The Devil Is Quick
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
This week’s gospel text recounts Jesus’ sojourn in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil. The word “temptation” seems like a very mild description of the stern tests that Jesus faced as he fasted in a harsh and unforgiving climate -- for us, being tempted tends to conjure images of the luxuries we’ve chosen to forego during Lent. But the trials that Jesus endured were much more significant, as they tested his devotion to the bedrock principles of faith. In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Mary Austin notes that each of the temptations the devil offered Jesus -- turning stone into bread, accepting the authority of the kingdoms of the world, and calling on the angels for protection from physical harm -- are about two things: the illusion of power over our lives, and the enticement of shortcuts to achieve our desires. Likewise, Mary points out, those are also the characteristics of the temptations we are confronted with in our own lives -- a lesson we see repeatedly demonstrated in the headlines as well. Perhaps, Mary suggests, we need to be less infatuated by the high-tech shortcuts that consume our lives, in order to reconnect with a God who offers us not quick fixes but lasting sustenance.
Team member Dean Feldmeyer shares some additional thoughts on the Deuteronomy text and the concept of first fruits. We may think we’re being faithful in our tithes and offerings, but Dean notes that our actual practice in much of our lives may be closer to that illustrated in the novel God’s Little Acre -- where we make our sacrificial giving dependent on what’s convenient for us (something many of us certainly engage in with the government as we seek tax shelters). Dean reminds us that this text is a living illustration that we give first -- not out of our leftovers -- and that when we do so, God even returns our offerings. In other words, we practice giving to imprint on our souls where and from whom our bounty actually comes.
The Devil Is Quick
by Mary Austin
Luke 4:1-13
When I visit a nursing home near my church, I stop to say hello to the receptionist as I sign in. “How are you?” I ask her, and she always gives the same answer with a charming smile and a lilt in her voice, suggesting that she is not defeated by her answer. “The devil is busy,” she says. I had never heard this phrase before she taught it to me, and I find her answer charming. When we look at the sorrows of the world and the messes we get ourselves into, it’s easy to imagine a busy devil stirring up trouble behind the scenes.
The devil, the personification of the forces of evil, is certainly busy with Jesus, as we find Jesus in the wilderness at the beginning of his public life. Just after his baptism the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness, and the devil gets busy tempting him for the whole time he’s there.
A deeply spiritual life is its own kind of wilderness in a full and busy world. The things that connect us to God are time and space, and most of our lives suffer from a shortage of both. Like Jesus, our temptations come in the form of shortcuts. Each temptation offers Jesus a quick way out -- and if he’s tempted, we are even more so.
In the Scriptures
Luke tells us that the devil tempts Jesus for 40 days. We can only imagine what other flashy things the devil had to offer throughout the 40 days, and we overhear only these last three when the 40 days are over. If this is the end, perhaps these are the last and greatest temptations the devil has to offer. The rest was just a warmup, probing at Jesus’ weak spots and watching for a reaction. Now the tests are perfectly honed.
First, for a hungry person there is the temptation of food -- an all-you-can-eat buffet of stones turned into bread. Jesus will later turn bits of food into feasts for other people and proclaim himself the bread of life. Then there’s the offer of glory. Not too long after this, Jesus will be transfigured by the presence of God instead of by this offer. And finally, God’s protection from harm -- an offer Jesus will decline again at the cross.
This time of testing mirrors the testing Jesus will experience when he goes home to the synagogue shortly after this. Here Satan pokes and prods at his identity, asking if he is who he says he is. The hometown folks will have the same skeptical reaction shortly, and will try to throw him off a cliff. The devil departs “until an opportune time,” and he will surely be back. The angry reaction of familiar people will surface again in his life too. The same tests reappear for Jesus, as they do for us. Testing, or temptation, is never completely vanquished -- it comes back in familiarly alluring forms.
In the News
As the 2016 presidential race moves into actual voting, several candidates have been working on taking a shortcut to the Oval Office. The traditional route to the presidency involves holding other elected offices -- whether senators (like Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Bernie Sanders) or governors (like Chris Christie, John Kasich, and formerly Jeb Bush). Best known among the “shortcut candidates” is Donald Trump, hoping to translate his business experience and reality television personality (“You’re fired!”) into the nomination.
Trump is willing to spend his own money on his White House bid, but he has also used his controversial comments to take a shortcut into the news headlines. The Huffington Post observes that “Donald Trump has risen to the top of the Republican presidential primary field in part by manipulating the media. Rather than spending his personal wealth on television advertisements or devoting hours of his days to courting television and print reporters, he has, through the strength of his personality, gotten the press corps to cover him on his schedule and their dime.” Trump has used his blunt, often offensive comments to fast-track his way into headlines and media coverage the other candidates can only fantasize about.
His campaign may be a shortcut to a better bottom line too. “Donald J. Trump once boasted that he could someday be the only person to turn a profit running for president. He may be closer than anyone realizes,” the New York Times reports. Trump’s campaign spent $12.4 million in 2015, and the Times notes that $2.7 million “was paid to at least seven companies Mr. Trump owns or to people who work for his real estate and branding empire, repaying them for services provided to his campaign. That total included more than $2 million for flights on his own planes and helicopter, a quarter of a million dollars to his Fifth Avenue office tower, and even $66,000 to Keith Schiller, his bodyguard and the head of security at the Trump Organization.” Trump is generating business for his own enterprises while he campaigns. The Times also points out that of Trump’s self-funded campaign, “Virtually all of the money Mr. Trump himself has put into the campaign was lent, rather than donated outright, meaning that he could potentially sell enough hats and t-shirts to pay himself back down the road.”
Whether he wins the White House or not, Trump is certainly adding to his name recognition. Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist working for a group supporting Marco Rubio, says, “I think there’s always been a case to be made that Donald Trump looked at this as a way to extend his brand to a new generation of people.”
In the Sermon
We all love shortcuts -- or as they’re now called, “life hacks.” Websites specializing in quick ways to improve our lives include LifeHack.org, which suggests “before you throw away a post-it, run it between your computer keys to collect crumbs and fluff.” 1000 Life Hacks suggests “Getting her a gift for Valentine’s Day? Have her guess what it is. She’ll list the things she’s been wanting.” Some shortcuts are harmless, but the mindset of doing everything more efficiently trips us up in the important things. There’s no shortcut to parenting, or having a relationship. Quantity time is the only thing that leads to quality time. Gardening or meditating or getting good at a sport (or any skill) all require time and attention. The sermon might look at the spiritual practice of not taking the quick way through things, but giving of our energy to the slower way.
The three tests for Jesus are about his identity as God’s beloved, and our temptations are often also about who we are. We would love a shortcut to a coveted job, or a title that will impress people. Jesus is rooted enough in God to resist, but we often are not. The old saying advises “Don’t let your talent take you where your character can’t keep you.” Jesus’ resistance comes in the power of the Holy Spirit, given at his baptism -- and we have the same gift from God in our own baptisms. How can we be reminded of our roots in God so we hold onto that identity through other temptations?
