Sunday Homily - March 10th, 2019 - Pride vs. Sacrifice

Temptation of Christ Icon

I.

Temptation is something we all face, isn't it?

You haven't studied as hard as we should have for that test,
 and you are sitting next to the smartest person in the class
  and SURELY it wouldn't be that big of a deal to sneak a peek, right?

You are on a new diet,
 maybe you are committing to the Keto diet
  the one in which you have to monitor your carb intake like a hawk
   and BAM
    your friends invite you out to that Italian restaurant.
     Can you resist the Fettuccine Alfredo?

You have to write two sermons in one week,
 and you happen to have preached Lent 1 last year
  and, hey, Trinity Parish hasn't heard that sermon before.
   Who will be the wiser?

Hey, it's like I said: EVERYBODY faces temptation!

But everyone in this room knows:
 not all temptation is as innocent as these.

The temptation to put ourselves before others,
 in our work,
  in our finances,
   in our lack of charity toward the poor?

The temptation to view everyone else as a problem you deal with,
 where everyone becomes an ever tightening twine of issues
  constantly interfering with your life
   or your plans?

The funny thing about temptation
 is that it is so often directed at an area in which we are weak,
  an area that we have been un-formed in our Christian practice,
   an area susceptible to selfishness.

An area that has fallen prey to our pride.

And often, the deadly sin of Pride is at the doorstep
 in the same way that Pride tempted our Lord in the Wilderness
  many years ago.

II.

And Christ Jesus gives us an interesting insight into the strategy of Satan,
 the chessboard that evil moves on
  and the moves that sin makes on us who are afflicted by it.

Because, at its heart, the temptations that Jesus faces in today's Gospel
 have Pride at its center.

The first temptation is the temptation to selfishness of identity,
 even the identity as the Son of God.

"So, I see you've been fasting, Jesus.
 Trying to get close to God, huh?
  Well, I mean, if you are the Son of God,
   turn those stones into bread!
    You can do that if you are the Son of God, right?"

The second temptation: placing an idol in the place of God.

"I am glorious too, Jesus.
 One of the angelic choir from the beginning of creation,
  and I have been given glory that I will happily pass on to you.
   All you have to do is to acknowledge my glory
    and worship me."

And the the third temptation: the temptation of popularity,
 even to the point of seemingly making Jesus's work as the Christ of God
  EASIER than the way of the Cross.

"You know your people have been waiting for you to come, right?
 Israel's been through so much this last little bit.
  What better way to inaugurate your work here on earth
    than to give a show of your power!
     Jump off the temple, and show the people your angel legions!
      The Holy Scriptures even say, 'He will give his angel's charge over you,
        to protect you.'"
   
All of these fire at where Jesus's own human weakness
 would be tempted to give in.

And yet, Jesus's responses are relatively short and to the point.

And notice with me where the focus of the responses are:

To the first temptation: "One does not live by bread alone."

Food is not the only thing you live on.
 God is your sustenance day in an day out.
  And as soon as we lose that focus,
   that is where selfishness and Pride twist good desire
    into something that hinders our relationship both to food AND to God.

To the second temptation: "Worship the Lord your God and serve only him."

Idols in this life are many,
 and many things will tempt your focus away from God
  but idols have no power in them to love, to heal, and to save:
   only God can love, heal, and save you.
    And when we replace God with ANYTHING,
     we have replaced love and healing and salvation
      with something that will leave our souls lonely and sick and suffering.

And to the third temptation: "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

Jesus is God Incarnate,
 Man Divine,
  but the Messiah-ship of raw power
   is not what Jesus came to reveal.
    Instead, Jesus came to reveal the divine Love of God
     and that the only real love is sacrificial love.
      Even though it may have SEEMED to serve Jesus's purposes,
       to make a spectacular sign of showing his glory at the temple,
        it in fact would COMPROMISE his road to the Cross,
         the road that is the TRUE sign of ultimate sacrifice.
          and thus is the only TRUE sign of what Love looks like.

III.

Christ responds to the Devil out of the central identity
 of God's divine love being revealed:
  and that love is cruciform in shape.

The power of God would be shown forth
 the greatness of God would shine from the empty tomb.
  But first, Jesus loved us so much
   that sacrificial love for us
    took the form of dying for us first.

The temptations to Pride and selfishness,
 the bending of the will inward toward ourselves,
  is met by Christ's sole focus on sacrificial love and sacrificial power,
   a power that must travel through the hard wood and bloody iron of the cross first.

And Christ CHOSE that path,
 in spite of all of the things he could have done.

Satan knew this.
 We know it, especially after listening to our Gospel today.

And now, as Jesus ripostes Satan,
 we also have a focus and formula to think about
  when we face temptation.

And it is quite simple:
 are we making decisions that sound good to us in the moment
  or are we making decisions based off of God's revelation of love
   as being sacrificial?

When faced with decisions in life,
 whether small or great,
  do we take time to actually take these decisions to God in prayer
   and to really contemplate whether they are in line
    with God's revelation of sacrificial love?

When studying for that test that you need to take,
 will we sacrifice what we are tempted to believe would be good for us
  (i.e. a good test score)
   and instead walk in the way of honesty?

When going on that diet,
 will we make the decision not based off of merely losing weight
  or improving our bodies for ourselves.
   But instead so that you can be strengthened to pick up your kids and grand-kids,
    to be more able to work for the good of your neighbor
     and have the physical endurance to work with your hands for the Kingdom of God?

When we consider how we spend our money,
 will we make our decisions not based off of ambition
  nor off of fleeting passions and fads,
  and instead will you INVEST in the Kingdom of God
   through your 10% tithe given to God through the Church
    through your giving of alms to the poor
     and for the good of your family FIRST?

It is so easy for us to fall into selfishness and Pride.
 Even Jesus our Savior, when facing Satan, was tempted primarily to these things.
 
Yet, Christ shows how to respond to these temptations,
 and it has much more to do with remembering the simple identity of God's love
  as a sacrificial love, a selfless care, putting aside ourselves
   for the good of the other.

If we remember that, friends,
 if we constantly hold the Holy Cross before our gaze
  and the sacrificial love of God for us in front of our eyes,
   you will be equipped to resist the temptation of Pride and selfishness.

As we continue in worship of God this morning,
 be prepared in your Lenten discipline
  to always keep the cross before your eyes.

In the name of the + Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.