February 25, 2007- "Tempted to Take the Easy Way"

2 Lent, Year C
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 91
Romans 10:5-13
Luke 4:1-13

With this being Lent and being my first sermon here at Trinity, I thought I would start out my sermon with a confession... I am not your typical Episcopalian. I grew up virtually un-churched until age 15, when I was baptized. I remember going out for lunch the day of my baptism and my mom asking me, in front of family and friends, whether I felt any different. I paused for a moment and said, "No, not really." It is funny, but I did expect to feel a little different. However, this was the first step in my journey, a journey that I had no idea where it would take me, for that matter, where it is going to take me in the future.

The passage before the gospel we read today tells of Jesus' baptism. This marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. The Gospels tell of a voice coming down from heaven declaring Jesus as God's Son and then what happens... How does Jesus begin his public ministry? What is Jesus' first act as the Son of God? He goes off into the wilderness for forty days to fast and pray.

This is where today's gospel lesson picks up. It is referred to commonly as the temptation of Christ. This is one of the best examples of the humanity and divinity of Jesus colliding. Most Christians have no problem with the divinity of Jesus or the humanity of Jesus. As Christians we claim Jesus is fully human and fully divine. Since the beginning of Christianity, we have struggled with what that statement means.

Temptation is an unavoidable part of humanity. We often demonize temptation. Most of us have seen the cartoons with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. However, temptation is much more complicated than good versus evil.

Temptation is complicated because it is so hard to recognize. Temptation usually involves being tempted by good things. Most of us are able to recognize the extreme evil around us. However, what gets most of us in trouble is when we think we are doing the right thing or the good thing and it turns out to be the complete opposite. We also can take something good and use it in the wrong way.

We see that in today's gospel lesson. Christ is tempted by three things: ending suffering, power, and security. These of themselves are not bad things; however, Satan tries to tempt Jesus to misuse them.

Satan, or Jesus' opposition, first tries to tempt Christ with meeting his basic need for food; to go without food causes suffering. However, to meet his bodily comfort means that he would reject a condition set by God, that is, that we as humans are vulnerable to starvation. To be fully human is to know how fragile we are. We cannot live by bread alone, but we cannot live without it either. We need to feed ourselves, but we are called to also feed others.

We still live in a world where people die from starvation. It must have been tempting for Jesus to want to make his mission about satisfying all the human needs of the entire world in one dramatic gesture. Jesus could have set out to simply clothe the naked and feed the hungry in one single act. For whatever reason he chose not to; he chose not to change the created world. He chose to continue his journey.

The reality is, we still live in a world where some people have bread and others do not. Christ did show us through the rest of his ministry that being human does not mean God calls us to suffer. For alleviating suffering is a good thing; however, giving someone a loaf of bread only begins to address the problem. We must take the next steps to help a person provide for their entire life.

Christians have often not known what to do with the suffering of the world. We live in a world where there are too many people who suffer way too much, for way too long. Over the centuries, many times we have chosen to ignore the suffering of the world; thus, allowing it to grow.

Christ taught us that we cannot wave a magic wand and make suffering disappear nor can we ignore it. Jesus calls us to walk with those who suffer. We are called to use the gifts we have to prevent suffering. We live in the tension of needing enough for our own survival and following a God who calls us to abundantly give.

Across the Episcopal Church our new Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, is calling Episcopalians to do something to end suffering. Today, the first Sunday of Lent, is ONE Sunday. Our Presiding Bishop is urging all Episcopalians to join the fight to end global poverty and hunger, combat HIV/AIDS, provide a basic education to all people, empower women, and reduce child mortality. We have the technology and means to end extreme world poverty and hunger. It will not be happen overnight, but it can happen in our lifetime.

One does not live on bread alone, but on the Word of God. God's Word calls us into action. God calls us to use the gifts we have and to use them wisely.

Christ's second temptation is about power. He is promised false power over the world. Satan offers Jesus the world, if he follows him.

It would have been tempting after receiving his baptism to take over and make everything better; rather, Jesus pioneered a new way for us. The world offered to Christ is one where power is obtained by seeking after one's own self-interest. Christ is offered a world full of nations who fear competitors and assert power to protect themselves or conquer others.

Jesus demonstrates a new power, a power that no longer lives in fear nor seeks to protect our own interests. Being a leader is not about seeking your own interest, but listening to the entire community. Jesus calls us to share power even with those who we do not like or agree with, with those who have had power taken away from them. This means that we will be forced to travel the road with people we do not like or do not understand.

We do not get to play border patrol for the Kingdom of God. Church is not all about me and it is not all about you; it is about all of us. We are forced to travel the road together. It is in this togetherness that we realize our own potential. It is in community that we are able to recognize our own gifts more clearly. I recently heard an African proverb that went something like, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Even today there are too many of us who seek our own interests and not that of our neighbors. In today's society it seems much easier to do things your way. As a church, it is important for us to model a sense of the communal power in which Christ modeled for us. This may mean letting go of what you want or what you think is best. Trinity is about a willingness to serve and more importantly a wiliness to let and encourage others to serve.

Letting go is never easy. The final temptation in today's Gospel lesson is perhaps the most difficult. It involves letting go and trusting in God. This does not mean that your life will be filled with puppy dogs and sunshine. The journey we travel as Christians is not always easy. Trusting in God can be difficult.

When things are not going the way that we would like, we become frustrated. Jesus is tempted to put God to the test. Satan quotes the Scripture, "On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone." Life without some misfortune is not life.

Following God means taking a risk and there will be some bumps on the road. One of my favorite prayers in the Prayer Book give thanks for many things including, "We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us. We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone." If we truly live life then we will succeed and will fail.

There are no easy answers when it comes to following God nor is there always a clear path. We may be called to places where we do not want to go. Christ set out in the wilderness to prepare for his mission. All his temptations centered on the temptation to take the easy way out, to take the path of least resistance.

The temptation for the quick fix is an all too common temptation. However, what kind of example would that set? Christ chose to continue his ministry. He chose not to escape our humanity by misusing his divinity.

God became fully human in order for us to realize our divinity. Our baptism calls us to engage the world fully. We are called to use our gifts for whatever purpose God has given us. We are called to take a risk on ourselves and to realize all that God has in store for us.

I think I came to the realization at age 15 that baptism is not magic. God continues to show me new ways I can live out my faith. Living into your ministry is not easy and is a long, never-ending road. We may be called to take up our cross at times. We must also be willing to bear each others crosses.

As we begin this season of Lent, I invite you to examine ways you can give of yourself. Lent is traditionally a time Christians fast and give alms or the more modern disciplines of giving up chocolate or ice cream. This Lent I invite you take on something rather than simply to give up something. I invite you to look within yourself and not give in to the temptation to take the easy road. Take a risk on yourself. Be open to how God can use you. Find your ministry.

Amen.