“NOT IF, BUT IS”
Saint Matthew 4: 1-11
Invocavit: 26 February Anno Domini 2023
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
You don’t want to be led. That’s for weak, old people or children. You want to be in the front—the leader, i.e., you want to do things your way on your schedule. Just note how upset you get when YOUR daily routine gets messed up with small “normal” emergencies.
But God Himself was content to be led. Right after the glorious, mysterious, and, well, awesome Baptism in the river Jordan “was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness.”
This wasn’t camping—which can be both exciting and fun (notwithstanding what some Augsburgers say). This was a barren, lonely, isolated place with no people and no food. There were wild animals Saint Mark tells us (in the parallel account). We could all handle such a situation for a few hours, maybe, maybe, even a day or so. Then again Jesus did not have a “black mirror” (smart phone) with Him. And the lack of cell-reception…
And ask yourselves again where did Adam get himself, led, driven, after He committed his diabolical treason against The loving Father? He and his guilty accomplice were driven out of the lovely, peaceful, and well-stocked garden—into the wilderness. At least for them the animals had not yet turned into beasts of prey.
But The Christ wasn’t just walking through the woods at Mary’s Lake in south-east Lawrence being apprehensive about bumping into a coyote, loose dog, or snake, but Jesus was “tempted of the devil.” Some maintain the trials were constant and daily. Yes. Perhaps. But rather than “either/or” it could be “both/and” with the climax of the attacks coming at the end. “He (Jesus) had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered.”
Because of Adam, because of all the sinful Hebrews freed from Pharoah’s bondage, God gave Moses The Law on Sinai. But it wasn’t a “fast-food” stay-in-your-car pickup. We are informed by Moses in Deuteronomy that he fasted from food and water for 40 days. God likes that number. It presaged the 40 long years that the Tribe of Israel would wander in the desert before entering Canaan. In the desert because of their sin of unbelief; their sin of not fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things.
Jesus was fixing all that sin by doing what Adam didn’t do, by accomplishing what Moses and the Hebrews refused to do, by suffering for all that you continue to do (why you can’t even stop sinning during Lent; well, of course not—if you could you wouldn’t need Jesus).
Satan tried to destroy Christ’s mission of obedience and steadfast love. And note well all three of his temptations/trials went to the core of Jesus’ identity: “if Thou be The Son of God…” If. That’s a word of doubt.
If water with God’s word spoken over it in a font does anything? If Australian white wine and wafer cut wheat pieces are more than wine and bread? If a man called and ordained can actually forgive you your sins because of something written by John 2,000 years ago and confessed by The Church ever since?
The Word, Christ Jesus defeats Satan, silences and drives away your old enemy, “the wicked foe,” not with displays of power over nature and great signs and miracles, but with The Word of God. Christ quotes Holy Scripture. Jesus says elsewhere that Satan is not only the “tempter” but he is a liar and murderer from the beginning. Nothing the devil says is true. Nothing your own “old-Adam” brain/mind/heart and stained self says to you is true and good and healthy IF it goes against The Word of God. Do not look within yourselves for inner strength to defeat and drive away the serpent. Christ didn’t just give you and show you the answer, i.e., Holy Scripture—The Word of God—HE IS The Word of God.
You do not battle with Satan “mano a mano” dazzling the dragon with your superior command of Bible verses (yeah, right), but you remain IN CHRIST and have Christ IN YOU.
Jesus commanded that these wafers/bread be made His Body for you—for the forgiveness of sins! You live by Him being your daily bread. You are strengthened by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of The God/Man!
Jesus, His very person (Flesh and Blood) IS the temple. Jesus the great Solomon (The Peace bringer) has commanded His holy angels to guard and protect you. Jesus allowed Himself to be cast down—down onto the wood to be hammered and affixed; to have His foot dashed to the bone by a long wicked spike—the stone of Laws you’ve broken.
Jesus would indeed go up “into an exceeding high mountain,” a hill called Calvary, a place of skulls, so that He could be the true glory of all kingdoms—The Lamb slain, The Paschal Mystery, The Vicarious Satisfaction, The Suffering Servant crucified for the forgiveness of sins—for you. This is The One that The Spirit has driven and led you to worship and to believe in.
The devil has left you when you are IN HIM. And angels minister Him unto you as you fall down at this communion rail.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
Email the webmaster.Contact Augsburg Lutheran Church: (913) 403-6194