Take Every Test - Luke 4

 Take Every Test

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon for Luke 4: 1-3, Psalm 91, Romans 10: 8-13

Opening Prayer.

There are at least three temptations: hunger, prideful power/greed and fear/loss of trust. 

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Consider the moment because Jesus was just baptized and walking into the wilderness full of this experience - full of the holy spirit. I wonder what Jesus was feeling like in that moment. Was there some celebration, some relief or perhaps beginnings of worry? What is to come?

Practice! And look here comes an opportunity. 

This sinister figure looms in our text today - sometimes called tempter, Satan, or devil. This being personifies everything ominous, manipulating, and deceitful. Qualities to avoid in our lives. I always wondered why a being though.

These things don’t just happen because a being (with bag full of gags) lurks around the corner. There are legitimate temptations in our lives. They don’t look vile, they don’t look menacing, and in some ways, they appear as wholesome, nice and comforting. They often put up facades to hide miserable intent. Sometimes, they even believe their intent to be justified and supporting our wants. Yet, there is more than meets the eye.

Look at these a moment

One is a temptation of hunger – physical, emotional or spiritual. Temptations appear everywhere in our lives and regardless of how good we feel.  For here Jesus is “full of the holy spirit.” This isn’t an “injection of courage.” Realize that even with God’s spirit guiding you, just when you think you should be celebrating new life, there will be trials. 

Fasting is common practice across many traditions to help one find and strengthen spiritual self. The idea is that if you can endure restraining oneself from the physical pleasures (e.g. food, thirsts, or lust), other calamities and tests won’t be difficult. For some, fasting helps focus upon your connection to the spirit better. (I am not entirely sure hunger helps, but for some, this is a sustainable practice.) Perhaps, in our Lent practice, if you do, may your practice inspire grace throughout the rest of our lives. 

Thus after 40 days of fasting, Jesus embodies the “tests” with true hunger and tiredness. You can almost hear the exasperation as well when he defies the devil and does so by reciting Deut. 8 that tells us to be humbled, and we do not live by bread alone. With God, we have what we need. 

Regardless if we fast, be aware that unabated appetite turns into overconsumption and gluttony. This quickly forgets boundaries, and when insatiable, it separates us from God. One more candy, drink, smoke, or thingamabob wont give us the fulfillment that God gives when we practice our faith in God to sustain. Especially, when we are hungry (spiritually, physically or emotionally), practice being fulfilled through our prayers to God. 

Further, instead of just consuming, Jesus says to share what we have, especially with the least of us.

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Jesus is again tired and hungry. They travel to the mountains, (the test, “all this could be yours.”) There is a bit of irony in this. Jesus could probably eat a buffet, but the devil shows a movie about power. Yet when we are tired, hungry or grieving, ridiculous ideas feel attractive. The devil supposedly offers “power” - if you worship me. Jesus responds with Deut 6:13, “Did you not hear what I said? You are not the answer.” 

As people who scheme do, they mix truth and false - a partial-truth is still fallacy. Example, my colleagues and I went to the state fair for team outing. A fellow was selling manual sweepers that appeared to work easy and well. Three of us buy, one was laughing at us. We took them home, and within couples days, 3 reported disasters and 1 was still laughing.

Here too, evil is a slick salesperson offering the temptations of ego, power and greed. If we just hear to what we want to believe and tone out the rest, we fail to see the reality. Even in the moment where we observed apparent working contraption, the fallacy was that did not work. If it looks too easy, chances are yes. If it appears to solve everything, chances are no it does not. 

Temptation shows us what we think we want, easy ways and perhaps falsely deserve. When we give in to ego and greed, it too grows and we begin worship of that temptation. We bask in the easy successes and hunger grows. We change to say not only do I want for me – but I want theirs too because they are not worthy.

What things have lured our worship away from God? It happens, but remember Deut 6 God has delivered you. When you fail - when the house of cards collapses, pick up the pieces, learn, and turn back to the love that is there for you. In your Lenten practice, add humility, forgiveness, sharing to your prayers; practice open hearts with God’s love

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We observe another perverted test. An exhausted (but spirit-filled), we’re brought to the temple - to jump. (Again where is the buffet??) This is a test of trust in God. Never-mind Jesus just invoked Deut 6 and clever sales people don’t take the first or second “no”.

A loss of trust implies a cloud of fear (fear of future, of failure, and of life), and Jesus provides this retort from Deut 6:16, “Look, you, stop already with these.” 

Look at this scene. Jesus can foresee being tried and sentenced - a path full of destruction, violence, and pain. What is Jesus to do - Give up?

This is why we practice. If at the sign of fear, we could lose trust and faith. Then we shy from what is necessary, or with our practice of faith, we could push back. It may feel daunting with the world around us having so much chaos, but in your practice of faith and prayer, find courage - to witness God’s strength in you. 

We know people aren't always the brightest and some full of malice so why should Jesus want to fulfill the passion. People, like me, are willing to compromise whenever we want to make things easier. 

This is a mission to save souls. There is no compromise with evil from Jesus in order to win our lives for us. Jesus opens doors for us to God, so step forward and accept Jesus’ welcome.

There is a difference from the other Gospels worth noting since we don’t always get parades to help us out of the wilderness. Luke reports, “the devil departed ...until an opportune time” equals “to be continued…” The temptations won’t end. 

Even when we feel our best, they are there. Sometimes they test our hunger, others -> pride and ego. Sometimes despair. The opportune time will always be near - raising questions.

It is journey that tests us to find freedom and God’s love in each step. Go ahead take the tests. It isn’t just in the flashy parts but the day-to-day grind. Our practice will help. So add your prayer for sustenance, open heart and wise courage.

Trust that God will be there because God knows. Grow your faith (not temptations) on this journey to freedom from temptations - freedom through God.

That is the faith Jesus embodies - so that we might also. Take every test, lean into them, don’t avoid them because we can’t. Have courage because we don’t do this alone; we have each other and we have God. 

With your practice of Lent, Let the spirit fill you before your tests.  You may fail here or there, but when you practice your faith, your prayer and your love, you will get back up with God and you grow beyond imagination.  And no devil will be able to take that away.

Thanks Be to God.