defeat Jesus. And so you know what he does? He goes after us. especially if we are seeking to love and serve God. Now, if we are in Christ, he cannot ultimately defeat us, but he can lead us into temptation. He can try to get us to sin against God. William Perkins once said that those who are most often tempted are, quote, the children of God that set themselves to seek his glory, advance his kingdom, do his will, depend on his providence, and rely upon his mercy. Those who are praying and seeking to live out the rest of this prayer are often especially the targets of Satan's temptation. And so, brothers and sisters, Children, do you take temptation seriously? Are you taking it seriously? Are you aware of its reality? Jesus said in Matthew 26, 41, watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Or 1 Corinthians 10, verse 12, let anyone who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall. Brothers and sisters, do not overestimate yourself and underestimate temptation. Recognize the reality of it. This petition is here in this prayer for a reason, and that is because temptation is real, and we need the help of our Father. And so recognize the reality of temptation. That leaves us then second tonight to consider where temptation comes from. the sources of temptation. Verse 13 again, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Now there can be some confusion about this petition because it seems to almost indicate that God can be a source of temptation. If we're asking him not to lead us into it, can God lead us into temptation? Well, that's not what Jesus is saying here. The Bible is clear that God does not tempt us. What we're asking here is that he would keep us from being tempted. Not that he would not tempt us. Father, lead us away from temptation. Help us avoid temptation. Don't let us be led to it. James 1 verse 13 says, let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. And so think of it this way, God does not produce temptation. He can permit it, and he can also prevent it, but he does not himself produce it. And part of what we're asking of him here is to prevent temptation, to not let us be led into temptation. God can prevent temptation. He can, in his wisdom, sometimes permit it as well for his children. But we need to be clear, he does not produce it. God does not tempt us. But if God is not the source of temptation, then who or what is? Well, there are many sources of temptation. Some are internal, and some are external. And they can be summarized by the familiar, but I think accurate and helpful triad, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Where does sin and temptation come from? The world, the flesh, and the devil. Temptations come from outside of us, from the world. And by world we mean everything that is evil and opposed to God and his kingdom and his glory. And that includes sinful men and rebellion against him. Psalm 1 verse 1 talks about how the wicked seek to pull us away from God's path with their counsel, with their words. Jesus said the world hates him and his followers. The world's cares and persecutions and deceitfulness choke out the seed of God's word in the parable of the sower. 1 John 2 verse 15 and following says, do not love the world or the things in the world for all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the eyes and the pride of life is not from the father, but it is from the world. The Bible also warns us against the wisdom of the world that tempts us to deny the faith and question God's truth. The world tempts us in many ways. What ways does it tempt you? What ways is the world pulling on your heart and your mind and subtly trying to tempt you and draw you away from the Lord? How is it trying to lead you into sin and away from God? The world can be very clever and subtle and can work slowly and imperceptibly. Bit by bit it draws us in and it particularly likes to target the young and the naive. So beware of the world's temptations that come from outside of us. But we're also tempted from within. internal temptations from the flesh, our sinful nature that is not yet fully subdued. James 1 goes on after saying God does not tempt and says in verse 14 and 15, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it is conceived, gives birth to sin. We can be and often are tempted by our own corrupt Deceitful, selfish desires. The old man that is against God's spirit and God's word and his will. And we need to recognize not just that we continue to sin, but that we want to. That's what James says. We still have tempting, sinful desires that come from our own hearts. It can be easy to blame all temptation as external. Well, it's the pressure of the world or it's Satan. The devil made me do it. It's really not my fault. But much temptation comes from here, comes from within, from sinful desires that we have not yet mortified. And so we need to be aware of that. We need to know our weakness, our tendencies, our own personal particular struggles. We need to know our own frailty and our sinful desires. And that's not meant to discourage you. Ultimately, if you are in Christ, you are children of God. You are being made new. And yet it is a process that's not yet complete. We need to be aware of the biblical reality so that we might fight and pray against it and depend on God's help. Well, the third source of temptation is the devil, the evil one, Satan, the tempter, as he's called. He was the first tempter way back in the garden, and he is still tempting today. And it's in some of the Greek manuscripts, actually, and reflected in some translations. You may even see it in a footnote, but deliver us from the evil one. I'm not sure whether that word one was in the original or not, but certainly Satan is a great source of evil. Satan and his servants, the spiritual forces of evil, the demons, the kingdom of darkness, is an active, major source of temptation and evil from whom we need to be delivered. And I think we can easily err in two ways regarding this. Either we can overemphasize Satan's power and influence and see him behind every temptation and trouble in life and ascribe too much power and influence to him. Or we can minimize his very real power and presence and almost ignore him altogether. And that's neither wise or biblical either. And I think that's often more