Testing Time
Sermon
Sermons on the Gospel Readings
Series II, Cycle C
To live the Christian life is to be tested. As day follows night and night follows day, we experience it all of our days. The deeper we go, the more testing comes upon us. So, there is nothing unique about all of this. If we expect our daily walk with Christ to be any different, we are guilty of self-deception.
Sometimes it is really severe and we wonder about its cessation. Patience becomes virtually non-existent. Strength seems to go out the window and we languish not only in pain but borderline disillusionment. They are not fun times! The sooner such episodes go on their way, we are greatly relieved.
As we attempt to survey the ages of church history, aren't we strengthened to know there are many similar experiences? It is our common lot but let us not be content to stop there. It is not only Christians who face these times, all of humanity finds it omnipresent. That is the way it is!
Before we begin on a non-productive negative binge, let's recount the times our testing has led to blessings untold. Our Lord has not abandoned us and, in fact, he makes a point of reminding us of the harshness of his own testing that came upon him as God's earthly Son.
Are we able to live by bread alone? To live in this world is to be engulfed in the material side of it. To be hungry is to be hungry! Yes, our dear Lord must have been famished. It would not take nearly forty days for you and me to reach that stage. Could we even go one week or ten days? In the depths of our souls we have, at least, some answers. It sure would be "tough stuff." Imagine all of the hunger pangs to be experienced. Visualize all the days of good cooking that we could not enjoy. It begins to be not only a potentially inconvenient experience, but one of honest-to-goodness discomfort.
We know what our Lord's point is, don't we? He wants us to shift our fixation on "bread and potatoes" to something that transcends the necessities of this world. Come on now, disciple, let's get serious about things beyond our favorite restaurants and church dinners. Granted, the food industry seemingly at every turn tries to persuade us it's time to eat or drink. Do you get the idea we are expected to get up eating and drinking and retire at night still filling our mouths? Maybe it is not quite that bad but expand it to include an array of things we are supposed to purchase. Advertising can be so disarming. The devil can be so slick and not be close to a wilderness.
Some decidedly spiritual souls have learned that the more they deny themselves of food and drink, the more they sense the closeness of Jesus, their Christ. Those who have gone to their beds from sheer exhaustion must truly be receiving accolades in heaven. The stories are many and reliable sources convey to us their validity. Church history is punctuated by those dear and precious ones who know firsthand the truthful reality our Master presents. Praise God for these jewels who keep on sparkling in our midst! What is the secret to their impact? They simply and responsibly have taken the Man of Galilee seriously. Are you and I among them? What has the Holy Spirit said to you about this?
The materialism of America is widely -- yes, universally -- known. For all of our goodness and attempted good deeds, there is a shadow bringing question marks. Perhaps, underlying our witness is the fear of not living by bread alone. Our lives have become so saturated by consumerism, we are hardly able to think outside of such a mentality. The late Pope John Paul II spoke to our spiritual deficiency charitably but firmly. Like most instances, we need to pay attention to his teachings -- both Catholic and non-Catholic. Being familiar with actual deprivation and practicing holy disciplines, his message is of one healing our depths and not our surfaces. Our automobiles, homes, clothes, food, and drink are no substitutes for something far more precious.
Are we able to live without worldly power? Isn't power downright fascinating? It cuts across every segment of society and finds its way into even the most humble situations. Every pastor -- after some years in the ministry -- knows he/she does not have any real choice; it is built into the fabric of who and what we are. To refuse to deal with it is to deal with it in ways not likely to be fruitful. The finest people in our churches, rightly motivated, deal with it. When they are mature and spiritually oriented, they are great assets to pastors. They can make potentially disastrous situations turn into things of great beauty.
But remember, Jesus was promised all the kingdoms of the world, provided he worshiped the devil. It is also wise for you and me to remember that the devil is not likely to promise us nearly as much! Yet, the temptation to the wrong kind of power or the exercise of it is much with us. Never underestimate the evil in our midst; it comes to us in forms of goodness but, in reality, demonic excesses are waiting to destroy. To believe we can escape the sly and usually hidden agendas of evil is to be guilty of self-deception. Our Achilles' heel is often over something or someone, seemingly insignificant. Is there paranoia at work? Maybe. However, just because we are paranoid doesn't mean the devil isn't after us!
