The Lectionary text for this week’s Gospel reading is the story of the temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). In this story, Jesus has just completed a long and arduous fast and the human side of the Messiah is “famished.” (v2) Before Jesus had the time to convalesce, Satan comes at him hard and fast. Satan tempts Jesus in three completely different ways. First he comes after his stomach! Knowing full well that Jesus was starving, Satan tries to get Jesus to change rocks into bread. Jesus’ response was to quote scripture as he says, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” This is actually a quote from Deuteronomy 8:3 (NRSV).
The second temptation comes as Satan tries to get Jesus to put God to the test. He takes Jesus up to the top of the Temple and tells him to throw himself down just to see if God will really protect him. Jesus once again quotes scripture saying, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” This is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16 (NRSV). Finally Satan takes Jesus up on a high mountain top and shows him the world. Satan tells Jesus that he will give the entire world to him if Jesus will simply bow down and worship him. Again Jesus responds by quoting scripture as he says, ““Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” This is a quote from Exodus 25:23a (NRSV). And with that, Satan went away and the author of Matthew’s Gospel writes that the angels came and took care of Jesus. This is such an important lesson for us today. Satan is still alive and well and he knows our weaknesses. Satan comes at us hard and quick with all kinds of temptations. The best way we can avoid these temptations is to be fully aware of Satan working among us. When we are tempted, and believe me you will be tempted, the best way to handle those is to rely on God’s Words. Study your Bible, go to church with other Christians and learn from them and be prepared for anything and everything Satan hurls at you. Temptations are sure to come, just be prepared for them when they do and you too can and will survive them! Amen. This coming Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday—the day when we celebrate a vision for a new future. Change is difficult today and it was no different in Jesus’ day. Jesus came to a world steeped in “tradition” and the burdensome Law of Moses. Remember that—those 613 “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots?” God in the flesh came and brought a major change to the culture of the day, a culture which had existed for several hundred years!
In chapter 16 of Matthew (the chapter just before Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration) Jesus has just finished telling his disciples about his impending death on the cross (Matthew 16:21-28). Six days later, Jesus takes three of his disciples, Peter, James and John up to a high mountain top. There on that mountain top, suddenly Jesus changes right before their very eyes. His “face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.” (17:2b) Then, if what had happened to Jesus wasn’t strange enough, Moses and Elijah appear and they are talking with Jesus! We could say that Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets, but this goes much deeper than that. Peter, good old Peter always seems to have something to say. If you and I were one of the three chosen to go up the mountain with Jesus, I imagine that I would have been speechless in the presence of two people whom I knew were dead! This does not apply to Peter! He wants to do something—he wants to build memorials—something that will capture the moment in time and preserve it. This will become a very important element before this story comes to an end. Suddenly, the author of Matthew writes that a voice from a cloud spoke saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”(17:5b) that last phrase, “listen to him!” is the message of the Transfiguration. Today, we should still be able to hear those words—“Listen to Him!” May times we want Jesus all nice and neat and stored away in some little memorial box. In reality we need to listen to what Jesus taught when he literally walked the dirty, dusty roads of Galilee. That can and will create a change that will be the best change we can hope for! Amen. Someone once said, “Walk a mile with your enemy, and then walk another one.” Today, we certainly don’t practice that very well now do we? Don’t have to look very far to see that revenge is alive and well among us. Revenge is something that, according to the scriptures belongs to God and God alone! In Romans 12:19 we read, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (The original quote comes from Deuteronomy 32:35)
But when someone hurts us or especially one of our children we want to get even. However, in the Lectionary’s Gospel text for this week, Matthew 5:38-48, Jesus presents another way to deal with those whom we feel has wronged us. Jesus encourages those who will hear his message to turn embitterment into embodiment. When we are able to do that, to truly turn the other cheek we find the true meaning of living in the kingdom of God right here, right now. Revenge or getting even is all about making ourselves feel better while at the same time we make another feel much worse. Is there a better way? In Jesus’ day, under Roman law, if a Roman soldier told you to carry his field pack, you had no choice but to obey. You were required to carry the pack for one mile, a Roman mile – literally 1,000 steps. Then you could put down your burden and go on about your business. When you walked a mile in his steps you began to understand better what he experienced all the time! What would happen if you actually carried the pack yet another mile? Could you possibly begin to talk to your enemy? And if you began to talk to him, what could happen? Can you see how this could make the world in which we live today a better place? So, this week, don’t think in terms of revenge, think in terms of helping those in need, of going an extra mile all the while turning the other cheek. It just might amaze you what will happen! How many of you have a GPS system either in your car, on your phone (that you use in your car) or one of the portable GPS systems like Garmin? Personally, I have come to depend on them more than I would like to admit. Living in a new place I have found it much easier to find my way around using my car’s GPS.
The GPS system in my car gives me three choices: the shortest route, the fastest route and routes using interstate highways. Many times, the shortest route is NOT the fastest and maybe the fastest is not the safest! Either way, I get to choose which route I will take. It then computes that route and tells me how many minutes it will take to get to my destination. (Now, my goal is to always beat that time by at least 2 or 3 minutes!) Once I have chosen the route I want to take, it tells me how to get to the starting point and then it gives me turn-by-turn directions. If I miss a turn it will redirect me, guiding me back on track so that I can get to my destination. What if we had a GPS system to get us through life the same way mine does getting me through strange streets and highways? Well, guess what, we do have a system just like that! It is called the Bible! I guess, not to be to cliché, we could call the Bible “God’s Positioning System!” There in those incredible words we find directions on how we are to reach our desired destination (that is if your destination happens to be eternal life in Heaven with Jesus and with God!). It literally gives us turn-by-turn directions complete with warnings about all different kinds of perils that can and will come our way. The Bible also gives us stern warnings as to what will happen should we decide to go way from the directions that it gives to us! I would encourage each of you to use the Bible more as a guidance system. It will never lead you astray or down the wrong path. Unlike my car’s GPS system, it will also give you words of encouragement that can and will keep you going when the road on which you are traveling gets a little bumpy or rocky. Try it, you just may find it will make your journey much easier! |
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This blog consists of reflections written by the minister each week for the Sunday bulletin. We hope that you enjoy the musings! Archives
January 2020
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