Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Boy Scout Sunday/Valentine's Day/First Sunday in Lent - 02/14/16 Sermon - “He out smarts and resists the devil” (“Why Jesus is the Savior” series: Part 1 of 6)

Sunday 02/14/16 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s

Sermon Title: “He out smarts and resists the devil”

(“Why Jesus is the Savior” series: Part 1 of 6)          

                            

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Romans 10:8b-13

Gospel Lesson: Luke 4:1-13

          Friends, brothers and sisters, Boy Scouts, Cub Scout, and Scout leaders, welcome again in the name of Jesus Christ. Welcome again on this Sunday that is many things. This Sunday that is Valentine’s Day. This Sunday that is the first Sunday in the Season of Holy Lent. This Sunday that is also Boy Scout Sunday. In us celebrating the one we love on this Valentine’s Day, if we have a one we love, in us beginning this first Sunday in the Lenten Season, we also celebrate those past and present who have been involved with, or are currently involved with scouting.

          I find it fitting then, that on this Sunday that I begin a six part preaching series in this season of Lent called, “Why Jesus is the Savior.” Since the gospel of Luke reading for this morning is the scripture that tells the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness for 40-days, it really applies I think too much of what that this Sunday is. Now this gospel reading however, I don’t think, is fitting for it being Valentine’s Day today. I mean I highly doubt that you will tell your sweetheart today, “honey, this year I got you the best the Valentine’s Day gift ever!” Then your honey replies, “Well honey, what did you get for me?” Then you reply, “Well you are hardly going to believe it, but I got you a forty-day fast in the wilderness, while being tempted by the devil!” This is probably not the Sandals resort vacation that your sweetheart had hoped for.

          Since it is the first Sunday in Lent though, we are now in this 40-day season that we prepare our hearts and our minds for the coming death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It makes sense then, in this our first Sunday in Lent that we will hear about Jesus’ 40-days of temptation in the wilderness.

          Now why else is this scripture from the gospel of Luke fitting on this Boy Scout Sunday? Well, because if I am in the wilderness, and if I am stranded, and if I am being tempted by the devil, there are two people I would call upon. These people are first God, and second a Boy Scout! I mean think about it, if you’re out in the wilderness and things aren’t going well, who would you call upon? I think other than the obvious answer of God, maybe you would to do well to call upon a Boy Scout. Who knows how to survive better in the wilderness than a Boy Scout!

          Today, as Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40-days, I wonder if a Boy Scout could have also given the devil a run for his money, like Jesus did. Now don’t get me wrong, the only one that can overcome evil like the devil, is God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Yet, I bet a Boy Scout would give the devil a run for his money. I mean if you are surviving in the wilderness for 40-days, and the devil says, “I bet you don’t know how to survive out here,” a Boy Scout would say to the devil “Well I know how to make fire, find food, and survive!” I wonder what the devil would have replied to a Boy Scout who said this? While only Jesus had the power to stop the devil, I can imagine that our scouts could do fairly well. I mean after all, the Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared!”

The Boy Scout Law also calls Boy Scouts to be, trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Now once again, only Jesus Christ, only God, only the Holy Spirit, has the power to overcome the devil, overcome ultimate evil, but I think our Boy Scouts could at least give the devil a little run. For I believe that the values, the morals, and the ethics that are instilled into our Boy Scouts are indicative of holiness, generosity, and Godly living.

Growing stronger, developing into something greater, and reaching ones full potential, is really what our story in the gospel of Luke is about this morning. It is what scouting is about. You see Jesus had just been baptized in the Jordan River, by his cousin John the Baptist. After getting baptized, Jesus immediately goes into the wilderness to take on the forces of evil for 40-days. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, the savior of the world, the hope of the nations, will stand toe to toe with an evil that we hopefully will never come into contact with. Yet Jesus wins. Jesus overcomes the devil. How do we know that this Jesus of Nazareth, the one who was just baptized in the Jordan River is truly the savior the world? Well among the countless other reasons, one is that “He out smarts and resists the devil.” For 40-days Jesus is besieged by an evil that we probably cannot comprehend, and he overcomes it. This fact tells me that he must be the savior that he must be the Messiah, because “He out smarts and resists the devil.”

Now brothers and sisters, I have been in situations where I felt the power of evil strongly. We might think that we can take on this sort of evil power alone, but believe me when I say, if you have never been in the presence of something truly evil, it is terrify. While our Boy Scouts are tough and brave, I can’t imagine 40-days in the wilderness going toe to toe with the greatest evil possible.