The rightful exercise of power is what the world always needs and -- to be sure -- what our churches always need. The devil was coming at our Lord for all the wrong reasons. To be brief, our Lord was pressured to back away from his calling and become an earthly dictator. Don't the lowly like you and I discover that likewise this can be our plight? As long as we sell our souls to Satan, we can have power in abundance for our own exaltation. You want control over the official board or trustees -- the devil can make it happen! Is that overstating our case? Perhaps -- but don't deny that we often teach the concept of unconditional acceptance. The church could do so much good -- if I had complete control of the board!
There is such a mixing of worldly and spiritual power, it's hard to know the difference. Our answer to the quandary is found in abandonment to the Holy Spirit. The scriptures tell us that as our sure and certain guide. As we give ourselves, pastor and people, to the Lord without conditions attached, good and evil begin to separate before our Spirit-infused eyes. It is not for us to know all the whereofs and wherefores. It is humbling, but always true, you and I cannot know everything there is to know about people, places, and things! Our love can be "patient and kind" but that does not mean we know all the details of any situation. Our love can be free of arrogance and rudeness, but that does not mean we are filled with genius.
Are we able to live in the absence of physical miracles? If we are sons and daughters of the living God, why don't we just test him by showing unbelievers that we shall be miraculously rescued? Maybe we could make a trip to the Sears Tower and announce in advance we are going to jump from more than 100 stories. Then, we will be quick to point out that God always comes to the aid of his children. The angels will drop from the heavens and we will be unscathed. Does that sound like the beginning of a profitable Hollywood movie? Well, it is a way of putting you and me -- to some extent -- in Jesus' place. Maybe we should have picked out the very top of the tallest spire at one of the world's great cathedrals.
Indeed, it is testing time for that Jewish fellow barely into his ministry. As usual, the devil is crafty and insinuates that it's time the Son of God prove to the world that no one can hurt him. This could turn out to be quite a media event! It could even be promoted in such a way that gamblers would have their odds and people across the globe would have their eyes glued to the tubes. Human nature is drawn to physical miracles. We like it right there before our eyes. If Jesus takes the bait, then his Father will certainly see to it that he is not crushed and -- in fact -- not even scratched. It is a melodramatic scene and some still ponder, "What if Jesus had tried it?"
We have all known those precious people who seem to be waiting on a sign from heaven that involves a physical miracle. It is never enough to note and appreciate two people who formerly hated one another now loving one another. This is the wrong kind of miracle and doesn't sell much! They will insist the real test, where Christians must succeed, is physical especially before crowds who can attest to authenticity. The folks in Jesus' time were much like that. You are God's Son, well, that's fine; now let's see you perform and, if you are successful, we will believe. Credibility is always necessary in these matters. Flamboyance is not. Showing off one's special relationship to God that can even manipulate, my friends, is a bit too much.
Faith healers always seem to be -- sooner or later -- a mixed bag. Maybe we want them to perform so desperately, we will cut some corners to prove physical miracles. In the name of God, pray to him that is not the case! "With God all things are possible" is so hopeful and many of us believe just that. Yet, as the saying goes, "Not all things are prudent." God's will is invariably the best and fruitful in ways we can only imagine. While the holy scriptures speak of great changes physically in certain passages, this was true only in a few cases. Thousands received ministry but, apparently, only a few were healed in a physical way. Only God knows for sure.
Are we able to live in continual watchfulness? Note that the devil has finished every test and departs but only until an opportune time. That's ominous and even scary! Saint Luke makes it quite clear: The great deceiver is not at all finished. Imagine the trash talk that Jesus heard and most likely during his most trying moments. The underlying message is present and it speaks volumes about our blessed Lord's authenticity: He was a human being tested, only more so, so no one could prove he was merely going through the actions. If he had been solely fabricating his temptations how could he even remotely be considered the Savior? If the devil was programmed not to win, have we been dealt a crooked hand?
Where the most significant and relevant point comes into play is in our willingness to be watchful at all times. Lent teaches us many wonderful and most helpful things and certainly this is one of them. It's a good and marvelous state of affairs to be happy in the Lord. It is also a required attitude of heart and mind to know that such bliss is never all the time; days (and nights) of temptation and testing are sure to come. Will we be ready? It mostly depends upon our spiritual adaptability. We never assume Satan is through testing us. Our best assumption is that he will be back again and again.
