The Desert As Eye-Opener
Lent 1C
Deuteronomy 16:10-11; Luke 4:1-13
2/21/10
Lorraine Ljunggren

        The first time I visited a desert, I was 22 years old. I was driving back from Alaska on the way to Florida, having come down through Canada and then through the western United States. Having moved from the flat, lush green of southeast Florida to the mountainous, snowiness of Alaska had been an adjustment of rather large proportions. One I certainly came to love.

        But the desert! My first desert experience was an eye-opener. I thought about what it was like for Native peoples living in or near the desert – the trials they faced finding sources of water, living in the extreme temperatures of night and day. I knew I didn't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere in the desert wilderness.

        When I was in my early 30s I went back to the desert – this time in July and I came to fully understand the meaning of the word 'hot.' It was a dry heat that caused skin to crack after a few days, even staying in a business resort with air conditioning and access to lots of water. Realizing I could not be out in the noonday sun and maybe not even at 4 in the afternoon was an adjustment of major proportions. It certainly taught me something about my limitations. And while it is an amazing place, I still knew I would not want to be alone in the desert wilderness.

        And, so when I read biblical stories of the people of Israel being in the wilderness for 40 years, and of Jesus being in the wilderness for 40 days, it gives me serious pause and certainly makes me wonder how on earth people could do it.

        Moses leads the people of Israel in giving thanks to God and in recounting the story of their journey into Egypt, their enslavement, and their subsequent exodus – their journey to freedom – freedom borne of hardships as well as joy. Moses instructs the people to bring the first fruits of their labors to the Lord in thanksgiving for the mighty work God accomplishes. Telling to each succeeding generation how God frees the people of Israel connects those generations – establishes their identity as a people with a history – causes those hearing the story to always remember the important lessons learned in the wilderness. They are to remember always that God is faithful and their call is to be people of God.

        The Spirit leads Jesus into the Judean wilderness after his baptism by John. The text from Luke tells us Jesus is tempted by the devil for forty days.

        “The notion of 'temptation' in Scripture generally conveys two dominant understandings. The first is that of 'testing.' This meaning implies that spiritual strength is proved by one's being put to the test – and then remaining faithful through the trial. … The second understanding of temptation has more to do with popular notion. The devil-made-me-do-it understanding of 'temptation' denotes an enticement to sin that leads one away from God and from fidelity to one's neighbor.” (H. King Oehmig, Synthesis, 2/21/10, p. 4)

        “Clarence Jordan [author of The Cotton Patch Gospel ] suggests an unusual etymology for the word diabolos (devil) in this passage. He says in [his work] The Substance of Faith: 'Diabolos comes from dia meaning 'around through' and bollo meaning 'to throw.' Our English word 'ball' comes from that. [Jordan writes,] Diabolos means 'one who throws things about' – one who stirs things up – gets them confused. The work of the devil is just to get us muddled.”
(Sojourners online)

        And, so, Diabolos attempts to confuse Jesus – to stir things up in the hopes of derailing Jesus' discernment of who he is and to what works God is calling him. Diabolos addresses Jesus as 'Son of God' which immediately tells us as listeners to the Gospel who Diabolos believes Jesus is and what is as stake. It puts us on notice that Jesus is to have a relationship with God destined to be different. Diabolos is interested in power and so goes on the attack, testing Jesus, trying to lure him into a trap decorated with self-reliance, idolatry, and supremacy.

        Here's how I imagine the interchange might have gone:
        Diabolos says change stones into bread – you, Jesus, can be self-reliant – you need no one else to provide your daily bread – in other words, you don't need God!
        Diabolos says I'll give you rule over the kingdoms of the world – all you, Jesus, have to do is worship me – in other words, place me on the altar of your life – idolize me, abandon the God who created you!
        Diabolos says you, Jesus, can throw yourself from the pinnacle of the Temple without fear – in other words, I if you are the Son of God as I've called you, surely God will recognize your supremacy and send the angels to protect you!

        But for each attempt to lure him into the trap Jesus counters Diabolos with the very word of God. Each time Jesus quotes Deuteronomy “One does not live by bread alone.” (8:3) “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only [God].” (6:13) “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” (6:16)

        Jesus' spiritual strength is not worn down by the wilderness or by Diabolos -- Jesus remains faithful through the trials. There is no hiding behind 'the-devil-made-me-do-it' game for Jesus. The enticement of worldly power does not lead Jesus away from his relationship with God and his fidelity to his neighbors.

        But, truth be told, as modern followers of Jesus we are not immune from temptations. Just because we claim the name of Christ – just because we are followers of Jesus does not mean we are in some magical way protected from temptations. Lent can be a time for us to identify the temptations which might lead us away from God or a Godly life – a time to decide how we will respond whenever temptations confront us.

        “To sneak a chocolate sundae. To 'hedge' a few items on a tax return. To gossip about another's life – especially his or her problems. To engage in the telling of [so-called] innocent 'white lies.' To take to drinking or drugging or overeating when [we] know these habits can dominate [our lives] and lead to grave consequences. To keep silent when someone tells a racial or ethnic or sexist joke. To claim busyness when family or loved ones need [us]. To sell out [our] personal values to win in the 'system.' To hide behind 'spirituality' as a way of avoiding earthly responsibilities.” (H. King Oehmig, Synthesis, 2/21/10, p.4)

        To stand silent in the public arena rather than risk speaking out on issues which get labeled 'political' – meaning we better not talk about that stuff in church! What are we to do when those entrusted with leadership in our society are tempted to muddy the waters of important issues with rhetoric? One example is the rhetoric of 'neighborhood schools.' It sounds so tempting, so enticing. But that language was borrowed from another decade and was one way to keep schools racially separate and certainly not equal. The language has reared its head again in our backyard. What will we say or do about it? It is so tempting to turn the other way. We are, after all, busy people. How many of us will show up on Saturday for the Historic Thousands on Jones Street
to say “Never again” to re-segregation of our schools?

        It is not a way of safety to enter the wilderness nor is it a way of safety to be a Christian; both can be an eye-openers. Our desire to be safe and secure can lead us to think we can depend on the world for protection or for justice.

        Old Testament Professor Walter Bruggemann writes, “The first two Sundays in Lent summon us to focus on the God who answers us as the only secure source of well-being in the world. The worldly implication of this summons is that life in faith contradicts the way the world is organized, and calls us to an alternative life
of fearless discipline.”

        He goes on, “Lent is a time to sort out and refuse the other offers and to embrace the only reliable gift of well-being. Imagine choosing the Lord of the gospel rather than money, control, and power – the usual seductions in our society.” (Sojourners online, “Ultimate Security”)

        Author Joyce Hollyday writes, “Jesus reject[s] the
showy, compromised power of the world and [chooses] the power of the Holy Spirit. Some would say it [is] a mistake. You can wind up on a cross that way. But it [is] the compassionate emptying that [turns] the world upside-down. As we venture through our own wilderness time this season, may we have the strength to embrace that power. And may we trust in a God who still delivers.” (Sojourners online, “God Who Delivers”)

        Amen.

©2010 Lorraine Ljunggren