Or the sermon might look at power -- the kinds of power we have, and the kinds we want. Karoline Lewis considers whether she would be able to resist the temptations offered to Jesus, and realizes: “I am indicted on another level. I want the power Jesus is offered -- on all of its levels. And this is the unnerving and upending truth of this story. That which Jesus resists, his ‘passing of the test,’ his resistance to temptation, in the end for Jesus, is a bold ‘no’ to power as we know it. Power that dominates. Power that controls. Power that lifts up for the sake of idolatry and ideology. Power that insists on your own power.”
Or the sermon might talk about how these temptations are particularly apt for all of us. We are all tempted by food all the time -- we can eat 24 hours a day, and many of us are overweight and out of shape. Or the sermon might look at our other hungers -- for companionship, understanding, meaning, respect, safety, or recognition, among others. The temptation to power and safety beset all of us in different forms. These temptations are well chosen by the devil, and they work well for us too.
Temptations, or tests of our spiritual strength, are all around us. We are people who believe firmly in doing things better and faster -- perhaps our greatest and most compelling temptation. If we can get answers from Google faster, order food that comes sooner, get deliveries faster, and pay bills more quickly, then can’t we access the presence of God in the same way? In fact, if we can do all that, what do we need God for? We have the power to get our own directions, custom-order our own clothes, have the ingredients for dinner delivered, and talk to anyone, anywhere, any time -- if they’ll pick up the phone. We can quickly get ourselves into a wilderness of our own making. We can do so much, and there doesn’t seem to be any room left for God.
God invites us to use our love of power and speed as a way to meet up with the Spirit again. Our shaky, hurried identities can find their roots in the Spirit again. In Lent, God invites us back into a season where we and God meet up again -- in quiet, and in emptiness, and in slowness.
SECOND THOUGHTS
God’s Little Acre
by Dean Feldmeyer
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Erskine Caldwell wrote over 60 novels, but he’s most famous for two of those. In Tobacco Road (1932), he painted a plain and unsentimental portrait of extreme poverty in the South, but offered no answers as to how the problems should be addressed.
In his follow-up, God’s Little Acre (1933), he returned to his subject of Southern poverty, but with a lighter hand. In this novel the Walden family is victimized by industrial greed and corruption, but they also contribute to their misery by way of their own lust and greed.
Ty Ty Walden is a widower with four adult children, two men and two women. Despite the vagaries of the Great Depression, he still owns his own farm. He has become convinced that there is gold buried somewhere on the farm, and instead of farming the rich and fertile land he and his two sons spend the entire novel destroying it by digging large holes in their futile quest to find the gold. Their only income comes from two African-American men who they allow to grow a few crops around the huge holes, and from loans they take out with the promise to pay them back as soon as the gold is found.
The family is as sexually promiscuous as they are delusional, and there is a lot of sleeping around with each other’s husbands and wives and friends and neighbors, enough to have the book condemned in some parts of the United States as pornographic (at least by 1930s standards). Even in the late 1960s (when I was in high school), no teacher was brave enough to put it on the reading list for their class. Tobacco Road and God’s Little Acre sat on the high-up shelf beside James Joyce’s Ulysses and The Crucible and Lolita and The Catcher in the Rye -- books that were unarguably good literature, but were considered to be just a little too “adult” for teenagers to read. So, naturally, those were the first ones we read -- only to be disappointed that they were either too tame or too literate to actually be interesting.
Anyway, the title of God’s Little Acre comes from a promise Ty Ty made early in the story -- that one acre of the farm shall be set aside, and whatever issues from the earth on that acre shall be given to God. But as Ty Ty and his boys move about the farm digging their holes, he constantly convinces himself that the gold must be on the reserved portion. So from time to time he moves the cross (signifying God’s little acre) to a different acre, so he doesn’t have to share any gold he may find with God.
The story, which began as comedy, ends as tragedy when the already dysfunctional family collapses into itself and is all but destroyed by its own lust, greed, and ignorance as well as by the greed and corruption of the owners of the local textile mill, who refuse to open the mill as long as the workers want to be represented by a union.
Ty Ty’s promise that God will receive the issue of the earth on that one acre turns out to be as empty as the vows his children made at their weddings and the promises that the industrialists made when they built the textile mill in town.
Since the publication of God’s Little Acre, that phrase has become a metaphor in American culture for the sacrificial promises we make to God and each other -- but that we always seem to find a reason or an excuse for not keeping.
As soon as my kids graduate from high school, I’m going to take on a bigger leadership role and responsibility in the church...
As soon as I get established in my career, I’m going to volunteer more in the community...
As soon as I get my next raise, I’m going to increase my pledge to the church...
After I retire, I’ll have more time for volunteer work...
For some, retirement is our God’s little acre. For some, it may be a raise or a promotion. For others, it is the absence of our kids from the house for a few hours each day.
The point is, and I think Caldwell was well aware of this when he wrote his novel, we all have our own “God’s Little Acre.”
The Cattle on a Thousand Hills
In this week’s lesson from Deuteronomy, God lays out the rules for how the people are supposed to determine what offerings to God are expected and acceptable.
To avoid the “God’s Little Acre” phenomenon, the offerings are to be “from the first fruits.” That is, they are to be a portion of the very first items that are harvested. Waiting until the harvest is completed to decide how much or how little you want to give to God is not allowed.
What’s really interesting in this passage, however, is not what the thank offering is to be or how it is to be collected, but what God does with it once it has been turned over to God’s purpose.
The people are instructed to bring some of the first fruits to the place of worship. They are given a ritual that they are to recite, a ritual that reminds them of who they are and who God is and why they are doing this. Then they lay them down at the foot of the altar. Then what?
Well, then God gives it back to them. God has no use for all that stuff. “The cattle on a thousand hills are his” (Psalm 50). Of what use to God is a bunch of wheat and raw vegetables and sheep and goats and cows? None! So God gives it back and tells the people to use it for a party that will include the priests and even visitors to the area. “Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and your house” (v. 11). It’s kind of an early version of the Thanksgiving dinner.
Give generously and faithfully of your first fruits, says the author(s) of Deuteronomy, and remember where they came from and who made the miracle by which they grew and multiplied. Remember and give thanks, and the Lord will return them to you so you can have a feast.
Sounds like a good deal, no?
Sounds like exactly the opposite of what happened to Ty Ty Walden and his family.
Deep Freeze Becomes an Altar
About 35 years ago, when I was fresh out of seminary with a wife and a new baby and not a dime in the bank, I was sent to be the pastor of two small rural churches in central Ohio.
They were about three miles apart with about 60 members each, one a former Methodist Protestant church and the other a former Methodist Episcopal church. All the members of both churches knew each other and got along well, but they weren’t about to give up the church their parents and grandparents had attended just for the sake of practicality.
The two churches had a single, combined choir that sang at both worship services on Sunday mornings. They often worked together on mission projects and Vacation Bible School.
In the basement of one of the churches were three freezer chests. One was for the ladies’ group, who kept in it foods and supplies for their various dinners and meetings.
The other two were owned by both churches together. One was for frozen vegetables from the gardens of the members of the two churches. The other was for meat. There were lots of farmers who did their own butchering at certain times of the year, and they always set aside some of the beef and pork to be put into that freezer at the church.
When I became pastor, one of the first things that happened was that a delegation from the churches took my wife and me into the basement to see the two community freezers. They were opened to reveal the treasures within.
