Readings: Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7; Matthew 4:1-11
What do we find tempting?

Temptation is all around us. It is a part of life and has been for as long as people have drawn breath. We don’t have to look far into the bible to come across a story of temptation. The second chapter of the first book, to be precise. Just after the creation story we read about Adam and Eve in the garden being tempted and succumbing to the temptation. This is far more than just a story about right and wrong decisions, however, for when we see Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, we see ourselves. We see ourselves tempted and giving in to temptation, justifying to ourselves our reasons. In what way do we see ourselves as tempted?

We live in the age of the quick fix. Things are often instantaneous. We have the internet, giving us immediate information or communication. We have mobile phones, which mean we are available all day, every day. We have fast food, prepared so quickly that we can wait in our car for it. We live our lives in a rush. How are you, someone asks, Busy, we respond, as if there is something wrong if you’re not. We often expect our needs to be met right now. The easy availability of credit helps us get what we want before we can actually afford it. Young people want things without delay - how often do we hear young people negotiating, or bargaining, to get something in advance (can we get it now and I’ll pay you back) or ahead of time (instead of getting a chocolate bar as a reward for doing homework, how abut I have it now and then I will do my homework.) We want results quickly, without the hard work usually associated with achieving such results. We pursue easy ways to lose weight, easy and quick ways to improve our relationships, easy ways to get fit, easy ways to earn money, easy ways to prepare and cook dinner, easy ways to do all sorts of things. We seek quick and easy solutions to life’s challenges. Often, however, this is not possible. Good things take time.

The Genesis story tells us that the lure of living other than God’s way is an experience shared by all people, regardless of where we live. We want to do our own thing. The season of Lent, which we have just entered, is the annual call to take seriously the challenge of living life God’s way. This is not something unique to us in our modern times; it has happened throughout history. Today’s reading from Matthew talks about Jesus having to wrestle with some seriously tempting alternative courses of action as he pondered his future ministry.

At that stage, Jesus was still coming to terms with his identity and what it meant. This was the beginning of his public ministry. After 30 years of relative anonymity, everything began to change. Life got more complicated. Temptations presented themselves.

Just what were these alternatives and how were they presented to Jesus?

Number 1. Gaining popularity through meeting people’s unmet needs. There are basic practical needs out there. So many people need so many things. Instant popularity is guaranteed if you can meet those needs.

Number 2. Gaining popularity through having a position or a title of importance. You could have a big impact if you climb the ladder of power and authority. The means of getting there might not be too flash, but hey, the end justifies the means, think what you can do when you get there.

Number 3. Gaining popularity through coming up with some kind of spectacle. You could pull a few stunts, make a big name for yourself. Miracles are good publicity.

While not mentioned in the reading, another temptation that Jesus had already appeared to have overcome at that stage, and which is a huge issue for Christians today, was the temptation to just be normal. Just be nice, get on with quietly doing the right things, and fit in just like everyone else. Definitely don’t rock the boat!

The biblical account makes it out to be a clear distinction between choosing a path which is right versus choosing a path which is wrong. Our experience, however, tells us that when we are tempted to do the wrong thing, it isn’t easy to recognise. The temptations we face are hardly ever to do something that is overtly evil. The snake didn’t suggest to Eve that it might be a good idea to deliberately thumb her nose at God. Rather the snake suggested that eating the fruit would be a shortcut to great wisdom; how easy it was to justify eating the fruit, because how could possessing such wisdom be wrong when it would make one more God-like? Similarly, the things that Jesus was tempted with were not obviously wrong. Temptation, by its very nature, is not usually easy to spot. It is usually subtle and very seductive. It gets us because it is just a slight variation on something good, not a glaringly obvious change. The devil did not say to Jesus, ‘You`re hungry, why don`t you go and mug an old lady and steal her bread.’ Jesus would not have felt tempted by that. But turning a couple of stones into bread sounded harmless enough.

Instead he was tempted with the idea of using his gifts to cut a few corners and speed up the achievement of a few worthy goals.

So each year, Lent is a sobering reminder that although giving in to an appealing alternative comes naturally to us, Jesus had the foresight and courage to say ‘no’. He sees beyond the modest goods and short term gains and calls us to take the tough road of love and integrity that is willing to make sacrifices and endure hostility and abuse rather than compromise our calling, living justly, valuing truthfulness and living God’s way. We are reminded of the costly decisions involved in following Jesus, who went to the cross rather than sell out his values and his principles.

Lent is a time when we remind ourselves that the message of God’s mercy does not relieve us of the need to continue to recognise, understand and struggle to overcome our own weaknesses.

The story of the temptation of Jesus is closely linked with the baptism of Jesus and the biblical accounts follow each other. At his baptism, Jesus was acknowledged as God’s son. During the temptation the question is asked, ‘What sort of son of God is he? What sort of action will his identity require?’

Jesus made it clear throughout his ministry what sort of Son he was. He lived a life of valuing people, rich and poor, young and old, important and unimportant. He lived a life serving others, of meeting their needs and reaching out to offer them wholeness. He lived a life in intimate contact with God the father, praying and fasting and exploring the old testament writings. He spoke out against oppression and injustice. He lived life God’s way. He saw the world through God’s eyes.

Which brings us back to our original question. What do we find tempting? What are our temptations?

As was spoken about with the young people, we can look at the world through different eyes. We can see the world from our own personal perspective, where we put all our own values and meanings on events and people around us. We can look at the world from society’s point of view. Or we can look at things through God’s eyes. The longer we look through the eyes of another, the more our own view becomes like that. This is where our society’s views are insidious, they seep into our pores subtly, often without our consciously realising how they are affecting us.

Let us use Lent this year in a way that is similar to having an annual check up. Let us honestly check out how we are going, in order that we might discover the good, the bad and the ugly of who we are so that we can grow into the identity and the destiny for which we were created.

We ask that you move us beyond our easy comfort zones and make us face the tough decisions about how to be radically loving in a hostile and hurting world. That`s where Jesus was, and it is where he would lead us, and that`s where, in this season of Lent, we are drawn to follow.

As Ghandi reminds us,
‘Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviours. Keep your behaviours positive because your behaviours become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.’

Finally, we read in Philippians 4:8 –

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.