CCRC slides for March 10

Got the clearest voice.

So in the bulletin that does play Luke chapter 4 that's a mistake infection Matthew chapter 4 reading today from Matthew Chapter 4 verses 1 to 11, which is on page 957

Then Jesus was led by the spirit Into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil after fasting 40 days and 40 nights. He was hungry. The tempter came to him and said if you are the Son of God tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered it is written man. Shall not live on bread alone. But on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point at the temple. If you are the Son of God, you said throw yourself down four is written. He will command his angels concerning you and that they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone Jesus answered him. It is also written do not put the Lord your God to the test again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All this I will give you he said if you Bow Down and Worship me. Jesus said to him away from me Satan for it is written Worship the Lord your God and serve him only. Then the devil left him and the angels came and attended him. the word of the Lord

Good morning. Thank you for inviting me back. I'll take that as a very good sign.

It is indeed the first Sunday of the season of Lent again. And it is a 40-day season. We we have to get good at math this time of year. We count Back 40 days from Easter backwards not including the Sundays and that gets us to a Wednesday usually in February or March and that puts is about 7 weeks away from Easter. So this Lenten season is a time of preparation for Easter.

Some of us may have been marked by ashes on the forehead on Ash Wednesday ashes in the Bible a sign of morning sorrow repentance and mortality. And then the beginning of this season leaders into a season of confession and self-denial and intensified spiritual discipline. But I must say being completely honest with you that for those of us who live in a Northern country like Canada. The timing for Lent is just terrible. One of the coldest February's ever. Someone said to me yesterday. There was one hour in February that was above 0. Snowing coal long nights income tax season who needs extra spiritual testing right now is what I say. Well, at least the days are getting longer the church tradition that I grew up in did not practice or observe. The season of Lent fact, we heard Catholics practice self-denial and the season of Lent that we had no idea how denying yourself chocolate or watching TV could possibly have anything to do with spiritual growth. Actually those exercises of self-denial sounded a little bit like something you might be doing to impress God and maybe through your excellent observance of them. You could save yourself. Well, I'm not from a reformed background, but I know if that doesn't work for a Protestant.

but by the fourth century Christians decided that it would be a very good exercise to commit to a season of 40 days of fasting and renewal just as Jesus spent 40 days of fasting in the wilderness. Okay. Should I talk louder please step away, okay. so the number 40 is symbolic in the Bible as you probably know it's I think of it as a symbol or cold language for however long it takes you to learn something essential.

Justice Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness after crossing the Red Sea they were tested in the wilderness that they cross the Red Sea 40 Years of testing in the wilderness and just as Jesus spent 40 years in the wilderness preparing for his journey to Jerusalem. So too should we submit to some testing? Why because Jesus as it is Jesus himself said if you want to be my follower, if you want to live in the fullness of the kingdom of God, you need to be prepared to carry a cross. You need a capacity to share in a baptism like mine if you want to share in a resurrection like mine. And then raining in the 15th century Thomas a kempis who wrote a book called The imitation of Christ a book that when John Wesley read it in the 18th century said I've never read a better summary of the Christian Life and a kempis wrote these words and I like to read them every year at this time of year. And I think we've got them on a slide with a kempis wrote. Jesus has always many who love is Heavenly Kingdom but few who bear his cross. He has many who desire consolation. But if you care for trial he finds many to Sherry's table but few to take part in his fasting all desire to be happy with him. If you wish to suffer anything for him mini follow him in the breaking of bread but few to the drinking of the Chalice of his passion many Revere his miracles approached the shame of the Cross many love him as long as they encounter no hardship many praise and bless him as long as they receive some comfort from him. But if Jesus hides himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or In Too Deep dejection. Who was on the contrary who loved him for his own sake and not for any comfort of their own bless him and all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the Bliss of consolation, even if he should never give them consolation yet. They would continue to praise him and wish always to give him thanks what power there is in pure love for Jesus love that is free from all self-interest and all self-love. What power does a kempis there is in pure love for Jesus we need lent for that. We need to understand the power of pure love for Jesus or remind ourselves of that power That's The Power of holiness. and

I am actually referring to Luke's gospel.

The story of Jesus in the wilderness is in all three of the synoptic gospels. Mark's got a 2 verse version.

