Stewardship of Life

The Examination

By Sharron R. Blezard, March 6, 2014

Lectionary Reflection, First Sunday in Lent, Year A
March 9, 2014

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9

Even before Wednesday’s ashes mark my forehead, I can feel the lures and wiles of the world already nipping at the heels of my all-too-fragile faith. Life’s dusty wilderness winds began to howl the questions of Lent’s onset and examined hours: Who are you? What makes you tick? What do you desire? How do you consume? Who is part of your circle, and what do you truly value? What stones beg to become bread at your command? From what pinnacle are you tempted to leap? How sure are you of your piety and worth? And what cultural sirens are singing you toward the rocks of destruction? In this examination, the answers that you choose really do matter.

With sermon prep for Sunday, more questions bubble up. Will people hear this wilderness interlude from Jesus’ ministry as just a quaint story of victory over adversity, of good over evil? For the faithful in the pews, is it only a blip on the church year radar screen? Does the story have real-life application that can carry the faithful across the vast cultural wasteland of 21^st century America? I could almost hear the words, “Remember, this is a test, and your answer truly matters.” Ah, now that’s temptation for the preacher. Come Holy Spirit!

There are myriad ways to approach this short passage, but I wonder if Matthew’s account of Jesus’ testing can teach us not only about how our Lord fought an assault on his identity as the Son of God but also about how the forces of evil operate to chip away at our own identity as children of God – and how we can fight them. A passage that seems so straightforward is actually deceptively complex and ripe for contemplation and application.

The first temptation—stones into bread—invites us to consider what “stones” we seek to make our bread. What addictions substitute for those things that really fill and nourish body and soul? What “stones” do we willingly carry and assign meaning that only weigh us down and sap our life and soul energy? What “stones” replace healthy relationships and values? What “stones” become stumbling blocks rather than solid foundations for faith and discipleship? The answers to these questions matter.

The second test for Jesus concerns proving his identity. Wasn’t it enough that God had spoken at Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan? Not for the adversary, who challenged Jesus for more. What is at stake for us today in our Christian identity? Do we have to prove it in public and profound ways? From what pinnacles are we challenged to plunge in a feckless test of divine faithfulness?

Finally, Jesus is confronted with the lure of having it all. Just bow down and worship that which is not God. Yes, just sell your soul and it’s all yours. What holds such allure for us right now, today? Will we really have it all if we bow to illusion and false hope, worship the gods of consumption on the altar of power? Jesus’ response is a resounding no; only God can satisfy. Only God is worthy of worship. Only in God is one’s true identity revealed.

So if this Lenten examination is a test for us today, what does this mean? Each of us must answer that for ourselves, through prayer and contemplation. The pondering and wrestling are essential, contextual, both personal and corporate. In the asking, in the wondering, and in the journeying we draw closer to God and to the inevitable and salvific reality of eternity. After all, we know the outcome: Love, grace, and mercy prevail. Yet, still the questions matter.

Blessings on your Lenten examinations, your holy wrestling, and your faithful pondering.

In Worship

A Slanted Truth

Remember Emily Dickinson’s poem that begins “Tell all the truth but tell it slant”? Click here to access the entire poem. Consider with the congregation how Satan’s challenges to Jesus are not really evil and in fact are quite logical for the Son of God. It’s a slant on the truth of things. It’s a slight deviation from the right path, just a hair’s breadth askance. Invite those present to share ideas about what sorts of “slanted truths” test us today. How can being part of the body of Christ in your context help keep us on the right path and focused on Jesus who will not lead us astray?

With Youth

Tempt You/Tempt Me

Show the “Marshmallow Test” video clip, where young children try to avoid eating a single marshmallow in order to be given another one. It’s a funny clip, but it makes a valid point about temptation and how we humans often respond. Look at the gospel lesson with the youth. Jesus was tested by the devil in ways that were not particularly bad, but that were not in accordance with God’s will. How do such temptations play out for us today? How do we handle our “marshmallow tests”? Click here to watch a TEDx talk about the principle behind the Marshmallow Test and how temptation and immediate gratification lead us to make poor decisions that reflect a lack of self-control. You may not want to show the entire TEDx talk to the youth, but it is helpful in setting the context.

With Children

But WHY Can’t I Eat It?

Prepare a plate with a beautiful chocolate in the middle (maybe a Cadbury egg or some other treat that looks really tasty). Surround it with a few unpeeled carrots, an eggplant, some Brussels sprouts, some prunes, and some broccoli (or other good for you fruits and veggies that lack “kid appeal”. Ask the children what on the plate looks the best. Most will say the chocolate or sugary treat in the middle. Tell them the story from Genesis, where the man and the woman in the garden are told they can eat the fruit from any tree in the garden except for the one in the middle. This tree looked good and looked like it would taste good. So the woman takes some and eats it and shares it with her husband. Suddenly they understood why it was not good for them to have eaten it because their eyes were opened. Tell the children that eating the candy in the middle won’t cause them harm, but it isn’t nearly as good for them as the other foods on the plate. Often we choose to consume the things that we know are bad for us because they just look SO good. It is tempting to make bad choices because bad choices often seem really good at the time. Have a healthy snack on hand for them to take with them (popcorn or animal crackers are good choices), but be careful about food allergies. Finish with a prayer asking God to protect them from making bad choices.

 

 

 

Photos: out0fwave, Klearchos Kapoutsis, and micurs, Creative Commons