This sermon is from a radio sermon of Katherine Kuhlman titled, God demands sinlessness in Worship.
Here are Katherine Kuhlmans words:
First of all, the temptations of Jesus, may I remind you that Jesus could have yielded to temptation. That fact has been established. For if Jesus could not have yielded to temptation, then the temptations would have been a farce. The whole thing would have been "fixed." The temptations would have been a mockery, and therefore, should never have been recorded.
The fact remains that Jesus was as much man as though he were not God, and as much God as though he were not man. So when He came face to face with these temptations, remember something. As a man, He could have yielded to any one of these temptations. As He faced these temptations, He was man's representative, your representative, my representative - and in the very same sense, though you and I may be tempted daily, we need not yield to a single temptation, know that.
Temptation in itself is not a sin. How often I have thought that after some great spiritual victory or after some deep consecration that one has made, the enemy is there with his greatest temptation. You and I, regardless of our spirituality, regardless of our spiritual experiences, always will have temptations so long as we are still in our body of flesh, so long as we're still here on this earth, and so long as the enemy is still with us. It's just like that.
In that first temptation, the enemy attacked Jesus in the flesh, and yet, He came forth victoriously. He stood there, absolutely perfect, unyielding, and came to the second temptation when Satan appealed to that which is the very strength of all spiritual life. He tempted Jesus regarding His trust in God - and still the Son of the living God, as much a man as though He were not God, stood there unyielding, coming out from that temptation, absolutely sinless and perfect. Now we come to the third temptation, and the enemy strips himself of all disguise.
He ceases to make us of the secondary causes, and definitely asks the homage and the worship of Christ. Let me give you that portion of the Word of God. It's recorded in the fourth chapter of Matthew, the eighth verse. Remember, two temptations have already passed. Jesus now comes face to face with the third attack:
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt bow down and worship me. ( KJV)
There's no disguise there. ( Satan ) strips himself of all disguise, lays the cards on the table, and says, "Now if you'll pay homage, if you'll worship only me, if you'll bow down before me, I will give you the kingdoms of this world. I will give you the title deed to this planet. The whole thing will be yours in exchange for your worship. It's all yours lock, stock and barrel.
What about it? Consider something just a minute. As they came face to face, they both knew that it was Satan's to give. In exactly the same way, Jesus did not rebuke Satan when Satan quoted Scripture, because they both knew he was quoting it correctly. In that first temptation, they both knew that Jesus was Deity and Divinity and that Jesus had the power to turn the stone into bread. They both knew it. And Jesus knew when Satan offered Him the kingdoms of this world and the title deed to this planet that Satan held the title deed, and it was his to give.
How do I know? Watch something - and those of you who have been following some of my other messages will especially appreciate this portion of the Word of God because it is a proven fact that Satan was once one of the most beautiful angels that God ever created.
.........And this is what caused Lucifer to be changed from one of the most beautiful ( beings ) God ever created to that which is known as Satan, the devil, today - the one who stood face to face with Jesus in these temptations that we've just been speaking of:
For thou hast said in thine heart, ( speaking of Lucifer ) I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. - Isaiah 14:13
I think we can safely say from this Satan did have a throne here on this planet because of his speaking of "my throne." In other words, he was saying:
I will take my throne from off this planet where I am ruling over millions of angels, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most High God. I will have the adoration, the homage, the worship that Almighty God has.
( Always in the mind of Satan, he had been jealous of the worship, the adoration, the complete homage God had been receiving. Always, he has had an obsession with worship) . that is the reason why, when we come to that period of time yet in the future which John saw on the isle of Patmos in that marvelous vision God gave him, Satan will demand worship by men right here on earth. ***
The day is coming when he will not be known as the ( spirit of) Anti Christ ( 1 John 4:3 ) but in reality, he will be the Anti-Christ, Satan incarnate, demanding the worship of men here on this earth.
.......Satan has an obsession when it comes to worship. That's the reason he takes a sinner, he takes a man, and holds complete sway over him. Men and women ( following ) him who never dream that he is demanding their full and complete worship. That's the reason one of the hardest things in the world - and it can only be broken by the divine power of the living God - is the hold, the grip, the power that Satan gets on the bodies, on the lives of men and women. ******
He fastens a hold onto them. He demands their worship. He has such an obsession with worship that literally when he came face to face with Jesus, the Son of God, he said:
There's one more thing. Do you see these kingdoms of the world and all the glory? Do you see this planet? It's mine. I hold the title deed to it. God, in judgment, may have stripped me of my body, and I am left as a disembodied spirit, but He did not take from me my poer. He has not yet taken from me the title deed to this planet. It's still mine. And all these things will I give thee, if thou shalt bow down and worship me. ( Matt 4:8 paraphrased )
That's the third temptation. What did Jesus do? Jesus knew the days would not be far spent before with His own shed blood, He would have paid the price in full. He knew that again the kingdom would be regained, the planet would be regained. He, the Mighty King of kings and the Lord of lords said, I prefer to worship the Lord God Almighty. Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written: Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and him only shall thou serve. ( Matt 4: 10 KJV paraphrased )
He ( Jesus Christ ) came out of the third temptation the mighty victor, completely sinless........Therefore, you need never be defeated on a single score or in the face of any temptation unless you consent to it.
- Katherine Kuhlman From radio sermons trascripts - also mentioned in Kuhlmans biography by author, Roberts Liardon.
http://sermons.christiansunite.com/Kathryn_Kuhlman.shtml
also see Katherine's website page for other wonderful sermons and her life of ministry work for the Kingdom of God.
http://www.kathrynkuhlman.com/
