26 Feb SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023

While praying the Lord’s Prayer this week, it was funny to think of how what happened in today’s gospel reading influenced Jesus’ own way of praying and how he decided to teach his disciples about prayer. Because of what happened in the wilderness, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray for daily bread, to ask the Spirit NOT to lead anyone else into temptation and for general purposes, that everyone may be delivered from evil. 

There are interesting similarities and differences between the stories of temptation in Genesis and Matthew. On one hand, Adam and Eve had everything possibly needed. At home I have a big framed embroidered piece quoting Genesis 1:29, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of the earth.” Around the words are colored sprigs of herbs in blossom: tarragon, sage, savory, dill, parsley, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, basil, chervil, mustard, thyme, and chives.

The framed piece reminds me that since the beginning of time, God provided every tree, and in every tree was fruit that yielded seed. Genesis 1:29 says that God told Adam and Eve, “to you it shall be for food.” Everything they could possibly need was given, but they were not satisfied. Instead, they set their sights on the fruit of a tree that was not on the menu. Like many of us, they craved what seemed desirable, even though God warned it would lead to disaster.

On the other hand, Jesus is in the wilderness, a place without any trees or fruit. In fact, the wilderness of Judea is not like any wilderness we know. The territory was barren, every surface bleached white by the sun. There were mounds, ridges and gullies, but nothing grew or survived. The wilderness of Judea where Jesus was tempted by the devil was the exact opposite of paradise. The wilderness was a place of exile where death was certain.

That being said, we can draw an interesting conclusion: temptation comes at both extremes, when people have much to choose from or else little to nothing from which to choose. Either state, the state of being full or the state of being empty, weakens people’s ability to perceive what’s best. Either state causes us to act spoiled or out of desperation, exactly what Satan counts on. 

Satan figures Jesus wants one of three things: food, a desire to rise above his current circumstance, that is, to be rescued from it, or three, to receive power. Satan thought just by suggesting Jesus turn rounded stones into loaves of bread, he would. But instead of jumping on the ruse, Jesus had an ready answer and saw through the devil’s trick.

Never allow yourself to become too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

One of the best acronyms I ever heard came from Dr. Charles Stanley. I may have shared it with you last year, but it’s worth repeating. He warns people to H.A.L.T. “Never allow yourself to become too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired,” Dr. Stanley says. If you do, temptation will have its way, Satan will win, and you will lose. So try to remember that acronym when venturing into the wilderness territories of hunger, anger, loneliness, or fatigue. 

That’s why fasting can be dangerous and should always be paired with prayer. Fasting goes against what a body needs and wants, it’s unnatural. Perhaps it wasn’t too hard for Jesus to fast forty days because he was supernaturally made. The number forty is significant biblically. It denotes a necessary period of time for change to occur. Over forty days, people can transition from one way of being to another. Jesus was about to begin intensive ministry which would require strength, resolve, and fortification. 

He would be tempted many times in the months ahead, as we will be. If Jesus thought it best to prepare himself by intentionally focusing on spiritual disciplines, couldn’t we do the same? After all, it’s only forty days, a brief season of practice meant to challenge and transform us, prepare and transition us from one way of being to another, to a better, stronger position where we too, will be able to resist temptation and fall back on God’s word. 

Another aspect of temptation brought to light in both readings is this: temptation plays on a person’s sense of self, it stirs up hurt emotions,  introduces doubt, mistrust, feelings of not getting what we deserve or all that seems available. Temptation includes the notion of feeling deprived, like someone’s withholding, or doesn’t trust us to handle what’s been labeled off limits. 

For Adam and Eve, what was off limits was knowledge of good and evil. For Jesus, Satan tried to instill the notion that God wouldn’t provide what he needed, that God didn’t see him for who he really was, that there was distance between him and the Father. 

Jesus would have to make his own bread from rocks because he wasn’t really God’s beloved Son whom he loved and in whom God was well pleased. Satan assumes Jesus is hungry. He looks all alone and without comfort. After forty days, he had to be tired. What Satan fails to realize is that Jesus was never alone, was constantly spiritually fed, experienced no anger, and in spite of his circumstance, wasn’t really all that tired. 