This I do know though, that God is greater that any evil, any dark power, or any oppressive force. We hear this morning in Psalm 91, which I like on this Boy Scout Sunday, because it mentions camping that, “Living in the Most High’s shelter, camping in the Almighty’s shade, I say to the LORD, “You are my refuge, my stronghold! You are my God—the one I trust!” (Ps. 91:1-2, CEB).

How do we know on this first Sunday in the Season of Holy Lent that Jesus was truly God in the flesh, and is truly the savior of the world, “He out smarts and resists the devil.” Sisters and brothers, we do have evil in this world, as we have had from day one. With the power of God though, while working together, we can overcome evil and darkness.

Our scripture from the Apostle Paul’s epistle or letter to the Romans from this morning ends with, “All who call upon the Lord’s name will be saved” (Rom. 10:13, CEB).

Today then is truly a day of contrasts. We have Valentine’s Day, Boy Scout Sunday, and the First Sunday of Lent. Yet we have this gospel reading about Jesus resisting the devil. This reading about Jesus standing firm against evil, which is what many of us aspire to do each and every day. To pursue God’s love and mercy, and to build a world of justice, prosperity, and love, that is free from oppression.  

In looking at the gospel of Luke reading from this morning more closely, it begins by telling us that Jesus had just returned from getting baptized by his cousin John the Baptist, at the Jordan River (Lk. 4:1, CEB). The scripture says that Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He at nothing during those days and afterwards Jesus was starving” (Lk. 4:1-2, CEB). So once again, this is a pretty intense episode that Jesus Christ goes though.

The gospel then says, “The devil said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, command this stone to become a loaf of bread” (Lk. 4:4, CEB). Now did the devil point to a stone, did he pick up a stone, I don’t know. Either way though, imagine that hunger, imagine not eating for days. Now I don’t know about you, while I believe that I have strong faith, I don’t think that I could stand up to the devil. Probably my first reaction to the devil in being that hungry would be, “what kind of bread do you want me to turn that stone into?” Yet Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, the savior of the world says, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread,” but will live through God.

As the gospel continues, it says, “Next the devil led him to a high place and showed him in a single instant all the kingdoms of the world. The devil said, “I will give you this whole domain and the glory of all these kingdoms. It’s been entrusted to me and I can give it to anyone I want. Therefore, if you will worship me, it will all be yours” (Lk. 4:5-7, CEB). Then Jesus says, “It’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him” (Lk. 4:8, CEB). Again we know Jesus is truly the savior as he, in the way only he can, “out smarts and resists the devil”.

Lastly, of these three great temptations of turning a stone to bread, of being offered money, power, and fame, the gospel then says, “The devil brought him into Jerusalem and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here; “for it’s written: He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.” Jesus answered, “It’s been said, Don’t test the Lord your God.” (Lk. 4:9-12, CEB). The gospel reading for today then ends with, “After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity” (Luke 4:13, CEB). We know that Jesus Christ is the savior because “He out smarts and resists the devil”.

Being able to stand for justice, being able to stand against oppression, being able to stand up against the ultimate form of evil, this is what Jesus did on this day. Brothers and sisters, in this Season of Holy Lent, if we had a litmus test to measure if Jesus was truly the savior, truly the Messiah, I believe today, he passed that test, because “he out smarts and resists the devil”. Today he complete his basic training, his proving ground, his 40-days in the wilderness. While we continue growing in our faith, and growing in Godliness, only God can overcome the power of the devil.

Further, in the gospel reading today, the devil even acknowledged Jesus as God’s Son, for even the forces of evil know God. When God is strongly present, the forces of evil scattered, or in desperation attempt to tempt and attack the forces of God. Only when we call upon the awesome power of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, can we then “out smart and resist the devil”.

Remember as the great Protestant Reformer Martin Luther said, “The Devil is God’s ape!” By this, Luther meant that the devil is under God, created by God, and will ultimately be destroyed by God. Of course Martin Luther also said “Beer is made by men, wine by God.” 

Since I have referenced a couple of Martin Luther quotes, let me leave you with one last Martin Luther quote. This quote is “This life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” Our goal, the goal of scouting, is to grow every day, and to become better. To become more loving, more Godly, and more like Jesus Christ.

My brothers and sisters, evil is real, but so is God’s love. Sin is real, but so is salvation through Jesus Christ, the one who “out smarts and resist the devil.” Let us continue serving God this day, and every day, while we continue making the world into all that God called us to make it into! Happy Valentine’s Day, happy Boy Scout Sunday, and happy Lent. Amen.