You are redeemable [Lent 1]

READINGS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE:

• Genesis 3:1-21

• 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

• St. Matthew 4:1-11

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

 

Who speaks to us today, saying,

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil”

 

As we ponder the Temptation of Jesus today, we should remember that God has been building up to this point the last few weeks, in the readings of His Church. Especially with Ash Wednesday fresh in our minds, when we felt the sting of death and sin in our flesh. Not that we won’t today, but now we can look at temptation in its proper light.

 

When we think of temptation, we think of the big things. Take Jesus’ example as an example. He is tempted by kingdoms, glory, and pride. All of which we have been taught to avoid, since we were younger. He was also tempted by bread. A little harder, for those of us who have tried different diets, but still manageable. This temptation of Jesus seems like a gimme.

 

In fact, most of the temptations we think about from day to day seem to be easier than the Bible suggests they are. Lets go down the list. Don’t be a glutton, everything in moderation. Don’t be too greedy, help the little guy, there’s enough for everyone. Don’t be slothful, others depend on you and you have to work to survive. 

 

Don’t get angry, it just leads to more anger, be happy. Don’t be envious, what you have is good enough. No pride either, a little humility goes a long way. No lust or adultery. These things are easy to do, because not only do they hurt others around you and make you look bad, but they also hurt you. 

 

Because of social pressure, we have an relatively easy way of keeping our public life in check. Since we don’t want to go to jail, cause drama, or end up dead or poor we keep up appearances and if we happen to have a pull towards doing something nefarious, we keep it to ourselves and deal with it.

 

Easy.

 

Something that becomes easy in life, becomes automatic. Something that becomes automatic, becomes forgotten. And something forgotten festers and grows out of sight out of mind.

 

Here we see the danger of “majoring in the minors”, in other words using up all our energy on looking good to others, in stead of using that energy towards a life of faith. For Jesus spent all His energy in order to purchase and win your victory over temptation.

 

Do not spend your energy on what is a temptation or what is testing from God. In your sin, you won’t be able to tell the difference. Each and every test or temptation, your job is to run to confession and God’s job is to be tempted on your behalf and redeem you.

 

Because you are redeemable. And you must be armed with this Redemption and daily expect to be “incessantly attacked, in order that no one may go on in security and heedlessly, as though the devil were far from us, but at all times expect and parry his blows. For though I am now chaste, patient, kind, and in firm faith, the devil will this very hour send such an arrow into my heart that I can scarcely stand. For he is an enemy that never desists nor becomes tired, so that when one temptation ceases, there always arise others and fresh ones”, says Dr. Luther in his Large Catechism (LC:III:109)

 

Life is full of stumbling and we pray, “lead us not into temptation” Lord. Not that we get to avoid it, but we pray that we may not fall and be drowned in it. Instead, in Christ, all these work out for our good. St. James says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (1:12).

 

Why is a man suffering under trial and temptation to rejoice? Because “…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces …hope” (Rom 5:3-4). Are you tempted? Your Lord was also tempted. Are you heavily burdened? Your Lord was burdened and carried your griefs and sorrows. You rejoice, because Jesus rejoices in that He has defeated sin, death, and the devil, for you.

 

“…the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials” (2 Pet 2:9). See how He parries every attack from Satan! See how nothing can sway Him from His course! See the strength that the man of God possess. Did He fail? Did He stumble? Did He turn tail?

 

As we sang today, The Valiant One has taken the field and fights for us. The Champion has come. The seed of the woman Who will crush the serpent’s head has now arrived. His sword is His Word, His shield is His true Body and Blood, and His power is His cross.

 

“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God…If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”, says St. Peter in his first epistle, “Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1 Pet 4:16-19).

 

Do not fear what you are about to suffer, be faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10), for what today is a cross and a crown of thorns, tomorrow is freedom and the victor’s crown. Today we must bear down in patient endurance, tomorrow, the Lord “…will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (Rev. 3:10).

 

Today is bread and wine, tomorrow is an eternal feast. Today is dust and ashes, tomorrow is everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness. But now is the favorable time for the salvation of God to appear in front of you and work just as well as it did during the temptation of Jesus. 

 

For Christ’s victory is brought to you, is handed over to you, weekly. He places you upon the victor’s pedestal and drapes the medal over your head. To the victor go the spoils, He says, as He baptizes you and communes you into His death and resurrection; into His victory.

 

Temptation and testing are not easy. But no matter how much you are tempted or tested, nor how much you think yourself unworthy to receive God’s forgiveness and blessing, you are because the Lord commands it.

 

“you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”, says 1 Peter 2:9.

 

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13)

 

And Acts 26:18,

“I will deliver you…to open your eyes, so that you may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that you may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me”, a place at the Table, as it were. You are redeemed. The Word makes it so.