MARK 1:9-15 | LEAD US… OR LET US…INTO TEMPTATION

LEAD US… OR LET US…

INTO TEMPTATION

MARK 1:9-15

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

MANY OF YOU WILL LIKELY REMEMBER CARTOONIST, GARY LARSON, THE CREATOR OF THE COMIC STRIP – THE FAR SIDE.

HE STOPPED DRAWING IT SEVERAL YEARS BACK, BUT FOR MY MONEY, IT WAS THE FUNNIEST COMIC STRIP EVER.

NOW, I’LL GRANT YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BIT OF A TWISTED SENSE OF HUMOR TO APPRECIATE LARSON’S CARTOONS, BUT NONETHELESS, FUNNNNY.

IF YOU’RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HIM, LET ME SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF HIS CARTOONS WITH YOU.

LIKE THE ONE OF A CLOSE-UP PICTURE OF A CAR’S REARVIEW SIDE MIRROR WITH NOTHING BUT ONE HUGE ALIEN EYEBALL IN IT, AND THE WORDS ON THE MIRROR: “OBJECTS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY MAY APPEAR.”

OR THE ONE OF A STORE, ONLY ALL THE SHELVES IN THE STORE ARE WAY UP HIGH, AND EVERYTHING IS BEYOND ANYONE’S REACH, AND THE CAPTION READS: INCONVENIENCE STORE.

OR THE CARTOON OF A FARM SCENE, WITH ALL OF THESE CHICKENS LYING ALL AROUND, AND ONE OF THOSE RANCH SIGNS ABOVE THAT READS: BONELESS CHICKEN RANCH.

BUT THE CARTOON I HAVE IN MIND FOR THIS MORNING IS ONE OF A WAREHOUSE SETTING, WITH A STAIRWAY, AND EVERYWHERE, PEOPLE ARE SLIPPING AND SLIDING, AND FALLING DOWN.

THE NAME ON THE DOOR READS: BIG BOB’S BALL BEARINGS, BANANAS, ROLLER SKATES, AND FLOOR WAX COMPANY.

AS I SAID, YOU HAVE TO BE A BIT TWISTED TO APPRECIATE HIS COMICS.

THE REASON THE LAST OF THESE CAME TO MIND FOR THIS MORNING’S SERMON IS BECAUSE OF SOMETHING A FRENCH PRIEST SAID ABOUT ONE OF THE POPE’S SUGGESTIONS LATE LAST YEAR.

MY GUESS IS, MOST OF US WERE PROBABLY BUSY GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS, AND MAY HAVE MISSED THIS STORY, BUT THE POPE WAS BEING INTERVIEWED BY AN ITALIAN TV NETWORK, WHEN HE SUGGESTED:

THAT HE WASN’T ALTOGETHER PLEASED WITH THE WORDING OF THE “OUR FATHER” OR WHAT WE KNOW AS THE LORD’S PRAYER.

WHAT BOTHERED HIM IN PARTICULAR WAS THE PART ABOUT TEMPTATION.

“IT IS NOT A GOOD TRANSLATION” THE HOLY FATHER OFFERED.  IN ENGLISH AND ITALIAN, THE PRAYER ASKS GOD TO “LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.”

YOU KNOW THE PART I’M TALKING ABOUT, WE SAY IT EVERY SUNDAY, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE LORD’S PRAYER.

“IT IS NOT,” THE POPE SAID, “THAT GOD PUSHES ME INTO TEMPTATION AND THEN SEES HOW I FALL,” FRANCIS SAID IN ITALIAN.

“A FATHER DOES NOT DO THIS.  A FATHER QUICKLY HELPS THOSE WHO ARE PROVOKED INTO SATAN’S TEMPTATION.”

POPE FRANCIS THEN COMMENTED ON THE FACT THAT JUST A FEW DAYS EARLIER, ON THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT IN 2017, FRENCH CATHOLICS HAD, IN FACT, ADOPTED NEW PHRASING IN THE OUR FATHER.

INSTEAD OF “LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION” THEY HAD NOW SUBSTITUTED THE WORDS “DO NOT LET US ENTER INTO TEMPTATION.”

SO, LEAD US…?  OR LET US…?  WHICH IS IT?

AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE LORD’S PRAYER (OR THE OUR FATHER) AS WE NOW HAVE IT, IS A TRANSLATION FROM THE LATIN VULGATE (A VERSION OF THE BIBLE) WHICH WAS TRANSLATED FROM ANCIENT GREEK, WHICH WAS IN TURN TRANSLATED FROM ARAMAIC, THE LANGUAGE SPOKEN BY JESUS.

THE WORD IN QUESTION HERE IS: PEIRASMOS (FROM NEW TESTAMENT GREEK) WHICH MEANS BOTH TO TEMPT AND TO BE TESTED.

SO, ON SOME LEVEL THE POPE HAS A POINT; IT IS NOT THAT GOD LEADS US INTO TEMPTATION, AS MUCH AS IT IS THAT GOD, LETS US ENTER INTO TEMPTATION;

AND OF COURSE, LET’S NOT FORGET THAT WHAT THE PRAYER ASKS, IS THAT GOD NOT LEAD US, NOR LET US FALL INTO TEMPTATION.

AND IT IS HERE THAT THE FRENCH PRIEST I MENTIONED EARLIER, FATHER EMMANUEL SCHWAB, PASTOR OF SAINT-LEON PARISH IN PARIS, FRANCE AND GARY LARSON’S CARTOON MEET UP.

“THE VERSION ‘LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION’,” THE PRIEST SAID, “MADE SOME PEOPLE THINK GOD THREW BANANA PEELS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD SLIP AND FALL, BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF GOD.”

AND IT WOULD SEEM, POPE FRANCIS WOULD AGREE, AND PERHAPS, SO DO YOU.

A FEW WEEKS AGO, OUR ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WAS STUDYING HOW HARD TIMES CAN SHAPE WHO WE ARE.  THE AUTHOR OF THE DEVOTIONAL WE WERE USING WROTE:

“THOUGH GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF HARDSHIP AND TRIALS, GOD WILL REMAIN WITH US IN THE DEEP PLACES OF THE SEA…”

AND I WOULD SAY THAT APPLIES TO TEMPTATION AS WELL.  GOD DOES NOT TEMPT.  GOD IS NOT TO BLAME FOR OUR TEMPTATIONS.

THE TRUTH IS, AND I’M GOING TO PUT THIS AS SIMPLY, AS DIRECTLY, AND YET AS GENTLY AS I CAN: WE ARE TO BLAME FOR ENTERING INTO TEMPTATION.

IT’S AS SIMPLE, AND AS PAINFUL, AS THAT.  WE ARE TO BLAME.

IT IS A STORY AS OLD AS ADAM AND EVE.  AFTER SINNING, AFTER EATING OF THE ONE TREE GOD HAD TOLD THEM NOT TO EAT:

ADAM BLAMES EVE; AND EVE BLAMES THE SERPENT; AND IF HE’D HAD THE CHANCE, I’M SURE THE SERPENT WOULD HAVE BLAMED GOD SOMEHOW.

TALK ABOUT PASSING THE “FAST BUCK FREDDY!”

(FOR THOSE OF OUR VISITORS, FAST BUCK FREDDY’S IS A STORE, A COUPLE OF THEM, ACTUALLY, THAT HAVE BEEN HERE IN KEY WEST FOR YEARS;)

AND I JUST COULDN’T HELP MYSELF WITH THE WORD PLAY OF HOW FAST ADAM AND EVE PASSED THE BUCK OF BLAME FOR TEMPTATION AND SIN.

NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED.  WE ARE STILL ALL ABOUT FINDING SOMEONE ELSE TO BLAME FOR OUR ENTERING INTO TEMPTATION, AND FOR OUR SIN.

WE BLAME OUR PARENTS.  (I REMEMBER ONCE SEEING A BUMPER STICKER THAT READ: “WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?  I CAME FROM A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY” ONLY, UNDERNEATH IT, AS IF SCRAWLED THERE BY SOMEONE ELSE, WERE THE WORDS: “SO, WHO DIDN’T?”

HOWEVER, HAVING SAID THAT, FAMILIES DO BEAR SOME RESPONSIBILITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE FAMILIES WHERE THERE IS GREAT DISCORD, ABUSE, AND/OR NEGLECT; WHERE PARENTS FAIL TO PARENT, AND SIBLING RIVALRY BORDERS ON ABUSE; AND CHILDREN ARE NOT PROPERLY RAISED.

