Introit
He shall call upon me, and I will hear him; I will deliver him,
and glorify him; I will fill him with length of days.
Psalm 90:15-16
He that dwelleth in the shelter of the most high
shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven.
Psalm 90:1
Luke 4:1-13
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.
3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." 4 Jesus answered him, "It is written, "One does not live by bread alone.'" [Deuteronomy 8:3]
5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus answered him, "It is written, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'" [Deuteronomy 6:13]
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, "He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,' 11 and "On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'" 12 Jesus answered him, "It is said, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" [Deuteronomy 6:16]
13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
• Overview of Luke's gospel
Lent
The Church's year of grace has moved from the season of Epiphany into the 40-day long season of Lent. "Lent" is an old word for springtime that refers to lengthening days and more daylight (clocks spring forward this Sunday). The music tempo lento is a leisurely slowing-down pace. Lent is one of the church's oldest observances that probably began not long after Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension. Throughout the centuries Lent has had different lengths ranging from a few days to our current practice of forty days minus Sundays—Ash Wednesday through Wednesday in Holy Week. Sundays are In Lent but not of Lent, because every Sunday is a festival of resurrection.
Like seven, forty is a famous biblical number. Moses spent 40 days of Mount Sinai; Elijah spent 40 days on Mount Carmel. Israel trekked through the exodus desert for 40 years. Jesus spent 40 days of being tempted or tested in the wilderness.
With purple and lavender, lenten practices and observances emphasize repentance and baptism. Just as with baptism, the turning around, repentance aspect of Lent is about living bathed in grace. Lent is a time of preparation for baptism at the Easter Vigil; it's also a time for those of us already baptized to remember how in grace God claims us and names us.
Lent 1
Every lectionary year (A, B, and C) for the first Sunday in Lent the gospel reading is Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Synoptic gospels Mark, Matthew, and Luke all include an account of Jesus' testing by the devil – ha Satan – traditionally the prosecuting attorney in Judaism. Mark provides no details; Matthew and Luke reverse the order of the second and third temptation or test.
Luke places this passage about Jesus, son of God immediately after his version of Jesus' genealogy that ends with "Adam, son of God."
Today's Gospel Reading
Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness immediately follow his baptism with the announcement of his identity and calling as Son of God. The Holy Spirit filled Jesus, and then the same Spirit of Life led him into a place more extreme than the wilds alongside the Jordan River.
The late Henri Nouwen points out the devil accosted Jesus with three of the world's greatest temptations; in his rebuttals, Jesus asserted his baptismal identity. Here are Nouwen's ideas followed by my comments on each one:
• To be relevant: Turn these stones into bread? Luke 4:3
But Jesus himself is the bread of life, he is far more than basic survival food, Jesus is The Stuff of ultimate revival, a.k.a. Living Bread, nutritious grain that won't rot or mold or decay!
• To be powerful: Have authority over all the kingdoms of the world? Luke 4:6-7
Jesus is Lord over and against the insufficiency of temple sacrifice, the dehumanization and violence of Roman or Russian or Washington, D.C., or any other imperial rule. In Christ Jesus all the world possesses the cross of Calvary, the power of life over the death-dealing, life-negating pretenses of too many ecclesiastical, institutional, and earthly governments.
• To be spectacular: Throw yourself down from the temple spire? Luke 4:9
But Jesus himself is the temple; Jesus is more than the temple. In fact, each of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit, so no further need for a brick and mortar structure because we have and we are living temples.
Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy, with words that point to the neighbor, the other, and not to himself. Jesus had spent a lifetime attending synagogue and being instructed in Torah, so he embodied the substance and meaning of scripture. We've mentioned Mary praying the Magnificat recorded in Luke 1:46-55 – "My soul magnifies the Lord, and spirit rejoices in God my savior" – that's roughly based on Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Being raised an observant Jew meant learning and knowing scripture.
Where We Live: Baptismal Identity
Lent is a time of preparation for baptism during the Easter Vigil and an opportunity for those of us already baptized to remember how in grace God claims us, names us Christian, calls us to live out our baptismal identity in witness and service, and in the power of the Spirit sends us filled with the Spirit into the world to be the gospel, to live as good news to everyone everywhere.
In today's passage, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy with words that point to the neighbor, the other, and not to himself. Jesus carried the words of scripture in his heart.
How about us? What about us? Martin Luther reminds us God has redeemed us from the "unholy trinity" of sin, death, and the devil. What scriptures, prayers, hymns, do you rely on to reclaim your baptismal identity when the going gets rough and tough? Maybe especially over the past half-dozen years?
When you're confused or uncertain about that next move? What scriptures do you recall when life is glorious and you want to thank and acknowledge God?
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