A LENTEN AFFIRMATION FOR ASH WEDNESDAY
We believe in God who, from dust and nothingness, brought forth this earth, and all that dwell hereon. Light and dark, are the special effects God has chosen to reveal the awesome colors of creation as each day begins and ends.
We believe in Jesus the beloved Son of God, begotten to love, teach, free, heal, and save humankind. He sought to show all people how best to love God and one another.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, God’s companion-gift sent to warm our hearts, walk by our side, and give us the language of glory to honor God all the days of our life.
This Spirit invites us to dance the dance of transformation, and sing songs of thanks and praise to the One who loves us without reservation.
We believe in the Church that gathers our hearts as one and prods, by the truth of Christ’s resurrection, to serve God and work for good. Thanks be to God.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
We have come to understand, O Lord, that the season of Lent is meant to be a time of turning, turning around, turning again toward you. During these forty days you call us to take a good look at ourselves in the mirror you hold before our eyes. You ask us to take time to examine our relationship with YOU. Jesus gave himself time to pray in quiet places away from the madding crowd. Help us be diligent in our efforts to find quiet times for prayer and reflection. Keep us from recounting our regrets, faults and mistakes, rather help us invest ourselves in service. Pour into us your creative Spirit, O Lord, and help us discover the gifts within. Lead us in paths that will mature us spiritually. Prod us to minister in your name, feeding the hungry, reaching out to those in need, and taking time to visit those who are cut off or absent from our fellowship. Inspire us, O Lord, to walk in the ways of servant-hood. Dearest, Abba Father in heaven holy is your name. Let your kingdom come upon the earth, and your will be done here as it is in heaven. Give us this day the food we need to be strong in our service to you and your creation. Forgive the wrongs we have done to you, and to our brothers and sisters. Give us the courage to forgive those who have wronged us. Keep us from evil, O most loving and merciful God, for yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
Lent is that season during which we are focused on becoming better followers of Jesus. It is designated for honoring our Methodism, participating in the holy ordinances, strengthening our faith and putting muscles on our spirituality. Lent is always a season of decision; so I invite you to be decisive in your Lenten pursuits. Keep your copy of the Three Simple Rules close during the next 6 weeks. Choose one of the three rules to put all of your Lenten commitment into: “Do No Harm;” “Do All the Good You Can” or “Stay In Love With God.” If you have never read the book, please do, it is short and full of good sense. Give yourself time each morning to reflect on how you will incorporate your simple rule into your day, and each evening, reflect on your experiences. Write down on the card the simple rule you have chosen and carry it with you as you journey through these 40 days.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Loving God, creator of all things you formed us from the dust of the earth and from the dust of death you have promised to raise us up. The gifts we offer this evening are only one way we can express our gratitude for your steadfast love and mercy. We open our hearts to you seeking to cleanse every part of our being so that you may put within us a right and loving spirit. Empower us to turn toward you and lead us in lives of service worthy of your calling and worthy of the cross. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
WILDERNESS MOMENTS SERMON
Luke 4:1-13
The Temptation of Jesus
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. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’
Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you,
to protect you”,
and
“On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
SERMON TEXT
On Ash Wednesday we are intentional in our decision to step into that same wilderness of challenges that Jesus was led into by the Holy Spirit immediately following his Baptism. But there are some key words in that opening verse of Luke 4 that each of us must remember and carry with us as we step onto the Lenten path and they are: Full of the Holy Spirit, and led by the Spirit. It is important for all of us to understand that Jesus knew that he did not enter that wilderness alone. His constant companion and counselor of truth was with him in all of the days of his fasting, all the moments of confusion and fear, in all of the moments of self-examination and questioning, and in those moments when he was so exhausted and tired that he was tempted to give up and throw in the towel.
I think we tend to forget that Jesus was not impervious to hunger or thirst, or that he like the rest of us needed help and yearned for encouragement. We tend not to allow Jesus to be as vulnerable as we are in the midst of crisis. But that is precisely what God in Jesus was trying to show us, that he did hunger and thirst; that he did feel pain, anguish, sorrow, and, yes, even discouragement.
