Not today, Satan

March 10, 2019

Luke 4:1-13

After the baptism of Jesus in Luke’s gospel, we know that Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit that descended upon him.  Right after that experience, Jesus went into the desert, being led by the Spirit, where he stayed for 40 days.

I can totally understand that need to get away for a while.  Jesus was moving into his public ministry and needed to prepare.  I know when I’ve got something “big” approaching, I like to go somewhere by myself and meditate, focus, and escape the demands of daily life to prepare.  And we all have our own places we like to retreat to…our inner sanctum, if you will.  Mine is at the beach.  The sound of the waves, the heat from the sun…I can clear my mind and retreat to the inner most part of myself.  Maybe yours is found in music, in a book, on the back of a horse, in nature….  Whatever it is, we all have that place, and when we’re in that place, we find serenity, and when we find serenity, we tend to let our guard down. 

And we see this morning the great opportunist, Satan, is taking advantage of Jesus in his vulnerable state.  You see, not only has Christ retreated into the wilderness in solitude, he has also deprived himself of most of his physical needs, primarily food.  40 days, in the elements, without food.  I’m not sure one could be more susceptible to influence.  Satan tempts Jesus 3 separate times, each time the temptation is to perform a miracle.  But we know from scripture that Jesus did not perform these miracles for various reasons – each one quoted from the OT scriptures (we don’t live by bread alone, don’t test God, don’t have any other gods before the Lord your God) and issues a rebuke, saying, “get behind me Satan”, or as pop-culture would have it, “Not Today, Satan”. 

I’ve started on my required readings for school, and came across one I’ve been meaning to read for years; so, it’s the one I started with:  The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis, who was a great theologian who was able to successfully translate difficult theology into works of fiction, making the theological subject more palatable.   So The Screwtape Letters are these discovered letters to Screwtape, a senior demon in Satan’s army, and Wormwood, his nephew and junior tempter.  We are never made aware of Wormwood’s correspondences getting only the wisdom given by Screwtape, centering around the person Wormwood has been assigned to, referred to as his patient.  And while the book was reiteration of what we all know, the perspective of seeing it through another’s eyes – specifically the enemy’s eyes – was amazing.

Screwtape directed and advised the junior tempter to be observant, learn his patient’s likes and dislikes, take note of what was going on in the community, country and world.  To use his closest relationships against him.  To customize and tailor the temptations and attacks.  Make them look normal, routine…use the mundane as a distraction. 

This week, I let several things creep up on me, and even pass me by.  Ash Wednesday happened and Lent (my favorite season in the Christian Calendar) began.  Usually I’m geared up and excited weeks in advance!  This year, I realized it was Lent only after Ash Wednesday had already passed.  We had a time change this weekend; I almost missed it.  Wouldn’t that have been cute?

I’ve been distracted.  By family stuff, by local church stuff, by school, by conference requirements, by general conference.  I’ve allowed my focus and my attention to be redirected…and while I try to make myself feel better by saying all of these things needed attention, and it’s only human, etc., etc….  The truth of the matter is, I fell prey to temptation, and not just temptation…calculated, specific temptation that was custom designed for me.  Boutique temptation, if you will. 

It starts unnoticed.  It grows, greater and greater.  It comes in many forms.  Slowly, steadily, it works on our relationship with God, moving it down the list of priorities.   

We like to think that life as a Christian is somehow easier.  We like to think things will be easier.  I wish I could confirm that to you today, but I can’t.  Life as a disciple of Christ opens you up to attack by the enemy.  It guarantees that you’ll be tempted.  And I can promise that you will fall.  Many times.  Being a disciple of Christ means you have, through God’s unchanging love, a way to stand back up when you fall. 

We typically associate this season of Lent with fasting, abstinence, or denial.  We give something up that we enjoy for 40 days.  But too often we focus on our sacrifice, and we can’t see the purpose.  This season of Lent is meant to be a time of reflection on your relationship of Christ.  We are reminded of the fragility of our bodies.  We are invited to not just abstain from a vice, but to focus on our discipleship, ridding ourselves of the things that cloud our minds.  So instead of abstaining from coffee, or cokes, or chocolate…why don’t we give up judgement, or complaining, or bitterness, worry, discouragement, hatred, anger, gossip…the things that keep us from living into the fullness of our walk with Christ.  Let us instead be reminded of the mercy and forgiveness found in Christ’s sacrifice.