But how do we keep from falling prey to incessantly looking under rocks and behind doors? Who can be ready for the guy who has been deceiving precious people since the beginning of time? Those are questions that must be asked. They are deeply spiritual, regardless of how they are phrased. The host of witnesses and those now living on this earth help us. They have traveled and are traveling the road. Have you and I been tempted more than anyone else? Are we being picked on? Why is it that some days the devil is a lot closer than God? Yes, most of us know the feeling and it doesn't do much for our self-image!
The good book tells us the fruit of the Spirit includes faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Now, we are onto how we can live a victorious Christian life and deal with temptations of various sorts day in and day out. "All things are possible with God" is not a cliché we bring out and brag about periodically. There is a harmony with the Holy Spirit which makes this true beyond all doubts. We are not losers, except in the world's sight, going to and fro wondering about God's presence. The only sure thing in life (and death) is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All else pales in insignificance and eventual powerlessness. Tell the devil he can't have you. But be sure you do so by telling him God makes this possible and you don't. To know our acquired spiritual strength is to become weak ... and honest.
Three temptations that are a part of our spiritual memories need to be re-evaluated and studied to aid us in our walk with the Lord. At each juncture the testing is a grave matter. The devil is attempting to come at him at his greatest vulnerability. Does he need -- desperately so -- food and drink? Yes. Does he need to show the world -- as the Jewish Messiah -- the kingdoms all belong to him because he is God's Son? One could certainly make a case for that. Does he need to do something spectacular, especially of a physical nature, to illustrate control over the laws the Father had originally set in place? Well, that would help his case in the eyes of a lot of searching human beings.
Regardless of the persistent poignancy of our Lord's time of rough and tough testing, the experience comes down to you and me. What have we learned from his horrendous battle with the enemy of every person? As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of the Christ, Lent becomes that fertile period of self-denial -- perhaps of temptations of our own choosing. Ours is a costly discipleship that says we shall not be defeated by the one who would delight in sending us to hell. The purpose of testing is to make us spiritually strong and steadfast. Praises be to God we are his people and he will be with us in all our trials and tribulations. Count it a privilege to experience them!
Sometimes it is really severe and we wonder about its cessation. Patience becomes virtually non-existent. Strength seems to go out the window and we languish not only in pain but borderline disillusionment. They are not fun times! The sooner such episodes go on their way, we are greatly relieved.
As we attempt to survey the ages of church history, aren't we strengthened to know there are many similar experiences? It is our common lot but let us not be content to stop there. It is not only Christians who face these times, all of humanity finds it omnipresent. That is the way it is!
Before we begin on a non-productive negative binge, let's recount the times our testing has led to blessings untold. Our Lord has not abandoned us and, in fact, he makes a point of reminding us of the harshness of his own testing that came upon him as God's earthly Son.
Are we able to live by bread alone? To live in this world is to be engulfed in the material side of it. To be hungry is to be hungry! Yes, our dear Lord must have been famished. It would not take nearly forty days for you and me to reach that stage. Could we even go one week or ten days? In the depths of our souls we have, at least, some answers. It sure would be "tough stuff." Imagine all of the hunger pangs to be experienced. Visualize all the days of good cooking that we could not enjoy. It begins to be not only a potentially inconvenient experience, but one of honest-to-goodness discomfort.
We know what our Lord's point is, don't we? He wants us to shift our fixation on "bread and potatoes" to something that transcends the necessities of this world. Come on now, disciple, let's get serious about things beyond our favorite restaurants and church dinners. Granted, the food industry seemingly at every turn tries to persuade us it's time to eat or drink. Do you get the idea we are expected to get up eating and drinking and retire at night still filling our mouths? Maybe it is not quite that bad but expand it to include an array of things we are supposed to purchase. Advertising can be so disarming. The devil can be so slick and not be close to a wilderness.