And then we were told that these freezers were kept full by the members of the two churches from their first fruits. My family was to consider them as our own. We were to use whatever we liked from the two community freezers -- meat, vegetables, and even the occasional frozen pizza or half-gallon of ice cream that made its way there.
Also, when any poor person or family came to me asking for food, I was to let them go to the freezers and take whatever and as much as they needed. Members of the church would monitor the contents, and when they got low they would be restocked.
I stayed at that appointment for two years, and for the entire time never bought a steak, a pound of bacon, a can of green beans, or the fixings for a meatloaf or hamloaf. And no one in the community ever went hungry either.
When the freezers started to get low, some new first fruits would arrive and fill them up again as if by magic.
It was, I think, the very essence of what the book of Deuteronomy is talking about in the opening verses of the 26th chapter. Those two deep-freezers were not God’s little acre. They were the altars upon which were placed a thank offering unto the Lord.
It may not have been milk and honey, but it was green beans and pork loin and that was plenty.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Robin Lostetter:
Luke 4:1-13
In the gospel reading, the devil -- or evil personified -- tempts Jesus with the sort of shortcuts that only someone vested with power is able to take advantage of. Need bread? Forget the bakery -- just pick up this stone and wave your hand over it. Want public adoration and world power? No problem, with my superpower you can see all the world’s kingdoms, and I can give you the keys to each one! And why are you contemplating an earthly ministry filled with rejection, arguments, disciples who don’t “get it,” and that ends up on a cross? Throw yourself down from the temple peak, for God has appointed angels to prevent you even stubbing your toe.
Each of those shortcuts would have given Jesus the adoration, recognition, and power that he strove for in the following three years of hard work. It’s kind of like using the lists of “Life Hacks” for those of us who can’t afford the big, expensive shortcuts, or like others of us purchasing power tools or employing people to do those things that are either menial or would take too much time away from our “productive work.”
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Bill Gates has been quoted as saying, “You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There’s another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday. The idea is pretty straightforward. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, shoppers take a break from their gift-buying and donate what they can to charity.” And as good an idea as this is to counter the orgy of spending on Friday through Monday, this is counter to what is prescribed in Deuteronomy. For after spending on sales, grabbing for doorbusters, and ordering everything one couldn’t find in the malls, what will be given on Tuesday is the leftovers. Leftovers -- not first fruits. In addition, it would be surprising if a large portion of Giving Tuesday’s “take” goes to religious institutions in thanksgiving to God.
How would the nation react to having Giving Thursday -- or a real “ThanksGiving” -- where the first fruits are offered prior to settling down to digest turkey and the fixings and before indulging in pie and whipped cream? Perhaps those community Thanksgiving services and early morning Thanksgiving eucharists need to be brought back again, with emphasis on an offering commensurate with the spending to follow.
***************
From team member Ron Love:
Luke 4:1-13
The Washington Post recently reported on a CIA practice known as “eyewash.” To protect classified information, misinformation and lies are sent to the rank and file of the agency, and then through a special communication structure an elite few receive the truth. The misinformation is called “eyewash,” and it is used to keep subordinates from leaking information. However, misinformed subordinates could take action on the lies presented to them. Another problem is that sometime eyewash material reaches the Pentagon and White House, and that misinformation can create bad decision-making. Also, there are no formal rules governing the use of eyewash.
Application: Satan tried to deceive Jesus with misinformation, or eyewash, but Jesus knew the truth. So too must we protect ourselves from the “eyewash” of Satan.
*****
Luke 4:1-13
A documentary has recently been released about the ordeal of a 19-year-old Pakistani girl named Saba Qaiser. Against the dictates of her family, she ran off and married her boyfriend. Hours after the marriage, her father and uncle sweet-talked her into their car. They then took her to a spot on the riverbank where they beat her. Then her father shot her in the head, but she was able to turn her face to the side and the bullet did not kill her. The body was then wrapped in a sack and thrown into the river. The water revived Saba, and she was able to make it to shore and receive medical care. Her father, Maqsood, called his actions an “honor killing” since Saba disobeyed him. Maqsood justified what he did, saying, “I can proudly say that for generations to come none of my descendants will ever think of doing what Saba did.” The father and uncle will not face criminal charges.
Application: Satan spoke to Jesus, as he does to us, in sweet and deceptive words to convince us that evil is acceptable.
*****
Luke 4:1-13
The Denver Broncos were outlandish in the media as they trash-talked the New England Patriots before their AFC championship playoff game, going so far as to call star New England quarterback Tom Brady a crybaby. But heading into the Super Bowl, they had nothing but praise for the Carolina Panthers. In contrast to Brady, the Broncos called Cam Newton “the most dangerous quarterback in the NFL right now.” Their change in language and attitude was not explained, but perhaps Broncos player Von Miller provided some insight when he said, “We go out there and the scoreboard talks for itself.”
Application: Jesus did not have to confront Satan, for his life on the scoreboard would be sufficient testimony as to his calling and ministry.
*****
Luke 4:1-13
The Super Bowl is one instance where people actually watch the advertisements as much as the program itself. Yet for this year’s game, a number of advertisers who participated in past years opted out. The decision is due to more than just the $5 million fee for a 30-second spot; there are also the costs of producing the ad and follow-up expenses to consider. Included in this is that companies today must create a strong digital component for social media to accompany the advertisement. Though the Super Bowl each year has a televised audience topping 100 million, some companies realize that it is not a wise investment.
Application: Some individuals are able to stand on the mountaintop with Jesus and realize the kingdom of 100 million below is not what everyone thinks it is, and thus they have the ability to say “no.”
*****
Luke 4:1-13
Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr was always upset and depressed after losing a major championship game. But when he got home and turned on the television news, he saw real suffering in the world. He then realized that football is only a game, and that the loss was meaningless compared to the hardships of others.
Application: Jesus, in his confrontation with Satan, never lost his understanding of the real meaning and purpose in life.
*****
Romans 10:8b-13
A recent study has shown that loneliness can be worse for one’s health than cigarettes and obesity. Loneliness breaks down the immune system of an individual, which causes major health problems. Living in community is a part of our evolutionary process, as it was a requirement for successful survival in hunter-and-gatherer cultures. Thus, we were not meant to live in isolation. Biologically, the pain of loneliness is the same as the pain of hunger.
Application: Paul instructs that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek in the Christian community; thus, there is no place for an individual to be ostracized and lonely.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
An article by Jane Brody in the New York Times discusses the health benefits of knitting. Knitting can help one concentrate, focusing on the here and now while in conversation. Knitting also can induce relaxation and alleviate stress. Knitting can even exceed the benefits of meditation because it enhances one’s self-esteem -- for during the time of relaxation there is something tangible to show, a useful product to give to someone else.
Application: The Israelites, having arrived at the land of milk and honey, learned in their spiritual lives the value of worship and sharing.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
The siege of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge has lasted over a month, and torn asunder the town of Burns, Oregon, a community of 7,000. Family and friends have been divided over the issue presented by the protesters -- the control of land by the Federal government. While some have not supported the actions of the refuge’s occupiers, they did support their political position. According to the New York Times, during the siege Burns has been “a community at war with itself.” Lindsay Tyler, born and raised in Burns said, “Families are being torn apart, friendships are being ended -- it’s a nightmare.” Public official and community leaders have resigned from office, supporting one side or the other. Long after the ordeal finally ends, the community will still be healing.
