Sermon
Harriette Simmons
Matthew 4:1-11

The lessons on this first Sunday in Lent have an underlying theme – that is, there is something basically wrong with humanity. The lessons also have another underlying theme – that is, God has arranged a way to fix this brokenness.

First, let’s take a look at the “bad news.” Genesis gives it to us pretty straight. God lovingly made human beings out of the dust of the earth and put them in a perfect place – a garden which contained everything they needed for health and happiness. But, because of their pride, the two humans, Adam and Eve, decided that they knew better than God. They yielded to the temptation of the Evil One, the serpent, who told them that if they ate of the forbidden fruit they “would be like God, knowing good and evil.” The temptation was too much for them, the fruit too delicious looking. They ate of the tree and what happened? Scripture says, “the eyes of both were opened,” and they became ashamed. And because they were ashamed they went and covered up their naked bodies with leaves.

Ever since this “fall of humanity,” humans have been ashamed. Shame is different from guilt. Guilt results when we do something specific which is wrong. If I steal something from you, I am guilty. I can acknowledge my guilt and give you back your property, ask for your forgiveness and maybe have a relationship with you again.

Shame is different. Shame is that prevading feeling that there is something wrong with me. That I don’t quite measure up. The feeling that I really need to hide my true self from you because if you really knew who I am, you won’t like me. Guilt can often lead us to repent – to turn around and go down a different path – to lead a different kind of life. Shame, on the other hand, often has a paralyzing effect. It keeps us from becoming who God wants us to be. It forces us to hide – to live behind a mask. Many times we create a false self.

I remember a number of years ago when I had a real conversion experience which led me to a deeper walk with God. After a period of searching, I got down beside my bed one day and prayed fervently that if “all this Jesus stuff” was real, God would help me to believe it. Two things happened at that moment – one was that I knew without the shadow of a doubt that God was real and that Jesus was real. The other thing that I knew was that there was something dreadfully wrong with me. What was wrong with me was not some specific thing that I had done wrong, but rather that I was totally and completely selfish. I had myself on the throne of my life rather than God, and that fact caused me deep shame. Even when I couldn’t call it by name, there was a basic unease about my state of being.

Now, for the “good news.” Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans that “just as one man’s (that is, Adam) trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.” God came to the earth in the form of a person, Jesus of Nazareth, God Incarnate, and absorbed into himself all the pain and the shame and the guilt of this world as he hung upon a cross. And he offered back to us his righteousness, his peace, his holiness, his wholeness.
What I have just told you makes absolutely no logical sense whatsoever, and there is no way on God’s earth I can make you believe it. But, if you will dare to believe it, your life will never be the same. You will never have to be ashamed of your humanity again.

Now, I have told you the “bad news” and the “good news” about the ultimate state of our being. But how are we going to work out “our salvation,” as St. Paul puts it, in our very human lives? Lives in which we must do very mundane things like go to work, take care of our children, care for elderlly parents, relate to the people we see every day.

Let’s take a look at the Gospel today – Jesus is in the wilderness for forty days. It is an interesting fact that scripture tells us that Jesus “was led by the Spirit,” that is, the Holy Spirit, into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It was necessary even for the Saviour of the world to experience temptation and the subsequent power to overcome temptation before he could go about his mission.

Temptation is common to all humanity. Jesus’ temptations were a little different from the ones we usually face. Lust, avarice, sloth, gluttony, anger, covetousness, pride – now there are some temptations we can identify with.

But, the temptation to turn stones into bread? What is so wrong with that when there are so many hungry people in the world? The question for Satan is not if Jesus is the Christ. Satan knew he was the Christ. The question is what kind of Christ is Jesus going to be? The Christ who acts the way the kingdom of this world works or the Christ who operates in terms of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus resisted the temptation to turn the stones into bread by turning to “the power of God which resides in his Word.” He resisted the temptation to become a “wonderworker” whose answers are only temporal. Sure we need food. God wants us to help provide food for those who do not have it, but food is not the answer to the deepest needs of our souls. God is the answer. We are constantly tempted to think that the “good” things of this world – food, drink, education, power, prestige – are going to make our lives worthwhile. It is only by the power of God that we can stand against this temptation. We, too, can turn to the word of God to get strength to resist temptation.

The second temptation was the temptation to sensationalism. If Jesus came to help people why not get his name out there in lights by jumping off the pinnacle of the temple and letting the angels catch him? That would surely get everyone’s attention, wouldn’t it? He would not have had to spend all that time teaching people and healing them and being misunderstood by the religious people of the day. But, Jesus said, “It is written, do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

We are all tempted to sensationalism. We don’t want to do things in the ordinary way. We want to be the best looking, the smartest, the richest, the most powerful, the humblest, and we want it right now! Only God can work in us patience and peace and satisfaction with the circumstances of your life.

The third temptation for Jesus was the temptation to take a “short cut.” The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and told him that if he would only bow down and worship him, he would deliver all these kingdoms into his hands. Wow! What a temptation. It sure beats hanging on a cross in agony while feeling the pain of the sin of the whole world. Isn’t that what Jesus came to do – to ransom us from the power of Satan?

Jesus resisted these temptations. He resisted them by turning to God. Remember just before he was led out into the wilderness by the Spirit, he had been anointed by God’s Holy Spirit. Remember what God said to him? “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

The “good news” is is that you are a “new creature in Christ.” The old has passed away – all is new. You are the redeemed. You cannot live a righteous life through your own will power. In fact to try and do so is an inverted sort of pride.

But, God can make you righteous. Turn to God this Lent and let him work his power in and through you. Amen.