Some decidedly spiritual souls have learned that the more they deny themselves of food and drink, the more they sense the closeness of Jesus, their Christ. Those who have gone to their beds from sheer exhaustion must truly be receiving accolades in heaven. The stories are many and reliable sources convey to us their validity. Church history is punctuated by those dear and precious ones who know firsthand the truthful reality our Master presents. Praise God for these jewels who keep on sparkling in our midst! What is the secret to their impact? They simply and responsibly have taken the Man of Galilee seriously. Are you and I among them? What has the Holy Spirit said to you about this?
The materialism of America is widely -- yes, universally -- known. For all of our goodness and attempted good deeds, there is a shadow bringing question marks. Perhaps, underlying our witness is the fear of not living by bread alone. Our lives have become so saturated by consumerism, we are hardly able to think outside of such a mentality. The late Pope John Paul II spoke to our spiritual deficiency charitably but firmly. Like most instances, we need to pay attention to his teachings -- both Catholic and non-Catholic. Being familiar with actual deprivation and practicing holy disciplines, his message is of one healing our depths and not our surfaces. Our automobiles, homes, clothes, food, and drink are no substitutes for something far more precious.
Are we able to live without worldly power? Isn't power downright fascinating? It cuts across every segment of society and finds its way into even the most humble situations. Every pastor -- after some years in the ministry -- knows he/she does not have any real choice; it is built into the fabric of who and what we are. To refuse to deal with it is to deal with it in ways not likely to be fruitful. The finest people in our churches, rightly motivated, deal with it. When they are mature and spiritually oriented, they are great assets to pastors. They can make potentially disastrous situations turn into things of great beauty.
But remember, Jesus was promised all the kingdoms of the world, provided he worshiped the devil. It is also wise for you and me to remember that the devil is not likely to promise us nearly as much! Yet, the temptation to the wrong kind of power or the exercise of it is much with us. Never underestimate the evil in our midst; it comes to us in forms of goodness but, in reality, demonic excesses are waiting to destroy. To believe we can escape the sly and usually hidden agendas of evil is to be guilty of self-deception. Our Achilles' heel is often over something or someone, seemingly insignificant. Is there paranoia at work? Maybe. However, just because we are paranoid doesn't mean the devil isn't after us!
The rightful exercise of power is what the world always needs and -- to be sure -- what our churches always need. The devil was coming at our Lord for all the wrong reasons. To be brief, our Lord was pressured to back away from his calling and become an earthly dictator. Don't the lowly like you and I discover that likewise this can be our plight? As long as we sell our souls to Satan, we can have power in abundance for our own exaltation. You want control over the official board or trustees -- the devil can make it happen! Is that overstating our case? Perhaps -- but don't deny that we often teach the concept of unconditional acceptance. The church could do so much good -- if I had complete control of the board!
There is such a mixing of worldly and spiritual power, it's hard to know the difference. Our answer to the quandary is found in abandonment to the Holy Spirit. The scriptures tell us that as our sure and certain guide. As we give ourselves, pastor and people, to the Lord without conditions attached, good and evil begin to separate before our Spirit-infused eyes. It is not for us to know all the whereofs and wherefores. It is humbling, but always true, you and I cannot know everything there is to know about people, places, and things! Our love can be "patient and kind" but that does not mean we know all the details of any situation. Our love can be free of arrogance and rudeness, but that does not mean we are filled with genius.
Are we able to live in the absence of physical miracles? If we are sons and daughters of the living God, why don't we just test him by showing unbelievers that we shall be miraculously rescued? Maybe we could make a trip to the Sears Tower and announce in advance we are going to jump from more than 100 stories. Then, we will be quick to point out that God always comes to the aid of his children. The angels will drop from the heavens and we will be unscathed. Does that sound like the beginning of a profitable Hollywood movie? Well, it is a way of putting you and me -- to some extent -- in Jesus' place. Maybe we should have picked out the very top of the tallest spire at one of the world's great cathedrals.
Indeed, it is testing time for that Jewish fellow barely into his ministry. As usual, the devil is crafty and insinuates that it's time the Son of God prove to the world that no one can hurt him. This could turn out to be quite a media event! It could even be promoted in such a way that gamblers would have their odds and people across the globe would have their eyes glued to the tubes. Human nature is drawn to physical miracles. We like it right there before our eyes. If Jesus takes the bait, then his Father will certainly see to it that he is not crushed and -- in fact -- not even scratched. It is a melodramatic scene and some still ponder, "What if Jesus had tried it?"