Application: If we understand the blessing of God upon the land given to us, perhaps violence and protest could be avoided if we mimic the attitude of gratefulness as expressed by the Israelites.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera led his team to its first Super Bowl last week. As a Chicago Bears player under coach Mike Ditka, Rivera himself played in the Super Bowl and has a championship ring to show for him team’s effort. On this year’s trip to the Super Bowl, Rivera called upon the Super Bowl advice that Ditka gave his team years ago, recounting: “One of the things that coach Ditka emphasized to us was to enjoy the moment. The moment doesn’t come very often. It’s hard. It’s hard to get where we are right now.”
Application: In sharing their gifts, the Israelites were enjoying the moment of being in the Promised Land.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
In order to prepare his team for the Super Bowl, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is seeking advice from other coaches who have participated in the Super Bowl. Rivera reflected on what he learned from them: “People think you should be stoic when you play this game. I think you should be able to come out and have fun. This is a kids’ game. I know there’s a lot of money involved, but at the end of the day it’s about entertainment and having fun. If you’re not enjoying yourself, don’t play the game. It’s that simple.”
Application: In sharing their gifts, the Israelites where enjoying the game of life and expressing the joy of being in the Promised Land.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Come all who live in the shelter of the Most High.
People: We will say to God, “You are our refuge and our fortress.”
Leader: We have made God our refuge, the Most High our dwelling place.
People: God will command the angels to guard all our ways.
Leader: When we call, God will answer and be with us in trouble.
People: With long life God will satisfy us, and show us our salvation.
OR
Leader: Come and worship our God of steadfast love.
People: We offer to our faithful God our praise.
Leader: Come and learn of the constant work of God’s salvation.
People: We want to know how God is at work among us.
Leader: Come and find your part in God’s work.
People: We are Jesus’ disciples. We will follow in God’s path.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“Lord of the Dance”
found in:
UMH: 261
W&P: 118
“Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days”
found in:
UMH: 269
H82: 142
PH: 81
NCH: 211
CH: 180
W&P: 252
“Where He Leads Me”
found in:
UMH: 338
AAHH: 550
NNBH: 229
CH: 346
AMEC: 235
“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
found in:
UMH: 349
NNBH: 195
ELA: 284
W&P: 472
“Seek Ye First”
found in:
UMH: 405
H82: 711
PH: 333
CH: 354
W&P: 349
CCB: 76
“Trust and Obey”
found in:
UMH: 467
AAHH: 280
NNBH: 322
CH: 556
W&P: 443
AMEC: 377
“Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
found in:
UMH: 474
PH: 44
AAHH: 471
NCH: 472
CH: 628
ELA: 773
W&P: 500
AMEC: 393
STLT: 199
“Stand By Me”
found in:
UMH: 512
NNBH: 318
CH: 629
W&P: 495
AMEC: 420
“Change My Heart, O God”
found in:
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
“Sanctuary”
found in:
CCB: 87
Renew: 185
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who goes the long route to the goal: Grant us the grace to avoid the quick fix and the shortcut that takes us away from being your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, for you are always patiently going about your goal. When we put up barriers to your will, you do not abandon who you are to accomplish your ends. Help us to be steadfast in being your children and to stick to our principles. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our willingness to act contrary to our beliefs for short-term gains.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have heard your call, and you have given us the direction in which we need to travel. Yet we are distracted by short-term gains that draw us away from your will. We want a quick fix to things, and too often we are unwilling to keep true to our beliefs. Forgive us, and draw us back to your way that we may be faithful followers of Jesus. Amen.
Leader: God is patient and kind. God does not give up on us, but constantly calls us back to the true path of discipleship. Receive God’s love and forgiveness and the power of the Spirit to resist the temptation of the quick fix.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
All glory and blessings are yours, O God of steadfastness. You are the one true being who never varies from your nature.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have heard your call, and you have given us the direction in which we need to travel. Yet we are distracted by short-term gains that draw us away from your will. We want a quick fix to things, and too often we are unwilling to keep true to our beliefs. Forgive us, and draw us back to your way that we may be faithful followers of Jesus.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which your steadfast love and faithfulness have held us. You are the one we can always trust to be the same now and forever.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another, and offer to your care the hurts of our hearts and of our world. Help us to be faithful to our task of bringing your wholeness and blessing to all creation.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Tell the children that we all do things we wish we had not done. Sometimes we then want to say we didn’t do them. We want to take a shortcut from doing the wrong thing to feeling good about ourselves by saying we didn’t do it. But the way we will feel better is to admit what we did. There is no shortcut -- we have to go through the long way of admitting we were wrong. It is only then that we know the joy of being forgiven.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Pack Up Your Alleluias
by Chris Keating
Luke 4:1-13
Gather ahead of time:
* heart-shaped pieces of construction paper (many colors); write “Alleluia” on each heart (have at least two hearts per child)
* pencils or markers
* a backpack, old suitcase, or tote bag
It could be called the winter trifecta -- the First Sunday in Lent, Valentine’s Day, and President’s Day weekend all in one. The latter may mean lighter attendance, but the coincidental combination of Lent and Valentine’s Day could prove intriguing. Kids will be drawn to the sweet confections of Valentine’s Day -- often a problem for traditions or families that practice abstaining from chocolate during Lent! The problem can be solved by reminding everyone that technically Sundays are not counted as part of the 40 days of Lent. Sundays are celebrations that allow us to indulge on the treats we’ve given up for Lent -- so by all means enjoy some good (preferably fair-trade) chocolate!
Begin the children’s time by pointing out that today is the First Sunday in Lent. Note any changes to the sanctuary, including banners, paraments, stoles, and so on. Introduce Lent to the children. Everyone may know it is Valentine’s Day, but Lent may take a bit of explaining. Explain any Lenten traditions that are part of your congregation’s observance. Help the children understand how Lent is a time for preparing for the joy of Easter.
We often refer to Lent as a journey -- in particular, a journey with Jesus. Luke’s scripture tells the story of Jesus taking a journey through the wilderness. For Jesus, this was a difficult time. He gave up a lot more than chocolate. During his journey, he gave up food for 40 days and gave his heart to God. He was tempted to do something spectacular by turning a stone into bread; by seeking power over the kingdoms of the world; or by jumping off the very top of the temple in Jerusalem. He could have done any of these things -- but instead, he gave his heart to God.
Even though Valentine’s Day really has nothing to do with Lent, we can learn something from Jesus’ example. We can give our hearts to God. We can go on a journey with Jesus during Lent to help understand what that means. We give our hearts to God by sharing our love with others, by trying to do the things God wants us to do, and by showing God’s love.
Today, we are going to give our hearts to God by participating in a very old tradition. We call this “burying” or “hiding” our alleluias. Pass around the hearts with the words “Alleluia” written on them. Ask the children to write their names on the hearts. Then invite them to put their alleluias into the backpack or suitcase. Tell them: “We’re packing up our alleluias for 40 days. But just wait! On Easter morning something special is going to happen!”
Then place the suitcase or backpack in a prominent place for the rest of Lent. Remind the children that Jesus struggled in the wilderness -- and they will too. But if you give your heart to God, you can be assured God will always be with you.
