First Sunday of Lent – Sermon 298

• Holy Communion 10.00am
• 10^th March 2019
• First Sunday of Lent

Prayer to start

May the words of my lips and the thoughts of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and honour of our Lord Jesus Christ            

AMEN

Introduction

Jennifer went for a long walk in the woods –

It had been an exhausting campaign – all that handshaking – making speeches – late night sessions – but now the election was over –

and she had won – by over 10,000 votes –

they wanted her – they had chosen her – this was her day – and it was so sweet –

She knew she needed space to think – to reflect – to work it all through – she needed that long walk in the woods – 

Her ideals were still there – the dreams of service – of changing the world – of making things better –

But she was shocked!  – what were all those other voices in her head?

Point 1

We all get them – don’t we – those voices in our heads – raising doubts and fears – about what we are doing – trying to get us to do something we know we shouldn’t do –

Sometimes they can be very difficult to resist – lead us down the wrong path – making it difficult for us to turn back again –

We shouldn’t be surprised – to learn then – that after His great moment of vision – when Jesus sensed God’s love and calling at His baptism – that He too needed time to think – to plan ahead – to face those voices in His head –

The first Sunday in Lent – is when we traditionally hear of the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness – and when we too – set out on our – own wilderness journey – our own walk in the woods –

In Lent – many of us think about giving something up – to prepare ourselves – to identify ourselves with Jesus and his time in the desert –

But throughout this desert experience – Jesus considered the voices in His head – merely distractions – distractions from worshipping and trusting in His Father – the one true God

Every moment of our lives – God calls us to know Him – to love Him – to worship Him – to celebrate His presence within us – to reflect His image to the world –

Temptations try to lure us away from that privilege – they lower our gaze – shorten our horizons – encourage us to settle for second best or worst –

For Jesus – it wasn’t a question of taming or controlling the voices in His head – but recognizing that if He followed them – He would miss out on the best His Father has to offer

Point 2

The first temptation – played on the very strength that Jesus received – at His Baptism – ‘You are my Son, my beloved one’, – God’s voice had said –

‘very well’, whispers the devil’s voice – ‘if you are the Son of God – command this stone to become a loaf of bread’ – Surely God can’t want you to go hungry when you have the power to feed yourself’

After forty days without food – those large flat stones of the desert must have looked like huge pieces of bread – Adam and Eve had tasted the forbidden fruit – and the devil wanted Jesus to taste it as well –

But Jesus responded with a passage from the story of Israel in the wilderness – from Deuteronomy (8:3) – ‘Man shall not live by bread alone’

For Jesus – If the choice was between doing God’s work – in God’s way – or doing it His own way – Jesus will choose God’s way –

Bread sustains – but doesn’t guarantee life – life is God’s gift – to those who live by His word – follow His commands – trust in His promises –

This was what the people of Israel learned during their time in the desert – when God miraculously fed them with manna – and as a result – they were humbled and totally dependent on Him – they came to realise that God can provide them with much more – than they ever thought –

Turning those stones to bread – would be no compensation for the loss of the – gift of life – that God – can bring

The gifts Jesus has – which He will soon display in healing – and teaching are to be used to restore others to life and strength – and not to make His personal circumstances easier –

We face similar questions about how we should use our gifts – are we using them fully for God’s purposes – or just for our own personal comfort or gain?

So you say – said the devil – but hang on a minute – doesn’t God want you to become king of the world – that’s no easy task – looking after all these kingdoms – I should know- but ‘To you I will give their glory and all authority – if you then worship me – it will all be yours’

Again Jesus responds with a passage from Deuteronomy (6:13) – ‘Scripture says –Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’ 

The people of Israel were asked this question – in the wilderness – whether they worshiped God alone or other God’s as they did with the Golden Calf – they were tempted to forget what God was giving them – what He promised in His great act of deliverance –

Jesus is committed to trusting God completely – to loving and serving God alone – the devil himself may offer undreamed of – power and popularity – but the Father – offers much more –

Jesus the Messiah had come to do His Fathers will – and only with the Father’s help will His mission succeed – The path of becoming the world’s Saviour – is not by seeking status and power but through humble service to God –

Like Jesus – We too need to focus ourselves exclusively on God – to give Him rights over everything we are and everything we do –

To allow Him to lead us and show us the way forward –

OK – said the voice – if you don’t want to take my offer – fine – but if you want to be king – you’ll have to get yourself noticed – you’ll need to do something spectacular – something that will show people how important you are to God – ‘throw yourself down from here’ – from the top of the Temple – ‘He will command His Angels to protect you – they will bear you up’ – you know they will –

Jesus saw through the trap – He answers again with a quote from – Deuteronomy (6:16) –

‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’

Jesus is committed to living off God’s word – trusting in God completely – without setting up trick tests to put Him on the spot –

The power that Jesus has will not be used for cheap stunts – but to restore others to life – His status as God’s son commits Him – not to go for prestige – but to follow the path of humility – service and finally death – on a cross –

Like Jesus we too should realize that its God’s authority that needs to be noticed – It’s not about other people noticing or admiring us – we are humble servants – and we should be ready to tell others of God’s greatness and power.

Point 3

The voices in our heads are a mixture of good and evil – those moving us away from God’s purposes – and those encouraging us to move closer to God and His way of doing things –

We will know which is which – by testing them – against scripture as Jesus’ did – and against God’s loving behavior and promises –

As Paul reminds us – no one who believes in Him will be put to shame – everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved –

we must defeat the devil at this most personal and intimate level – not allowing his suggestions to develop into words and actions – letting only Jesus and the Holy Spirit –set our agenda – shape our way ahead – and with the Jesus and the Holy Spirit leading us – we will be increasingly transformed – into God’s way of doing things – into His likeness-

Throughout His temptations Jesus remained single-minded – in His devotion to God –

He was tempted in the areas of humanities greatest needs – physical comforts – the need for security – the need to be accepted and to influence others –

The devil wanted Jesus to use His powers in a way that would compromise God’s plans for Him – But for Jesus – worshipping and receiving the love of the Father – was far greater and richer than anything that the devil could offer-

In the wilderness  – the Israelites had grumbled for bread, flirted with idolatry and put God continually to the test –  but on entering the promised land – as our OT reading shows  – they knew that God had been true to His promises –  and they worshiped Him with their first fruits – and did not take the land for granted –

We will be tempted – not only into wrong belief – or wrong action – but also into missing out on the best that God has to offer us –

Like Jesus we need to keep our eyes firmly fixed on God – and trust only His voice – for everything –

Close

A little boy stood in a grocer’s shop – staring at an open box full of chocolate Easter Eggs –

Now then me Lad – said the grocer – What are you up to? – Nothing replied the Boy.

Nothing? – Well it looks to me as if you are trying to take a chocolate egg! – Your wrong mister’ said the boy, ‘I’m trying not to’

The temptations we face day by day – and at critical times – in our lives – may be very different to Jesus – but they have the same purpose – To entice us into committing sin – to detract us from the path of service and worshiping the true God –

We will be tempted at the times that matter most in our lives – or when we are weakest and most vulnerable – but we need to keep faithful – not give up on – the one who will lead us safely through –

if we believe in our hearts and confess with our lips – that ‘Jesus is Lord’ –- we will be saved – He will show us the right way forward.

Prayer                 

AMEN