OTHER FACTORS MATTER, BUT IN MOST SITUATIONS, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE, FOR OUR OWN CHOICES AND DECISIONS.

YES, PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, CAN DO THINGS OUT OF FEAR OR COERCION, SO THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO WHAT I’M SAYING HERE, BUT AGAIN, FOR THE MOST PART, WE MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES.

WE BLAME OUR SPOUSES.  WE BLAME THE TEACHER.  WE BLAME “THEY,” AND “THEM,” AND “THOSE,” AND ALL THOSE OTHER UNNAMED, NEFARIOUS TARGETS.

IT MAKES IT EASIER TO HATE ON PEOPLE IF WE CAN BLAME THEM FOR OUR PROBLEMS.

WE BLAME SOCIETY.  IT’S WHERE WE WERE RAISED.  IT’S HOW WE WERE RAISED, OR WEREN’T RAISED, AS THE CASE MAY BE.  IT’S SOCIETY’S FAULT FOR WHAT WE DO WRONG.

IT’S THE MEDIA; THE GOVERNMENT; HOLLYWOOD; THAT’S TO BLAME.  IT’S TODAY’S MUSIC; IT’S VIDEO GAMES.

ONCE MORE, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS, AND MANY THINGS INFLUENCE OUR CHOICES AND ACTIONS;

AND WE CAN FIND MANY TARGETS IN THE BLAME GAME;

BUT ULTIMATELY, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES, OUR ATTITUDES, OPINIONS, AND ACTIONS.  WE CHOOSE HOW TO THINK, AND ACT, AND LIVE.

COMEDIAN FLIP WILSON USED TO BLAME THE DEVIL; “THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!”  AND HE’S NOT ALONE, OF COURSE; OLD SCRATCH GETS MORE THAN HIS SHARE OF BLAME FOR THE THINGS WE CHOOSE TO DO WRONG.

AND THOUGH HE DIDN’T WRITE THE SONG, HE JUST MADE IT FAMOUS, MITCH RYDER AND THE DETROIT WHEELS, BLAMED IT ON THE “DEVIL WITH THE BLUE DRESS ON.”

WHICH USED TO BE SORT OF FUNNY, UNTIL WE ENTERED INTO AN AGE OF VICTIM BLAMING, THE LIKES OF WHICH WE NEVER QUITE SEEN BEFORE.

AND TO THEIR IMMENSE CREDIT: THE VICTIMS, MOSTLY WOMEN, HAVE FINALLY SAID: “THAT’S IT!  NO MORE!”

VICTIM BLAMING HAS BECOME SOMETHING OF A NATIONAL PAST TIME THESE DAYS, AND AGAIN, TO THEIR CREDIT, THE VICTIMS HAVE SAID: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” AND THEY AREN’T GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE;

AND NEITHER SHOULD WE.

IN A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE RECENTLY, ABOUT SOME OF THIS, AND THE NATURE OF TEMPTATION, AND WHOSE REALLY TO BLAME, THE PERSON WITH WHOM I WAS SPEAKING, RECALLED THE WORDS OF HIS OLD PASTOR.

THE PASTOR SAID (OF TEMPTATION) “BIRDS WILL FLY OVER ALL OF US, IT’S WHEN WE LET THEM LAND, AND BUILD A NEST IN OUR HAIR, THAT IT BECOMES A PROBLEM.”

“LEAD US… OR LET US…” WHATEVER TEMPTATIONS WE ENTER INTO, ARE THERE BECAUSE WE ALLOW THEM INTO OUR LIVES.  WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING.  THERE’S NO ONE ELSE TO BLAME.

“WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY, AND HE IS US.”

IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING, EVEN JESUS COMES TO KNOW THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF TEMPTATION.

JESUS GOES FROM THE ABSOLUTE PINNACLE OF FAITH AND AFFIRMATION: THE MOMENT OF HIS BAPTISM; THE CONFIRMATION OF HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN:

“YOU ARE MY SON, MY BELOVED, WITH YOU I AM WELL PLEASED.”

AND IN NEARLY THE NEXT BREATH, THE GOSPEL OF MARK TELLS US THAT JESUS IS IN THE WILDERNESS;

FEELING THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE TEMPTATION TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN GOD WANTS; IN WAYS, OTHER THAN GOD HAS ESTABLISHED; BY MEANS THAT ARE LESS THAN GODLY; AND JESUS REJECTS TEMPTATION AT EVERY TURN.