The best part of this children’s sermon is that it’s a “two-fer.” If you take the “Alleluia hearts” out (not when the children can see, of course), you can put together two hearts to make a butterfly. Look up images online to see how two hearts come together to make butterflies. Sometime before Easter, put the children’s hearts into butterfly shapes (this is why the construction paper should be bright, spring-like colors). String the butterflies together and then pack them back into your container. Then, on Easter morning invite the children forward to unpack their hearts -- which by now have transformed into beautiful butterflies that you can use as part of your sanctuary or communion-table display on Easter morning.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 14, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Team member Dean Feldmeyer shares some additional thoughts on the Deuteronomy text and the concept of first fruits. We may think we’re being faithful in our tithes and offerings, but Dean notes that our actual practice in much of our lives may be closer to that illustrated in the novel God’s Little Acre -- where we make our sacrificial giving dependent on what’s convenient for us (something many of us certainly engage in with the government as we seek tax shelters). Dean reminds us that this text is a living illustration that we give first -- not out of our leftovers -- and that when we do so, God even returns our offerings. In other words, we practice giving to imprint on our souls where and from whom our bounty actually comes.
The Devil Is Quick
by Mary Austin
Luke 4:1-13
When I visit a nursing home near my church, I stop to say hello to the receptionist as I sign in. “How are you?” I ask her, and she always gives the same answer with a charming smile and a lilt in her voice, suggesting that she is not defeated by her answer. “The devil is busy,” she says. I had never heard this phrase before she taught it to me, and I find her answer charming. When we look at the sorrows of the world and the messes we get ourselves into, it’s easy to imagine a busy devil stirring up trouble behind the scenes.
The devil, the personification of the forces of evil, is certainly busy with Jesus, as we find Jesus in the wilderness at the beginning of his public life. Just after his baptism the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness, and the devil gets busy tempting him for the whole time he’s there.
A deeply spiritual life is its own kind of wilderness in a full and busy world. The things that connect us to God are time and space, and most of our lives suffer from a shortage of both. Like Jesus, our temptations come in the form of shortcuts. Each temptation offers Jesus a quick way out -- and if he’s tempted, we are even more so.
In the Scriptures
Luke tells us that the devil tempts Jesus for 40 days. We can only imagine what other flashy things the devil had to offer throughout the 40 days, and we overhear only these last three when the 40 days are over. If this is the end, perhaps these are the last and greatest temptations the devil has to offer. The rest was just a warmup, probing at Jesus’ weak spots and watching for a reaction. Now the tests are perfectly honed.
First, for a hungry person there is the temptation of food -- an all-you-can-eat buffet of stones turned into bread. Jesus will later turn bits of food into feasts for other people and proclaim himself the bread of life. Then there’s the offer of glory. Not too long after this, Jesus will be transfigured by the presence of God instead of by this offer. And finally, God’s protection from harm -- an offer Jesus will decline again at the cross.
This time of testing mirrors the testing Jesus will experience when he goes home to the synagogue shortly after this. Here Satan pokes and prods at his identity, asking if he is who he says he is. The hometown folks will have the same skeptical reaction shortly, and will try to throw him off a cliff. The devil departs “until an opportune time,” and he will surely be back. The angry reaction of familiar people will surface again in his life too. The same tests reappear for Jesus, as they do for us. Testing, or temptation, is never completely vanquished -- it comes back in familiarly alluring forms.
In the News
As the 2016 presidential race moves into actual voting, several candidates have been working on taking a shortcut to the Oval Office. The traditional route to the presidency involves holding other elected offices -- whether senators (like Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Bernie Sanders) or governors (like Chris Christie, John Kasich, and formerly Jeb Bush). Best known among the “shortcut candidates” is Donald Trump, hoping to translate his business experience and reality television personality (“You’re fired!”) into the nomination.
Trump is willing to spend his own money on his White House bid, but he has also used his controversial comments to take a shortcut into the news headlines. The Huffington Post observes that “Donald Trump has risen to the top of the Republican presidential primary field in part by manipulating the media. Rather than spending his personal wealth on television advertisements or devoting hours of his days to courting television and print reporters, he has, through the strength of his personality, gotten the press corps to cover him on his schedule and their dime.” Trump has used his blunt, often offensive comments to fast-track his way into headlines and media coverage the other candidates can only fantasize about.
His campaign may be a shortcut to a better bottom line too. “Donald J. Trump once boasted that he could someday be the only person to turn a profit running for president. He may be closer than anyone realizes,” the New York Times reports. Trump’s campaign spent $12.4 million in 2015, and the Times notes that $2.7 million “was paid to at least seven companies Mr. Trump owns or to people who work for his real estate and branding empire, repaying them for services provided to his campaign. That total included more than $2 million for flights on his own planes and helicopter, a quarter of a million dollars to his Fifth Avenue office tower, and even $66,000 to Keith Schiller, his bodyguard and the head of security at the Trump Organization.” Trump is generating business for his own enterprises while he campaigns. The Times also points out that of Trump’s self-funded campaign, “Virtually all of the money Mr. Trump himself has put into the campaign was lent, rather than donated outright, meaning that he could potentially sell enough hats and t-shirts to pay himself back down the road.”
Whether he wins the White House or not, Trump is certainly adding to his name recognition. Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist working for a group supporting Marco Rubio, says, “I think there’s always been a case to be made that Donald Trump looked at this as a way to extend his brand to a new generation of people.”
In the Sermon
We all love shortcuts -- or as they’re now called, “life hacks.” Websites specializing in quick ways to improve our lives include LifeHack.org, which suggests “before you throw away a post-it, run it between your computer keys to collect crumbs and fluff.” 1000 Life Hacks suggests “Getting her a gift for Valentine’s Day? Have her guess what it is. She’ll list the things she’s been wanting.” Some shortcuts are harmless, but the mindset of doing everything more efficiently trips us up in the important things. There’s no shortcut to parenting, or having a relationship. Quantity time is the only thing that leads to quality time. Gardening or meditating or getting good at a sport (or any skill) all require time and attention. The sermon might look at the spiritual practice of not taking the quick way through things, but giving of our energy to the slower way.
The three tests for Jesus are about his identity as God’s beloved, and our temptations are often also about who we are. We would love a shortcut to a coveted job, or a title that will impress people. Jesus is rooted enough in God to resist, but we often are not. The old saying advises “Don’t let your talent take you where your character can’t keep you.” Jesus’ resistance comes in the power of the Holy Spirit, given at his baptism -- and we have the same gift from God in our own baptisms. How can we be reminded of our roots in God so we hold onto that identity through other temptations?
Or the sermon might look at power -- the kinds of power we have, and the kinds we want. Karoline Lewis considers whether she would be able to resist the temptations offered to Jesus, and realizes: “I am indicted on another level. I want the power Jesus is offered -- on all of its levels. And this is the unnerving and upending truth of this story. That which Jesus resists, his ‘passing of the test,’ his resistance to temptation, in the end for Jesus, is a bold ‘no’ to power as we know it. Power that dominates. Power that controls. Power that lifts up for the sake of idolatry and ideology. Power that insists on your own power.”
Or the sermon might talk about how these temptations are particularly apt for all of us. We are all tempted by food all the time -- we can eat 24 hours a day, and many of us are overweight and out of shape. Or the sermon might look at our other hungers -- for companionship, understanding, meaning, respect, safety, or recognition, among others. The temptation to power and safety beset all of us in different forms. These temptations are well chosen by the devil, and they work well for us too.
