Lent 1

Mark 1:12–15 NIV

At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

1 Corinthians 10:1–13 NIV

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

James 1:13–15 NIV

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Hebrews 2:17–18 NIV

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

LEMMA

πειράζω peirazō test; put to the test; tempt; make proof or trial of

Louw-Nida to try to trap, to attempt to catch in a mistake

As Christians we recognize and confess that God has given to us a moral standard in the Bible which we are to follow. The Ten Commandments are the ten commandments and not the ten suggestions.

Our responsibility to God and to others is not based on popular opinion or the decaying morality of our society but on God’s unchangeable rules for our lives.

Our responsibility to obey those laws is not limited to whether or not someone else is watching us or whether or not we will get caught or punished.

The rules are the rules and we do well to obey them. Failure to do so should bring just consequences either now or in eternity.

That being said, we must be aware that the degree to which God’s laws are to be followed seems to be eroding with increasing swiftness.

One need only refer to language (often profane or impure), immoral images and actions portrayed in books, magazines, TV, movies, and the internet; unscrupulous business practices, and an abandonment of the truth.

We live in a society that deplores gun violence and yet has legalized the destruction of the unborn at a rate of 1.5 million per year in our nation alone.

We may act like we crack down on drunk driving but getting drunk is not considered such a bad thing for many people.

One major problem is a lack of consensus as to how God would have us live because sins are often legalized and those who speak against them are chastised.

So this problem is that we do not agree as to what the Bible says is still right and wrong.

But will being clear on what is right and wrong solve the problem of sin? It may limit sins of ignorance because now we are more clear as to what is right and wrong, but will having that knowledge in and of itself prevent breaking the law?

Test: Watch how motorists drive when they approach a stop sign. Better yet. Monitor your own actions for a day or two. Be bold enough to journal what you have done for a day and then compare it to what you have learned and memorized about the Ten Commandments. I think we will all see the same results. Just knowing what is right and wrong does not prevent us from doing right and avoiding wrong. Nevertheless, we must continue to teach what is true.

(NIV)

6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Why; however, is it hard for us to follow the rules? It is because we are tempted to sin. Does Jesus know that we are tempted? Of course. That is why he teaches us to pray: “And lead us not into temptation.” Recall how Martin Luther explains that petition:

God surely tempts no one to sin, but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us or lead us into false belief, despair, and other great and shameful sins; and though we are tempted by them, we pray that we may overcome and win the victory.

Because we love God, we want to serve and obey him. Yet the battle against sin does not let up. Temptations assoult us every day. What can we do? How can we serve God and avoid sin? How can we avoid hurting others, bringing disgrace and unnecessary suffering tino our lives, and even jeopardizing our faith? We are so weak.

But God is strong He alone has power to help us in our struggle gainst sin. Therefore, we pray the Sixth Petition with all earnestness: “Lead us not into temptation.”

What is temptation?

The attempts of our spiritual enemies to lure us away from God and his truth.

Those enemies are the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature.

Who is responsible when we give in to temptation?

NIV When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

How can we find the strength to say “No” to temptation?

Avoid compromising situations. The person on a diet should not frequent the food court of the local mall or walk down the ice cream and cookie section of the grocery store.

The person with uncontrolled spending should avoid catalogs, department stores, and online shopping sites.

Those with a drinking problem should avoid bars and liquor stores.

Regardless of the sin, avoid the places or venues which entice you to sin.

Watch and pray as Jesus instructs.

Look for a way to escape. Not “How close can I come to sinning” but “How far can I flee from it.”

Use the examples of the Bible to teach of the consequences of sin.

NIVFor I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Look to Jesus who has overcome temptation for us and paid for our sins.

NIVFor this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

No one is immune from temptation. The gospel lesson for today reminds us that even Jesus faced temptation as the devil tried to get him to approach his saving work in a way contrary to the Father’s plan. That was at the heart of those temptations. We face subtle and not so subtle attempts to get us to sin against God.

What is the most insidious temptation that faces many Christians today? It is the lie that we don’t need the Means of Grace to strengthen our faith. That somehow we know God’s Word well enough that we don’t need to worship God, read his word, or receive the Lord’s supper for the strengthening of our faith. And so we lament that lack of fruits of faith in the lives of others and our own laxity while at the same time we do little or nothing to find the strength we need from the means that God has given us.

The recent event in the school in Florida has produced the same rhetoric that we read after every other recent mass shooting. Since it happened at a school, we read the comments that this happened because of the rule against pray in schools. It seems too simplistic to me. But what I do believe is that the reason so many Christians struggle against temptation is because they have chosen to keep God’s Word out of their own lives. We do well to heed and to follow St. Paul’s instructions in our own lives when it comes to the power of God’s word.

2 Timothy 3:12–17 NIV

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.