THE GOOD NEWS IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING IS THAT WHEN JESUS REFUSES TO GIVE INTO TEMPTATION, WE ARE TOLD THAT GOD’S ANGELS WAIT ON HIM.

LEAD US… LET US… DELIVER US… FROM TEMPTATION… IT IS RIGHT THAT WE PRAY FOR GOD’S HELP, GOD’S DELIVERANCE, AND INEVITABLY, FOR GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS.

BUT LET’S BE HONEST: WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE DOING; AND IN THE MOMENT WE MAKE THE CHOICE, TO GIVE INTO TEMPTATION, THE BUCK STOPS HERE.

JESUS’ EXAMPLE OF REFUSING TO GIVE INTO TEMPTATION, IS NOT ABOUT HIS DIVINITY; HE IS NOT EXERCISING DIVINE POWER IN OVERCOMING SIN AND TEMPTATION; HE IS MAKING A CHOICE.

AND HE DOES SO AMIDST BOTH GREAT FAITH AND GREAT TEMPTATION; AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER AS PEOPLE OF FAITH.

OUR FAITH IN GOD WILL NOT ELIMINATE TEMPTATION; WE CANNOT INOCULATE OURSELVES AGAINST IT WITH A “JESUS SHOT.”

TEMPTATION IS GOING TO COME.  IN FACT, IN SOME WAYS, WE WHO ARE FAITHFUL ARE EVEN MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO TEMPTATION THAN OTHERS.

THOSE WHO DON’T GIVE A DAMN, WHO HAVE NO MORAL COMPASS, WHO SAY, AND DO, AND ACT UPON WHATEVER IMPULSE STRIKES THEIR FANCY IN THE MOMENT – THEY DON’T CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH SIN AND TEMPTATION;

THEY ARE UNCONCERNED ABOUT WHO THEY MIGHT HURT WITH THEIR WORDS, THEIR ACTIONS, THEIR ABUSE: THEY USE, AND ABUSE, AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.

THERE’S A REASON PEOPLE OF FAITH ARE DIFFERENT;

AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR NOT BEING TEMPTED; AND NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR BEING PERFECT, OR PRETENDING TO BE;

OR BLAMING OTHERS FOR OUR FAULTS AND FAILURES.

IT HAS TO DO WITH UNDERSTANDING OUR NEED FOR FORGIVENESS; OUR DESIRE TO DO BETTER; AND OUR STRIVING TO BE MORE FAITHFUL, MORE RIGHTEOUS, FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.

THE LENTEN SEASON IS UPON US ONCE MORE.  THESE SIX WEEKS LEADING UP TO EASTER ARE A TIME OF HEIGHTENED REFLECTION AND DEVOTION.

A TIME OF GIVING UP SOMETHING, TO TAKE UP SOMETHING, THAT MAKES ME A BETTER ME.

IT IS A TIME OF CONFESSION; A TIME OF PROFESSION; AND A TIME TO PUT OUR FAITH INTO ACTION.

THE GOSPELS TELL US THAT AS SOON AS JESUS RETURNED FROM THE WILDERNESS, HAVING TURNED BACK TEMPTATION AT EVERY TURN, JESUS WENT TO WORK!

IT WOULDN’T BE THE LAST TIME JESUS WOULD FACE TEMPTATION, INCLUDING THE TEMPTATION TO JUST CHUCK IT ALL; TO TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT;

TO GIVE INTO THE DEMANDS OTHERS WERE MAKING OF HIM; TO GIVE INTO HIS OWN DESIRES AND DEVICES.

INSTEAD, HE CHOSE GOD; AND GOD’S WAYS;

AND HE PRAYED; NOT TO BE LED, OR LET, INTO THE TEMPTATIONS THAT CAME HIS WAY;

“NOT MY WILL, BUT THY WILL, BE DONE,” HE ONCE PRAYED ON A HILL;

AND THEN WENT OUT AND FULFILLED IT ON ANOTHER.

I PRAY FOR YOU: A HOLY LENT; A TIME OF REFLECTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT; A TIME OF CONFESSION AND PROFESSION; A TIME OF HOPE AND PEACE.