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Sermon Notes for February 20-21, 2010
First Weekend in Lent
Temptation and the Lack of Limits—Dt. 26:1-11, Rm. 10:8b-13, Lk. 4:1-13
*look a little more closely at today’s portions of Scripture, especially at the Gospel … familiar to many gathered here, and sometimes that’s a problem because we can dismiss without looking deeper, without seeing what the struggle Jesus endured and overcame has to do with what we face in life … so, look at bit at how lack of limits in our lives makes it hard to withstand the struggle of temptation, and more, at how Jesus allowed himself to be limited in his short earthly life so that we might know, experience, and receive the unlimited—limitless—grace and forgiveness of God
*none of us like to know that we have limitations … hear, “the sky’s the limit … you can do whatever you set your mind and heart to … no boundaries, no limits”; the optimism isn’t bad but misleading, because it ignores the fact that limits exist, we can’t achieve whatever we want—Creation and its creatures have limits, sad reminder of that with Olympic luge competitor, as safe as thought track was; it ignores the fact that certain boundaries aren’t meant to be crossed … just because it can be done doesn’t mean it has to be done … takes us back to garden—every tree was theirs for food with God’s blessing except the tree where evil existed … off-limits, bring danger, avoid it; so tragedy struck when sucked in by the devil’s lie that they’d find good and personal advantage … same thing throughout history and in our own personal lives—we create, make and do things that wind up being our downfall; so, in Dt.—leaving desert and entering new land, give up best and first in thanks and trust to God for those in need, not reserve selfishly
*Lenten series on animals … Rumi, ”Man Who Wanted to Learn Language of Animals”: asked Moses because thought would increase faith by listening to them, transcend limits of being human, get secret understanding; Moses said, What you’re asking for is dangerous, will terrify you, don’t really want it, but wouldn’t give up, so Moses relented … tablecloth shaken out with crumbs, rooster pecks up and dog says, Not fair, you can eat grain which I can’t and you deprive me of the little I could … rooster answers, Don’t worry tomorrow man’s horse will die and you’ll have a feast … man hears and sells horse, dog upset finding no feast, happened elsewhere … same with mule, then servant, sells and trades off, proud of avoiding losses and making profit, but then rooster tells dog man will die, and happens—consequence of avoiding loss, revenge of those he had taken advantage of … if didn’t know, wouldn’t have gotten self into mess that at first seemed to make life better but led to loss of life
*Jesus in desert right after baptism … prayer and fasting before beginning public ministry of proclaiming and healing and sacrificing life for wellbeing and salvation of others; devil came to him at end of forty days, when hungry and weakest and most vulnerable … Devil: use power to bend limits and feed your own belly, stones into bread—refused with Scripture; political authority and power over all by doing it my way—priority of God; take all risks want, foolish and reckless, angels will rescue—not test God … devil left until later time he could try again, not gone for good … day of death, garden as wrestled and on cross, but accepted limit of death for our good, for our salvation; freedom from endless cycle of falling and failing—forgiveness
*Lord’s Prayer—lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil … expression: “Lead me not into temptation, I can do that on my own.” Devil means one who throws at, and word tempt/put to the test is source of word pirate—to attack and take over. Happens to us, either inner desires or outside pressure … remember we are limited, weak, so live within limits that make it easy for us to draw on strength of God. We have to be on our guard with the Word of God, and stand ready and strong to live within the limits best for us. Gandhi: There are limits to self-indulgence, none to self-restraint.
*How have your lack of limits gotten you into fix and made you pushover in time of temptation and testing? What are your struggles in the desert—things that are tearing you up inside and out … seen by others or not? Ask self. Acknowledge temptation, struggle, and weakness to self, don’t deny or hide. Then to someone trusted: pastor, friend, fellow-Christian, point to fact that very reason Christ came to live for us, die for us, and raise up anew … shattering even limit of death by reclaiming life. Hymn: Christ went this way before, he knows our wants and weaknesses. Satan tempts us? So he did Christ when worn and weary. Christ gives grace to endure struggle and overcome, even though process may be painful and tough. Our lack of acknowledging limits and failing in times of weakness meets up with these amazing words from Hebrews about Jesus’ limitless ability to understand, forgive, and help: Jesus is not unable to sympathize with our weakness, because he was tempted and thrown in the struggle like we are, yet isn’t limited by sin. So let us come with confidence to the throne of his grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (4:15-16).
*So we come as baptized and believing sons and daughters, raised up by the Holy Spirit in forgiveness, to our Lord’s table of mercy to receive Body and Blood—Jesus’ real strength to help individually and together in struggles we face … come in bold confidence and trust, no limit to Christ’s grace, joy of forgiveness and help to do better and grow stronger in life of faith. When led into temptation by devil, self, or others, hymn: Lead me, guide me, along the way; For if You lead me, I cannot stray. Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
+Pray: God of the desert, as we follow Jesus into the unknown, may we recognize the tempter when he comes; let it be your bread we eat, your world we serve and you alone we worship—Amen.