Temptation

September 4, 2024

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

Back in the old cowboy days of Texas, there was a bandito named Jose Rivera, who robbed banks and stagecoaches. He was a mean hombre and Texans were tired of living in fear and being robbed, so a Texas Ranger was hired to capture Jose’ Rivera and retrieve their money.

The ranger searched Texas and into Mexico-until he found Jose at a cantina in Chihuahua. As he entered the cantina, he saw only two people in the bar-the bartender and a man snoring loudly at a table, with a bottle of tequila and a gun in front of him.

The ranger said to the bartender, “I am looking for a thief named Jose Rivera and would take him dead or alive. Do you know where he is? There is a reward if you help.” The bartender smiled, pointed to the sleeping man and said, “That is Jose Rivera.”

The ranger drew his gun, walked to the sleeping bandit and said, “Are you Jose’ Rivera? The man mumbled, “No habla Ingles.” The ranger called to the bartender, who spoke Spanish-tell Jose he is under arrest.

The conversation was long and difficult. First the ranger spoke in English, the bartender translated into Spanish, then Jose’ Rivera responded in Spanish, and the bartender translated the answer in English for the ranger.

The ranger told Jose he had two choices-(1)-tell him where the cash and stolen stuff was, and the ranger would let him go free. (2)-if he would not reveal where the loot was, the ranger would shoot Jose dead. The bartender translated.

Jose’ Rivera sat upright, suddenly fearing for his life. He said to the bartender in Spanish, “Tell the ranger to turn right from the bar, go about a mile, and he will see a well. Near the well he will see a tall tree. Next to the tree is a large rock. If he lifts up the rock, he will find a pit with all the jewelry and over $1,000,000 in cash. Please just let me live.”

The bartender turned to the ranger, opened his mouth-realized he held Jose Rivera’s life in his hands. He swallowed, paused and said, “Jose’ Rivera says, ’Go ahead and shoot! He will never tell where the loot is.’”

The temptation to have $1,000,000 and jewelry came to this bartender suddenly and unexpectedly. Temptation can be like that. It might suddenly happen, or it might be a lingering bother. Temptations can be serious or funny. It can be life; it can be death. It might be doughnuts or drugs. It might be Truth or a lie. Temptation comes in many forms and many ways. It is alluring; it draws us, speaks to us, and beckons us. It says, “take the easy way out.”

Everyone who has ever drawn a breath, including Jesus has faced temptation. But there is not a single person who has ever lived, except Jesus who has not yielded to it at some time. Temptation is an inevitable part of our fallen world. We cannot escape it, only deal with it.

The good news is we can overcome temptation through God’s power. Giving into temptation is a choice. We are not victims to our shortcomings and feelings. God gives us the strength to do the right thing, or if we fail, to get up and try again. Go out in the strength of God today, my friends.