With thanks to those painters of 4th century and beyond, I think when we read the stories of Jesus in scripture we picture him a glowing presence, appearing in the midst of the crowds as the 3 disciples saw him transfigured that day on God’s holy mountain, a dazzling, be-haloed figure, hands posed and face glowing in the manner of Moses when he exited the tent of meeting.
It is a stretch for many of us to let go of that demi-god image of Jesus, and accept his full humanness. But in these 40 days of Lent he calls us to walk with him, not behind him. He calls us to move through the world the way he did, not performing miraculous deeds, but being attentive and keeping the Holy Spirit close at all times.
Let us remember that Jesus didn’t turn stones into bread; he didn’t desire, nor would he accept the role of king of the world; and he didn’t expect God to rescue him in every moment of peril. He confessed openly his feelings about the decisions he made and the decisions that would be made for him always seeking God’s counsel.
Yes, the gospel writers tell us stories of the man who had healing in his hands, but they paint the portrait of Jesus with much broader strokes than those, for he is a man of faith and hope, reason, and logic, a man of passion and expectation, and a man of sorrows. He challenges all who have ears to hear, both his supporters and his opponents. He gives every man, woman and child credit for being able to decide and choose and turn to or away from God. He reaches out beyond the barriers of religion and race to embrace all who call upon him. He will learn from everyone he welcomes into his company, the righteous and the sinners, gentiles, Jews and foreigners of all kinds, women as well as men, the rich as well as the poor. He will teach all who have ears to hear and eyes to see the true meaning of forgiveness and the infiniteness of God’s grace.
He has come to know what it will mean to him to love human beings in spite of our flaws and our warts and our short comings, in spite of our prejudices, and our phobias, because loving with the whole heart, mind and strength is really powerful stuff. To love as he does, leaves no room for hatred or resentment or one-up thinking. To love as he does, is to let go of covetousness and ambition, or the desire for applause and recognition, or the need to stand at the top of the heap. To love as he does, is to give importance to every person even one who calls himself enemy. Luke is the author of the birth story of Jesus, but never once does Luke say that Jesus was not born with the inherent ability to love as God loves; he grew up from boyhood, to manhood learning like you and me.
In the wilderness the tempter, the
diabolos offered Jesus solutions for the world’s ills, feeding the hungry, ruling the whole world with a just hand, by convincing the world of his special relationship with God. But no matter how inviting the solutions offered Jesus knew who would get the credit and it wouldn’t be God. The story of the Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness is a very human story.
The battle being waged between Jesus and the Holy Spirit against the Devil is a battle for control. What the devil offers Jesus, is control over his own destiny, and the ability to decide what is good, the ability to take control, steering the world’s course for good, not evil. The devil is after all an opportunist.
Jesus fought the battle with the tempter, confident in his scriptural references. But the devil was no slouch and battled back with scripture.
Through the battle Jesus is left with the final decision. God will not make the decision for him. The Holy Spirit is with him, but will not decide for him, he must find the right and better way, no matter how glorious are the fixes that the devil offers.
The question we must answer in this life, is the same question Jesus pondered in the wilderness. The decision we must make is the same decision Jesus had to make. Who will be my God? Who will be my master? Will I be my own master?
Luke’s very telling words in verse 13 are: “When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.”
The battle is not over, there is only a temporary ceasefire. The devil will not be giving up his quest to possess the mind and soul of Jesus and the truth is Jesus will experience many wilderness moments during his ministry and his short life. And during every wilderness moment he will show us the way to turn to God for guidance, comfort and hoped for relief.
We will come to that opportune time the devil has looked for, near the end of Luke’s story and we will witness Jesus struggle to stay the course. Only by walking with Jesus on this journey can we hope to learn from him, so let us travel this Lenten road together.
Amen.
Rev. Dr. Amanda Burr
February 10, 2016