What Satan counts on in order to tempt or deceive is a person not being satisfied, following the human tendency to fantasize or envision scenarios better than the one they’re in. Why else do we order new things, book vacations, change who we work or live with, peruse online websites, or become obsessed with possessing, going, or being something we’re not? 

What the Bible aims to do is help us better understand human discontent. It tries, but often fails to engage us, so it highlights stories like the one about Jesus today. It tries to inspire us by showing that even Jesus needed undistracted time alone with God. Even Jesus had to practice being spiritually disciplined. Even Jesus had to learn and exercise his ability to pray. Even Jesus had to focus on trusting and accepting what God alone had to offer for forty days. 

Even Jesus needed undistracted time alone with God.

Many years ago, I had a recurring dream. In it, a well-dressed man stood before crowds wowing them with his good looks, charming speech, and winsome humor. Only I realized the man was really Satan. In my dream, I would always try to convince the crowd of his real identity. Telling them who he was never worked. He would deflect my comments out loud or make fun of me making a scene.

Finally, one strategy worked. I dared him to say aloud, “the Our Father.” He tried to laugh off the challenge, but I drove home my point by telling the crowd that Satan would never say the Our Father aloud because he would never hallow God’s name.

In the dream, Satan stopped smiling and finally couldn’t speak. His nature and intentions proved to be totally self-serving. When it came to acknowledging God as supreme, he couldn’t bring himself to speak the truth. The truth is always what separates evil from good, Satan from God. 

Something Jesus did that Adam and Eve could not is the very same thing God let me do in my recurring dream. God helped me recognize evil, to not be fooled by it, and expose the truth to others. All of my life, I’ve only wanted to believe what was true and help others do the same. 

Therefore, let’s wrap this up by hearing from the Book of Romans. What Paul says doesn’t necessarily equate original sin with the sins of all humankind. It simply explains that death entered through an initial opening, then many fell into condemnation as a result of their own trespasses. People became stuck and couldn’t free themselves, so God made a gift of grace. That way, earning was removed from the entire equation. 

If breaking the law equaled sin that resulted in judgment, death, and condemnation, then grace had to be gifted. That way, no one’s behavior could jeopardize the ultimate outcome desired by God: complete knowledge and restoration through righteousness. God never wished to deprive humans of knowledge or the experience of handling new or challenging things. God only wished to spare humanity the heartache that comes from wanting too much, too soon.

Satan offers three things, always: 1.) instant gratification: whatever you wish delivered, prepared or quick to assemble; 2.) instant remedy: change attached to big risks. Assurance there’s no need for worry because God will protect you; and 3.) instant fame: whatever your dreams are made of which includes all you’ve ever wanted.

The good news is that we can learn to recognize both evil and truth. We can believe that through the life of one Jesus Christ and his actions we are made righteous in spite of disobedience. We can know we’re set free in spite of bad choices, we don’t have to suffer because we were fooled into believing something untrue about ourselves or someone else. 

The free gift of grace is abundant and enables us to do what we cannot do ourselves: be like Christ. Exercise discipline for forty days. Practice trusting God, focus on developing spiritual muscle, and increase our resolve to unmask evil and spread truth. 

Evil has to stop talking and leave when faced with God’s truth. That doesn’t necessarily mean quoting the Bible, entering a debate, or facing evil head-on, but it does mean finding a strategy that works to expose it for being a con, a manipulation of human feelings and emotions whose intention is to inspire sin rather than obedience to God. Let us pray. 

Lord, may we not fall for quick fixes, false promises or try and test your love and care. Inspire us to seek you, uncover evil and truth. Strengthen resolve to better understand our weaknesses, meet new challenges and succeed as you hope. May we not succumb to temptations of plenty, desperation, or say to ourselves, “If only,” thereby inviting Satan. Help us change over the next few weeks, and remember that angels are always present and on-call, watching and waiting for your word. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.