our tendency, the second error, to almost forget about Satan. But the Bible teaches that Satan is alive, and he's active, and he's powerful, even though he's nowhere close to as powerful as God. And God only permits him to do so much in whatever he decides in his sovereignty. But the Bible teaches that Satan is witty, he is deceptive, he has many snares and schemes, he understands human nature, he understands our weakness, He sends fiery darts at us. He wants to destroy us. He is at war with us. He knows our nature and weakness. He disguises himself as an angel of light. He seeks to hinder the work of the gospel and the word of God. He's trying to devour us like a roaring lion. Kids, if you were to go outside here in the trees and there was actually a lion out there trying to eat you for dinner, You would be afraid of him, and you would try to avoid that lion at all costs. Well, the world, the flesh, and the devil, these are the very real sources of temptation that we need to be aware of. And we ask God both to protect us from them altogether or to deliver us from them if and when we are tempted in his providence. Are you aware of these temptations? Are you aware of these common sources of temptation? They come from inside and from outside. They come from the self and from Satan. And they're hard to detect, but we are not left in the dark. Because the Bible warns us very clearly, and it also gives us hope. It encourages us that God can protect and deliver us. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13 says, No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. We need to recognize the reality of temptation. We need to understand its sources, where it comes from. but also that it is not above God's ability to protect and deliver us from. As children of God, we are always able by his power to be delivered from temptation, to fight and resist it. And so I want us to consider third tonight, the fighting of temptation, the fighting of temptation. As we've said with all the other petitions in the Lord's Prayer, we need to pursue that which we pray for. We need to seek what we ask God for as he instructs us in his word, and the same is true with this petition. To pray this petition calls us to pursue it as well, to seek to resist temptation, to fight sin and Satan, not in our own way or in our own strength, but by God's. So how do we fight temptation? How do we seek to not be led into it? What ways does God help to answer this prayer? Well, we could spend hours on this. We won't. But let's just consider a few ways to fight temptation. The first is to watch. Watch. Watch for temptation. Jesus said, watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. 1 Peter 5 verse 8 says, be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith. To watch is to be as a soldier on guard. In fact, this word comes from a military background. It's to be on high alert. looking for any signs of danger, watching for the enemy. A lot of temptation could be avoided if we were simply awake and watchful, if we were watching for it. And this includes watching ourselves, being aware of our own weakness. And so watch. Jesus says, watch and pray. That's the second way you need to fight temptation. Pray. And this is precisely what Jesus is teaching us to do here. This is why he puts it in the Lord's Prayer. Pray against temptation. Fight it with prayer. Call on your Father to protect and deliver you. R.C. Sproul once said, I believe this petition should be on the lips of every believer every day. Pray against temptation. Think through certain situations and weaknesses. Anticipate how you may be tempted or how you've been tempted in the past. And ask God for specific help to fight it and not be led into that temptation. Watch and pray. Third, use God's word. Use His Word, the Sword of the Spirit. His Word identifies sin. His Word transforms your mind. It is the Sword of the Spirit. It rebukes and corrects and warns. It gives us the armor of God for our fight against sin. It cuts to the heart and drives us to Jesus Christ, and so study it. Memorize it. Hear it preached. Use it like a soldier. Jesus fought temptation and Satan with scripture. He fought falsehood with the truth. Psalm 119, 11 says, I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. And so use God's word as you fight against temptation. Fourth, surround yourself with the body of Christ. Surround yourself with the body of Christ on your own. cut off from God's people, cut off from accountability and counsel and faithful teaching and preaching and fellowship, you're an easy target. And kids, some of you might know how animals almost know this by instinct. Many animals by instinct know that they're safer when they're surrounded by others. There's strength and safety in numbers. And that's true for us as the people of God. When God's children distance themselves from God's family, they're asking for trouble. They're setting themselves up to fight alone. Don't do that. Belong to a body of Christ. Worship with them. Pray with them. Be with them. Seek their help and support. And they're shepherding in this fight. Sometimes the first things that I ask someone if they come to me looking for help with sin is, first of all, are you praying about this yourself? Are you going to your father? Second, are you reading the scriptures? Have you looked at what God's word says about this? And then the third thing I'll often ask is, who's helping you? Who's praying for you? Who's walking this road with you? And sometimes they say, well, I'm coming to you for help. But we need the body around us to help us in this fight. Fifth, fight temptation also by staying away from it. Staying away from it. Avoiding all occasion for it. And realize the folly of asking God not to lead you into temptation and then walking right into it. Spurgeon once told the story of seeking a new coach driver, and he asked the candidates how close they could get to a drop-off in the road. And the first one said, well, I could get about two feet away. The second one said, I could come within six inches of the drop-off. And the third said, why would I want to get close to the cliff? I'd stay as far away from it as possible. The choice, said Spurgeon, was obvious. And yet we flirt with sin, don't we? We think we can get close. We ask, how close can