BOUND IN LOVE
Luke 4:1-13
Welcome
to Lent. We began on Wednesday with the imposition of ashes. In an
attitude of penitence and humility, for the next six weeks, we will
focus on our need for a savior. Someone who will, as the Psalmist
describes, bear us up on a rocky path, give refuge from life's
storms, bring us to honor from dishonor, rescue us from the deep
waters that threaten us.
First,
some background to set the stage for our meditation on the gospel
lesson. Sometimes, how things are said is as important as what is
said. Two gospel writers record a genealogy for Jesus. While
Matthew begins his message with that record, Luke purposely chooses
to trace Jesus' family history all the way back to Adam in an
interlude between Christ's baptism and the opening words of today's
reading. Luke thus firmly establishes Jesus as fully God: “You
are my Son, my Chosen; with you I am well pleased,” AND as fully
man, the Son of Adam. He highlights Jesus’ qualifications as
humanity's redeemer. Only as Son of God and
Son of man can Jesus bridge the abyss, living and dying for our
redemption.
Beyond
that, each of the three synoptic gospels records something of the
time of trial, the forty days of testing that Jesus underwent
immediately after his baptism.
Mark,
in his typically terse manner, writes simply that, “At once, this
same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild. For forty wilderness
days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his
companions, and angels took care of him.” [Mark 1:12-13, from The
Message].
Matthew
begins his record of the story with these words: “Next Jesus was
taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready
to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and
forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme
hunger, which the Devil took advantage of...” [Matt. 4:1-2, TM].
Finally,
Luke's opening, also from The
Message,
states:
“Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by
the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he
was tested by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when
the time was up he was hungry. The Devil, playing on his hunger,
gave the first test...” [Luke 4:1-3, TM].
Let
say here: temptation is about self-discovery. From the beginning,
temptation has been about finding the real self, exposing who we are
rather than who we like to imagine ourselves to be. It always
involves attractive things – not sulfur, fire, and brimstone, but
something lovely to the eye, the touch, the taste.
The
temptation of Jesus is an effort to play his deity against his
humanity; a sort of divide and conquer technique. Temptation on
the human side is a pull to turn our back on God, to throw off our
dependence and elevate ourselves. But there is another view.
Temptation from God's side involves a proofing, a strengthening and
validation. Jesus' victory in the wilderness demonstrates that
this perfect union of humanity and deity are not at odds; Jesus is
fit for the task God has set before him.
As
a soldier in training must face fire from his trainers before he
faces it from an enemy; as a quarterback must be tested by his own
teammates before facing opposing defenses, so Jesus is thrown into
the wilderness to face Satan before he faces the opposition of those
who will ultimately take his life.
Jesus’
temptation forms a multilayered story; one which parallels the human
story. At the deepest level lies the story of Adam and Eve and the
serpent’s proposal that they become like God. Then there is
Israel’s 40 years of wandering; being tested in the wilderness.
Perhaps closer to Jesus’ experience is that of Moses who was with
the Lord for 40 days and nights during which time he neither ate nor
drank but was taken to a high mountain and shown all the land as far
as the eye could see.
Certainly
Luke tells the story of Jesus’ wilderness struggles to highlight
his relationship to our forebears in Eden, to the history of Israel,
and to the prophecy that God would raise up one like Moses. However,
the real impact of this story does not lie in its echoes of Jewish
history nor is it simply to satisfy historical curiosity. Rather,
Jesus' testing spoke, and still speaks, directly to a people, to a
church whose own faithfulness is forged again and again by trial.
Jesus is not tempted because he has departed from God’s will; Jesus
is in the desert because he was led by the spirit.
Temptation
indicates strength, not weakness. One is tempted only to do that
which lies within one’s capacity. The greater one’s capacities,
the greater one’s temptations. The fierceness of Jesus’ desert
struggle is silent testimony to his power. Jesus is wrestling with
the will of God for the ministry now before him and is presented with
three avenues — all with immense possibilities for good.
Recall
the lure to Adam and Eve, “You will be like God.” Could any goal
be loftier? There is no hint of sin or shame.
Jesus
has before him three excellent offers:
- Turn
stones to bread. In a world of unbelievable hunger, why not?
- Enter
the political arena, exert authority over kingdoms. In a world of
slavery, war, oppression, and disregard for life and rights, why
not?
- Leap
from the pinnacle of the temple. In a cynical and callous world,
why not a coercive shock into belief?
Jesus
survives the test in the desert. How so? Not simply by quoting
Scripture, although the Scriptures were an enormous source of
strength. Neither was Jesus’ victory in the desert achieved by
denouncing the tempting offers.
On
the contrary, in the course of his ministry he did feed the poor; he
did perform wonders among the people; his ministry did have and
continues to have enormous political impact. Rather, Jesus’
response to every test was to refuse to try to be like God or to be
God. He COULD have done wonders by fiat, he COULD have decreed
forgiveness from on high, but he CHOSE to walk among the people, to
touch them, to hold their hands.
Nor
did he use the power of the spirit to claim exemption from the
painful difficulties of his life. He did not use God to claim
something for himself. And it was this serving, suffering, dying
Jesus whom God vindicated by raising him from the dead.
Jesus’
temptations did not end in the desert. Again and again he was
tested. "Avoid the cross," said his well-meaning
friend Simon. And then there was Gethsemane.
With
us, the story is the same; testing never ceases. This is why when we
gather, we frequently pray: Our Father in heaven, let your name be
hallowed. Your will be done. Give us bread for today. Lead us not
into temptation. Deliver us from the evil one.
The
wilderness is a difficult place but it is good to know that the
Spirit who will do us no harm leads us there. Soon after his
wilderness experience Jesus began to invite and attract people to a
new way of life. Through our own wilderness experience, we can
foster faithful living in others.
So
it is, in the wilderness we receive what only God can provide for us
– strength and direction.
Jesus
is our savior, he is the first fruits, and we are called to be like
him – not something we are going to do on our own however.
On
the web, there is a site called “Whimsy.” One of the
humorous pages on that site is called “Hotel Announcements.”
Most of these reflect the difficulty people in foreign countries
having in translating their language into English. At the
entrance to a French hotel swimming pool is a sign that reads:
"Swimming is forbidden in the absence of a
saviour."
That puts an all too familiar phrase in a new light.
Not
only swimming but life should not be lived in the absence of a
Savior. We have a savior - one who remembers who we are - one
who loves us as a father loves his children - one who seeks to
nurture us as a mother nurtures her brood. And what's crucial,
this savior has ventured into the same waters in which we swim.
He
knows the waters we are in. He has battled the currents -
fought the foes - and shown that he is able and shown that we - when
we swim with him - are able as well. Our savior remembers who
we are - and he loves us - and seeks the best for us. He knows
we are weak swimmers - that we from time to time we will flounder and
thrash - and sink.
If
we are to pass through the wilderness, we too must attend to our
preparation. Each year, we set aside a period we call Lent. We
fast, we give, we pray. We who have so much fast from food to
remember the hungry. We who are so wealthy give of our resources to
remember the poor. We who are so proud pray to remember the broken,
the lonely, those abandoned by friends and family, and cast down.
And with the Psalmist we claim God's promise in our time of trial:
Because
he is bound to me in love,
therefore
will I deliver him; *
I
will protect him, because he knows my Name.
Amen
The Rev. John Dryden Burton
Lent I – February 21, 2010
St. James’
Springfield, Missouri