Sunday, February 22, 2015
First Sunday of Lent
Genesis 9:8–17
Psalm 25:1–10
1 Peter 3:18–22
Mark 1:9–15
I read the gospel this week and it struck me very starkly about Jesus being driven into the wilderness. When I read this, I had a sense of relief. That may seem a little strange; so let me elaborate on that.
In Biblical times, there were all sorts of mythological beliefs. The gospel plays upon one of those beliefs. This does not change the truth of the story but it does help give perspective. Another word that is used in other translations, in replace of wilderness, is desert.
The desert is not a place where we think of life, normally we think; Extremely Hot, Waterless, Lacking Vegetation, in other words Jesus was driven into the desert, where there is no life. This is where it was believed that death resided.
Jesus for 40 days confronts death. In Matthew and Luke, both tell that Jesus is fasting during those 40 days. When someone fasts or even when there is a lack of food as in the case of being in the desert, you will become physically weak. The weaker one physically gets weak, the weaker someone’s will to resist temptations can get.
Near the end of the fast, Satan, while Jesus is at His weakest, tempts Jesus, first with the thing that he has not had, food. Then Satan tempts Jesus with faith, faith in God. Satan tempts Jesus to throw himself off the pinnacle of the temple so that the angles will come and save Him. Finally, when that fails, then Jesus is tempted with the offer of “worldly” wealth.
All the temptation fails. Satan goes away defeated. Jesus knows who He is, and has heard from the Father, who Jesus is. Jesus was baptized and received the Holy Spirit, who is our protector and guide. The angles come to Jesus and tend to Him and then He leaves the desert. He heads to Galilee and proclaims, “…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”[2]
So, just why did I have a sense of relief when I read that Jesus was driven out into the wilderness? Jesus was driven, but we are not driven into any place that is dangerous for us. God does not drive us into harms way. In baptism we are given the Holy Spirit who is with us always. We are marked forever as a child of God. Jesus is a child of God and we share in His inheritance, the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.
The God I know is not some puppet master that leads us to and fro. I have never seen anything in the Gospel, where God wants anything bad for us. To the contrary, God in Jesus Christ has given so much for us, so that we can be with God always.
Shortly after I read the gospel this week, I happen to overhear a group of men, in a bible study. One of them said, “We are called to suffer as Jesus did for us.” I was not part of this group, so I refrained from yelling, “Christ suffered, so we don’t have to!” God does not want us to suffer. Yet that does not mean that we do not suffer. Suffering is not wanted for us and it is not at the hand of God.
In our walk in life, we encounter all sorts of things that cause pain and suffering. This sometimes is by our own doings, through poor choices. Sometimes it is through others who make poor choices. A storm comes through and wipes out your house. Not a necessarily a poor choice on someone’s part but also not done by God either.
In our wilderness times, God is there. God is reaching down to care for us. Is the light of Christ difficult to see at times, while we walk in darkness? You darn tooting it is. That does not mean God is not there though. Our times of wilderness are unique to each of us. When we walk in wilderness, it may feel like we are facing death, without God present. If God were not present, then we would no longer exist. God is life giving and the source of all that is. Without God, we are no longer.
I am in my final year of seminary. On Ash Wednesday, I received my regional assignment. This is the area of the country to which I will be assigned. From there, I await my synod assignment, from within the region. Ash Wednesday is a reminder of our mortality, yet it is also a time of hope in Christ. My assignment came in: I immediately was angry, sad, felt betrayed, and I wanted to know, where the heck God was and why did I get sent into the desert!
I know all to well that, when we walk in the desert, our perspectives can change. Even though I wanted to know where God was, I also prayed to God, letting God know just how I felt. I asked for how I felt, to change, to heal me and make me whole.
You may have guessed. I did not get the assignment that my wife and I wanted. In fact, it was nowhere near what we wanted. What deserts have you been in? Are you walking in the wilderness now, looking for where God is? God is always speaking.
From Jeremiah it say; 11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, 14 I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes…”[3]
It’s okay in prayer to tell your angers to God. God has big shoulders to handle all of our Laments. Lament is all through the Psalms. From Psalm 13;
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me. [4]
Deserts, wildernesses are realities that we can encounter at anytime. What do we do when we are in them? God saved 8 people through the waters, during the great flood. Jesus is baptized in water and received the Spirit. We are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is with us all the time and we can count on that. We must be able to, without it we are lost. It is our faith in the promise of God in Christ Jesus that we can say with confidence;
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.[5]
Things get better, things change and they have already begun to change for my family. Whatever desert you may be in, sometimes it is hard to trust, to keep faith while in the dessert. Remember always, ultimately, we are saved in our baptism into Jesus Christ.
21 And baptism… now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,[6]
[1] Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).
[2] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mk 1:15.
[3] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Je 29:11–14.
[4] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ps 13:1–6.
[5] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ps 23:title–6.
[6] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), 1 Pe 3:21.