Temptation has Died…Trust has Come
Luke 4:1-13
March 3, 4, 2007

"The old has died…the new has come." Do you recognize the words? Those of you who attended the Ash Wednesday service may remember the phrase. As you received the sign of the cross on your forehead, these words were spoken: "The old has died…the new has come." Traditionally, the ashes remind us of our mortality-"ashes to ashes, dust to dust." But ashes are also a sign of purification-of "burning away" what is unnecessary and impure in our lives. The season of Lent can become an important time of spiritual growth for us. These days leading up to Holy Week can provide opportunities for us to "burn away" or give up or let go of harmful things in our lives. And these days can also offer us a challenge to take on new spiritual disciplines and let God enter into our lives in fresh and meaningful ways.

As you may recall, the word "Lent" comes from the same root as the word "lengthen." Literally, "Lent" is a description of the lengthening of days in the springtime. It is a time for new light and new life to come into the world. Hopefully, the season will be a time when we can strengthen our relationship with God. The messages from now until Easter will be variations on the phrase, "the old has died…the new has come." As we read the scripture lessons each week, I hope that we will hear the invitations in the texts-to let go of the old and welcome the new…the life-giving gifts that God offers.

Here are some of the themes we will consider.
Today, "Temptation has Died…Trust has Come."
"Darkness has Died…Light has Come."
"Pride has Died…New Perspectives have Come."
"Rejection has Died…Reconciliation has Come."
"Despair has Died…Hope has Come."
And finally, on Easter weekend, "Fear has Died…Faith has Come."

I also invite you to "take on" some new spiritual discipline during Lent. We were laughing in the office about a story that Jenell shared. They had a guest priest at her church who got everybody's attention. He began his sermon by shouting, "I hate Lent!" After he woke everybody up, he made the point that too often we trivialize the season by giving up things that don't matter-and then "blowing it" in a big way the first chance we have.

And so, let us not trivialize the season-let's look for ways to do things that matter and that make a difference. It might be daily Bible study and prayer, or a regular time devoted to being silent and listening for God. It could be a new mission or ministry project, a new way to spend our time, talent, or resources. It could be a new effort to repair a broken relationship.

Some people find that using the devotional booklet, The Fellowship of Prayer, is a helpful tool during the season. PEAKING OF THE DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET, IF YOU HAVEN'T PICKED UP A COPY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO. The author, Tom Bandy, is a well-respected consultant for faith-based organizations. Some of the devotional booklets we have used in the past are what I call "feel good" booklets. But Bandy's doesn't fall in that category-so far, at least. His very candid and challenging words have smacked me right between the eyes on several occasions already! For instance, here is his take on our topic for today. Bandy exclaims: "Temptation! There's no escaping it! "Television food commercials begin at 10 p.m. because they know we are hungry-they always know. "The world is a perverted Santa Claus, uncaring whether we are naughty or nice, but profoundly aware of what we want. "And profoundly aware of what price in sacrificed integrity we are prepared to pay for it." He says, "Even if we stop playing the game, avoid TV, internet, reading, human conversation, every luxury, and live in a cave, temptation finds us. "Ask any medieval hermit. "The temptations are even worse: the lustful thoughts, hunger pains, and (most precious of all) the arrogance. He says, "The really good thing about Lent is telling everybody what you have given up for it." He goes on: "If life is appetite and appetite is life, there really isn't much point to living. "The only way to make it endurable is to make the most of it. "Capitalism is organized temptation-it brings people together in an endless cycle of tempting and being tempted. "We can do it, and make a living off it, all at the same time!" But Bandy adds: "There is another way." Jesus can become your Spiritual Guide-he will help you break free from organized temptation. "He will hold you accountable to a higher purpose." And here is the prayer he offers about temptation-and another example of his candidness: "God, we're hopeless! "Our guiding principle is 'Where two or three are gathered together, there is a sales opportunity.'" "Show us the way to break free."

