March 14, 2022 – “Temptation”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”            John 3:16-17

“My hope is built on nothing less – than Jesus and His righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame – but wholly lean in Jesus’ Name

On Christ the solid Rock I stand – All other ground is sinking sand

 (My Hope is Built, hymn  Edward Mote, 1797-1874)

Lent is marked by the themes of temptation, confession, forgiveness, denial, and prayer. There is a longing for deliverance from sin, death and the devil experienced by persecution, tyranny, injustice and hatred in this world. Our hope is that G-d will redeem all creation – begun in the birth of Jesus and completed when Christ comes again. It is the hope that G-d will come again in  righteousness to reign over G-d’s people and creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign Christ will come to renew all things.

Temptation: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” Luke 4:1

Sure, we have to begin Lent with temptation – it is appropriate – but it also seems like rubbing salt into the wounds of our Lenten denial. Did you ever think of the temptation of Jesus as a miracle story? Yes, it is a miracle that Jesus could withstand the devil. And yes, it is a miracle that the devil could quote scripture.  But that is not what I am talking about. Going 40 days without eating – that, my friends is a miracle. And so when Jesus is at his hungriest, the Devil tempts him to turn stone into bread.

If you think about it, this is how the devil is so successful in this world – the devil knows just when to strike: when we are at our weakest. The devil knows what we crave the most: exactly what we desire when we are at our weakest. That is when the devil strikes. Several years ago my wife and I took our kids to The Magic Kingdom for a vacation. As we entered the park I noticed a smell – it was the smell of chocolate, as if someone was baking chocolate chip cookies. I looked around and did not see a bakery, or a cookie shop, nothing. What I realized they were doing, those scoundrels, was piping in the smell of chocolate – so if you or your kids were hungry, you would immediately begin to seek out a place to eat.  The temptation hit you immediately – and at this park, it is just the beginning of the temptations. 

My friends, what I have learned most as I have lived my life is how the devil works – and the devil is at his strongest with temptations. Take time this Lent to see what tempts you, and how the Devil might be in those temptations. Like Jesus, it is with the help of the Holy Spirit that we will endure the temptations that seek to separate us from our utter dependence on Jesus.

Let us pray,

Lord you know our wants, our needs, and our temptations. Give us the strength to turn to you for the things we need daily in life – and to resist the temptations of the Devil. Amen

Pastor Dave

March 13, 2022 – Lent 2C

“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
 Then he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.” Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Promises Promises

On Lent 1C, I asked the question “What is Authority?” Today I ask the question “What is a Promise?” Now, the strict definition of a promise is a word given now that binds the maker of the promise to actions or relationships maintained into the future. Making a promise, however, can be tricky business. So much about the times and the events when the promise is made can change. The context might change. The individuals or circumstances upon which the promise is made can change. As such, the original promise may need to be reconfigured or changed completely. The promise G-d makes with Abram is a promise where G-d goes to great lengths to place G-d’s claim on the promise, and on Abram as well. G-d’s love is not just set upon some kind of a promissory note—G-d’s love and presence is bound to G-d’s pledge and promise. In other words, when G-d “Cuts a deal”—G-d keeps G-d’s word. G-d’s promises of love and fidelity are not conditional—they are not temporary—they are unconditional and eternal.

G-d is not going to renege on a promise.

But, the bible is filled with many stories where people were unfaithful—where they lied and deceived—where people have fallen short of the love, faith and fiduciary responsibilities we are to hold toward G-d. And those stories begin with people like Jacob and Esau—and then Jacob and his uncle Laban—then on to the Israelites. They are relationships that are filled with lies, deceit, greed, and selfish ambition. Jacob steals his brother’s birth-right. Jacob is deceived by Laban to marry the wrong sister. Jacob’s sons sell one of their own to Ishmaelites. G-d seemingly forgets about the Israelites while they are slaves in Egypt only to have Moses rescue them and lead them into the wilderness toward the Promised Land. All the while, each one of these people have a tendency toward more disobedience than obedience. They broke more promises than they kept.

And yet, G-d remains faithful and we can trace this fidelity back to Abram—whose faith in G-d and G-d’s promises is reckoned to him as righteousness. Abram—the one of doubt and faith. Abram—the one of questions and trust. This is the one G-d binds G-d’s self to for perpetuity. The descendants of Abram, soon to be named Abraham, well three religions can trace their lineage back to him. There is good news then in this reality—it means that G-d welcomes our questions—our searching doubts—and our cries of “G-d now what?” and “G-d, I thought you promised?” And G-d is open to those questions—as such you and I need to be open to uncomfortable answers to these questions.

You see G-d promises to be with us for eternity—the same G-d who binds G-d’s self to us in our baptisms—G-d does not leave us, but G-d also does not promise us a Rose Garden. To struggle in our relationship with G-d is a Lenten experience—it means we are to wander in our faith struggling with the mysteries of G-d—but also the promises of G-d—and the purposes of G-d for our lives. For, this is the G-d of the Cross—a paradoxical revelation that reminds us the great length G-d went to save us—through G-d’s Son—nailed to a cross.

Pastor Dave