Luke 4:1-13 for March 10, 2019
The writer of Luke recognized that Jesus was tempted to do these things.
Jesus identifies with humanity throughout His life as we have it in the Gospels. Jesus took on humanity and experienced it fully according to the Gospel writers, and here the Gospel writer wants us to know that Jesus understands temptation from first hand experience.
Jesus was tempted to break the fast, gratifying his flesh instead of remaining focused on spiritual discipline, to be sure.
But beyond that, Jesus was tempted to use His supernatural power to gratify Himself, to prove how much power He had and what status He held as Son of God.
We are tempted to do much the same thing. As children of God, we often hear other people of faith boast about all that God has done for them or will do for them, supernaturally. Proving that we are favored children of God can be a heady thing. It puffs us up with pride and portrays us as people of a certain status among others of faith. It also sends us on a path of seeking status (we call it glory) for ourselves rather than walking humbly with our Lord. If we can claim some supernatural intervention, a miracle perhaps in our lives it gives us even more status as God's child and recipient of glory.
The Roman empire was all about status, even godlike status among its elites. They claimed divine connections and certainly milked their status as much as they could. The Jesus of the Gospels taught and commanded humility and a trusting relationship with God based on the belief that enough is enough and that what God has already provided is tremendous.
Jesus did not take the bait. He cleverly shut it down by claiming that what He needed more was the spiritual connection with God, and not the access to power and status (glory) that He was tempted to pursue, and the worldly trinkets that come with them.
Jesus was tempted to gain the whole world for Himself through corrupt allegiances by the selling of His soul. It was all about gaining power and wealth over others in the world.
We are sorely tempted by greed and the lust for power. It drives us in such subtle and cunning ways that we often do not see how inconsistent it is with the Gospel messages of Jesus, believing that we can serve two masters. It is that about which we make our whole lives and we apply the Agape love we are commanded to live to the acquisition of more power and wealth, rather than to our covenant with God and neighbor. Empire values getting all one can for oneself, even at the expense of others. The Kingdom values the Shalom (well-being, wholeness, completeness) of all people in community. Greed and lust for power drive people apart and set up systems that normalize the few having more while the many go without what they need. That is the nature of empire, and it is tempting to believe that it is just a natural way for all humanity to "take care of number one" and "me and mine." It is a part of our nature, to be sure, but Jesus gave us example on how to rise above that baser nature and keep our focus on serving only God, which according to Jesus means loving neighbor as self.
Finally, Jesus was tempted to test God, to see if God was ready and willing to intervene supernaturally on Jesus' behalf. Jesus was tempted to make the covenant with God all about His being served by God, rather than serving God in faith and love.
It happens all the time. We hear folk talking about God being an "on time God," being "blessed and highly favored" and receiving "supernatural" interventions or bounty from God. The focus is then on God as our servant, like a genie in a bottle or a cosmic pump to be primed with our worship, praise and tithes. It is tempting to get into trouble and look for God to rescue us. It is common to hear people talk about how God will correct injustices or climate change supernaturally, so it becomes normal church thinking that we do nothing ourselves on behalf of others, but rather to pray and "wait on the Lord." The problem is not just what we hope to get. It goes much deeper than that. The problem is our focus on self as if we are the center of concern for those around us and expect that same focus from God. The problem is that we are not content to live in loving covenant with God and neighbor, knowing that we live within the love of God, and serve God by living that love for neighbor. We want to receive worldly treasures from God. We want to be elevated according to empire values by God and still be people of the Kingdom of God. The problem is that we want the spiritual benefits of life with God AND the worldly ones. We want to serve two masters, and that is not possible.
Jesus was tempted to do it, too, according to Luke's Gospel, but He remained faithful to loving and serving God with His whole being - heart, soul, mind and strength.
Perhaps THIS Lenten Wilderness is the time of preparation for us in our walk with God in the future. Perhaps we will have opportunity this year to face these same temptations of seeking status, living in greed and lust for power and thus testing God rather than serving God and neighbor. Perhaps in facing them this year we will come to a greater understanding of the nature of the temptations and the damage they cause if we give in to them - damage to our relationship with God and neighbor, damage to soul and community and the world - and that this year we will make strides in saying, "No" to them and "Yes" to faithful Agape for God and neighbor and thus service to them in how we live our lives. This may be the year we "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with (your) God." This may be the year we walk in Jesus' Way of Agape in the world around us.
With you in the striving to walk in The Way...
Pastor Jamie
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