Prayer for Understanding

Holy God, send us your Spirit to calm our thoughts and prepare our hearts and minds to hear your Word. Through your Word, teach us to see you more clearly and love you more deeply day by day. Amen.

 

Christ our Example in Temptation (Found in “Onward Through the Fog.” by E. Morris Pierce)

1. disgruntled member of the congregation
2. – the preacher

B: (Reads the scriptures for the day and begins to preach)

With such powerful Scripture lessons, I feel compelled to preach to you today about “Christ: Our Example in Temptation.”

A: So! You’re preaching about “Temptation” today! Seems to me that preachers are always harping about temptation. If you want us to avoid temptation, why not simple remove it?

B: If it could be as simple as that, God could have removed that certain tree from the Garden of Eden: you know, the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.”

A: Well, why didn’t that happen? Isn’t that where all the trouble began in the first place? Adam said: “Eve made me do it.” Eve said: “The devil made me do it.” And the devil (I suppose I should say “serpent”) could have said: “God made me do it.” God put temptation there in the first place.

B: Obviously you believe that temptation is always someone else’s fault.

A: Well, isn’t it? Think about the story of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve didn’t accept any blame for their actions.

B: Yes, that is a human reaction. What about the temptation of Jesus which we read in the gospel of Mathew? I don’t read where Jesus put the blame on anyone else.

A: All right: now that you’ve brought that up, I just don’t see how that story us if any help to the ordinary guy walking down that street. I mean – turning stones into bread? Who’s tempted to do that? We’re tempted to steal the bread, or the money so we can buy the bread.

B: Granted. The story of Christ’s temptation applies itself to a different example of behaviour. This is not a matter of Jesus being tempted to petty thievery: it is the story of a real power struggle.

A: Are you telling me that Jesus was never tempted to steal?

B: I don’t know the answer to that. After all there is a large segment of his life’s story that is unknown to us. Perhaps as a lad he may have experienced such a temptation. He was human, you know.

A: Okay. So it is possible Jesus experienced the common, ordinary variety of temptations. It’s too bad these were never shared with us. Then maybe we could identify more closely with him.

B: You are forgetting something. All those so-called common, ordinary temptations were dealt with ages ago.

A: Oh? Explain yourself.

B: Case in point: The Ten Commandments! Those deal with all the common sins of human beings.

A: Oh yeah. I forgot about them. But they don’t help me deal with temptation.

B: No, they tell us “don’t!” If we don’t do these things, then we overcome temptation.

A: Ha! I’d like to meet the person who actually never broke any of the rules!

B: Then you need to meet Jesus.

A: Here we go again. We’ve travelled round-robin, right back to my first premise. How does the story of the temptation of Jesus apply to my life and my temptations?

B: By demonstrating Jesus was superior in every way and was made our worthy leader and example.

A: I’m listening: go on.

B: As I indicated earlier, that encounter with Satan was a power struggle. Do you remember what happened just prior to that temptation story?

A: Let me thing…don’t tell me…I know! Jesus went into the wilderness and fasted for forty days. I guess he was a little hungry after that.

B: He probably was. But when he first began his wilderness experience; he was searching for answers. Up until that point in his life he lived as all other Jewish men (except he never married). He went to school, earned a living, and provided for his immediate family.

A: That’s probably the point of his life when he experienced the common variety of temptation… like the ones we deal with.

B: Again. Probably. We only knew that he was the “pure lamb of God, without spot or blemish,” which tells us he overcame all the ordinary temptations.

A: And the ones in today’s lesson were extraordinary right?

B: Definitely. I grant you, that there are people who must deal with issues of power struggle, and these people could follow Christ’s example … far too many of them succumb to the lust of power. And as you have heard: “absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

A: You sure are right there. When I stop to think about the way whole populations of people suffer, I wish I had the power to take away the power of corrupt leaders.

B: Then you would be the one that would have to deal with the temptation of power.

