"In What Do You Trust"

                                             In What Do you Trust 

Feb 14 2016   Deut 26: 1-11 Psalm 91 Romans 10: 8-13  Like 4: 1-13

The local sheriff was looking for a deputy, and one of the applicants - who was not known to be the brightest academically, was called in for an interview. "Okay," began the sheriff, "What is 1 and 1?" "Eleven," came the reply. The sheriff thought to himself, "That's not what I meant, but he's right."  Then the sheriff asked, "What two days of the week start with the letter 'T'?" "Today & tomorrow." Replied the applicant. The sheriff was again surprised over the answer, one that he had never thought of himself.   "Now, listen carefully, who killed Abraham Lincoln?", asked the sheriff. The job seeker seemed a little surprised, then thought really hard for a minute and finally admitted, "I don't know." The sheriff replied, "Well, why don't you go home and work on that one for a while?" OK said the applicant.  Upon meeting his pals who were waiting to hear, “well how’d it go”?  "The job is mine, first day on the job and I'm already working on a murder case!" 

In our Gospel reading this morning found in Luke 4: 1-13 it is Jesus' first day on the job. I always find the passages leading up to Ash Wednesday and Lent very intriguing.   Here the very Spirit that anoints Jesus with Ministry in the Jordan now leads him directly into the wilderness to be tempted in every way that we too are tempted.   Immediately he is confronted with three major temptations.  Would he take the crown without the cross?
These are the most basic temptations in life and they form the foundation for all other temptations...    The first temptation the Master is faced with is twofold?

1. First his personal identity is challenged.  "Who are You Anyway"

“If you are the Son of God” Prove it to me and satisfy not only me but yourself and your hunger by turning these stones into bread, come on Jesus you have the power and there is no need to starve yourself to death.    If Evil could get Jesus to respond to this test he would have scored two major blows in proving Jesus was just like any other ordinary man in past.  Adam couldn’t resist his temptations in the garden, nor could the peoples of Israel during their 40 years of exile in the wilderness while on their way to the Promised Land.  No human had ever resisted this test in the past folks.  Think how hard it is for us to resist pushing ahead on our own, with our own agenda without waiting on God to show us the way.  Say the words “bet you can’t do it, or can’t have it” and watch our curious, impatient mind try without though of the consequences.  Besides if you were physically starving I bet you would do anything to get a bite to eat.  I’m told the mental and physical stress of hunger on the body is overwhelming. That’s basically what evil was trying to get Jesus to do.  “If you are God’s Son you have the power to fix that, what are you waiting for Jesus, you don’t need God here, right now.”  

Dangle a carrot in front of us and just watch as we begin to reach for it.   When someone asks, who you are, what do you say?  How do you prove who you are?  And even if you can describe and image of who you are, just try living up to that image.  No human until now has ever resisted this temptation, to feed the starving EGO or to set God aside so as to complete their own agenda. Our human nature is always hiding something. 

2.  The Second temptation is to put God to the test.  Evil tempts Jesus to physically put himself in harm’s way in order to force the hand of God to respond.  Surely if you are the Son of God He will not let you fall and die, nothing will happen to you.   Folks think of how hard it is for us to refrain from participating in this temptation.  We more than not take life for granted until trouble befalls us.  Then many of us look to God more like the imagined santa clause than a wise Father figure.  We send up the request for help and instantly it should happen and it should never be a “NO”, not yet or not now.  Jesus didn’t fall for this because for him God is the only one who grants both life and death, is the only true source for a yes or a no.  One should never put God to the test and again until now no human has ever rejected the temptation to take God for granted.  Evil must have really been confused or just maybe this entity was beginning to think it was faced with someone who just might be more than human? 

3. Thirdly, Oh this is the BIG ONE folks, no human could surely resist this one.    This is where I win evil must have thought.  He offers Jesus the world with all its wealth, possession, glory and power.  It doesn’t get any better than this folks but there is a cost.  Turn your back to God and worship only me says evil.  But hear again until now no human had ever or has ever resisted some part of this temptation with evil.   Let me say again these three are the most basic temptations in life and they form the foundation for all other temptations.    

Evil gets a little piece of us every time we turn our backs to the teachings of our Gospels.  There is one teaching that encompasses all the others.  Love the Lord your God will all your heart, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.  It contains all thee love’s.  Keep it close and you will keep God close.  

                                   "The Market Blues"