Luke 4:1-13
Experientially I think of
Bodmin moor which I have walked around a lot. Or, more dauntingly, neighbouring
Dartmoor, far more isolated and vaster.
But perhaps the strongest
image for me is the Arizona desert. To celebrate our 25th wedding
anniversary Jane and I had a trip around some parts of Route 66. One section
was from Tombstone to Las Vegas - driving. I remember once we had found a road
the satnav saying, drive for 398 miles. One long straight road through the
heart of the desert. If you got out of the car, you were hit by a wall of heat
and wind. It was exciting and scary. How people managed to survive trav travelling
thought that desert, I have no idea.
Wilderness in the ancient
world of the Bible was just as scary, perhaps even more so. If they had to
travel, they would try and get from one inhabited place to another inhabited
place as quickly as possible and usually in groups for safety.
Remember what happened to the
man going from Jerusalem to Jericho?
However, wilderness was and
remains a place where many encounter not only danger and even attacks from evil
forces, but also a place where God is encountered. This story of Jesus in the
wilderness echoes the formational and testing period of Israel in the
wilderness for forty years.
‘Remember how the LORD your
God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test
you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his
commands.’
Deuteronomy 8.2
But in the larger Biblical
narrative we first encounter wilderness in the creation narrative. And that’s
important as we reflect on Jesus’ experience in the wilderness and temptations
he is to undergo.
And here, as an aside, it worth reminding ourselves that this story is not video footage. Jesus did not have a mobile phone and set himself up on a TikTok. And we are told clearly Jesus was alone – so how did this story find its way into the Gospels? Perhaps the simple answer is the simple answer – Jesus recalled the story to his disciples. Remembering that this was a largely illiterate society with an oral tradition. Truths were told in stories. We could spend a lot of time arguing about whether Jesus’ was taken physically to the highest point of the temple – but I would suggest that would be fruitless exercise.
Therefore, we ask why is this
story being told?
What are the truths being
conveyed?
How does this story fit into
the larger Biblical narrative.
One of the exciting things
about reading the Bible, with its 66 books of a variety of styles written over
thousands of years, is the connectivity.
Route 66 – the Bible is the
highway to heaven – but quickly adding that is a two-way traffic flow!
Let’s go back to the creation
story and meet Adam One.
We can see that this story
tells us of God’s good plans for the creation.
That the Garden Temple Space
in Eden was to be extended across all the earth – ‘as the waters cover the
sea.’ Bringing light, order,
flourishing and abundance for all and for everything.
However, Adam and Eve are
cast out into the wilderness following their choosing their own path of
self-determination. Sadly, catastrophically, they failed the test. The once
fruitful earth will now only give of its fruit begrudgingly, along with briars
and thistles.
But God has not given up on
his project, the creators creativity arising out of the community of love we
come to know as the Trinity.
Note if you will – ‘let us
make man in our image.’
A long, long story then
ensues with twist and turns and failures and frustrations as God seeks to call
out first an individual, Abraham, and his family to be a true representative of
Yahweh upon earth. From whom will arise a whole nation, Israel. Which then
finds its focus on Jesus.
Jesus presents himself as
Israel personified and Jesus present himself as Adam Two.
And Adam Two goes into the
wilderness led by the Spirit as was Adam One following their disobedience.
O loving wisdom of
our God!
When all was sin and
shame,
a second Adam to the
fight
and to the rescue
came.
which did in Adam
fail,
should strive afresh
against the foe,
should strive and
should prevail;
(Praise to the holiest in the height - John Henry Newman)
Here also as Jesus, Adam Two,
confronts the wiles of the devil, that same voice, which if we listen carefully
drips with poisonous honey, a voice that had so tempted Adam One.
A voice we may recognise as
we face our trials and tribulations.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t
argue or debate even when Scripture is quoted by the devil.
It has been said that the ‘thought
is father to the deed.’
Once we begin to debate, to
discuss and to entertain an idea, we are on a very dangerous path.
For example, remember Jesus’s
words about not committing adultery. He says that to even look at someone with
lust is committing adultery. To emphasise the seriousness of this Jesus talks
about tearing out eyes and cutting of limbs, hyperbole indeed, but the point is
still strong and clear.
‘We demolish arguments and
every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take
captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.’ 2 Cor 10.5
Submit yourselves, then, to
God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James
4.7
Jesus has just undergone
Baptism by John when the Holy Spirit came upon him. That’s our context for
Jesus’ going out into the wilderness.
There had been those who
claimed to be Messiah before and would be again after Jesus.
Most, if not all, followed a
path of open rebellion against the occupying forces. They were crushed and
their followers dispersed.
What path was Jesus to set out upon?
What was his understanding of
Messiah?
What was his reading of the
ancient text and stories?
Who would oppose him if he
sought to teach about a way of self-sacrifice, a way of love, even for your
enemies. A turning of the other cheek, a going the extra mile, an embracing of
the poor, the filthy, the outcast. Embracing the leper and eating with sex
workers and tax collectors.
Who would stand against him
if he was to embrace a Samaritan woman and speak and offer new life to her and
her community. Or if he was to heal a Centurion servant or a Syro-Phoenician’s
daughter.
Jesus could probably see them
lining up in opposition….
But Jesus knew that…
‘…our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms.’ Ephesians 6.12.
Jesus knew that as he stepped
out and began proclaiming that in him and through him the Kingdom of God was
near, Jesus knew that he had to face, confront, and face down this dark force
which had the world in its vice like grip.
This dark force in opposition
to God, that used and abused human bodies, that brought everything back into a
pre-creation state of chaos and confusion.
Jesus knew he would have to
stand against this accuser, and Jesus knew that he couldn’t stand as one
accused yet remain as Adam Two, without sin.
For we do not have a high
priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has
been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews
4.15
Brothers and sisters, we live
in a wilderness.
We face trails and
temptations.
We face and see the evil in
our world, and we can look behind that evil and see the accuser, the corrupter
of souls, the destroyer of life.
Let’s get very real, very
personal, and very challenging.
I love studying the
Scriptures. I love discovering new links and words and depths of their meaning,
I really love it, it’s been one of the joys of retirement that I have
discovered a whole new love for God’s word.
But – and it’s a really big and a very important but!
If our worship, our studying of Scripture. If our prayers and petitions, and our fasting, if they do not change the way we are in the world then it will be like putting lipstick on a pig.
Yes, we will be tempted to
repeat that bit of salacious gossip. Yes, we will be tempted to give an
unofficial hand signal to the person who has just cut us up on the road. Yes,
we will be tempted to turn away from those most in need and do so with all
sorts of reasonable and rational arguments – well I know I do.
And yes, speaking mainly to
the men here, we will be tempted by those images on our screens.
Let’s get real and recognise
that we face temptations in the wilderness.
But let’s us take assurance
that…
The temptations in your life
are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not
allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he
will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Cor.10.13
Our calling is the same as
that received by Adam One. But now because of the faithfulness of Adam Two we
can stand filled with the Spirit of Adam Two.
I hope that’s not too
confusing because I would like to invite us to step out into the world, into
the wilderness to plant seeds of hope. To tear up brambles and thorns and
thistles of hatred and dispute.
To be bringers of heaven to
earth in our actions and bringers of earth to heaven in our prayers – up and down
Route 66, the Word of God.
Asking this question – in my
life, all of my life, I being Adam One or Adam Two?
My life, my life be on your altar,
And if you want to watch the sermon in context....
https://www.youtube.com/live/_dYDXsAVYTo?si=HR7u5qqq3IHqoxEH
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