Temptations, or tests of our spiritual strength, are all around us. We are people who believe firmly in doing things better and faster -- perhaps our greatest and most compelling temptation. If we can get answers from Google faster, order food that comes sooner, get deliveries faster, and pay bills more quickly, then can’t we access the presence of God in the same way? In fact, if we can do all that, what do we need God for? We have the power to get our own directions, custom-order our own clothes, have the ingredients for dinner delivered, and talk to anyone, anywhere, any time -- if they’ll pick up the phone. We can quickly get ourselves into a wilderness of our own making. We can do so much, and there doesn’t seem to be any room left for God.
God invites us to use our love of power and speed as a way to meet up with the Spirit again. Our shaky, hurried identities can find their roots in the Spirit again. In Lent, God invites us back into a season where we and God meet up again -- in quiet, and in emptiness, and in slowness.
SECOND THOUGHTS
God’s Little Acre
by Dean Feldmeyer
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Erskine Caldwell wrote over 60 novels, but he’s most famous for two of those. In Tobacco Road (1932), he painted a plain and unsentimental portrait of extreme poverty in the South, but offered no answers as to how the problems should be addressed.
In his follow-up, God’s Little Acre (1933), he returned to his subject of Southern poverty, but with a lighter hand. In this novel the Walden family is victimized by industrial greed and corruption, but they also contribute to their misery by way of their own lust and greed.
Ty Ty Walden is a widower with four adult children, two men and two women. Despite the vagaries of the Great Depression, he still owns his own farm. He has become convinced that there is gold buried somewhere on the farm, and instead of farming the rich and fertile land he and his two sons spend the entire novel destroying it by digging large holes in their futile quest to find the gold. Their only income comes from two African-American men who they allow to grow a few crops around the huge holes, and from loans they take out with the promise to pay them back as soon as the gold is found.
The family is as sexually promiscuous as they are delusional, and there is a lot of sleeping around with each other’s husbands and wives and friends and neighbors, enough to have the book condemned in some parts of the United States as pornographic (at least by 1930s standards). Even in the late 1960s (when I was in high school), no teacher was brave enough to put it on the reading list for their class. Tobacco Road and God’s Little Acre sat on the high-up shelf beside James Joyce’s Ulysses and The Crucible and Lolita and The Catcher in the Rye -- books that were unarguably good literature, but were considered to be just a little too “adult” for teenagers to read. So, naturally, those were the first ones we read -- only to be disappointed that they were either too tame or too literate to actually be interesting.
Anyway, the title of God’s Little Acre comes from a promise Ty Ty made early in the story -- that one acre of the farm shall be set aside, and whatever issues from the earth on that acre shall be given to God. But as Ty Ty and his boys move about the farm digging their holes, he constantly convinces himself that the gold must be on the reserved portion. So from time to time he moves the cross (signifying God’s little acre) to a different acre, so he doesn’t have to share any gold he may find with God.
The story, which began as comedy, ends as tragedy when the already dysfunctional family collapses into itself and is all but destroyed by its own lust, greed, and ignorance as well as by the greed and corruption of the owners of the local textile mill, who refuse to open the mill as long as the workers want to be represented by a union.
Ty Ty’s promise that God will receive the issue of the earth on that one acre turns out to be as empty as the vows his children made at their weddings and the promises that the industrialists made when they built the textile mill in town.
Since the publication of God’s Little Acre, that phrase has become a metaphor in American culture for the sacrificial promises we make to God and each other -- but that we always seem to find a reason or an excuse for not keeping.
As soon as my kids graduate from high school, I’m going to take on a bigger leadership role and responsibility in the church...
As soon as I get established in my career, I’m going to volunteer more in the community...
As soon as I get my next raise, I’m going to increase my pledge to the church...
After I retire, I’ll have more time for volunteer work...
For some, retirement is our God’s little acre. For some, it may be a raise or a promotion. For others, it is the absence of our kids from the house for a few hours each day.
The point is, and I think Caldwell was well aware of this when he wrote his novel, we all have our own “God’s Little Acre.”
The Cattle on a Thousand Hills
In this week’s lesson from Deuteronomy, God lays out the rules for how the people are supposed to determine what offerings to God are expected and acceptable.
To avoid the “God’s Little Acre” phenomenon, the offerings are to be “from the first fruits.” That is, they are to be a portion of the very first items that are harvested. Waiting until the harvest is completed to decide how much or how little you want to give to God is not allowed.
What’s really interesting in this passage, however, is not what the thank offering is to be or how it is to be collected, but what God does with it once it has been turned over to God’s purpose.
The people are instructed to bring some of the first fruits to the place of worship. They are given a ritual that they are to recite, a ritual that reminds them of who they are and who God is and why they are doing this. Then they lay them down at the foot of the altar. Then what?
Well, then God gives it back to them. God has no use for all that stuff. “The cattle on a thousand hills are his” (Psalm 50). Of what use to God is a bunch of wheat and raw vegetables and sheep and goats and cows? None! So God gives it back and tells the people to use it for a party that will include the priests and even visitors to the area. “Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and your house” (v. 11). It’s kind of an early version of the Thanksgiving dinner.
Give generously and faithfully of your first fruits, says the author(s) of Deuteronomy, and remember where they came from and who made the miracle by which they grew and multiplied. Remember and give thanks, and the Lord will return them to you so you can have a feast.
Sounds like a good deal, no?
Sounds like exactly the opposite of what happened to Ty Ty Walden and his family.
Deep Freeze Becomes an Altar
About 35 years ago, when I was fresh out of seminary with a wife and a new baby and not a dime in the bank, I was sent to be the pastor of two small rural churches in central Ohio.
They were about three miles apart with about 60 members each, one a former Methodist Protestant church and the other a former Methodist Episcopal church. All the members of both churches knew each other and got along well, but they weren’t about to give up the church their parents and grandparents had attended just for the sake of practicality.
The two churches had a single, combined choir that sang at both worship services on Sunday mornings. They often worked together on mission projects and Vacation Bible School.
In the basement of one of the churches were three freezer chests. One was for the ladies’ group, who kept in it foods and supplies for their various dinners and meetings.
The other two were owned by both churches together. One was for frozen vegetables from the gardens of the members of the two churches. The other was for meat. There were lots of farmers who did their own butchering at certain times of the year, and they always set aside some of the beef and pork to be put into that freezer at the church.
When I became pastor, one of the first things that happened was that a delegation from the churches took my wife and me into the basement to see the two community freezers. They were opened to reveal the treasures within.
And then we were told that these freezers were kept full by the members of the two churches from their first fruits. My family was to consider them as our own. We were to use whatever we liked from the two community freezers -- meat, vegetables, and even the occasional frozen pizza or half-gallon of ice cream that made its way there.
Also, when any poor person or family came to me asking for food, I was to let them go to the freezers and take whatever and as much as they needed. Members of the church would monitor the contents, and when they got low they would be restocked.
I stayed at that appointment for two years, and for the entire time never bought a steak, a pound of bacon, a can of green beans, or the fixings for a meatloaf or hamloaf. And no one in the community ever went hungry either.