Matthew the one we just heard is 11 versus and and the loop versus XIII. Luke always has a more detailed version of everything. I with if we didn't have Luke we wouldn't have a tooth chapter birth Narrative of Jesus. We wouldn't have Charlie Brown's Christmas either.

That's not true.

But all of the activity around angels and Shepherds and that's Luke he has a meticulously detailed account. There are more stories and more names in Luke's gospel than any of the others. He's a very careful writer and everything is in his story of Jesus life for a reason and I'll come back to that momentarily, but Luke's gospel shows us a Jesus who hears a couple of details right at the beginning of Luke's version of Jesus in the wilderness. Luke says Jesus full of the Holy Spirit. He's just been baptized. Is Led Into the Wilderness by the Holy Spirit? dimensions of the Holy Spirit

empty also shows as a Jesus who is every bit as vulnerable as you and I when it comes to testing and tempting he ate nothing at all during those days and when they were over, He was famished. It says. He was hungry. I'll say I suggest to you that Jesus experiences a real Wilderness and undergoes real testing. Define out the same thing that Israel had to find out when they were in the wilderness and that is what it means to have power. What it means to have power. So let's take a look at those Temptations the three Temptation and let's look at Jesus Temptation through the lens of power. The first Temptation or test the Jesus faces is a physical test. He's surrounded by Stone, but boy would ever make life easier if he just turned one of those stones into a loaf of bread. He's malnourished.

But he doesn't. He doesn't because he's learning what it means to have power over his own body. Yes, he's hungry. But that doesn't mean he's going to allow hunger to overtake his imagination so they can't think of anything else but food. Yes, he craves physical things. But Jesus transforms every desire into a desire for God. One doesn't live by bread alone. Jesus says quoting the book of Deuteronomy. If he had bred, he'd be hungry again. If you had a glass of wine, he be thirsty again, but by learning to desire the word of God learning to feed on the Bread of Heaven means that he'll never be hungry again. And that's power. That's power.

Second Temptation. First one is a physical test. The second one is a political test politics. Hear Jesus he is out in the wilderness on the way from making a difference in the world a long way from doing what the angels in the the Magi talked about at his birth in Luke's version.

The government will rest on his shoulders. Wow. But yours Jesus out in the middle of nothing with nothing. Look says the devil to Jesus. I can give you these kingdoms now. If you'll worship me you can put the right up there on your shoulders just like they said you would. But Jesus resist because he's learning where true power lies. Governments are important they influence our lives and we are easily drawn in by our fascination with what's going on in Ottowa and Washington and in local politics by the issues and the personalities the wrestling for power the Intrigue the back. Well, you know what I'm talkin about. It's all over the news. You can't avoid it and we're fascinated by it.

So I think sometimes we can't get enough of it.

But the truth is that governments don't finally rule the world. Not finally they come and they go.

Jesus says there's one thing that's always more important than political power. And he says it's worship the worship of God. He quotes Deuteronomy again back to the devil worship the Lord your God and serve only.

God's kingdom as we encounter it in worship never comes to an end. So hear Jesus transforms the desire to control into the desire for worship a desire to worship. That's power that's power.

Is a third Temptation first one physical second one political the third Temptation Jesus faces is a supernatural one the devil sweeps dares and the throw himself off. This is where the devil tries Coatings of scripture of his own Jesus. The angels will protect you.

throw yourself down has the prospect of celebrity abena spectacle something new something dramatic something shocking becoming a story that no one will forget. Transcending the ordinary and the everyday who wouldn't be tempted by that but Jesus even though he may have been tempted. He doesn't succumb Jesus Takes the desire for novelty for stimulation for titillation turns it into a desire for a transformed heart. He's not going to be distracted by the exciting in the spectacular. He can't be bought off with food. He can't be swayed by entitlement and control he can't be distracted by entertainment. He cannot be swayed from his purpose and that is power. That's real power. Now the irony of courses that Jesus did feed people by trying a few Loaves and Fishes into a meal for 5,000 and he does rule the world crowned with thorns on Good Friday and glorified on Ascension Day and he does employ an army of angels who are the stone on Easter morning, but he only does those things after he learns what true power is and where to find it.

the promise of the Christian Life the promise of being part of the church to baptism is that we are part of a purpose that really matters. That we joined with Christ in his mission to heal and restore the whole creation. And of course, that means feeding a hungry world. Of course, it means working for Shalom for justice the flourishing of all people and for righteousness through the halls of government office. And of course, we enjoy bringing the exciting the pleasurable to the world through entertainment and sports and the art. but first first we must discover what true power is and where true power lies. And that is what length is 4. That's what spiritual practices Habits Like prayer shaping your weekly schedule around Sunday worship reading the Bible devotional e with fervor denying yourself something you normally feel you need. Giving something away that is valuable to your money.

