Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe, February 21, 2010
First Sunday of Lent
“Hey Mom, what do you know about the devil?" The 4 year old asked my colleague after hearing of Jesus’ temptation.[1] How does a mother, or Father, or anyone begin to answer that question? Draw upon Augustine? Or popular wisdom? The mother said, "Well dear, what do you know about the devil?"
"Well," he began, "the devil talked to Jesus." “And The devil was mean..." Mean, she wondered. Does that describe the devil’s actions? Leaning closer to his mother, he dropped his voice down to a loud whisper, "If we were at a store, and you and Dad were on one aisle, and I was in another aisle, and"..." and there was candy..." (pause) “The devil would say, "You should take some!"
Hmmm. What was she to say to her son?
"Well," he began, "the devil talked to Jesus." “And The devil was mean..." Mean, she wondered. Does that describe the devil’s actions? Leaning closer to his mother, he dropped his voice down to a loud whisper, "If we were at a store, and you and Dad were on one aisle, and I was in another aisle, and"..." and there was candy..." (pause) “The devil would say, "You should take some!"
Hmmm. What was she to say to her son?
The story isn’t so much about temptation, as it is about how Jesus shows his faithfulness to God, setting the stage for all of his ministry, and ultimately, his sacrifice and resurrection. The devil tests Jesus' identity, his self understanding and his mission—if you are really God's son, perform a miracle...make bread.. I know you're hungry...If you're really God's son, claim your royal power...worship me. If you're really God's son, push the limits of God's love...throw yourself off the temple. Jesus refuses, claiming scripture as his guide, and the devil departs...for a little while anyway.
"Honey," She says to her son, if we were in the store, and Dad and I were in one aisle, and you were in another, and there was candy, and the devil said, 'you should take some.' What would you say back to the devil?"
The little boy smiled, and said, "Oh! I would say thank you!"
It's not hard for a little boy to miss the point of the temptation. It's not hard for us either.
This story of Jesus and the devil in the wilderness for 40 days, happens before his ministry formally begins…when he has to ask himself…Is the way of the Messiah...the way of the cross? Jesus succeeds in passing the devil's tests...Do his followers?
