Temptation

Temptation
Matthew 4:1–11
February 10, 2008
University Christian Church, Seattle, WA
Rev. Sandy Messick

One of the favorite Super Bowl commercials last week was a commercial for Doritos. It showed man putting a small piece of a Doritos cheesy chip into a mousetrap and then setting it gently in front of the mouse hole. Then he waited. He got his favorite comfortable chair, pulled it in front of the hole, had his bag of chips and waited for the furry little mouse to take the bait. Just as he reached his hand into the bag of chips, and pulled out a handful, and started crunching it in his mouth, a huge person in a mouse costume broke through the wall and jumped on him to get the bag of chips. I guess the moral of the story is mice of all sizes can’t resist the temptation of Doritos.
And that’s what we’re talking about today: temptation. The dictionary defines it as “that which entices or allures.” The scriptures tell us that Jesus was tempted.

In Matthew, this story follows immediately after his baptism as he is just beginning his ministry. While he is still dripping wet from being dunked in the river, he heads out into the wilderness for 40 days of fasting and praying.
This time in the wilderness is his opportunity to define his ministry. What kind of leader will he be? What kind of Messiah? What kind of Savior? What kind of servant?
Jesus began with 40 days in the wilderness. 40 days of reflection, much as we have begun our 40 days of reflection we call Lent. Only in his case, it was also 40 days without food, and, in the ultimate understatement, the scriptures say he was hungry. Jesus was at his most vulnerable and most alone.
And then comes the tempter. Can we agree for the moment to set aside our efforts to define the tempter? Despite the images depicted in art, the story doesn’t describe what the tempter looked like. Whether he was the little guy in the red jumpsuit with the pointy black beard and horns on his head, or, perhaps, more likely, the inner part of the very human Jesus that struggles just as we struggle, the point is, Jesus was tempted. “If you are the Son of God,” says the tempter, “turn these stones into bread.” It was a test. Now the scriptures don’t tell us how Jesus felt, but if he was truly human, that must have been a little tempting. And certainly the one who could bring the dead back to life could turn a couple of rocks into a nice loaf of wonder bread or maybe organic whole-grain. Yet, Jesus responded, “We don’t live by bread alone, but by the word of God.”
So the tempter tries again. He takes Jesus to the holy city and sets him on the highest pinnacle. “If you are God,” says the tempter, “throw yourself down, and the angels will catch you.” That must have been tempting. Here was a chance to prove to the skeptics just who he was. “Hey you doubters, watch this, then you’ll see whose side God is on!” And yet, Jesus replied, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”
But the tempter doesn’t give up easily. Temptation is persistent. And so temptation led Jesus up to a high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world. “All this is yours, if you just bow down and worship me.” Imagine, having all the power, all the riches, all the influence, for the itty bitty price of selling your soul. But Jesus didn’t even hesitate, “You shall worship God alone, and only God shall you serve.
And with that, the tempter conceded defeat. And the angels ministered to Jesus.

So what were these temptations really about? After all, not all of these temptations were necessarily evil.

Take the bread and stone thing. Think about it, Jesus could have turned stones into bread and single-handedly ended world hunger. What’s wrong with that?
And if he’d thrown himself off that building, and convinced the skeptics they were wrong? Then no more wrangling over his identity. Everyone would be able to see him for who he was. What’s wrong with that?
And even selling his soul for all the kingdoms and power. I mean, he could have used that power for good, instituted justice, protected the innocent, ended all wars. So hey, what’s wrong with that?
But Jesus wouldn’t do it. Why? Because to give into any of these temptations was to put himself in God’s place. To stop being obedient to God, and start declaring he was God.
That’s where the real temptation lay. And isn’t that the same temptation for us?

As individuals, as congregations, and as humanity as a whole, the biggest temptation isn’t to turn away from God, but to start thinking we are God or thinking that we have to do God’s job for God.

As little children, trying to learn our independence, we strike out saying, “I can do it myself.” Whether tying our own shoes, or zipping our own jackets, or reading our own books. I have vivid memories of hiding behind the curtains in the dining room so my daughter wouldn’t see me because she was determined to walk to the kindergarten bus stop all by herself. And while that striving for independence is healthy in a growing child, somehow we never quite give it up.
As we move forward in our transformation process, as we seek to be faithful to God’s vision, as we face questions about how we will be as a church in the future, we are tempted, just as Jesus was tempted. Oh, the temptations themselves may be different, but they are temptations all the same.
Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread, to take care of his immediate needs and let go of the broader vision of being faithful to God. In the midst of transformation, particularly when we are hungry and vulnerable and not quite sure what the future holds, we are tempted to shift into survival mode, to narrow our focus, to take care of ourselves or building, choosing maintenance over mission. It’s a temptation.
Jesus was tempted to throw himself off a cliff in order to test God. Our temptation is the opposite. We’re tempted to draw back, draw in, cease taking risks all together. We become ruled by fear, so afraid of failing that we dare not even draw near the edge. It’s a temptation.
Jesus was tempted to take control over all the kingdoms of all the world. Our temptation is a bit more modest. We don’t want to control all the world. But we hold on tight to our corner of it. We pray “God, thy will be done,” and then proceed to tell God what that would look like, who we will welcome, how things will be. It’s a temptation.

Out in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted to be God. In those moments as he faced those greatest temptations, he had to decide just what kind of Savior he would be. In our moments, in our own wilderness, as we hear the tempters’ voices that are driven by fear and anxiety and uncertainty rather than faith, and trust, and courage, we have to decide, just what kind of witness, what kind of church will we be?

In the end, Jesus said “no” to being God, and chose instead to be obedient to God. And in that decision Jesus set his course for his ministry.
Jesus chose to trust in God to provide food for his journey. He didn’t need to turn stones into bread. He chose to trust God to convince the skeptics and supply people with faith. He didn’t need to leap from tall buildings in a single bound. He chose to trust that God would care for the kingdoms of the world, hold the power of the world, watch over those in need. He didn’t need to trade his soul for power and influence. Jesus, well, Jesus chose simply to be obedient. Even unto death.
When faced with the temptation to do it on his own, or to trust in God, Jesus chose God. And God did not disappoint him. And God does not disappoint us.
There is an old saying worth repeating. Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there. Amen.