Or things what time that's what those things are for discipline is for discovering. What true power is and where it lies. discovering What true power is? means educating your desire educating your love recalibrating our love so that we may know the power of your love for Jesus. 10 mm. That is the point of giving things up for Lent. I think sometimes people want to talk. So can you can you remind me what the connection again is? I give something up and what's that supposed to do it? What's the point of that is kind of an exercise in showing how disciplined I am already. Or is it in some way going to open me up to something new?

Just as an athlete or musician trains rigorously to make sure they can do the right thing at the right time. Even if they're having a bad day, even if they're not feeling like it. So to do followers of Jesus practice self-discipline self-renunciation. So that they're ready to respond to God's call whenever it comes. You fast from food? so that you can learn the hear the call of God louder than the growl of your stomach my wife and I were in a in a pub in Canmore not long ago and I saw wonderful plaque on the wall that said I'm sorry for what I said to you when I was hungry.

We fast from food so we can learn to hear the call of God in as louder than the call of the refrigerator.

We fast from technology so that we can learn to hear the call of God louder than our craving for immediacy or novelty for stimulation. We might engage in deep Listening Prayer by ourselves or with others so that we can hold the pain of ambiguity. and not force a simple but premature resolution on some things were wrestling with our big decisions we have

You confess your sin during Lent in a really intensive way so that you can look at the person who is most troubling to you. Who disagrees with you who's angry with you? Who's slandering you behind your back you do that so that you don't take the bait.

So that you can see them just as your confession shows yourself to be a sinner deserving Grace.

You train your body your senses your imagination to learn to do what God wants you to do rather than what advertisers or seducers or Relentless marketing or temperatures want you to do that is power. That's our.

Christian ethicist Samuel Wells says this most of the Christian Life Is preparation for an unknown test?

most of the Christian Life Is preparation for an unknown test? Many of these times of preparation are self-chosen Wilderness experiences. Mm length is one of those can be one of those but many Wilderness is we do not choose. These are the unknown tests. And we can be sure that they will come. Mention Luke's detailed account of this story. You look at verse 13 in Luke chapter 4 The story ends in an ominous ominous know what I mean works for clapping Jesus you overcame. By the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was tempted like us. famished under duress from a bible-quoting devil overcomes But in verse 13 and says when the devil had finished every test he departed from Jesus. until an opportune time

if the devil continue to look for more opportune times to get it even Jesus. We can be sure as Believers today that we will be stocked as well.

There are unknown cast sad. And that's what we prepare for the unknown test. I think Wells is got it right on most of our Christian lives are preparation for unknown test. But there's a note of Hope here is well. I mentioned the first verse of Luke saccounty says Jesus full of the Holy Spirit Into the Wilderness by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit and it's that same power that helped Jesus overcome his tests that is available to us as well and noticed we're true power lies. It's not in our our bodies or our willpower or mental strength. True power comes from God the heart of the Christian Gospel is that God raised Jesus from the dead that is a unique active power that shows us the power of God in a definitive way. So so these practices of discipleship and let the reason for Lent Is it just a train our hearts and minds and bodies to be ready for an unknown challenge there also? Times for reminding us where true power lies.

Finally, let me just say this. You don't become a holy person without. Preparation and transformation the transformation is God's work. The preparation that's on us that's on us. Like Jesus, we're invited by the spirit of God in this Lenten season 2 a dark and wild place to be tested to be formed. And to become people of power. In this as in all things glory be to God the Father God the son God the Holy Spirit a man. Let us pray.

almighty God whose son fasted 40 days in the wilderness

and was tempted just as we are but did not send. Give us Grace to discipline ourselves in submission to your Holy Spirit. That as you know our weakness, so we may know your power to save Jesus Christ Our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Oh, man.