When the freezers started to get low, some new first fruits would arrive and fill them up again as if by magic.
It was, I think, the very essence of what the book of Deuteronomy is talking about in the opening verses of the 26th chapter. Those two deep-freezers were not God’s little acre. They were the altars upon which were placed a thank offering unto the Lord.
It may not have been milk and honey, but it was green beans and pork loin and that was plenty.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Robin Lostetter:
Luke 4:1-13
In the gospel reading, the devil -- or evil personified -- tempts Jesus with the sort of shortcuts that only someone vested with power is able to take advantage of. Need bread? Forget the bakery -- just pick up this stone and wave your hand over it. Want public adoration and world power? No problem, with my superpower you can see all the world’s kingdoms, and I can give you the keys to each one! And why are you contemplating an earthly ministry filled with rejection, arguments, disciples who don’t “get it,” and that ends up on a cross? Throw yourself down from the temple peak, for God has appointed angels to prevent you even stubbing your toe.
Each of those shortcuts would have given Jesus the adoration, recognition, and power that he strove for in the following three years of hard work. It’s kind of like using the lists of “Life Hacks” for those of us who can’t afford the big, expensive shortcuts, or like others of us purchasing power tools or employing people to do those things that are either menial or would take too much time away from our “productive work.”
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Bill Gates has been quoted as saying, “You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There’s another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday. The idea is pretty straightforward. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, shoppers take a break from their gift-buying and donate what they can to charity.” And as good an idea as this is to counter the orgy of spending on Friday through Monday, this is counter to what is prescribed in Deuteronomy. For after spending on sales, grabbing for doorbusters, and ordering everything one couldn’t find in the malls, what will be given on Tuesday is the leftovers. Leftovers -- not first fruits. In addition, it would be surprising if a large portion of Giving Tuesday’s “take” goes to religious institutions in thanksgiving to God.
How would the nation react to having Giving Thursday -- or a real “ThanksGiving” -- where the first fruits are offered prior to settling down to digest turkey and the fixings and before indulging in pie and whipped cream? Perhaps those community Thanksgiving services and early morning Thanksgiving eucharists need to be brought back again, with emphasis on an offering commensurate with the spending to follow.
***************
From team member Ron Love:
Luke 4:1-13
The Washington Post recently reported on a CIA practice known as “eyewash.” To protect classified information, misinformation and lies are sent to the rank and file of the agency, and then through a special communication structure an elite few receive the truth. The misinformation is called “eyewash,” and it is used to keep subordinates from leaking information. However, misinformed subordinates could take action on the lies presented to them. Another problem is that sometime eyewash material reaches the Pentagon and White House, and that misinformation can create bad decision-making. Also, there are no formal rules governing the use of eyewash.
Application: Satan tried to deceive Jesus with misinformation, or eyewash, but Jesus knew the truth. So too must we protect ourselves from the “eyewash” of Satan.
*****
Luke 4:1-13
A documentary has recently been released about the ordeal of a 19-year-old Pakistani girl named Saba Qaiser. Against the dictates of her family, she ran off and married her boyfriend. Hours after the marriage, her father and uncle sweet-talked her into their car. They then took her to a spot on the riverbank where they beat her. Then her father shot her in the head, but she was able to turn her face to the side and the bullet did not kill her. The body was then wrapped in a sack and thrown into the river. The water revived Saba, and she was able to make it to shore and receive medical care. Her father, Maqsood, called his actions an “honor killing” since Saba disobeyed him. Maqsood justified what he did, saying, “I can proudly say that for generations to come none of my descendants will ever think of doing what Saba did.” The father and uncle will not face criminal charges.
Application: Satan spoke to Jesus, as he does to us, in sweet and deceptive words to convince us that evil is acceptable.
*****
Luke 4:1-13
The Denver Broncos were outlandish in the media as they trash-talked the New England Patriots before their AFC championship playoff game, going so far as to call star New England quarterback Tom Brady a crybaby. But heading into the Super Bowl, they had nothing but praise for the Carolina Panthers. In contrast to Brady, the Broncos called Cam Newton “the most dangerous quarterback in the NFL right now.” Their change in language and attitude was not explained, but perhaps Broncos player Von Miller provided some insight when he said, “We go out there and the scoreboard talks for itself.”
Application: Jesus did not have to confront Satan, for his life on the scoreboard would be sufficient testimony as to his calling and ministry.
*****
Luke 4:1-13
The Super Bowl is one instance where people actually watch the advertisements as much as the program itself. Yet for this year’s game, a number of advertisers who participated in past years opted out. The decision is due to more than just the $5 million fee for a 30-second spot; there are also the costs of producing the ad and follow-up expenses to consider. Included in this is that companies today must create a strong digital component for social media to accompany the advertisement. Though the Super Bowl each year has a televised audience topping 100 million, some companies realize that it is not a wise investment.
Application: Some individuals are able to stand on the mountaintop with Jesus and realize the kingdom of 100 million below is not what everyone thinks it is, and thus they have the ability to say “no.”
*****
Luke 4:1-13
Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr was always upset and depressed after losing a major championship game. But when he got home and turned on the television news, he saw real suffering in the world. He then realized that football is only a game, and that the loss was meaningless compared to the hardships of others.
Application: Jesus, in his confrontation with Satan, never lost his understanding of the real meaning and purpose in life.
*****
Romans 10:8b-13
A recent study has shown that loneliness can be worse for one’s health than cigarettes and obesity. Loneliness breaks down the immune system of an individual, which causes major health problems. Living in community is a part of our evolutionary process, as it was a requirement for successful survival in hunter-and-gatherer cultures. Thus, we were not meant to live in isolation. Biologically, the pain of loneliness is the same as the pain of hunger.
Application: Paul instructs that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek in the Christian community; thus, there is no place for an individual to be ostracized and lonely.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
An article by Jane Brody in the New York Times discusses the health benefits of knitting. Knitting can help one concentrate, focusing on the here and now while in conversation. Knitting also can induce relaxation and alleviate stress. Knitting can even exceed the benefits of meditation because it enhances one’s self-esteem -- for during the time of relaxation there is something tangible to show, a useful product to give to someone else.
Application: The Israelites, having arrived at the land of milk and honey, learned in their spiritual lives the value of worship and sharing.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
The siege of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge has lasted over a month, and torn asunder the town of Burns, Oregon, a community of 7,000. Family and friends have been divided over the issue presented by the protesters -- the control of land by the Federal government. While some have not supported the actions of the refuge’s occupiers, they did support their political position. According to the New York Times, during the siege Burns has been “a community at war with itself.” Lindsay Tyler, born and raised in Burns said, “Families are being torn apart, friendships are being ended -- it’s a nightmare.” Public official and community leaders have resigned from office, supporting one side or the other. Long after the ordeal finally ends, the community will still be healing.
Application: If we understand the blessing of God upon the land given to us, perhaps violence and protest could be avoided if we mimic the attitude of gratefulness as expressed by the Israelites.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera led his team to its first Super Bowl last week. As a Chicago Bears player under coach Mike Ditka, Rivera himself played in the Super Bowl and has a championship ring to show for him team’s effort. On this year’s trip to the Super Bowl, Rivera called upon the Super Bowl advice that Ditka gave his team years ago, recounting: “One of the things that coach Ditka emphasized to us was to enjoy the moment. The moment doesn’t come very often. It’s hard. It’s hard to get where we are right now.”
