Luke 4:1-13
George C. Parker was an American con-artist who lived from 1860 to 1937. He lived in New York City most of his life. By all accounts, he must’ve been a charming person who knew how to gain people’s trust. He had a way of convincing wealthy immigrants and tourists that he owned the rights to various attractions like the Brooklyn Bridge. He forged authentic looking documents that made it seem like he owned these places, and several times his victims only discovered the truth when the police stopped them from constructing toll booths on the bridge. Even today the phrase “If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you” is a nod to the con artist George Parker. He also sold several other locations including the Statue of Liberty, Madison Square Garden, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, none of which were actually his. Parker was arrested and convicted of fraud three times. One time he escaped from prison by putting on a sheriff’s coat and hat and casually walking out the door. Finally, he was arrested for good and spent the rest of his life in a maximum-security prison. But he apparently never lost his charm; as it’s said that prisoners and guards alike loved listening to him tell stories of his con artist exploits.[1]
In today’s Gospel reading Jesus faces the most crafty con artist of all. Jesus has just been baptized by John in the Jordan River where he saw the heavens open up and witnessed the Holy Spirit descend on him like a dove. And he heard the voice of God declare him God’s beloved Son. After this declaration of who he is, Jesus journeyed into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights where he fasted. This was a time of discernment, of figuring out who he is and what it all means. Now Jesus has come to an understanding of the way he is to live his life. But before he begins his life of ministry, the devil tests Jesus. He comes to test his new understanding. To test him to see if he really trusts God above all else.
First, we see that Satan is trying to convince the hungry Jesus to use his powers to feed himself. To care for his own needs. And maybe Jesus thought about how he could use these powers to feed a hungry world. Surely it must have crossed his mind that he could use these powers not only to end his hunger but to end hunger for everyone. Maybe Satan even told him, “Jesus you care about the hungry and poor, don’t you? I bet you could use your powers to feed all the hungry people in the world instead of just sitting here in the desert, hungry. Wouldn’t that be a good thing?” And of course it would be. And so, Jesus is tempted to do something different than go where God is leading him.
Next, the devil brings him to a mountaintop and shows him the entire world and offers to give him power over it all. Surely Jesus would be a better ruler of the world than Ceasar or any other kings or generals or rulers. The thought must’ve crossed his mind that it would probably be a very good thing for him to be in charge instead of all those selfish, power-hungry monarchs. Maybe the devil even said to him “Jesus you care about peace and justice, don’t you? You could bring peace and justice to the entire world. Wouldn’t that be a good thing?” And of course it would be. But again, Jesus is tempted to do something different than go where God is leading him.
The third and final temptation involves Satan challenging Jesus to jump from the Temple expecting God to save him from harm. Surely Jesus, God’s chosen one, deserves God’s special protection. The thought must’ve crossed his mind that God certainly would send angels to protect him if he asked. Maybe the devil even said to him “Jesus God cares about you right? You’re entitled to God’s full protection. God would never let his beloved Son suffer and die, would He?” And this hits the heart of the devil’s tests, a test that will reemerge at an opportune time when Jesus again struggles with this question again in Gethsemane. Like the other tests, Jesus is tempted to do something different than go where God is leading him.
All three of these temptations from the devil test Jesus’ trust in God in one way or another. Essentially, the devil wants Jesus to question God. To do something different than go where God is leading him. Jesus is told to trust himself over God. To forge a different path. Satan tries to get Jesus to question God’s plan. Like the con artist who sold people to Brooklyn Bridge, here the devil tries to talk Jesus out of trusting God.
Jesus had to put all these thoughts behind him, to trust God’s plan above all else. And in reality, Jesus understood that trusting God above all else meant NOT jumping from the temple. It meant not trusting his own authority to establish a new world through the means the devil described. It meant trusting God that the way forward may in fact involve pain and suffering. Satan was trying to get Jesus to do anything besides God’s will. To do something different than go where God was leading him. But Jesus rejected the promises of Satan and trusted the promises of God.
Now the good news for us is that Jesus passed the test. He faced these trials and he still trusted God above all else. But even though Jesus conquered these temptations, we still are confronted with these same temptations and we fail the tests a lot. We fall for the devil’s con artistry and trickery. We trust our own will rather than God’s will. We live selfishly rather than surrender to the divine flow. As I described in my sermon on Ash Wednesday, we put ourselves first and live to enhance what the mystics call our “false self” rather than live into the true self which is the image of God in us.
But it is the practice of Lent to enter into spiritual disciplines that help us understand the ways we live for our false self rather than God. To observe our minds and the way we do things. To be humble and honest with ourselves, and seek to better understand our sin and selfishness. If we’re really ready to discover our hidden motivations and selfishness, God will bring them to light, confront us with them, and teach us to grow beyond them. And to heal and transform.
And so, this Lent, let us follow Jesus’ example in discerning our own call and spend time intentionally seeking to align our wills with God’s. Not because we have to, but because it is a gift to live life connected with God. It’s our purpose to grow up into the mature children of God we were created to be. And because Jesus strove with the devil and made the journey to the cross, we are freed and healed and transformed. This new life we have is because Jesus Christ overcame temptations in the wilderness, proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, and died and rose again to redeem the world. + Amen.
Pastor Brian | March 9, 2024 | First Sunday of Lent
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