A: I guess I better be quiet and listen to what you have to say.

B: It was in the wilderness that Jesus wrestled with who he was, and what was expected of him as a result of who he was. How was he going to let the rest of the world know that he is the Messiah, the Son of God? Lots of men had tried the same thing: gathered a following around themselves, and tried to “take over” the Hebrew nation. All of them failed because none of the was the Son of God.

A: One would think that surely the Son of God could not fail! But in a way, he did fail.

B: Yes, in a way. But that comes up in a later period of his life, which also involved temptation.

A: Meanwhile back in the desert …..

B: Back in the desert Jesus finally felt ready to end his fasting and begin his ministry. He probably had a plan worked out. This is where the temptations entered.

His human need of hunger brought on the first temptation. He could discover if he had any supernatural powers by turning stones into brad. That would surely prove, to himself at lead, that he is the Son of God.

A: So? What would be so terrible about turning stones into bread? He was hungry. Even gods have a right to eat when they are hungry.

B: Ah! True! But remember that Jesus was sent to earth as a human so that he could experience all the humans experience. If he was going to use his powers to satisfy his every human need, how could he experience what we feel? He would never have to be hungry, or tired, or sick or hurt. He would be divine, but not truly human.

A: I get it. The first temptation was a challenge to his humanness!

B: Because he overcame that temptation, we know that he would no use his divine nature to escape the pain of being human.

But there was still that temptation of wondering just how much power God had given to him. How could he find out?

A: That’s when the devil told him to jump off the top of the temple. I sure would be afraid to try. What if it didn’t work? I mean: Splat!

B: But what if it did? Then all those who saw this remarkable accomplishment would grovel at his feet and proclaim him as their leader!

A: Great! Then he would have had it made. The Messiahship was as good as his!

B: Except for one important factor. Jesus came to establish a kingdom of truth and love. These do not come about by spectacular feats of daring. Truth and love must start from the inside out. First Jesus has to win the hearts of the people. If people did not love him for how he was, they would only be superficial followers and would eventually become disenchanted.

A: Wasn’t the third temptation a little unnecessary? Jesus proved his point. He proved he was superior to the devil.

B: Actually, the third temptation, once again was a power struggle issue. Jesus could have done this “Messiah” thing the devil’s way. Why go through a long, agonizing struggle to win the hearts of the people? He could assert his power from the start and take control of all the nations. That would be playing right into Satan’s hands. Jesus knew that God the Father was really in control. All the kingdoms already belonged to God.

A: And what God really wants is for people to love him with their hearts.

B: At last! You understand! Satan tried to get Jesus to set himself up as a world dictator. But Jesus didn’t bite and the devil finally gave up.

A: You mentioned another temptation that came to him later on. Would you tell me about it?

B: Oh, yes … we were speaking of the possibility of Jesus failing. This must have been on his mind when Judas betrayed him into the hands of the hostile leaders. Jesus knew this would happen, but he hoped it wouldn’t. So he asked God for a different way out.

A: Who wouldn’t! Death by crucifixion is not what anyone would choose!

B: That’s the whole point. Jesus actually chose to die for us. The pure, unblemished Lamb of God became our sacrifice. He had the power to avoid going through the ignominy of apartment failure and actual suffering. There was the temptation – to use his divine power to avoid Calvary and rejection.

A: That was when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Let this cup pass from me, but not my will but your will be done.”

B: Very good. You show remarkable progress in your understanding. Yes, once again Jesus overcame temptation, the greatest temptation of all, and he consented to become our saviour.

A: Thank God!

B: And thank you for having the courage to share your doubts with me and the congregation.