Application: In sharing their gifts, the Israelites were enjoying the moment of being in the Promised Land.
*****
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
In order to prepare his team for the Super Bowl, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is seeking advice from other coaches who have participated in the Super Bowl. Rivera reflected on what he learned from them: “People think you should be stoic when you play this game. I think you should be able to come out and have fun. This is a kids’ game. I know there’s a lot of money involved, but at the end of the day it’s about entertainment and having fun. If you’re not enjoying yourself, don’t play the game. It’s that simple.”
Application: In sharing their gifts, the Israelites where enjoying the game of life and expressing the joy of being in the Promised Land.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Come all who live in the shelter of the Most High.
People: We will say to God, “You are our refuge and our fortress.”
Leader: We have made God our refuge, the Most High our dwelling place.
People: God will command the angels to guard all our ways.
Leader: When we call, God will answer and be with us in trouble.
People: With long life God will satisfy us, and show us our salvation.
OR
Leader: Come and worship our God of steadfast love.
People: We offer to our faithful God our praise.
Leader: Come and learn of the constant work of God’s salvation.
People: We want to know how God is at work among us.
Leader: Come and find your part in God’s work.
People: We are Jesus’ disciples. We will follow in God’s path.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“Lord of the Dance”
found in:
UMH: 261
W&P: 118
“Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days”
found in:
UMH: 269
H82: 142
PH: 81
NCH: 211
CH: 180
W&P: 252
“Where He Leads Me”
found in:
UMH: 338
AAHH: 550
NNBH: 229
CH: 346
AMEC: 235
“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
found in:
UMH: 349
NNBH: 195
ELA: 284
W&P: 472
“Seek Ye First”
found in:
UMH: 405
H82: 711
PH: 333
CH: 354
W&P: 349
CCB: 76
“Trust and Obey”
found in:
UMH: 467
AAHH: 280
NNBH: 322
CH: 556
W&P: 443
AMEC: 377
“Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
found in:
UMH: 474
PH: 44
AAHH: 471
NCH: 472
CH: 628
ELA: 773
W&P: 500
AMEC: 393
STLT: 199
“Stand By Me”
found in:
UMH: 512
NNBH: 318
CH: 629
W&P: 495
AMEC: 420
“Change My Heart, O God”
found in:
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
“Sanctuary”
found in:
CCB: 87
Renew: 185
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who goes the long route to the goal: Grant us the grace to avoid the quick fix and the shortcut that takes us away from being your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, for you are always patiently going about your goal. When we put up barriers to your will, you do not abandon who you are to accomplish your ends. Help us to be steadfast in being your children and to stick to our principles. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our willingness to act contrary to our beliefs for short-term gains.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have heard your call, and you have given us the direction in which we need to travel. Yet we are distracted by short-term gains that draw us away from your will. We want a quick fix to things, and too often we are unwilling to keep true to our beliefs. Forgive us, and draw us back to your way that we may be faithful followers of Jesus. Amen.
Leader: God is patient and kind. God does not give up on us, but constantly calls us back to the true path of discipleship. Receive God’s love and forgiveness and the power of the Spirit to resist the temptation of the quick fix.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
All glory and blessings are yours, O God of steadfastness. You are the one true being who never varies from your nature.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have heard your call, and you have given us the direction in which we need to travel. Yet we are distracted by short-term gains that draw us away from your will. We want a quick fix to things, and too often we are unwilling to keep true to our beliefs. Forgive us, and draw us back to your way that we may be faithful followers of Jesus.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which your steadfast love and faithfulness have held us. You are the one we can always trust to be the same now and forever.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another, and offer to your care the hurts of our hearts and of our world. Help us to be faithful to our task of bringing your wholeness and blessing to all creation.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Tell the children that we all do things we wish we had not done. Sometimes we then want to say we didn’t do them. We want to take a shortcut from doing the wrong thing to feeling good about ourselves by saying we didn’t do it. But the way we will feel better is to admit what we did. There is no shortcut -- we have to go through the long way of admitting we were wrong. It is only then that we know the joy of being forgiven.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Pack Up Your Alleluias
by Chris Keating
Luke 4:1-13
Gather ahead of time:
* heart-shaped pieces of construction paper (many colors); write “Alleluia” on each heart (have at least two hearts per child)
* pencils or markers
* a backpack, old suitcase, or tote bag
It could be called the winter trifecta -- the First Sunday in Lent, Valentine’s Day, and President’s Day weekend all in one. The latter may mean lighter attendance, but the coincidental combination of Lent and Valentine’s Day could prove intriguing. Kids will be drawn to the sweet confections of Valentine’s Day -- often a problem for traditions or families that practice abstaining from chocolate during Lent! The problem can be solved by reminding everyone that technically Sundays are not counted as part of the 40 days of Lent. Sundays are celebrations that allow us to indulge on the treats we’ve given up for Lent -- so by all means enjoy some good (preferably fair-trade) chocolate!
Begin the children’s time by pointing out that today is the First Sunday in Lent. Note any changes to the sanctuary, including banners, paraments, stoles, and so on. Introduce Lent to the children. Everyone may know it is Valentine’s Day, but Lent may take a bit of explaining. Explain any Lenten traditions that are part of your congregation’s observance. Help the children understand how Lent is a time for preparing for the joy of Easter.
We often refer to Lent as a journey -- in particular, a journey with Jesus. Luke’s scripture tells the story of Jesus taking a journey through the wilderness. For Jesus, this was a difficult time. He gave up a lot more than chocolate. During his journey, he gave up food for 40 days and gave his heart to God. He was tempted to do something spectacular by turning a stone into bread; by seeking power over the kingdoms of the world; or by jumping off the very top of the temple in Jerusalem. He could have done any of these things -- but instead, he gave his heart to God.
Even though Valentine’s Day really has nothing to do with Lent, we can learn something from Jesus’ example. We can give our hearts to God. We can go on a journey with Jesus during Lent to help understand what that means. We give our hearts to God by sharing our love with others, by trying to do the things God wants us to do, and by showing God’s love.
Today, we are going to give our hearts to God by participating in a very old tradition. We call this “burying” or “hiding” our alleluias. Pass around the hearts with the words “Alleluia” written on them. Ask the children to write their names on the hearts. Then invite them to put their alleluias into the backpack or suitcase. Tell them: “We’re packing up our alleluias for 40 days. But just wait! On Easter morning something special is going to happen!”
Then place the suitcase or backpack in a prominent place for the rest of Lent. Remind the children that Jesus struggled in the wilderness -- and they will too. But if you give your heart to God, you can be assured God will always be with you.
The best part of this children’s sermon is that it’s a “two-fer.” If you take the “Alleluia hearts” out (not when the children can see, of course), you can put together two hearts to make a butterfly. Look up images online to see how two hearts come together to make butterflies. Sometime before Easter, put the children’s hearts into butterfly shapes (this is why the construction paper should be bright, spring-like colors). String the butterflies together and then pack them back into your container. Then, on Easter morning invite the children forward to unpack their hearts -- which by now have transformed into beautiful butterflies that you can use as part of your sanctuary or communion-table display on Easter morning.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 14, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
