First Sunday in Lent: Temptation

3/1

at Beverley

The weather has turned cold again. And there's no Q train running this weekend so I have to take longer walk i the cold to get to Beverley. I sit with Geraldine before the service. And Yevgeny (Eugene) makes me a cup of coffee. Irina is preparing the table for communion. We will begin soon. It's the first Sunday of Lent. 

After reading Matthew 4: 1-11, it's time for my reflection:

Soo…after a warm middle of the week, it turned cold on us again. But here’s the deal…by this time tomorrow , I expect to be in Florida in a ballpark waiting to see my hometown baseball team play a game, It’s what they call “spring training”…that wonderful six weeks in Arizona and Florida where our major league league teams go to prepare for the upcoming season. It’s an ages old tradition.

And it seems to me  a fitting  metaphor for us and what we’re up to during Lent, and of our "spring training"  as we get ready for Easter. But let's start with a look at Jesus and his “temptation in the desert.”  I want us to  notice some things….first, notice it's the spirit that leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It’s almost like they’re on the same team….the devil’s job is to make sure Jesus is ready for what happens next...like you, know, Lou Gossett as DI Foley in an Officer and a Gentleman?  Like Satan’s going to put Jesus through the paces then tell the Spirit he’s good to go.

SO what temptations does Jesus face?

Let’s look at them one at a time.  First, “turning stones to bread”….Jesus had fasted for 40 days and nights, He was famished. And even more, aware that there is hunger everywhere. BUT, still he replies that we do not live by bread alone…               

Second, it's the David Blaine way to fame, so to speak. Throw yourself off the edge of the temple  or St.John the Divine and you’ll caught….a real crowd pleaser. It’s Jesus’ call to gather the people. This would do it! It's Jesus’ response that we are not to test God. That is, if God really loves him, then he will be saved. Jesus rejects that idea. ( I think that in our own way, we test God ourselves…always daring God to save us...)

Finally, offered all the kingdoms of the world if he will worship Satan. (Note…Satan is saying he is in charge of the world…I could believe that!)  Jesus wants to establish his kingdom. Here he can get that! He could still set upon his own governance by his own rules. But he responds …we must   ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him             

And so the devil leaves him, Jesus has passed the test. Satan will-pass along the word that Jesus is “good to go”…..and immediately, the angels come to  help him recover.

So here’s what I want you to see….everything the devil tempted Jesus with was a basically a  good thing.  No proverbial wine, women and song. No or sex, drugs and rock n roll.  More like sustenance, influence,  and power. All things he needs. This has two implications for me…Satan is clever enough to match our temptations is uniquely personalized way. Just like he knew Jesus’ most important desires, he  will know ours. It’s also kind of like knowing we can’t take a short cut. Every time in my life’s work I have tried to take the short cutout has never worked. The temptations for us are less like Harvey Weinstein and more like the Houston Astros. 

And also that it's really hard to know the difference between a temptation and a call. They can be soooooo close.  You know that old spooky thing around 666? DO you know what it really means? It’ simply this….that 7 is the traditional perfect number….666 is about as close to 7 as you can get, the point being the line between good and evil can be a really thin one. We have to be careful.  I’ve sometimes heard these ministers caught in some sexual misconduct issue reported to have told their victim that their relationship was God’s special gift..                      

On the one hand that’s manipulation, pure and simple. But on the other,I can almost believe that on some level, they truly believed that. Leonard Cohen once sang about you who have never been tempted by a demon or the Lord…Here’s an overly simple idea…if it’s something you wouldn’t want people to know about it’s a pretty good sign it’s not the Lord you’re dealing with.

Our resources are scripture (read through the eyes of Jesus), the Holy Spirt and each other. Part of why the church is here is to help us in our discernment. As we consider our own temptations, let us use Lent as a time of reflection and discernment. May Lent be our spring training so that we can be ready for opening day , ie Easter. O maybe re-opening day, A chance for beginning again, A chance for new life. 

I appreciate how Evgeny crosses himself Orthodox style for communion. I am pleased that there are potential new members taking a class with Geraldine. Always signs of life...Lent has begun...after coffee it's back into the cold to head to Manhattan. 

Gospel Matthew 4:1-11

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”4But he answered, “It is written,
     ‘One does not live by bread alone,
          but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
     ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
          and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
     so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” 11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him