In our dialogue this morning we heard about some of the struggle that people have with temptation

We have all experienced this struggle whether it is with being obedient, having self control or being disciplined

We know what it is to be tempted to do what we ought not to do

This applies to the personal choices we make like how much junk food we eat, or whether we steal or if we gossip about others

It also applies to the way we function as a society and the way we as citizens expect our communities to be just

If it is hard to change the way we act as individuals

It is even harder to change a group, a community, a church or a country

What is accepted practise becomes what is considered to be normal

It comes to be the accepted order

And changing the accepted order is a big challenge

This is a constant in our living

Our world is constantly going through a cycle of order, disorder, reorder

In a small way it can look like this

Order may be seen as eating candy between meals

It tastes good, it is easy to get and it makes us happy

The disorder may be introduced as the warning that says this behaviour has to be changed

Our doctor may say our blood sugar is too high

Our clothes and scales may say that we have put on too much weight

Regardless of why a change is needed, we see the signs pointing to a need for change

Disorder is upon us as we struggle to find a strategy that helps us to make a change

The satisfaction of a candy melting in the mouth is gone

The impulse to snack on something sweet needs to be redirected to pick up something that will satisfy hunger pangs, but not the sweet tooth

There is a struggle as a person works through disorder

Then a time of reorder is achieved as the new behaviour is in place

There are new eating habits and the health benefits are realized

This is a simple example of the way people tend to organize themselves

It is lived out in group behaviour as well as the individual

One example we could look at would be the way people have endeavored to have both men and women treated as responsible capable individuals

One issue was the work that was done to make the vote a privilege that was given to all citizens

Each time there was an effort to include more people in the number who could vote the order was disrupted

When women wanted to vote, they were told that politics was a dirty, back stabbing enterprise and that nice women didn’t want to vote

Nevertheless those who believed that the change was needed worked to change the order that allowed only men to vote

The time of disorder when the need to give suffrage to men and women was a time that lasted for quite a while

There were speeches made, rallies held and arrests made

Finally we achieved reorder and the right to vote is available to both women and man

The same struggle was seen to ensure that Indian people had the right to vote, and that those who did not own property had the right to vote

The process by which we grapple with change does not seem to vary

It can be discouraging to go through the same steps over and over

Just as Jesus had more than one temptation to deal with, so do we

Thankfully we have the help and example of Jesus when we face our temptations

Jesus the Word of God, the word that falls to us like rain on the parched land

The word that gives us what is good

Invitation to the Offering

The season of Lent takes us on a journey with Jesus to prepare us for the day he gave his life for our sake on the Cross. Consider what he has given as you offer your gifts to God in his name.

Prayer of Dedication

God of courage and compassion, we bring our gifts to you in Jesus’ name. This year we need both his courage and compassion for ourselves. Receive our thanks with these gifts and bless them so that they may bring hope to others in these challenging times. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

As we enter into this holy season, Lord God,

we give you thanks for your promise of new life that sustains us,

especially as these months of pandemic stretch on.

We thank you:

For tiny signs of hope, even in a bleak landscape or on challenging day;

For glimpses of beauty in a smile or a ray of sunshine;

For scientific achievements that ease suffering in this time of pandemic;

For the people who support and serve others in times of weakness or loss;

For the chance to recover from mistakes, to begin again.

Lord of life, sustain us with your presence

and give us patience and perseverance as we await the future with you.

 

Trusting your promise of new life, it is with hope that we pray:

For anyone we have hurt by harsh words or careless deeds;

(Hold a silence)

For those known to us who are carrying heavy burdens;

(Hold a silence)

For those we work with;

(Hold a silence)

For all who are seeking employment or worry about their businesses;

(Hold a silence)

For teachers, students and school administrators managing so many challenges this year;

(Hold a silence)

For troubled places in our world and those who work for reconciliation and understanding;

(Hold a silence)

For our congregation and all churches seeking new ways to minister in these months of distancing from each other;

(Hold a silence)

For ourselves and those lives closely connected to ours;

(Hold a silence)

Renew our health and hope for the future you will bring us

through the courage and compassion of Christ our Lord,

as we pray together the words he taught us:

 

The Lord’s Prayer