Monday, February 27, 2023

Sermon - Lent 1 - Matthew 4:1-11

 


Tempted For You

Matthew 4:1-11

A blessed Lent to you.  In this season of penitence and fasting, of meditation and prayer, we tune our spiritual senses more keenly to the struggle with sin.  Temptation.  An experience common to every person, and yes, especially to every Christian.  Hebrews tells us Jesus is not  “unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but… in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin,” and also, “because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”  So we must consider our own struggles with temptation in the light of Christ’s temptation.

Matthew’s Gospel for today shows us that Jesus himself is tempted during his 40 days in the wilderness.  Tempted by none other than the Devil himself.  As we consider Christ’s temptation today, we can plumb its mysteries and learn from his example, consider our own struggle with temptation, and rejoice in his victory over the devil on our behalf.

The devil is a master of evil and deception.  From the very beginning he has sought to lead man astray, and he doesn’t stop even when it comes to the very Son of God.  The enemy uses every foul device he can, every wicked trick in his collection, and aims them all at Jesus.  We should take careful note of his tactics.

Notice, first, how the devil waited until Jesus was good and hungry, near the end of his fast, at his most vulnerable.

Temptations also come to us in force when we are in a similar weakened state.  Alone, tired, weak.  It may well be the devil who tempts us, or it may be the sinful world or even our own sinful nature.  Temptations are sure to come, whatever the source.  But we do well to flee from temptation and avoid situations where we are vulnerable and weak. 

So, for instance, Christian, don’t isolate yourself from the body of Christ.  For that makes you easier prey.  Stay with the herd, as it were, lest the lion single you out as easy pickings. 

The devil also has the audacity to use God’s word and twist it in with his temptation!  Of course, even in the garden he mixed truth and lies to deceive our first parents.  We do well to watch our doctrine carefully, lest we be led astray but pious-seeming lies into false doctrine and practice.  Don’t fall for pious-sounding lies that lead you astray from Christ and his word.

That the devil is an expert at temptation by no means gives us an excuse for falling into his traps.  God’s law stands, and there is no “devil-made-me-do-it” provision.  Rather than excuse us for falling into temptation, our Lord Jesus forgives us our sins, and then encourages us to go and sin no more. 

Sin is never winked at, it is always deadly serious.  But it is paid for, covered by the blood of Christ.  Likewise the devil is a nasty foe, and we are warned against him – but he is also a defeated foe, both in the wilderness, and better, by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Now, for Jesus’ part – it is a great mystery that he was tempted.  As true God, it is impossible for him to sin.  However, as true man he certainly felt the pressures of temptation.  One commentator writes:

The man who yields to a particular temptation has not felt its full power. He has given in while the temptation has yet something in reserve. Only the man who does not yield to temptation, who, as regards that particular temptation, is sinless, knows the full extent of that temptation.

Certainly the devil pulled out all the stops with Jesus. His temptation was three-fold, which, in Hebrew grammar, at least, indicates the superlative form.  The devil did his worst, and still Jesus prevailed!

First, he tempted him with bread.  The physical, carnal, fleshly needs are real needs.  And the devil is a master at using our creaturly-ness against us.  Food itself, nor any of the needs of the body- none of these are sinful in themselves.  But our use of them is often turned into sinful idolatry.  We place the created things above the Creator.  We abuse his good gifts in ways we ought not. 

But not Jesus.  He subdues his flesh like we cannot.  He rightly orders the spiritual food above the earthly.  He spurns the temptation and embraces the Word of God – “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

And Jesus, as the Second Adam, he succeeds exactly where the First Adam failed – the devil tempted Adam to eat the forbidden fruit, and Adam sinned.  The devil tempted Jesus to eat bread during his fast, but Jesus prevailed.

Next, the devil tempts Jesus at the Temple.  “Throw yourself down from the pinnacle – and watch the angels catch you.”  A stunt to test the promises of God?  The enemy always tests God by his poking and prodding, and he tempts us to do the same.

What is the devil tempting Jesus with here, but the easy way out?  If angels carried Christ down from the pinnacle of the temple, to a bedazzled crowd of religious people gathered there – then perhaps they’ll just believe in him on the spot.  “Do a miracle, Jesus, and become the Messiah through glory!  Take the easy way out, and we don’t have to bother with all the messiness of the cross.”  It’s the same talk the devil put into Peter’s mouth after Peter’s great confession.  But Jesus, of course, doesn’t take the bait.  He will not take the path of least resistance, but will go headlong into trials, suffering, and cross. He rebukes the satanic suggestion otherwise.

How often are we tempted with the easy way… the path of least resistance… tempted to flee from suffering at all costs, at the cost of our integrity, our faithfulness, and at the cost of not truly loving our neighbor? Jesus again does well where we do not.

Finally the devil takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows him the kingdoms of the world.  “All these are mine,” he says.  Another half-truth.  He’s the prince of this world, but he is a thief and a liar.  They don’t really belong to him.  “And I will give them to you, if you just bend the knee to me.  Worship me.”  And it’s preposterous, of course.  Jesus would never.

But we do.  And for far less.  Whenever we turn from our true Master we serve that other master.  Whenever put aside our sonship and become slaves to sin.  When we sell our birthright for a bowl of something or other, whatever little slice of the kingdom of this world the devil has on offer.

But Jesus is the true king, the true master, the true Lord of the Nations.  He sends forth his apostles to make disciples of all nations through the humble means of baptism and teaching his word.  Thus he establishes his kingdom – through the preaching of the Gospel, and by the work of the Spirit.

Christ defeats the devil, and all his temptations, not only as an example for us.  But he also does it in our place.  Just as he took our place in his baptism to fulfill all righteousness.  Just as he takes our place on the cross, to atone for the sins of the world.  So Jesus takes our place in the wilderness, under the assaults of the evil one, to defeat him for us.  To ever, always do what we cannot do for ourselves, and to win the victory on our behalf.

Jesus undoes, therefore, everything that went wrong in the Garden of Eden. 

There in the garden, the devil won the day.  Here, in the wilderness, the devil must flee with his tail between his legs. 

There, the devil deceived the woman, and she led her husband along.  Here, Christ cannot be led astray. 

There, sin and death came into the world, and Adam gave Satan a share in his dominion, even lordship in this world.  But now the true king has arrived, and he takes it all back and leaves the devil with nothing. 

Adam was exiled from the garden and cast into the wilderness.  Jesus goes to the wilderness to bring us back to paradise with himself. 

All the world was cursed by the sin of Adam, but by bearing the curse of the cross, Jesus brings us blessing. 

By a tree, the devil overcame – but now by the tree of the cross the devil is undone.

A blessed Lent, dear Christians.  May you ever fight the good fight against temptation, and follow as closely as you can the footsteps of Jesus who has gone before us.  And when you fall, repent again, and turn in faith to the one who has crushed the serpent – in the wilderness, and at the cross – and know that your victory is sure through him.

 

 

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