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE LESSON REMINDS US THAT IN JESUS, WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN SHOW US THE WAY TO BREAK FREE. Today's text is a remarkably detailed tour of Jesus' temptations that are given by an articulate, Bible-toting, scripture-quoting devil. This is Jesus' first day on the job. And what does he do? He takes off for a 40-day sabbatical in the wilderness! But it is important to recognize that the word "Spirit" appears twice in the first verse of the passage. The Holy Spirit, which comes upon Jesus at his baptism, now fills Jesus. The Spirit's guiding presence leads Jesus during this time of fasting and testing in the wilderness.
For Luke, the Holy Spirit that descends on Jesus at his baptism is an inseparable part of his being. So we get a sense that this time of testing is an important time for preparation for Jesus to begin his ministry. During the temptation sequence, there are numerous echoes of Old Testament stories. And it is interesting to note that Jesus does not offer an "original" word of his own in the dialogue! In response to the first temptation-to turn a stone into bread-Jesus responds with the words from Deuteronomy 8:3-being obedient to the Word of God is more important than bread. After the second temptation-to have the glory and authority of ruling over all the kingdoms of the world-Jesus counters by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13-God alone is to be worshipped. Jesus' final temptation transports him to Jerusalem and the "pinnacle of the temple" where he is offered the chance to test God's protective presence-but Jesus' trust in God is such that he does not need to test God's grace with foolish actions. Jesus resists what some have described as some of the most basic temptations of life-instant gratification, misdirected worship, testing our relationship with God by abusing our freedom. And it is interesting to note that the temptation story is followed immediately by another reference to the Spirit. If we read on in verse 4:14, Luke tells us that "filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returns to Galilee and begins to teach." Filled with the Spirit and equipped with a "BIG" picture understanding of scripture and his relationship with God-Jesus begins his ministry.

WHAT IS IT FOR YOU? WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST TEMPTATIONS? OR MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY? C. S. Lewis once said that some people have a "silly idea that good people do not know what temptation means." He says this is an "obvious lie-only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is." Someone "who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later." "That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. "They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. "We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it." And Jesus, "because he was the only person who never yielded to temptation-is the only one "who knows to the full what temptation means."

Do you agree with Lewis? Do you agree with Tom Bandy? Are we hopeless? Are we so immersed in a culture of temptation that we have trouble recognizing it any more? Perhaps we just don't get it? But Jesus does-and he knows that temptation is often connected to impatience and the desire for instant gratification. He knows that temptation often begins with something that is really quite innocent in itself-a little food, a chance to be a leader, a sign from God. Not that these are our only problems. Think of money, sex, success, fame, fortune. All of these things can be good or bad, depending on the timing and how they are achieved. All are wonderful gifts of a loving and life-giving God, designed to bring us nourishment, opportunity, pleasure and well-being.

But sometimes we get into trouble because we want them now-and we don't want to wait for them or work for them. We want the short-cuts-the quick and easy way. We are blasted and bombarded with these messages day after day. Be a star, the next American Idol or Survivor! Have it all, win the lottery-somebody's gotta win-why not you?

We see people like Anna Nicole Smith or Brittany Spears and an unholy host of athletes get an unbelievable amount of press and air time for all of the wrong reasons. Indulge yourself, get it fast, have it now. We hear this message every day in a thousand different ways. And so, we look to the example of Jesus. We listen for the guidance of the Spirit. We equip ourselves with a healthy understanding of the Word of God... So that we are able to resist the lure of the moment. And so we are able to trust that God will satisfy us in the fullness of God's own divinely-appointed time.

Some of you know the name Harry Emerson Fosdick, one of the greatest of all the American preachers. He described his preaching as "counseling on a large scale." But you may not know that as a young seminary student he reached the breaking point after working an overwhelmingly difficult summer in a New York mission. One day he stood in the bathroom with a razor to his throat-he thought about taking his own life. But then…then he heard his father in the other room calling his name, "Harry! Harry!" It brought him back… and he never forgot it.
He said it was like the voice of God calling him home. Friends, when you are in the wilderness, trying to find your way through…when temptation comes calling… And offers you the wrong answer, the wrong choice, the wrong use of power, the wrong way to popularity, the wrong kind of pleasure, the wrong kind of partnership… Remember…remember that God has called your name: "You are my beloved daughter, you are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased."

Let times of testing and temptation be transformed into trust that God will see you through.