We have all known those precious people who seem to be waiting on a sign from heaven that involves a physical miracle. It is never enough to note and appreciate two people who formerly hated one another now loving one another. This is the wrong kind of miracle and doesn't sell much! They will insist the real test, where Christians must succeed, is physical especially before crowds who can attest to authenticity. The folks in Jesus' time were much like that. You are God's Son, well, that's fine; now let's see you perform and, if you are successful, we will believe. Credibility is always necessary in these matters. Flamboyance is not. Showing off one's special relationship to God that can even manipulate, my friends, is a bit too much.
Faith healers always seem to be -- sooner or later -- a mixed bag. Maybe we want them to perform so desperately, we will cut some corners to prove physical miracles. In the name of God, pray to him that is not the case! "With God all things are possible" is so hopeful and many of us believe just that. Yet, as the saying goes, "Not all things are prudent." God's will is invariably the best and fruitful in ways we can only imagine. While the holy scriptures speak of great changes physically in certain passages, this was true only in a few cases. Thousands received ministry but, apparently, only a few were healed in a physical way. Only God knows for sure.
Are we able to live in continual watchfulness? Note that the devil has finished every test and departs but only until an opportune time. That's ominous and even scary! Saint Luke makes it quite clear: The great deceiver is not at all finished. Imagine the trash talk that Jesus heard and most likely during his most trying moments. The underlying message is present and it speaks volumes about our blessed Lord's authenticity: He was a human being tested, only more so, so no one could prove he was merely going through the actions. If he had been solely fabricating his temptations how could he even remotely be considered the Savior? If the devil was programmed not to win, have we been dealt a crooked hand?
Where the most significant and relevant point comes into play is in our willingness to be watchful at all times. Lent teaches us many wonderful and most helpful things and certainly this is one of them. It's a good and marvelous state of affairs to be happy in the Lord. It is also a required attitude of heart and mind to know that such bliss is never all the time; days (and nights) of temptation and testing are sure to come. Will we be ready? It mostly depends upon our spiritual adaptability. We never assume Satan is through testing us. Our best assumption is that he will be back again and again.
But how do we keep from falling prey to incessantly looking under rocks and behind doors? Who can be ready for the guy who has been deceiving precious people since the beginning of time? Those are questions that must be asked. They are deeply spiritual, regardless of how they are phrased. The host of witnesses and those now living on this earth help us. They have traveled and are traveling the road. Have you and I been tempted more than anyone else? Are we being picked on? Why is it that some days the devil is a lot closer than God? Yes, most of us know the feeling and it doesn't do much for our self-image!
The good book tells us the fruit of the Spirit includes faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Now, we are onto how we can live a victorious Christian life and deal with temptations of various sorts day in and day out. "All things are possible with God" is not a cliché we bring out and brag about periodically. There is a harmony with the Holy Spirit which makes this true beyond all doubts. We are not losers, except in the world's sight, going to and fro wondering about God's presence. The only sure thing in life (and death) is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All else pales in insignificance and eventual powerlessness. Tell the devil he can't have you. But be sure you do so by telling him God makes this possible and you don't. To know our acquired spiritual strength is to become weak ... and honest.
Three temptations that are a part of our spiritual memories need to be re-evaluated and studied to aid us in our walk with the Lord. At each juncture the testing is a grave matter. The devil is attempting to come at him at his greatest vulnerability. Does he need -- desperately so -- food and drink? Yes. Does he need to show the world -- as the Jewish Messiah -- the kingdoms all belong to him because he is God's Son? One could certainly make a case for that. Does he need to do something spectacular, especially of a physical nature, to illustrate control over the laws the Father had originally set in place? Well, that would help his case in the eyes of a lot of searching human beings.
Regardless of the persistent poignancy of our Lord's time of rough and tough testing, the experience comes down to you and me. What have we learned from his horrendous battle with the enemy of every person? As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of the Christ, Lent becomes that fertile period of self-denial -- perhaps of temptations of our own choosing. Ours is a costly discipleship that says we shall not be defeated by the one who would delight in sending us to hell. The purpose of testing is to make us spiritually strong and steadfast. Praises be to God we are his people and he will be with us in all our trials and tribulations. Count it a privilege to experience them!
