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Temptations (or: Move with a Purpose)
by The Rev. Canon R. Craig Smalley
Year C, First Sunday in Lent
Deut 26:1-11; Luke 4:1-13
February 21, 2010
unedited
The age-old question, “Does God care?” is addressed in the lessons placed before us today and it is answered with a resounding yes. In Deuteronomy and Luke's Gospel we hear of God, in his loving and merciful purpose, reaching down into the impasse of our human condition and the fallen creation to deliver us, to give us hope, to offer us salvation and a greater purpose for our lives in relationship with him.
During my time and tenure at The Citadel I learned many new sayings and phrases, some of which I can share from the pulpit, and one that stands out to me today is “Move with a purpose.” We heard this often our knob year as in, “Move with a purpose, nut!” We often did though we also developed the ability to appear as if moving with a purpose when really we had no idea what our purpose was other than to appear to be moving with one.
This can often serve as a metaphor for life as we move along through it not quite certain of what we are doing or why. We are, however, all driven by something and by contrast to our wanderings, in the scriptures today and throughout the entirety of the Bible we see God moving with a purpose.
We begin today with Deuteronomy, an important book, quoted by no less than Jesus during his temptations in the wilderness. It records the time in which Moses spoke from God to the people of Israel following their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. This was a time in which God had worked to shape and fashion them in relationship with him, forming them as the people of God, teaching them many things, ultimately teaching and giving them the great gift of being able to trust in the power of God for their lives, the provision of God for their lives, and the knowledge that God is alive and at work with his purposes in our lives.
Moses is preparing the people entering the Promised Land and this particular portion we hear from this morning deals with first fruits- the giving of the people of God in their relationship with God. As they are commanded to give of their first fruits in their worship of God they are reminded of that seminal event for them, the time in which God heard the prayers of his people during their bondage and slavery in Egypt and the way in which God, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, personally intervened in the impasse in which they found themselves. They are reminded that they can have hope and certainty regardless of what is going on around them in the knowledge of the active work of God in their life, the God who addressed the impasse that they could not address themselves.
Impasse is an important word, one not used lightly and it means, as you know, a predicament affording no obvious escape, a deadlock, in layman's terms we describe ourselves often as being stuck. We see in the Old Testament God responding to the people who were stuck, deadlocked, in a place with no obvious escape, and wonderfully and powerfully he stepped into their lives to deliver them.
I have recently reread a wonderful novel by Leif Enger entitled Peace Like A River. It is a wonderful book full of scripture and theology. Though not a theological book, it is one that clearly deals with the issue of the human condition, human sin, and the way that God comes into our lives to give us the gift of atonement, to give us hope where we would otherwise have none. The main character in this book is a young boy named Reuben Land and I share with you a moving portion from the book. Though throughout the book there have been no shortage of miracles and divine intervention, Reuben finds himself in a place of despair and lost hope. Life has thrust many things upon him and he is spent. He is alienated, wracked with guilt, broken emotionally, spiritually, and physically. And now his asthma has severely taken hold of him, his airways are closing, and he is not sure whether he is going to make it. And then we read these words…
“One thing I wasn't waiting for was a miracle. I don't like to admit it. Shouldn't that be the last thing you release: the hope that the Lord God, touched in His heart by your particular impasse among all others, will reach down and do that work none else can accomplish- straighten the twist, clear the oozing sore, open the lungs? Who knew better than I that such holy stuff occurs? Who had more reason to hope?”
Young Reuben speaks of the fact that he had forgotten the ways in which God had moved, that he who among all people should have hope found himself without hope. I share that with you because we see in the lesson today, the people of Israel being reminded to place their hope, and their faith, and their trust in God and to remember the ways he had been present in their lives, the ways that he provided, the ways in which he had moved with his purpose, the way that he had cared for them.
In the Gospel today, we see that once again God steps into the impasse, the broken cycle continually repeating itself and Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, goes into the wilderness to confront the devil. He goes into the wilderness to overcome the temptations of the devil, to accomplish for us what we cannot accomplish on our own.
The devil waits for an opportune time, when Jesus is in a weakened, exposed condition and suggests that God doesn't care, that perhaps he has abandoned Jesus, that he won't provide and that Jesus would do better to provide for himself. Does that sound familiar?
This is something that we can relate to, the temptations that come to us when we are weak, when we are down, exposed. I would say as an aside that among the times we are most susceptible is when we think we are strong for pride inevitably goes before the fall.
Jesus, however, despite his weakened state, draws upon the strength of God and is able to resist the temptations placed before him. The devil tempts him saying you need these things, you deserve these things, and there is an easier and quicker path that I can offer you.
As Jesus withstands these temptations we read that the devil did not ultimately concede, but it is ominously stated that he departed until a more opportune time. Reading through the Gospels we see that he did reappear frequently in the demons Jesus cast out, in the opposition of the religious leaders and the crowds, in the stubborn unbelief of the people, even in the disciples themselves who would unknowingly tempt Jesus to take a path of least resistance rather than the path directed by God.
And we see the devil, in one last furious attempt, tempting Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and we see the prayerful faithfulness of Jesus as he prays to the Father, drawing strength from the Father, remaining steadfast in the purpose of God. We see that purpose fulfilled as Jesus remains faithful unto the cross and as he reigns in glory from the cross. In this place, once and for all, Jesus takes our place and defeats the power of the devil and the power of sin and death. Though he is taunted to step down from the cross, Jesus remains faithful unto death, even that death upon a cross and through his precious blood shed for us enables us to be washed of our sins and assured of salvation through our faith in his sufficiency.
We see the good news given to you and me, to those who place their hope and trust in him, that despite all of the temptations leveled at Jesus he remains faithful to the purpose of God. Herein is our hope and salvation. We can live with joy and confidence even in the midst of the struggles and trials and temptations of this life because God has moved with a purpose in Jesus Christ.
Our hope and strength are in his strength and sufficiency, who endured all the temptations and through his cross and resurrection, through his blood shed for you and me has forgiven our sins, has restored us to a relationship with God and has given us a hope and strength and salvation that all of the momentarily trials and struggles and tribulations of this life cannot take away from us. We have in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ one who is mighty to save.
Amen.
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