I get, not how far away from this evil can I stay? We think we won't fall and we won't slip, and that's just plain foolish. Brothers and sisters, stay away. Run the opposite direction. That's not legalism. That's not pessimism. That's wisdom. That's safety, that's biblical Christian living by God's grace. And so stay away by God's grace from temptation. And then finally, fight temptation by fighting it. Fight temptation by fighting it. That might sound obvious and redundant. But some give up without hardly a fight. Some lose hope, some think God can't help and so they stop trying, they stop fighting. But the Bible calls us to battle, to fight by God's grace and with his help. It uses strong language, mortify, kill what is earthly in you, put it to death. Jesus said in Matthew 5.30, we read this earlier, if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than your whole body go into hell. He is serious about sin. Jesus is serious about fighting sin and taking it seriously and radically. Are you? Fight temptation by fighting it. Brothers and sisters, watch, pray, use God's words, surround yourself with the church, with others who are fighting with you. Stay away from all temptation to sin and fight. Fight it by God's grace and his help. But that leads us finally tonight to the most important thing to do as you fight and as you pray this petition. And that is to fix your eyes on Jesus. He is our hope. He is our example. He is our source of power for fighting temptation. He is the answer to this prayer. And so let's consider fourth and finally tonight the conqueror of temptation. Look at verse 13 again, the conqueror of temptation. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. How can we have any hope to be delivered from evil and the evil one, to overcome and avoid temptation. Well, it's because Jesus came to conquer the tempter. He came to withstand every temptation and emerge victorious. Hebrews 4 says, he was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. Let that sink in for a minute. I know that's a familiar verse, but let that sink in. Jesus was tempted just as you are in every way. In fact, beyond what you are, beyond what you could ever imagine or wrap your mind around. And yet he never once caved. He never once fell. Unlike Adam, unlike you and me and all mankind, he never gave in. He was perfect. Satan threw everything he had at him. He tempted him in the wilderness again and again when Jesus was all alone. And he was tired and hungry and weak. And one by one, Jesus responded with God's word and God's truth. He didn't use any excuses. Well, I've been all alone. I'm hungry. I'm tired. I need help. I don't know what else to do. No, one by one, he refused. And he overcame that with God's Word and God's truth, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, without sinning, overcoming temptation, overcoming Satan. And then at the end of his life, he was tempted in an even harder way. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the night he was betrayed, he was tempted to not go through with the cross. But he watched, and he prayed, and he fought, and he said, Father, Your will be done. And then he willingly let himself be arrested, even though he could have called legions of angels. He said the scripture must be fulfilled. And then he went willingly to the cross where he was mocked and taunted, where he was told to save yourself and come down from the cross. What temptations befell him? But he held his ground. He stayed the course. He breathed his last for you. Jesus taught us to pray this way because he knew. He knew in a way none of us can or will. He knew the power of Satan. He knew the power of temptation and sin. And he was speaking from experience. But he also knew that he would be the answer to this prayer. And as was promised way back in Genesis 3, Genesis 3.15, in order to crush Satan's head, Jesus' heel would be bruised. He would suffer. He would sacrifice. But this would destroy, this would crush Satan and his work. And so he never gave in. He won the victory. He conquered Satan. And brothers and sisters, this is why there is hope for you and for me, to be delivered from sin and temptation and Satan. This is why you ought to pray this prayer each day with expectation and hope, knowing God will help you. I don't know what you are tempted by or how you may be discouraged or beset by particular sins tonight. I don't know how you will be tempted in the future, but Jesus saves. Jesus won. Jesus delivers. Jesus has conquered. And so fix your eyes on him. He can and he will deliver you even now from evil and the evil one. He will fully and finally answer this prayer for all of God's children one day soon. He has promised victory. Matthew 16, 18, I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. James 4, verse 7, resist the devil and he will flee you. He conquered the tempter. He conquered all temptation. He conquered death. And he is alive. And he is alive in you by his spirit. And he has united himself to you. It is he who teaches you to pray this. He who will himself deliver you. And so, brothers and sisters, have hope and courage. Pray and fight. Jesus is alive. He is reigning. He is the conqueror. Pray and fix your eyes on Him. The Father will help you. He will lead you from temptation. He will deliver you. He will fully sanctify you one day. And I want to close tonight with the words of Jude 24 and 25. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, authority before all time and now and forever. Amen. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we do ask that you would give us ears to hear and eyes to see. Search our hearts, Lord, and let your word penetrate into our hearts. Lord, encourage us with your word. There is encouragement in this petition. You will and you can lead us not into temptation. And you've already shown how you will ultimately deliver us from all evil. We thank you and praise you for Christ's perfect life and death and resurrection. We thank you that he never once gave in. And we thank you that he is our hope and our strength. And so, Lord, help us to fix our eyes on him, help us to pray and to watch and to fight, and help us to do so until you return, Lord Jesus, or until you call us home, and we are perfected in glory. For we pray this all in Jesus' name, amen.